Bowyer wasted no time in tainting his career with controversy, being charged with affray and racial abuse of an Asian McDonalds worker while still a teenager. He was again involved in a court case involving an incident in a Leeds nightclub also involving teammate Jonathan Woodgate, but only the latter was found guilty. Bowyer's most infamous moment came while playing for Newcastle later in his career. In 2005, he and Kieron Dyer fought one another in an astonishing brawl, leading to a pair of red cards and a £30,000 FA-imposed fine.
