Who is the dirtiest side in the National League?

Hartlepool United are limping towards the end of an underwhelming season and thoughts of a late push for the National League play-off places is now firmly in the past.

There can be no doubt Pools have not hit the heights they hoped to reach during another season of change on and off the pitch at the Prestige Group Stadium and will now spend a fourth consecutive season in non-league football’s top tier. Thoughts have already turned towards next season and what Pools need to do to firmly establish themselves as genuine challengers for a place in the EFL in their first full campaign under the ownership of American businessman Landon Smith.

In a notoriously physical and combative league, there could be a feeling Pools need to find a steely side and ensure a visit to the Prestige Group Stadium becomes uncomfortable for away sides on and off the pitch. Have Pools gone soft? There is an argument to suggest so and the facts back it up. During a season when some of their National League rivals have received over a century of yellow cards and as many as nine red cards, Nicky Featherstone’s side have been one of the best behaved sides in the division. But how does Pools disciplinary record compare to their National League rivals and who are the dirtiest side in non-league’s top tier.

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National League discipline table

Late goals from Alex Reid and Matty Daly helped Hartlepool United come from behind to inflict more misery on rivals Gateshead, who had Louis Storey sent off five minutes into the second half, on Tuesday evening. Picture by Frank Reid. | Local Library

placeholder image — Late goals from Alex Reid and Matty Daly helped Hartlepool United come from behind to inflict more misery on rivals Gateshead, who had Louis Storey sent off five minutes into the second half, on Tuesday evening. Picture by Frank Reid. | Local Library

1st. Sutton United (124 yellows, 9 reds, 151 points) 2nd. Brackley Town (109 yellows, 5 reds, 124 points) 3rd. Altrincham (97 yellows, 9 reds, 124 points) 4th. Aldershot Town (91 yellows, 9 reds, 118 points) 5th. Braintree Town (95 yellows, 5 reds, 110 points) 6th. Scunthorpe United (94 yellows, 9 reds, 106 points) 7th. Yeovil Town (124 yellows, 9 reds, 151 points) 8th. Morecambe (90 yellows, 4 reds, 102 points) 9th. FC Halifax Town (90 yellows, 3 reds, 99 points) 10th. York City (89 yellows, 3 reds, 98 points) 11th. Boston United (92 yellows, 1 reds, 95 points) 12th. Gateshead (78 yellows, 5 reds, 93 points) 13th. Solihull Moors (76 yellows, 5 reds, 91 points) 14th. Forest Green Rovers (75 yellows, 5 reds, 90 points) 15th. Wealdstone (79 yellows, 3 reds, 88 points) 16th. Tamworth (79 yellows, 3 reds, 151 points) 17th. Eastleigh (74 yellows, 4 reds, 86 points) 18th. Woking (79 yellows, 3 reds, 151 points) 19th. Carlisle United (77 yellows, 2 reds, 83 points) 20th. Boreham Wood (67 yellows, 4 reds, 79 points) 21st. Truro City (68 yellows, 2 reds, 74 points) 22nd. Southend United (70 yellows, 1 reds, 73 points) 23th. Rochdale (66 yellows, 0 reds, 66 points) 24th. Hartlepool United (79 yellows, 3 reds, 151 points)