Notes

England did not have a man sent off until their 424th match in 1968.  Three more were dismissed over the next 30 years, and what was truly a magnificent disciplinary record stood at four dismissals in the 749 matches played through 26 June 1998.

But in England's next 12 matches over a little more than a year, the total doubled as four more were sent off, one of them the first England player to be dismissed on home soil.   For the first time, England had two men sent off during the same season--in European Championship qualifying matches against the same opponent, Sweden.  And for the first time England had players sent off in consecutive seasons, indeed, in three consecutive seasons.   

When Paul Scholes committed two yellow card foul tackles against Sweden in 1999, he became the first England player to be dismissed on home soil and thus the first at Wembley Stadium.  Scholes was the only England player sent off in the 223 matches England played at the Empire Stadium. Steven Gerrard, on 11 September 2012, was the first player to be sent off at the new National Stadium.

A respite followed, but it was short.  In the second match of England's very next European Championship qualification campaign, against FYR Macedonia on 16 October 2002, the young yet often-disciplined striker Alan Smith was dismissed for a second foul tackle, this one coming in time added on at match's end and, absurdly, after the ball already had crossed the touch line.  Smith thus became the second England player to be sent off on home soil, but this time at Southampton's new St. Mary's Stadium.  Captain David Beckham became the third player to be sent-off on home soil in October 2005 at Old Trafford, Manchester.  Captain Steven Gerrard became the fourth at Wembley, September 2012.

13 of the 14 dismissals occurred in competitive play.  Three came in final tournaments, all in the World Cup.  Nine came in qualifying competitions, four in the World Cup and five in the European Championship.  One came in a friendly match.  Seven occurred in matches played in June/July at the end of the season and three in matches played in September at the beginning of the season.  Two in October.  Ten occurred in away matches, only four at home.   

David Beckham and Wayne Rooney hold the distinction of being dismissed from the field twice in their England career.  Beckham indeed, was the only Captain of England to be sent off.

Of the dismissals, only two were against South American opposition, both Argentina. Another one against African opposition. The remaining eleven were all against European opposition.

Of the fourteen dismissals, only two were made in the first-half.

Following a dismissal, only one match has ever gone onto to an England victory.  Following Beckham's dismissal at Old Trafford against Austria in October 2005, England held on to their one-nil victory.  A further nine matches ended in a draw. Only four ended in defeat.
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