JON Parkin's sending off at Scunthorpe last week means City have now been shown four red cards since the start of this season.

It is a figure unprecedented in the club's history before the end of October and just one short of City's record for a season, which has already been equalled if you count big Jon's early bath in pre-season against Livingston.

But the fact that six opposition players have been given their marching orders against the Minstermen this season would suggest it's a sign of the times rather than any worrying spread of indiscipline at Bootham Crescent.

A staggering statistic from the club's past also indicates that referees are now more ready to show red than they were in the past.

City have been shown four red cards in 74 days since the start of the current campaign, which is the same amount they received in 21 years between the post-war period of 1946 and 1967.

Last season, when Chris Smith was the only City player ordered off, was somewhat of an anomaly by modern standards and it is no surprise that the club record of five has been set on three occasions in the past 21 years.

Nigel Pepper's bizarre record of three sending-offs against Darlington contributed to the 1990-91 tally and Mark Tinkler also managed an unwanted hat-trick of dismissals in 1998-99.

The only other campaign in which City received five reds was 1981-2 when John Byrne twice made the walk of shame.

AN IMPERFECT 10

(Where the ten red cards have been brandished in City matches this season)

AUGUST 9 - Carlisle United v York City (Chris Brass for City, Steve Livingstone for Carlisle)

AUGUST 30 - Lincoln City v York City (Darren Dunning for City)

SEPTEMBER 6 - York City v Rochdale (Stuart Wise for City, Paul Connor for Rochdale)

SEPTEMBER 16 - York City v Darlington (Gary Pearson for Darlington)

SEPTEMBER 20 - York City v Bristol Rovers (Simon Bryant for Bristol Rovers)

OCTOBER 14 - Halifax v York City (James Dudgeon for Halifax)

OCTOBER 25 - Scunthorpe United v York City (Jon Parkin for City, Steve Torpey for Scunthorpe)

*Jon Parkin was also sent off in the pre-season friendly against Livingston.

Updated: 10:21 Saturday, November 01, 2003