FORMER Southend United favourite Roy McDonough feels footballing hardmen are becoming a dying breed.

McDonough was nicknamed ‘Red Card Roy’ throughout his own playing career which saw him sent off a record 22 times.

But the ex-Shrimpers striker believes modern day football lacks strong characters.

“I watch the Premier League now and there’s no leaders out there,” said McDonough.

“Who is the leader at Arsenal, Manchester United or any of the top six really?

“There’s no Roy Keane type character who bullies his own players to get the best out of them and it’s just too nice.

“In my day there was fractured cheekbones, broken noses and claret flying all over the place but when was there any claret anywhere in the Premier League?

“The only incident I can remember is Joe Hart getting a black-eye and that made every single national newspaper.

“That’s just him doing his job but most players these days could finish a game and then go stand in the front window of Burton’s and be a model.

“It’s not the same anymore and if I was still playing I would frighten some of these defenders to death.”

Joey Barton - who brings his Fleetwood Town team to Southend United this weekend - was also a controversial character during his own playing career.

But McDonough insists he would always have selected the former Manchester City midfielder.

“He would’ve been in my team every week,” said McDonough, who made 242 appearances for Blues in the 1980s and 90s.

“He would put himself about and as a manager he would be someone I would play for all day long but he doesn’t do himself any favours on Twitter at times.”

Barton’s Fleetwood side are currently eighth in the League One standings and McDonough feels the Shrimpers will be under pressure to beat them after suffering three defeats in succession.

“Southend are under pressure this weekend especially as they’re at home ,” said McDonough.

“I wish (Blues boss) Chris (Powell) well because he’s a lovely lad but my fear is he might be too nice to be a manager.”

l ‘Red Card Roy – Sex, Booze and Early Baths: The Life of Britain’s Wildest Footballer’, published by Vision Sports Publishing, is now available in paperback, priced £9.99.