The old adage states that the Championship is a physical league and you need to match that physicality to have success. There's matching the physical challenge the second tier represents and then there's going that fraction too far, racking up the bookings in the process.
That's been an issue for Sunderland this season on their return to arguably the most unpredictable league in world football. Far from being a dirty side, Tony Mowbray's men still find themselves almost sitting at the bottom of a league table nobody wants to be last in, the fair play standings.
The Black Cats' 54 yellow cards this season is a Championship high, some 23 more than the Fair Play table-topping Queens Park Rangers, while their one red card adds to the total for a standing of 59 points. With suspensions something Mowbray needs to avoid to give his side the best possible chance of victory once the season gets going again next month, Sunderland will hope to clean up their act a little in that regard.
Read more: 'It's amazing to see' Sunderland boss Tony Mowbray hails Black Cats' passionate support
Each team is awarded one point for a yellow card, three points for a second yellow card which leads to a red, and five points for a straight red card. Here's how the Championship stacks up.
Championship Fair Play table
1: QPR - 31 points
2: Millwall - 34 points
3: West Brom - 34 points
4: Stoke - 37 points
5: Luton - 38 points
6: Burnley - 42 points
7: Coventry - 42 points
8: Norwich - 42 points
9: Birmingham - 44 points
10: Reading - 44 points
11: Wigan - 45 points
12: Watford - 45 points
13: Blackburn - 46 points
14: Huddersfield - 46 points
15: Hull - 47 points
16: Cardiff - 49 points
17: Rotherham - 50 points
18: Bristol - 50 points
19: Sheffield United - 51 points
20: Middlesbrough - 53 points
21: Preston - 54 points
22: Swansea - 54 points
23: Sunderland - 59 points
24: Blackpool - 61 points
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