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Some show their strength in a tackle, others are always first on the scene when things flare up.
Then there are those players who need to say or do nothing and yet you still know they are not to be messed with.
We wanted to know which player from down the years you felt was your club’s undeniable tough nut or hard man so we asked the BBC Sport fan community to offer up some selections.
Arsenal
Charlene Smith, AFTV
The toughest player to have played for Arsenal was Martin Keown. His love, passion and winning mentality was evident on and off the pitch. I would regard Keown as a formidable defender that opposition teams feared coming up against. Both he and Tony Adams were a solid, formidable and dominating centre-back pairing.
Aston Villa
Richard Sutherland, The Villa Park Podcast
Once upon a time Dion Dublin was one of Aston Villa’s toughest players. In December 1999 the striker sustained a potentially life-threatening broken neck, but was back just a few months later to score the winning penalty in an FA Cup semi-final. During the derby against Birmingham in 2003, he was sent off for headbutting Robbie Savage, knocking him to the ground and initiating a 20-man brawl.
Bournemouth
Tom Jordan, Back of the Net
Harry Arter was known for his tough tackling, commitment and heart – a warrior who would give everything. More poignantly, Arter produced a stunning display in a win over Manchester United in 2015, just days after he and his partner tragically lost their daughter at birth. Now that goes beyond tough.
Brentford
Ian Westbrook, Beesotted
Brentford’s toughest all-time player must surely be Terry Hurlock.
His fierce tackling, as well as his long hair and beard, struck fear into opponents. But he could play a bit too, appearing in both the Premier League and Scottish Premier League and winning three England B caps during his career.
Brighton & Hove Albion
Scott McCarthy, We Are Brighton
Danny Cullip. Whether it was finishing 90 minutes at Forest in 2004 with blood pouring out his shiny head, swearing at team-mate Robbie Pethick so loudly the whole of Withdean heard, or his war cry of “let’s ‘ave a winner” whenever the opposition took a goal kick that was more a threat than encouragement, he was a captain who led by a mixture of inspiration and fear. It worked, as he won three promotions in five years as a Brighton player.
Chelsea
Ross Mooring, Chelsea Fancast
Ron Harris was a hard-nosed defender who led the Blues to FA Cup and Cup Winners’ Cup glory in the 1970s, famed for his uncompromising style of play.
Most modern fans would understandably choose John Terry as the toughest ever Chelsea player, but if your club’s top all-time appearance maker’s nickname is “Chopper”, the award has to go to Harris.
Crystal Palace
Jay Crame, The Eagles Beak
Damien Delaney became a fan favourite for his full-blooded commitment on the pitch. There are a couple of iconic images which summed up his time at the club; one at Reading in the FA Cup where he is fending off several opposition players, the other he is face-to-face with a certain Diego Costa at Stamford Bridge.
Everton
Briony Bragg, This Fan Girl
It would be comical of me to offer any other answer to this than Duncan Ferguson. He was every defender’s worst nightmare, an absolute powerhouse, scaring not just the opposition but a few referees in his time. With such a presence, he will be forever an Everton legend.
Fulham
Dan Crawford, Hammy End
Fulham fans had only a single season to appreciate Terry Hurlock’s tackling but opponents regularly ducked out of tackles he contested. He earned a record 61 disciplinary points before having to retire after breaking his leg in a friendly, a word that would not have featured in Hurlock’s personal dictionary.
Leeds United
Jess Furness, Her Game Too
Gaetano Berardi, the toughest Leeds player since Billy Bremner. The word ‘warrior’ in the dictionary is written about him! Berardi was so passionate about the club and that showed through his physical fight on the pitch. If I had to pick any modern-day Leeds player to be my bodyguard, I would pick Gaetano without any hesitation!
Leicester City
Sam Holloway, LeicesterFanTV
For me it has to be Wes Morgan. He always seemed like a gentle giant off the pitch, but as soon as he hit the grass his mentality changed from a footballer to a skipper. He never cut corners, a straightforward defender and no-nonsense player.
Liverpool
Harriet Prior, The Anfield Wrap
Despite not being the most imposing in stature, Andy Robertson has the mental toughness and physical toughness to match. He is always the first to rile up the opposition fans and players – you only have to ask Jordan Pickford. Mentally, too, he shows his toughness by consistently raising standards on the pitch.
Manchester City
Ger Deegan, Maine Road Ramble
This may have been a difficult question for many, however, the minute I saw it, only one player came to mind. Bert Trautmann goes down as City’s toughest player, purely based on the fact he played with a broken neck during the 1956 FA Cup final against Birmingham City and made crucial saves in order for City to lift the cup. Incredible.
Manchester United
Dale O’Donnell, Stretty News
Manchester United have had many hard players down the years, but I can’t see past Roy Keane, who is without doubt the toughest player to ever play in the Premier League. The Irishman was a ferocious competitor and never settled for second best. The definition of a heavy metal footballer.
Newcastle United
Pete Davey, LoadedMag NUFC
The player I’ve chose scared the life out of players on the pitch with just a stare and that man is Duncan Ferguson. Never afraid to get stuck in, always came off unscathed in a head clash and always up for a fight, even his own players were scared of him.
Nottingham Forest
Ben Dore, Dore On Tour
Kenny Burns has to be one of the hardest players to wear the Garibaldi. Notorious for taking his false teeth out and showing them to the opposition, the striker-turned-defender once headbutted an Arsenal player as he lined up to defend a free-kick. Burns would be a VAR regular nowadays.
Southampton
Ray Hunt, In That Number
Once coined ‘Alehouse brawlers’ by the legendary Bill Shankly, Saints have had some notable tough guys through the years. My choice goes to our former combative defensive midfielder Oriol Romeu. Since he has departed, we have missed a real edge in the middle of the field. Romeu picked up 63 yellow cards during his 11-year spell in the Premier League, but unbelievably, never saw red.
Tottenham Hotspur
John Wenham, Lilywhite Rose
During the 1981 FA Cup final, Graham Roberts lost two teeth during an accidental collision with a team-mate but refused to go off. This was the character of the man who was never afraid to get stuck in and, quite literally, leave the pitch with blood and sweat coming down the side of his face.
West Ham United
Mia Claydon, Green Street Hammers
Julian Dicks is not known as ‘The Terminator’ because he was a nice guy on the pitch. Although an all-around lovely person, Dicks instilled fear into any opposition that came across him. He showed no fear as a defender, constantly throwing his body on the line – even if that meant making some enemies along the way.
Wolverhampton Wanderers
Dazzling Dave, Always Wolves Fan TV
It has to be Kevin Muscat. There were numerous incidents during his career to suggest he was a true hard man of football. Muscat was labelled “the most hated man in football” by Birmingham City player Martin Grainger and Peter Crouch said “Kevin Muscat scared me”. During his 19-year football career, he received 123 yellow cards and 12 reds.
