The Scotland international lit up the Premier League when he arrived with Blackpool in 2010, with his technical ability and marauding instincts endearing him to fans across the country.
However, since then, his reputation has changed somewhat.
After a particularly nasty tackle on Tottenham winger Gareth Bale in 2011, the midfielder has continually seen red for a series of nasty tackles.
His antics on Saturday afternoon will have done little to shake his image as a brutal midfield enforce.
At a snowy bet365 Stadium in the middle of a crucial clash with Everton, the Stoke star stretched for a loose ball and caught Toffees skipper Wayne Rooney.