KEVIN KYLE is accustomed to finding himself in disciplinary trouble - his dad is a referee in Scotland and even he booked the young striker during his formative footballing days.

So, when Ipswich Town manager Joe Royle claimed the Sunderland man ought to have been sent off on Tuesday, Kyle greeted his comments with a world-weary shrug.

The 22-year-old draws inspiration from a long line of tough-as-teak Scottish targetmen that have terrorised English defences.

And having gradually won over the Sunderland fans with his Braveheart attitude, Kyle has vowed not to change his physical style - even though he concedes he could have been dismissed against Ipswich.

He said: "I've been booked plenty of times in my career but I've never been sent off.

"When my dad booked me, he'd ask my name. I said, 'Come on, dad, you know my name.' I'd tell him I was called Mark - which is my brother's name!

"Defenders hate strikers that are physical against them. If a defender thinks I'll give him a tough time, it makes my job easier.

"It doesn't bother me what Joe Royle said. If you took the physical aspect from my game, I wouldn't be half the player I am.

"A lot of players have made their names from getting stuck in and putting their head where it hurts. That's how I want to be.

"It would look silly if someone who's 6ft 3in chickened out of a challenge on a centre-back.

"When I was growing up, my dad used to tell me about Andy Gray and how he'd put himself in places where other people wouldn't think of putting their feet.

"I also watched Duncan Ferguson when I was younger, and a lot of people in Scotland have said I could be the next Joe Jordan.

"I thought I might have been sent off on Tuesday. I got booked for kicking the ball away, which was silly, and at half time the manager told me to calm down.

"After I was booked, I knocked over the big centre-back. That was my first foul, but if the referee had sent me off for that I would have thought it was fair.

"The guy stood there and more or less rolled me over his shoulders. For the first time in my life I thought about crying because I landed on my neck and it hurt so much.

"I've had four bookings this season now, and one more will give me a one-match suspension. I don't intend to be sent off, but it will be hard to toe the line.

"The manager says if we get sent-off for something silly we wil be fined a couple of weeks wages and at the moment I can't afford that.''

Kyle, who has scored five goals in six games, reckons his manager Mick McCarthy would have been a "mad" and fearsome opponent.

McCarthy the player made his name as a rugged defender at a number of clubs, including Celtic.

And Kyle said: "My dad used to watch the manager when he was at Celtic and he says he was a bit of a mad centre-back.

"I wouldn't have liked to have played against him. When things aren't going well in training, he'll join in and start tackling people.

"He's given me a big chance and has a lot of confidence in me, and he's also said some great things about me. He knows what it's all about. His motivation is to get stuck in and give everything, and that's what people have been doing recently."

Sunderland are interested in Wrexham right-winger Carlos Edwards and watched the Trinidad and Tobago international in Tuesday's game at Hartlepool United.

Paul Thirlwell could be out for a further three weeks as he continues his rehabilitation from a calf strain.

With Jason McAteer (hamstring) also sidelined, George McCartney is set to captain Sunderland at Division One leaders Sheffield United tomorrow.

Stephen Wright, another player suffering from a calf injury, is likely to be out for another fortnight.

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