For the first time in 127 years and over 50,000 FA Cup ties in England, the Football Association sanctioned a replay even though one of the sides had won the previous encounter. In 1999 Arsenal beat Sheffield United 2-1 in a fifth-round tie with a highly contentious winner. At 1-1 United keeper Alan Kelly had put the ball out of play to allow an injured team-mate to be treated. At the resumption and in the interests of fair play and sporting practice Arsenal’s Ray Parlour threw the ball to Kelly, but Kanu intercepted and passed for Overmars to score. There were massed protests by United and Arsenal readily agreed to a replay, which Arsenal also won 2-1.
Players with Snainton FC in English non-league football had cash and phones stolen from the changing rooms at Bishopthorpe in Yorkshire. The thieves’ haul came to thousands of pounds in valuables including £300 in cash and if the Snainton team thought its day could not get worse, they were wrong – they lost their 2009 match to home club Bishopthorpe United 7-0.
Arsenal striker Nicklas Bendtner found himself dropped – by his trousers – after a Champions League semi-final defeat by Manchester United in 2009. The young Danish striker was pictured in the media stumbling out of a London nightclub at four in the morning with his trousers round his knees. Both Bendtner and his Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger denied the Dane was drunk and passed off the half-mast trousers as the work of a mystery prankster.
Brazilian striker Robinho’s celebrations at featuring in a 5-0 win for his country annoyed his club Real Madrid in 2005. He arrived back late in the Spanish capital after partying with his Brazilian team-mates. There was an even greater excuse for a party because Brazil had hammered Ecuador and Robinho, who wasn’t to last much longer at Real, defended the Brazilian right to celebrate their wins. He defiantly declared: «I’m not apologising for the party. Parties are normal with Brazil after we’ve won a match – and that night we had won 5-0.»
Charlie Tully’s goal direct from a corner for Celtic against Falkirk in a 1953 Scottish league match was ruled out because the crowd had spilled on to the pitch. He retook it – and scored direct again.
Frank Swift, a 19-year-old goalkeeper, was so overcome by winning the 1934 FA Cup final that he fainted at the final whistle. Having played only half a season for Manchester City the moment was too much and he had to be revived to receive his winner’s medal.
Thieves who raided an English football club’s dressing room rubbed salt in the wound. They stole the keys to one of the player’s cars, loaded the vehicle up with their booty of stolen goods before driving off in it. Cash, phones and jewellery were taken after burglars smashed their way into the changing room during the Leicestershire match between Queniborough and Broughton Astley. When the stolen Mini roared off, its owner was alerted and the referee stopped play – with Queniborough winning 6-0 – and the players rushed to the changing room to find the door kicked down.
When Everton legend Alan Ball and his father towed a fan’s broken-down car from Liverpool’s Mersey Tunnel, the local paper related the story with the headline: «Boy pulled out of Mersey Tunnel by the Balls».
Millwall supporters were so intent on trouble when visiting Bristol City for an English league Second Division match in 2001, they didn’t check who they were attacking. According to a report by the National Criminal Intelligence Service (NCIS), as a large group of Millwall supporters were taken under escort towards Ashton Gate Stadium, they passed a public house. From it rushed a group of 30 to 40 men and during the ensuing violent fracas bottles and glasses were thrown, pub windows smashed and a few injuries sustained. After a while it petered out as, rather sheepishly for the protagonists, it became apparent that both groups were from Millwall.
A fanatical Newcastle United supporter was definitely not showing off his latest tattoo to his mates in 1995. He had chosen to have a large image of prolific striker Andy Cole in full Magpies garb tattooed on to his right thigh – but two days later Cole left for Manchester United. Cole had become a cult hero in his two years at St James’ Park and had won the fans’ hearts with a scoring record to match greats such as Jackie Milburn . Cole, in just 70 appearances, had hammered 55 goals – a record worth immortalising but perhaps not as permanently as with a tattoo.
Nottingham Forest celebrated winning the 1979 League Cup – the night before they won it. Manager Brian Clough locked his players in a hotell room with a crate of champagne and 10 pints of beer. They beat Southampton 3-2 next day.
Scarborough fans were ecstatic in 1999. Thousands of them were prancing around on the pitch in celebration of staying in the English league’s Third Division. They had gone into the last game of the season knowing they would survive providing their result equalled or bettered that of equally relegation threatened Carlisle’s. Scarborough drew 1-1 with Peterborough and, according to those with radios , Carlisle were also heading for a 1-1 stalemate against Plymouth. Cue a joyful pitch invasion at Scarborough at the final whistle only for it to be silenced by Carlisle’s goalkeeper, Jimmy Glass, scoring in the third minute of injury time to send Scarborough down.
