10 times footballers fell for practical jokes when it wasn't even April Fool's Day

31 March 2015 22:31

The annual day of ‘Taking the Michael’ is once again upon us, but in the banter-filled world of football, practical jokes are something of an every-day occurrence.

So to commemorate this year’s April Fool’s Day we take a look at the best set-ups, schoolboy zingers and revenge missions players have carried out over the years.

1.Gazza gets fishy

Paul Gascoigne’s off-field tricks are almost as legendary as those the ex-Newcastle and Spurs midfielder pulled off on the pitch. Here, old Rangers team-mate Ally McCoist recalls a tale involving Gascoigne, Gordon Durie and not one, but two trout.

2. Spooky Spurs

Kyle Walker’s recent form isn’t the only thing that’s been scary, as this video from 2013 reveals. The England full-back’s stealth-like approach shocks plenty of his Tottenham team-mates and it might explain why Emmanuel Adebayor’s been in hiding ever since.

3. Pranking Pulis

Poor Tony Pulis was the unwitting target for an opportunistic Northern Irishman who coaxed West Brom’s boss into thinking he was Neil Lennon back in February. Pulis recommended that ‘Lennon’ look at Paddy McCarthy at Crystal Palace.

Prank or not it appeared Pulis’ advice was sound as the real Lennon ended up signing McCarthy for Wanderers one month later, with the Bolton boss joking the whole episode had “got me thinking”.

4. Not so Angeli-ic

We were all shocked when Angel Di Maria picked up a red card in the FA Cup quarter-final loss to Arsenal at Old Trafford for grabbing referee Michael Oliver.

But his contempt for figures of authority may stem from this incident during his time at Benfica when David Luiz, who else, had him cuffed by a pair of fake policeman and kicked by a civilian.

5. Answering your country’s call

It must be a feeling of utter elation when you receive a call from the England manager telling you you have been called up to the senior squad for the first time.

Wonder what David Bentley was feeling when he realised it was actually Robbie Savage with a dodgy accent?

6. The one Ronnie

Don’t think the world’s greatest player considers himself above the odd practical joke, even if this one gag may have been a ploy to promote his latest boots.

With the world’s biggest sportswear company in his corner, Ronaldo foiled Portuguese friend Ricardo Quaresma…literally.

7. You got Merk’d!

England’s 2006 World Cup ended the same way as many international tournaments tend to – with a penalty shoot-out exit. But, thanks to Rio Ferdinand’s ‘World Cup Wind-Ups’, it began on a slightly different note as the centre-back mimicked Punk’d host Ashton Kutcher to stitch up his international team-mates.

Shaun Wright-Phillips, Peter Crouch, Wayne Rooney, Ashley Cole, David James and David Beckham were the unsuspecting victims to be “Merk’d”, but the highlight was a stern Gary Neville refusing to give in to a scouse copper willing to bend the law.

8. The Butt of Nicky’s joke

Peter Schmeichel and Nicky Butt
(Phil Noble/Owen Humphreys/PA)

There’s no visual evidence of this one (thankfully) but we had to include Nicky Butt’s prank on his old Manchester United team-mate Peter Schmeichel which, as Jaap Stam recalls, didn’t quite go to plan.

“Nicky made a move to put the kettle on to Peter’s ass making the rest of us laugh and some inciting him to do so,” Stam told The Sun.

“At the same time Nicky had the audacity to put the kettle forward, Peter turned around to see what was going on and got the hot kettle against his ****!

“Peter, who went mad, wrapped a towel around his hip and went after Nicky. Nicky had to run for his life as Peter chased him all around The Cliff a few times leaving us in tears from laughing. Unforgettable!”

9.Jungle Jim gets generous

Jimmy Bullard’s football career is best remembered for his happy-go-lucky antics on the pitch, particularly THAT recreation of Hull boss Phil Brown’s team-talk at Manchester City.

In the video, he explains how Brown might have got off lightly compared to then Fulham manager Chris Coleman.

10. Holden out for revenge

Current Oldham boss Dean Holden decided to bide his time when his old Rochdale colleague Stephen Jordan ruined his clothes in some training ground puddles.

Revenge is a dish best served cold – in cold water to be precise, as Holden explained.

Source: SNAPPA