'I hope that's not on the telly': the most embarrassing FA Cup moments
- Published
From Pard's dad-dancing to Gomez's howler...
The FA Cup returns this weekend with some heavyweight semi-final clashes: Manchester United take on Tottenham Hotspur, and Chelsea face Southampton.
By this stage, it's become a knock-out between four Premier League clubs, so not much potential for a 'cupset'. These games give many players - regardless of the division they play in - an opportunity to showcase their talents on the big stage. However, that platform can also be full of potential pitfalls.
Here are some of our favourite most embarrassing FA Cup moments.
Darren Bent's impossible goal
A great finish from Darren Bent there. Just a shame it was at the wrong end of the pitch.
Steven Gerrard falls over on live TV
For a career that would ultimately be remembered by some cruel souls for a slip, it seems a bit harsh to riff on the 'Steven Gerrard falls over' theme.
However, there is something so wonderfully natural in Steven Gerrard's reaction to slipping during a live TV interview after helping Liverpool beat Luton in 2006.
"I hope that's not on the telly."
Sorry Steven, it was.
Alan Pardew's shame
Your team goes 1-0 up in the 2016 FA Cup final.
You do this.
You lose 2-1.
No coincidence.
Goalkeeping howler #7,533
Not one, but two horrendous kicks of a football from Sheffield Wednesday goalkeeper Joe Wildsmith at Middlesbrough.
And yes, he is wearing the number two on the back of his shirt. The shame of it all.
Goalkeeping howler #7,534
Wildsmith can at least claim to have made decent contact, which is more than can be said for Reading goalkeeper Ali Al-Habsi.
His team were taking on Man United in the third round of last year's tournament when he committed this unbelievable blunder.
If you're a 'glass half-full' kind of person, you could say the weight of his pass to Rashford was simply perfect.
"Matt Tubbs has just scored. I missed it. Thanks"
Final Score's Mark Clemmit reinforces the wonders of live television by making Sutton United manager Paul Doswell miss his side's equalising goal as they knocked Cheltenham out of the FA Cup second round in December 2016.
These suits
In Liverpool's defence, this was the mid-1990s, but still.
The Reds wore this raspberry ripple outfit to the 1996 FA Cup final against arch-rivals Manchester United. They lost.
Highlights of this photo-call include the height of those waistbands and hard man Neil 'Razor' Ruddock pirouetting in some scruffy white trainers.
Never meet your heroes
If you're Theo Walcott's biggest fan, it must be a dream to not only see him and the rest of the Arsenal defeat Sunderland in the FA Cup (3-1), but then have him bring you onto the Emirates Stadium pitch to help perform a trademark bump celebration.
Unless that is, the force of said bump sends you sprawling to the turf.
At least you can get his shirt afterwards.
The double-whammy
Man United v Wigan, and a two-act tragedy if ever there was one.
Part one: Jose Mourinho fails to pick up large spherical object despite repeated attempts.
Part two: Gary Lineker fails to get a laugh from anybody despite finding the whole thing hilarious.
Two birds, one stone.
Originally published 16 February 2017.
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