Unusual Football Sackings

In this week’s feature, we take a look at the most unusual (read bizarre) football sackings ever. Here’s our list, let us know if you can top the sackings (or non-sackings, as the case may be) in the list via twitter, facebook or email.

Dave Kinsell – Hangleton Rangers Under-10’s

Hangleton Rangers under-10’s coach Dave Kinsell got his marching orders after accepting money from UKIP league and Nigel Farage. The rest of the committee didn’t like the UKIP agenda and therefore sacked Kinsell.

Steve Claridge – Milwall FC

On 21st June, 2005, Steve Claridge took over Milwall. On July 27th, 2005, he was sacked. It is unclear why he was sacked but he must have done something terrible in the pre-season.

Glenn Hoddle – England

Glenn Hoddle’s was one of the strangest – at the time, his position was in peril because of those comments on disabled people but he took ages to go. It was months and months of leaks coming out of the dressing room, including this particular (never-substantiated) story: Glenn Hoddle at half time said to the players ‘what on earth is wrong?’ and one of the senior players replies ‘have you ever thought it might be you’. He still didn’t go! The press turned on him, it was horrible.

It was a real shame though because that England ’98 team was decent and they were horribly unfortunate to go out to Argentina the way they did. In a parallel universe, Glenn Hoddle would probably made the semis and then got knocked out.

Tony Adams – Portsmouth FC

Portsmouth CEO, Peter Storrie called him to give him the news of his sacking while he was at his 5 year old son’s birthday.

Trevor Francis – Crystal Palace FC

Simon Jordan sacked Trevor Francis and all he could say was “But it’s my birthday!” and Jordan wished him many happy returns and gave him his P45.

Ahn Jung-Hwan – Perugia Calcio Srl

South Korean player Ahn Jung-Hwan became a national hero when he scored the golden goal that knocked Italy out of the 2002 World Cup and set up a quarter-final clash for the co-hosts with Spain.

But not everyone was quite so happy. Luciano Gaucci, president of Italian club Perugia where Ahn was on loan, sacked the forward for his part in Italy’s elimination.

Martin Jol – Tottenham Hotspur FC

Chairman Daniel Levy and the board had already decided to give him the old heave-ho before a UEFA Cup match against Getafe at White Hart Lane. They were going to inform him after the tie, but the news leaked out and his nephew sent a text to Jol with the bad news midway through the game.

Bizarre Non-Sacking: Anton Ferdinand – West Ham United FC

And now, here’s the most bizarre non-sacking. How he escaped the boot for this is beyond reason.

Anton Ferdinand: ‘Excuse me. I’m just going to visit my sick granny in the Isle of Wight but I actually will be having a bender in South Carolina.’ Got caught for his fibbing and didn’t get sacked. He was only fined two weeks’ wages (almost £45,000).

Got any more bizarre football dismissals / non-dismissals? Let us know in the comments below!

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Tip: Also see weird footballing injuries and crazy red/yellow cards.