Mad Moments in Sport - Part 1

After yet another mad weekend of football, which saw disgraceful refereeing decisions being taken into the hands of the crowd culminating in THAT TACKLE by Bryce Gibbs' mate in the crowd on the ref after Friday night's game, I thought what better time than now to introduce a weekly segment titled 'Mad Moments in Sport' from the archives of yesteryear. Some you may remember, others will be more obscure. All in all though, they sum up the reason why many sports stars are exactly that, and not out solving the issues of the world or employed as Rocket Scientists.

This week in commemoration of Man Utd winning a third straight Premier League title, I thought we would backtrack a decade to one of their 'favourites' who had possibly one of the greatest meltdowns in world soccer history, and haven't there been some.

The Inaugural inductee into the 'Mad Moments in Sport - Hall of Fame' is none other than the Kung Fu King himself, Mr Eric Cantona. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GCK-Cp9fYFI&feature=related

It was 1995 and a nothing away match against Crystal Palace was heading into yet another predictable United victory before all hell broke loose, big time. Cantona was sent off by the referee for a vengeful kick on Palace defender Richard Shaw after Shaw had pulled his shirt. As Cantona was being escorted from the pitch by United kit man Norman Davies, Cantona broke away and launched a 'kung-fu' style kick into the crowd, directed at Crystal Palace fan Matthew Simmons, followed by a series of punches. The infamous photograph of the moment Cantona's foot connected with Simmons, was used with permission on the front cover of the band Ash's single "Kung-Fu". The front cover alone generated publicity in the British rock press, which helped the band finally get a hit single when it charted at number 57 in the same year.

The kung fu'ed fan was later tried for threatening language and behaviour. He received a seven-day prison sentence, but only served 24 hours of his sentence. Makes the Campbelltown fan look like he got off pretty easy for his efforts on Friday night. It was also revealed that Simmons had previous criminal convictions, including an attempted violent robbery in 1992 where he had attacked a Sri Lankan petrol station worker with a spanna. Nice work

At a press conference called later, Cantona gave what is perhaps his most famous quotation. Referring to how journalists would constantly monitor his behaviour, Cantona said, in a slow and deliberate manner: "When the seagulls follow a trawler, it is because they think sardines will be thrown into the sea. Thank you very much." He then got up from his seat and left, leaving many of the assembled crowd bemused. What a nutter.

Cantona was sentenced to 120 hours of community service after an appeal court overturned a two-week prison sentence for assault. In accordance with the FA's wishes, Man U suspended Cantona for the remaining four months of the 94-95 season, but the suspension was later increased by the FA to a nine-month ban from world football, in conjunction with a further fine of £10,000. United also fined Cantona two weeks wages and he was stripped of the French captaincy; Man U never recovered from this moment of madness relinquishing their title surprisingly to Blackburn Rovers.

In 2007 Cantona said, "I have a lot of good moments from football, but the one I prefer is when I kicked the hooligan." Amazing