Who is the stranger celebrating on Haaland’s neck?
The incident from last Sunday’s Sheffield United-Manchester City match in the English Premier League was quite a spectacle. Following a goalless first half at Sheffield United’s home ground, Bramall Lane, the second half got underway. Manchester City mounted relentless attacks on Sheffield’s defense, yet couldn’t find the back of the net. Erling Holland, City’s striker, faced repeated frustration against Sheffield’s solid defense. The City striker, who had previously missed a penalty, found himself under immense pressure.
The deadlock was eventually broken in the 63rd minute. A powerful header from Jack Grealish’s cross found its mark with Haaland, putting City in the lead. The Norwegian star let out a sigh of relief before jubilantly celebrating his goal. However, an unexpected moment occurred when an individual sporting a black T-shirt suddenly leaped onto Haaland’s back. Initially, it appeared that this person might be a member of the support staff, especially since Haaland seemed to celebrate seamlessly with him. During this time, other City players were also seen enjoying the scene.
However, the error was soon rectified. Security personnel promptly intervened and removed the intruder from the field. Up to that point, everything was proceeding as one might expect. It’s not uncommon for fans to breach security barriers within the stadium premises. The security team swiftly dealt with the situation. Nevertheless, the incident of that day was an anomaly. The person involved was none other than a fervent supporter of Man City, and he happened to be a bit ‘eccentric’.
Yet, this was no ordinary supporter. The individual who joined in the celebratory moment by grabbing Haaland’s neck was Terry Flanagan, a former world boxing champion. Astonishingly, even the security personnel failed to recognize Flanagan at that very moment. He was promptly escorted off as if he were a mere enthusiastic fan. Naturally, the security personnel acted within the confines of their duty, as what Flanagan did was indeed a punishable offense.
Terry Flanagan held the title of WWE Lightweight Champion from 2015 to 2017, becoming the inaugural English boxer to clinch the world title in this weight class. Flanagan also secured the British lightweight title in 2014, in addition to emerging victorious in the 2012 prizefighter tournament. Throughout his boxing career, Flanagan emerged victorious in 36 out of 38 fights.
Terry Flanagan was already recognized as a devoted City fan. He went as far as sharing pictures of his celebratory moment with Haaland on social media platforms. Notably, his picture caption bore only love emojis, expressing his sentiment succinctly. Intriguingly, prior to sharing the snapshot with Haaland, Flanagan had refrained from posting any pictures for nearly a span of two years.