The top five crowd moments in football

There are many things one can expect to see at a football match, but a fan brushing his teeth in the stands surely isn’t one of them.

With Chelsea beating Manchester United 1-0 at Stamford Bridge on Sunday, Salomon Kalou was preparing to come on to replace Didier Drogba. The camera pans to Kalou, but bizarrely in the background, a crowd member has decided the time is right to ensure dental cleanliness.

Here is The Sport Review’s selection of the five most peculiar crowd moments in football.

1. The list wouldn’t be complete without the infamous toothbrush moment.

2. Barcelona captain Carlos Puyol marauds down the right wing, unleashing a high, inaccurate cross goalwards. It evades the players flying well behind the goal, but one optimistic fan attempts to catch the loose ball with devastating consequences.

3. Much has been made of recent crowd troubles at Upton Park and Oakwell. However in the Arsenal v Manchester United fixture in 2007-08, one elderly lady — presumably an Arsenal fan — makes her feelings clear when Ryan Giggs trots over to take a United corner.

4. As fans in the stands, we would relish the opportunity to run out on the pitch and show the professionals how it should be done. This Russian fan does just that as he dispatches his spot kick with consummate ease for his team, Spartak Moscow. As he runs away in celebration he is joined by his fellow friend and fan.

5. Our last choice isn’t so much an incident involving a crowd member but a ball boy. Spurs are comfortably demolishing Cypriot side, Anorthosis Famagusta. The away side earn a throw in and the Tottenham ball boy is a little too enthusiastic as he returns the ball to the Cypriot player.