Barry Richardson's Bovril moment!

The year is 2007; Wednesday 21st March and Doncaster Rovers are playing away at Chesterfield in a re-arranged Coca-Cola League One game. 

Barry Richardson in his DRFC days (Photo: Doncaster Free Press)

It's a good time to be a Rovers fan. Only a few months earlier the club moved into the Keepmoat Stadium whilst there's also an upcoming Johnstone's Paint Trophy Final with Bristol Rovers at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium to look forward to.

Nobody should have any complaints about anything but, as is often the case in football, there's always somebody who'll find something to pick fault with.

Since Sean O'Driscoll had been appointed as boss earlier in the season, he'd not really shown an interest in reserve team matches and usually opted to field youth teamers in them. As this was during an era where most other clubs named experienced senior players in their second-string, results weren't the best and the night before the trip to Saltergate, Rovers' reserves (or more appropriately, the YT's) had shipped seven in a defeat at York City. Barry Richardson, who was first team goalkeeping coach, kept goal in that clash and as he stepped out onto the pitch for the pre-game warm-up the following night, it was probably the last thing on his mind.

However, for one middle-aged geezer wearing glasses in the stands (who bore a striking resemblance to Penfold from Dangermouse), he just couldn't resist the urge to dish out some pointless abuse at 'Bazza' shouting something such as: 'You're sh*t. Call yourself a goalkeeping coach? You're f**king rubbish - conceding seven to York, you should be sacked'.

As to be expected, it didn't go down very well and there was a verbal exchange between the pair in which the fan was firmly put in his place. Others who were already inside the ground and witnessed all this unfold just rolled their eyes in disbelief.

Though it was heated, the incident seemed to pass; Bazza's warm-up with Neil Sullivan eventually began, more folk gathered on the terrace and at some point 'Mr Shouty' decided to go and buy a Bovril and something to eat from the snack bar.

It was a fateful decision!

A few minutes later came the point in the warm-up where the 'keeper has to save a series of long-range shots and, as Rovers supporters were located right behind the goal, they were in the firing line should any of them go awry. 'Sully' was doing a tremendous job - tipping some shots wide, tipping others over the woodwork and saving some with ease.

There were some shots though which he just couldn't get near and with Bazza's kicking being a little bit suspect, you never knew what would happen next. Eventually, to everyone's amusement, he hit a speculative pot shot from about 30-35 yards which was high, wide and went flying in 'Crash, Bang, Wallop!' style straight onto the terrace where Mr Shouty was stood and he ended up covered in his Bovril.

Disorientated, but just as gobby as before - and now wearing his drink, 'Penfold' (now looking more like Nookie Bear; one eye on the pitch, one eye having a twitch) promptly stomped down to the front of the terrace in an effort to get revenge whilst squawking: "You did that deliberately. I'm going to get you!" towards Bazza who is stood there, arms aloft, completely p*ssing himself with laughter.

"You what?" shouted Bazza. "I'm sh*t. I'm rubbish. If I could hit a shot that good I wouldn't be in the reserves!" Everyone nearby, who'd seen the full events were just in hysterics and laughing their heads off.

Due to the intervention of the stewards, there was no pitch invasion and things eventually settled down. I don't know what the longer-term aftermath was because Mr Shouty was threatening all sorts on the terrace during the game to anyone who could listen and keep a straight face.

Nevertheless, it's certainly one of the funniest things that I've witnessed at a football game. Karma at it's absolute finest! If only Penfold hadn't gone to that snack bar...

Beware of flying footballs - especially if you're a gob sh*te. (Photo: Unknown)