As we tuned in to watch Blackpool v Arsenal in the FA third round on Saturday afternoon, most observers thought we would be in for another run of the mill cup tie, where the underdogs got patronised by the television networks before putting up a plucky show despite getting hammered by Premier League opposition.
Well, that is basically what happened, but before a ball was kicked at Bloomfield Road football fans were left gobsmacked by the wardrobe malfunction that was Tony Adams.
The former Gunners hard man was sporting a three-piece sky blue velour whistle, which was part 1970’s stand-up comedian and part Jason King.
"It's velvet and its groovy" 🤣🤣
Arsenal legend @TonyAdams is full of praise for his own suit choice tonight!#FACupTonight pic.twitter.com/0rsMfuUDFc
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) January 5, 2019
Social Media went crazy and this match will now forever be remembered as the “Adams Game”.
Big Tone is not the first footballer to display a bizarre dress sense on the telly, looking back through the archives, there’s a history of fashion horror shows; please don’t adjust your sets…
Barry Venison
Adams still has a long way to go to beat who many regard as the undisputed king of the wardrobe malfunction, former Newcastle, Sunderland and Liverpool defender Barry Venison.
The likeable Geordie had a huge love for 1980’s fashion; unfortunately for him, he kept that love going into the 90’s and would often pop up on ITV’s The Big Match looking like someone who had just walked off the set of Miami Vice.
His trademark mullet overstayed its welcome by about ten years and his suits had shoulder pads so large, he would sometimes have to walk sideways through open doors.
John Barnes
After rapping on World in Motion in 1990, John Barnes became a national hero with the rest of the England lads who reached the semi-finals of the World Cup in Italy. Flamboyant on the pitch, Barnsey had a reputation for being one of the coolest dressers off it.
This of course, depends on your definition of cool and if bright colours and bold pin stripes is your bag, then yes, the former Liverpool star was certainly a role model.
Barnes had such a quirky way of wearing his clobber, he was the only Liverpool player not embarrassed by those 1996 Armani cream suits that the team wore prior to being beaten by Manchester United in the FA Cup Final.
David James
Playing alongside Barnes in that terrible Liverpool side of the mid-90’s, David James certainly looked up to his team-mate when it came to dressing to impress.
Sporting a different hairstyle every week (20 years or so before Paul Pogba) the former England number one would often be spotted wearing clothing that was more ghastly than some of the goalie tops he sported in front of The Kop.
Five years after Acid House became passé, James dressed as though he was still in the middle of a never-ending trip.
Mark Lawrenson
The Godfather of bad dress sense, Lawro should really know better at his age. There seems to be a Liverpool theme running through this list and the former Anfield centre-half has been to 4KUHD, what Wayne Rooney has been to dry January.
Lawro is like your old uncle who still thinks he’s trendy when in truth, he should be the face of Saga magazine.
The former Republic of Ireland international has not been well recently and its great news that he’s back on the road to recovery, but there’s nothing worse than seeing a middle-aged man busting out of a slim fitting shirt and BBC chiefs look to have finally seen the light and now moved him almost permanently onto the radio, where at least it’s only his punditry that’ll get on your tits.
Cesc Fabregas
It was emotional watching Cesc Fabregas bid farewell to English football last weekend, but despite the Spanish midfielder being one of the Premier League’s best ever imports, most football fans will remember THAT shirt he wore during last summer’s World Cup in Russia.
Rumour has it that Cesc was hired at the last minute to give his expert opinion on events and had actually travelled out east with only a few t-shirts and shorts to watch the matches.
When asked by the BBC if he wanted to earn a little extra cash, a quick visit to a Russian naval base solved the Spaniard’s wardrobe conundrum and he went on air dressed as a Petty Officer in a blue shirt.
Despite getting the piss ripped out of him by Didier Drogba, Cesc returned for a second stint; good job then that he’d had the savvy to also procure a white one.
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