The Greatest Own Goals Ever. Shamelessly stolen from football365.com and their story here. I am hoping there will be no complaints.
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Lee Dixon's 40-Yard Screamer
Long before Nayim and Ronaldinho spotted David Seaman off his line and sparked a million jokes about lobbing Seaman, his teammate Dixon scored possibly the most spectacular own goal of all time with a beautifully-flighted 40-yard effort lofted perfectly over the head of his keeper. No wonder Tony Adams used to taunt him in training by singing: "If Dixon plays for England, so could I..."
Iain Dowie Powers It Home
Probably the finest goal he's ever scored, against Stockport back in 1996, Dowie leapt like a rather ugly salmon and produced a wonderfully powerful and accurate header after a throw-in was flicked on in the box. Unfortunately for Dowie, it was his own box. The now-Crystal Palace manager has never confirmed whether it was a poor defensive header, confusion or a striker's irresistible urge to score that sparked the blooper. Come on Iain, tell us.
The Popovic Backheel
Funnily enough, Dowie has not been too vocal in his condemnation of Palace defender Tony Popovic, who has contrived to score two own goals in the Premiership this season. The pick of the two was against Portsmouth in September when Steve Stone whipped in a cross and, with no attackers anywhere close, Popovic opted to backheel the ball into his own net with a finish that would make Thierry Henry proud. Good work, Tony.
And The Throw-In Goes Back To Enckelman...
Picture the scene: You're 1-0 down in the first West Midlands derby in 16 years, so if you're Aston Villa defender Olof Mellberg you throw the ball back to your keeper in order to pump the ball back up the pitch. What you probably don't expect is that said keeper - Peter Enckelman - will try to nonchalantly trap the ball and get it dreadfully, dreadfully wrong, allowing the ball to bobble into the net. The Birmingham yob who ran onto the pitch to demonstrate his self-gratification technique in the face of Enckelman was probably just saving Staunton the job.
Sinclair: King Of Own Goals
No list of own goals would be complete without an appearance from Frank Sinclair, who started one season for Leicester with own goals in the two opening games of the season, both scored in the last minute and both costing the Foxes points. But in terms of spectacular strikes, his goal for Middlesbrough takes the biscuit: 30 yards out and under no pressure at all, Sinclair turned and thumped - yes, thumped - the ball past Ian Walker. Leicester lost 1-0 and went down that season. Just how popular was Frank?
Gary Sprake's Throw-In
Fans of Man United and Liverpool can rest easy in the knowledge that even Roy Carroll and Jerzy Dudek wouldn't manage to pull this one off. In 1967, Leeds' Welsh 'keeper' Gary Sprake attempted to throw the ball out to one of his players. Except he didn't let go. It's difficult to explain how it somehow ended up in the net, but the look on teammate Jackie Charlton's face suggested that Sprake was going to have to answer the question very soon.
Legend says that the whole of the Kop spontaneously burst into singing top pop tune of the time 'Careless Hands'. But surely that's just too good to be true.
Hatswell: The Sky Sports Classic
This is the one you've watched on Sky Sports News every time there's a bizarre own goal - but it bears repetition. During an FA Cup tie playing for Forest Green, Hatswell found himself in the six-yard box with the ball at his feet and no attacking player anywhere close. Did he smack it up the field to get it clear? Did he put it out for a throw-in? Did he buggery? Instead he opted to turn 180 degrees and smash the ball into the top corner of his own net. We just hope he gets royalties from all those blooper videos...
