Adrien Silva stuck in limbo

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We’ve all cut it a bit fine for a deadline after being up against it at work or university.

But, whereas for most people being a few minutes late isn’t the end of the world, that’s not the case when FIFA is involved.

The world governing body stepped in to block Adrien Silva’s registration at Leicester after the club submitted the relevant paperwork 14 seconds late in August 2017.

Despite the Foxes’ hierarchy providing evidence that proved their punctuality, FIFA stuck to their guns and Silva was stuck in footballing purgatory for four months.

He was eventually allowed to make his debut the following January when he lined up wearing the No. 14 shirt. Well played.

Manchester United’s dodgy fax machine

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The most surprising thing to come out of this story was the fact that the world’s biggest football clubs still conduct their transfer business via fax, despite all the technological advances of the 21st century. Ever heard of email, lads?

It was Manchester United’s dodgy machine that allegedly derailed David de Gea’s move to Real Madrid in 2015, which would have seen Keylor Navas come the other way.

The Costa Rican later admitted that he had burst into tears after hearing that the deal had fallen through while waiting for a flight to Manchester.

He did go on to win the next three Champions Leagues in a row, though, so, silver clouds and all that.

Peter Odemwingie’s road trip

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Most deadline day drama takes place behind boardroom doors and training ground gates.

However, in January 2013, we got to witness it live on telly in a public car park.

Believing that a move to QPR was close, then-West Brom striker Peter Odemwingie made the 125-mile trip to Loftus Road in order to speed things up.

However, he didn’t realise that his move was part of a swap deal with Junior Hoilett, meaning that when one deal fell through, so did the other.

Even more embarrassing was the fact that he was denied entry into QPR’s stadium, and had to wait for any news in the car park, in full view of the Sky Sports News cameras.

He was disciplined by West Brom on his return, but surprisingly did play for the club again later that season. We assume he didn’t try to expense the mileage.

All aboard the Babelcopter

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Where was he going? Did he make it? How long was he there for?

These are all questions that remain unanswered after Ryan Babel’s deadline-day jaunt in August 2010.

What we do know is that Liverpool had turned down a bid from Birmingham in the previous transfer window and, with rumours of interest from Tottenham and West Ham, Babel was spotted taking a helicopter to London.

No move ever materialised and Babel was back in Merseyside by tea time. Where the chopper got to remains a mystery to this day.

Take note, Peter Odemwingie. This is how you could have got away with it.

Dildo-gate

Sky Sports News’ army of reporters have a tough life.

Not only do they have to stand shivering outside all day, trying to fill airtime despite having no news to break, but, until recently, they also had to put up with an excitable mob of fans, pulling faces, shouting obscenities and generally causing chaos.

That was until an Everton fan took things a little too far in 2014.

With poor old Alan Irwin stationed in the Finch Farm car park, discussing the possibility of a late move for Tom Cleverley from Manchester United to Everton, someone decided to go rogue, and a stick a purple dildo in the reporter’s ear.

He was quickly ushered away by security, but one wonders why the assailant wasn’t intercepted earlier.

Unsurprisingly, fans have been barred from appearing on camera every deadline day since.

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