As we near October 31st, the Premier League becomes a platform not only for cold windy nights, but for haunting results, eerie atmospheres and supernatural surprises. The spooky spirit is seen throughout the floodlit stadiums, often with fans dressed up as all things frightening.
When we think of Halloween, ghosts, witches and all things inbetween come to mind. But what if I was to tell you that the scariest thing to happen on Halloween could be losing to your local rivals, 5-1. This was a reality for Sunderland on one spine-chilling Halloween afternoon in 2010. Having only joined Sunderland that summer, former Newcastle centre back Titus Bramble was sent off in the 53rd minute. And, as if things couldn’t get worse for the Black Cats, Kevin Nolan bagged a hat trick in the 75th minute. It seems as if Sunderland had been cursed with ‘ghouls’ galore that Halloween.
Exactly one year later, on another eerie Halloween, Newcastle once again took to the pitch with supernatural power. This time, Demba Ba spooked the opposition, scoring a hat trick in a 3-1 victory over Stoke City. It seemed as if Newcastle’s scoring had been haunted by some ghostly force, lingering in the autumn air and ensuring another dominant Halloween performance.
For Chelsea fans, the haunting memory of Halloween 2015 may send shivers down their spines. Under the supervision of a struggling Jose Mourinho, Chelsea’s season had been plagued with atrocious results. Their troubles only deepened a fright night clash against Liverpool, losing 3-1. Chelsea went on to finish 10th that season, extremely concerning considering they won the Premier League the season before.
Scoring an own goal haunts every Premier League player. But on the Halloween night of 2016, Alfie Mawson unfortunately had to face those fears. The Swansea City man turned an opposition’s strike into his own net leading to a 3-1 loss against Stoke City.
Remarkably, Liverpool have had more red cards on Halloween than any other Premier League club. Most notably, during a dramatic match against Fulham in 2009, the Reds equalised just before halftime. However, in a cruel twist of fate, both Philipp Degen and Jamie Carragher were shown red cards within minutes of each other, leaving Liverpool to battle with just nine men.
Many teams and players use this time of the year to connect with their communities and give back to those in need. Halloween-themed charity events pop up all around the country, with players dressing up to visit local hospitals and community centres. From classic superheroes to creepy zombies, the players bring the holiday spirit to young fans whether with visits or just on social media.
Although there are no games on October 31st this year, we are in for an exciting Wednesday night of Carabao Cup action with six thrilling matchups.
Happy Halloween!
