DTguardian daniel taylor
by OliverKayTimes
True story: Aris Salonika pulped #MCFC programme after *snigger* using this http://bit.ly/gxCUs8 thinking it was genuine squad pic
Rooney and Kaká join Manchester City – but that's not official
• Aris Thessaloniki embarrassed at spoof picture in programme
• Greek club pulp publication after City point out error
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Daniel Taylor
guardian.co.uk,
Thursday 17 February 2011 22.47 GMT
- Article history
The expanded Manchester City squad, featuring
extra superstar players and 'Where's Wally?', that was in Aris
Thessaloniki's programme. Photograph: Public domain
Wine glasses were clinked, bread was broken and palms squeezed. It
was an opportunity for new contacts and new friendships as dignitaries
from Manchester City and Aris Thessaloniki settled down for a pre-match function ahead of Tuesday's Europa League tie in Greece.Then
an Aris official offered Garry Cook a sneak preview of the match
programme and it was then, as City's chief executive did a double-take,
that it became apparent something was wrong.Instead of using the
official City team photograph the Greek club used a doctored version,
with another five rows added to make room for just about every superstar
footballer on the planet. Wayne Rooney, Kaká and Zlatan Ibrahimovic
could all be seen, resplendent in blue. Lionel Messi, Fernando Torres,
Didier Drogba and Mesut Ozil were also to be found. It was a 60-man
squad, more in keeping with the album cover for The Beatles' Sgt
Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band.The City delegation made it
clear to their hosts they could see the funny side. But the Aris
directors were so embarrassed they decided on the spot that the
programme had to be pulped, regardless of the costs.Aris have
since explained that the editorial team, searching the internet for a
photograph of the City squad, had instead located a 'Where's Wally?'
spoof picture which first appeared as a Gallery entry on the Guardian's website
and did not realise the difference. 'Wally' can be found between Joe
Hart and James Milner – just in front of Ibrahimovic. The programme in
question is now on the way to becoming a collector's item, with a
handful getting into circulation before the message got out. One has
already been made available on eBay – for £35.
Last edited by Cornholio on Fri Feb 18, 2011 12:39 pm; edited 1 time in total