Red Faces Of The Week (12)

Alfred Nobel read his own obituary while still alive, which described him as a “merchant of death”, prompting him to establish the Nobel Prizes. At least some good came out of the mistake but it must have been a nasty surprise to find out what people really thought of you. So much for nil nisi bonum de mortuis.

Arda Kardzhali, based in the south of Bulgaria, play in the country’s top division. Before their recent home fixture against Levski Sofia, both teams lined up in the centre of the pitch to pay their respects to a former player of theirs, Petko Ganchev. The occasion was dutifully respected and the teams battled out a 1-1 draw.

As for the 75-year-old Petko, he was driving home when the tribute was broadcast and his phone immediately lit up with messages from concerned friends and well-wishers. Arriving home ten minutes into the game, he found his wife in tears, saying “Petko, Petko, they’ve announced on TV that you have passed away!”

During the course of the match, Arda rushed out a post on Facebook informing their followers and anyone else who drifted by that they had made a dreadful mistake. Rather than being six feet under Ganchev was alive and well. Trying to make the best of a bad job, they went on to wish him many more years of health so that he could enjoy the continued successes of Arda.

A bit of an own goal, for sure.