The Premier League Hall of Fame. A trophy cabinet filled to the brim with the biggest and best stars from yesteryear.
The place for Ballon d'Or nominees, Golden Boot winners and record Premier League champions.
But it wouldn't be a Hall of Fame - or at least a 90min one - without those who have a coveted 'cult hero' status after warming the hearts of fans with more than just their ability on the pitch during their time in England's re-branded top-flight.
So leave the champagne at home.
No tuxedos (smart casual is fine).
Phones on silent. Yes, aeroplane mode works too.
And please take your seats as 90min prepares to induct the Premier League's class of 2014.
Juninho
|
Premier League Clubs |
Years Played |
| Middlesbrough |
1994-99, 2000-01 & 2002-04 |
The crowd gets to their feet as Juninho's name is unveiled from a sealed envelope and read out over the in-house speaker system.
But wait, Juninho never played in England, did he?
The applause gets slower as confusion starts to set in. The curtain separates at the back of the stage, not to unveil that Juninho, who made a name for himself taking free-kicks, but in fact the other Juninho.
Middlesbrough's Juninho.
He's in a plain white shirt with the top button undone, sheepishly walking up to the podium some 22 years after he was last on this very stage collecting the Premier League's Player of the Season award.
Juninho's speech is short and sweet, exiting stage left to the sound of a raucous round of applause. But not from Fabrizio Ravanelli, who still looks out of place sitting in between Nigel Pearson and Mark Schwarzer.
Lauren
|
Premier League Clubs |
Years Played |
| Arsenal |
2000-07 |
| Portsmouth |
2007-09 |
An announcement is made before Lauren is brought out by his former teammate Freddie Ljungberg.
The crowd are asked to put their complimentary shin pads on just in case, as Ljungberg puts it, Lauren starts to "kick the s***" out of the audience.
Lauren doesn't walk onto the stage. Instead, Arsenal's Invincible bombs down the aisle on the right-hand side, charges up the stairs and sends Ljungberg flying with a two-footed tackle in the middle of the stage.
It's quite an entrance, albeit fairly predictable.
But Lauren goes back into his shell when asked to make a speech.
He thanks the fans and his ex-teammates for helping to get him into the Premier League Hall of Fame, as well as Arsène Wenger, before picking up the trophy and once again tacking off down the aisle on the right-hand side.
The perfect way to conclude another night of awards for the Class of 2014.
Source :
90min
