The backside comes up often when players talk of breaking a goal drought – but has it ever actually happened?” We dreamed of a perfect answer to this question: a usually prolific striker enduring a barren run that ends when an errant clearance ricochets off their derriere and dribbles over the line at 0.00001mph. Alas, no such examples were forthcoming – but all backside goals have a certain earthy charm, so let’s get stuck in. The first three involve players who, though not previously prolific, did break their ducks.
It was his only goal for the club.” Coney’s unusual achievement was repeated at international level a few years later. Their coach, Terry Venables, reacted with the uncomfortable smile of a man who wondered how, in the space of 12 months, he’d gone from Gazza’s wonder goal against Scotland to a backside ricochet against the Solomon Islands. On to Ninian Park in May 2002, where a playoff semi-final was settled by the posterior of a Guinean forward.
He became a bit of a club legend.” Stoke, who had lost the first leg 2-1 at home, forced extra time at Ninian Park when James O’Connor scored in the 90th minute. Then, with five minutes of extra time to play, O’Connor’s free-kick hit Oularé and bounced into the net. Oularé, brought on as a substitute when Stoke were chasing the game in normal time, had been out of the team for almost four months.
There’s a great record of it in Stoke’s local newspaper from last year.” Oularé stayed on the bench in the playoff final, which Stoke controlled after scoring an early goal, and didn’t play for the club again. His career with the Potters amounted to 80 minutes. William Saliba’s Arsenal career has been a bit more substantial.
The defender scored with his rump against Manchester United in 2024-25, and Thierno Barry slid the ball into the net with his behind to give Everton victory at St James’ Park last season. In the Women’s Super League, a big deflection off Sjoeke Nüsken put Chelsea 3-0 up in their vital clash against Arsenal in March 2024 – although we’re not entirely sure whether it came off her backside or her leg. Let’s finish with a famous goal at Tannadice in 2010, when Rangers’ hopes of a domestic treble ended with a Scottish Cup quarter-final defeat by Dundee United.
The only goal was scored in bizarre circumstances by David Robertson. Again, we’re not 100% sure it’s a bona fide backside goal. Either way, it’s well worth a look.
Extract — continue reading at the source.
