Every time Football Icons Have Turned Up In The Stands

It’s very rare for a footballer to end up in the crowd during a game but every now and then it does happen. Most recently, just yesterday (4th of December 2025), Lazio legend Sergej Milinkovic-Savic was spotted in the crowd with the Lazio fans as his former side went on to defeat AC Milan 1-0 in the Coppa Italia.

A player like him returning to his old club, a club he was at for eight seasons, would mean the world to the fans; it shows that they actually care about not just the money they get paid every week but that they care about the club itself. We can see him embracing the atmosphere and getting involved in the crowd chants

Sergej with the Laziali. 🩵🦅#Milinkovic #LazioMilan
📽 LazioLand pic.twitter.com/Wd3CWJzltW

— LazioLand (@Lazio_Land) December 4, 2025

We’ll have a look at other great examples of footballers who ended up in the crowd and were found out.

You’re a Wizard Aaron

Starting off with a funny one, we have Aaron Ramsdale dressing up as Hagrid from Harry Potter in the Southampton crowd for the 2024 play-off final against Leeds.

#arsenal Aaron Ramsdale in fancy dress in the Southampton end today pic.twitter.com/JKxVHNf4hb

— MyFootballCoach (@MyFootballCoach) May 26, 2024

Aaron Ramsdale dressing up as Hagrid to watch the Championship playoff final was not on our bingo card for this weekend 😅 pic.twitter.com/D2TIzERBoZ

— ESPN UK (@ESPNUK) May 26, 2024

Ramsdale who was born in Stoke on Trent wasn’t there because he was a Southampton fan but because he was supporting his former teammate, David Brooks. The two apparently had become good friends when they were teammates at Bournemouth so the least Ramsdale could do was dress up as Hagrid to help support his mate.

Ramsdale would actually end up signing with the Saints that summer and when he signed his contract he came dressed in his best outfit…

Yer a Saint, @AaronRamsdale98! 😇 pic.twitter.com/yp9OuCI8Ms

— Southampton FC (@SouthamptonFC) August 30, 2024

Get The Badge In Ollie

After moving from Swansea to Sheffield United in the summer of 2019, Swansea fans thought that would be the last they saw of their beloved former striker Ollie McBurnie; however, they’d be very wrong. The following winter it was the South Wales derby and Swansea were away, and during the game the Sky Cameras cut to the away end and a very tall and obvious person was in focus, and yes, it was Ollie McBurnie.

Happy Birthday to @oli_mcburnie 🎉🎉🎉

We hope he's having as much fun as he did when he went to watch Cardiff vs Swansea 😅 pic.twitter.com/ZQJBwigQLL

— Soccer AM (@SoccerAM) June 4, 2020

With his bucket hat and Stone Island jacket on, he was having the time of his life surrounded by Swansea fans; unfortunately, the game fizzled out to a forgettable 0-0 stalemate but it was still hilarious to see professional footballers actually behaving as themselves.

Swansea v Cardiff today, looking forward to seeing Oli McBurnie in the crowd with his Stone Island jacket and a bucket hat 😅 pic.twitter.com/xTwFnYKtrL

— Footy Accumulators (@FootyAccums) October 17, 2021

He was even spotted giving it large to the Cardiff fans, much to the FA’s disapproval, as he was slapped with a warning by them but I’m sure he didn’t care and would happily do it again.

The Greatest Owner In Football

Now I said this was about footballers but being a Brighton fan, I had to mention the one and only Tony Bloom. It’s incredibly rare to see footballers in stands but it’s near impossible to see owners in them.

Well, whenever Brighton play Brentford away because of Bloom's rivalry with Brentford owner, Matthew Benham, Bloom takes it upon himself to stand in the away end and be with the fans for the day. From being close to him in that away end, you can tell how much he enjoys it, joining in with chants etc., as his wife and kids also attend the game with him.

Tony's in the house 🏡

Albion Chairman Tony Bloom is in attendance against Brentford this afternoon ☺️#BHAFC 💙 pic.twitter.com/dvdV46cnUd

— BBC Sport Sussex (@BBCSussexSport) April 19, 2025

Bloom, who has been a Brighton fan his whole life, isn’t able to attend games in the stands like any normal person purely because of who he is, which is understandable but it is so refreshing to have an owner who is a fan of the club he owns.