Monday, October 16, 2023 – Emmanuel Adebayor has urged Arsenal fans to move past his infamous celebration after scoring for Manchester City against them in 2009.
The Togolese forward made a £25million switch from the Gunners to City that summer as their rich Abu Dhabi owners started to spend big.
Adebayor was taunted by Arsenal fans when he played against them for City at the Etihad Stadium a few weeks into the following season. When he scored in City’s 4-2 win, the Togolese ran almost the full length of the pitch to celebrate with a knee-slide in front of the Gunners support.
He was pelted with objects, including a plastic stool, and was handed a £25,000 fine and a suspended two-match ban by the Football Association.
Years after the incident, Adebayor who retired from football aged 39 back in March, hopes Arsenal fans can forgive him and forget his infamous celebration
‘I think the fans can forget what happened in 2009 when I ran the length of the pitch,’ he told Sky Sports.
Today I will make it clear, I don’t think any human being would accept it if people were singing about and insulting your family, especially your mother and father.
‘I would do anything for my mother and father.
‘It’s behind me now, I hope it is behind them. We all love football and every once in a while when they see that celebration on television and social media, hopefully now they can laugh it off and move on.
‘That’s what I wish for the Arsenal fans and I wish them the best of luck this year.’
Adebayor played for Arsenal between 2006 and 2009, scoring 62 times in 142 matches. He only had one full season with City, netting 14 times, before loans spells with Real Madrid and Tottenham, the club he then joined permanently in 2012.
The former Togo international admits he wanted Arsenal to beat City to the Premier League title last season.
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