Graeme Souness recreates infamous Galatasaray incident during title celebrations | OneFootball

Graeme Souness recreated one of football’s most infamous moments when he returned to Galatasaray.

The Scotsman walked onto the pitch as his former club were crowned Super Lig champions against rivals Fenerbahce, waving a red and yellow flag like he did 27 years ago while managing Galatasaray.

Souness moved into management in the twilight years of his career, taking up roles at Rangers and Liverpool before joining Galatasaray in 1995.

He would only stay for one year, but during that time he nearly managed to spark a riot.

His team had beaten Fenerbahce in the 1996 Turkish Cup final, thanks to a Dean Saunders goal in extra time.

After the full-time whistle went inside Fenerbahce’s stadium, Souness’ visiting side would stay on the pitch to celebrate.

The head coach had been given a giant red and yellow flag by supporters, and in a moment of madness, Souness then rushed to the centre circle where he planted it.

Fenerbahce’s home support erupted in fury, with Souness receiving death threats for his actions.

Why did Souness plant the flag?

Speaking years after the incident took place, Souness explained why he did what he did.

Apparently, one of Fenerbahce’s vice presidents had disrespected him when he first joined Galatasaray.

“One of their [Fenerbahce's] vice-presidents had said 'what are Galatasaray doing signing a cripple?', he was referring to the open-heart surgery I had,” he told Sky Sports, as per The Mirror.

“So we play them nine months later in the cup final, a two-legged cup final - we won the first game in our stadium 1-0, lose the second game 1-0 after ninety minutes.

“It goes to extra time, Dean Saunders - a really good player and great striker of the ball, before he's actually made contact with it I am up off my seat knowing he's going to score.

“We win the trophy and after the game, all of our players ran down to one end where our supporters were and that great big flag was handed over.

“All the players took turns to wave it and then it's my turn, I give it a few waves and then turned to hand it to someone.

“They [the players] had all run off to the halfway line, so I am now jogging back up to the halfway line with this flag and I look into the emptying stands and I can see this guy's face who called me a cripple.

“As a sort of, 'I'll show you who's a cripple' I ran off to the centre of the pitch, got the flag in and turned round and I realised, all the supporters now climbing over the fence and I'm thinking 'maybe this wasn't such a good idea.

“I get underneath the perspex shields of the police and I am in the tunnel saying to myself 'cor, got away with that one' and just as I thought that I got clumped round the side of the head by a supporter who had got into the tunnel.

“It's one of those things you wished you hadn't done but at the time seemed like a good idea.”

Souness recreates the moment 27 years later

But nearly three decades after the notorious incident, Souness returned to Galatasaray to repeat his actions.

His former side secured the league title in a 3-0 victory at home against Fenerbahce.

Souness had been invited back for the ensuing title celebrations, and as the game finished, the 70-year-old walked onto the turf waving the same giant red and yellow flag.

He received roars of support from the Galatasaray fans present inside the NEF stadium, who all remember their former boss fondly for the incident.

He has previously been likened to Ulubatlı Hasan, the Ottoman general who raised the flag of victory at the Siege of Constantinople, hence the caption, “Ulubatlı Souness!”

No doubt, Souness felt a lot safer this time around in Galatasaray’s stadium than he did all those years ago in Fenerbahce's.