A crocadile-shaped stadium?!

Scott Carson, Anton Ferdinand and a stadium shaped like a crocodile – it’s excitement all the way for the Turkish conquerors of Wimbledon’s reserves

When Bursaspor decided to build a new stadium, they had a brainwave. Why not make it look like a massive crocodile?

The Turkish outfit are called the Green Crocodiles and their 43,000-capacity Timsah Arena was opened in 2015, although construction of the signature crocodile’s head was actually completed only a year or so ago.

Sadly, the stadium has proved less than daunting for visiting sides. Despite using a small army of loanees, including Premier League greats Diafra Sakho and Henri Saivet, Bursaspor have been in a relegation battle this term – a far cry from their days as Turkish champions in 2010 when they took on Manchester United, Valencia and Rangers in the Champions League.

Admittedly, that group stage campaign didn’t go massively well. Bursaspor were pumped 4-0 and 6-1 by Valencia, took no points from their double-header with United and lost at Ibrox, where they decided not to wear their green-and-white-hooped kit in order to avoid angering Celtic-hating locals.

Bursaspor’s only point came in a 1-1 draw at home to the Gers, and within a month they had signed Kenny Miller, the Scots’ goalscorer in that match. Jozy Altidore, Scott Carson, Anton Ferdinand and Colin Kazim-richards followed – quite the recruitment drive – but surprisingly the Bursa club were unable to repeat their title-challenging feats.

That Champions League adventure wasn’t the club’s first European campaign, however. Bursaspor beat Dundee United in the Cup Winners’ Cup in 1974, and in 1995 they hammered Wimbledon 4-0 in a curious Intertoto Cup clash. Keen not to progress but keener to avoid a £50,000 fine for pulling out, the Dons fielded a reserve team of virtual unknowns and hosted the game at Brighton’s Goldstone Ground. Wimbledon opting to play 45 miles away from Wimbledon! Imagine!

At least the media didn’t dare to question Joe Kinnear about his team selection. His response would not have been polite.