Lineker’s son ‘nearly killed’ in football riot
MATCH Of The Day host Gary Lineker yesterday told how one of his sons was robbed and almost killed as a mob “went bonkers” in a football riot.
The former England star said 25-year-old Harry was “genuinely terrified” as 60 crazed fans cornered him in a stadium tunnel.
Harry, a producer who had been filming the match, had his clothes ripped apart and his pockets emptied before a security guard with a shield waded in to let him escape.
Harry’s phone was stolen but he later contacted his father via a laptop to say he was safe.
Gary, 58, revealed details of the nightmare which erupted at a World Cup qualifier between the neighbouring West African nations of Sierra Leone and Liberia. Speaking on his Behind Closed Doors podcast with Danny Baker, he said: “My Harry nearly lost his life – it was a bit of a scary moment.
“He was genuinely terrified – he thought he saw a blade and he was going to get knifed. It just shows you the fragility of your children.”
Chaos broke out at the end of the second-leg match in Sierra Leone.
Liberia had won the first game 3-1 but with Sierra Leone leading 1-0 in the return leg the home side needed to score only once more to progress on away goals. They missed a penalty in injury time, sparking uproar. Harry, who had flown to Africa to film the match, feared he would die as enraged fans started hurling rocks.
Gary added: “It kicked off – there were riots, it went bonkers, they were attacking the pitch.
“Harry was with the camera guy and a fixer and they got split. He gets into the tunnel and there’s 50 or 60 of them and he gets attacked.
“There was an armed guard with a shield and this guy saved him, thankfully, and got him into a room.
“I learned about that last night and spent half the night awake – he’s alright, he’s on his way home.”
Gary has Harry and three other sons – George, 27, Tobias, 23, and Angus, 21 – by first wife Michelle.