League Two side Scunthorpe United has asked fans not to dress as squirrels when they host Alan Knill's Torquay United side on Saturday.
Knill was previously manager of Scunthorpe, but he was sacked in October 2012, not long after suffering a freak accident in which he collided with a squirrel while out cycling. The rodent got caught in his spokes and sent the once-capped Wales international flying. Knill escaped with cuts and bruises; the squirrel died.
The ex-defender told the Scunthorpe Telegraph:
"It was quite serious at the time, I was flying through the air," said Knill, who escaped with just cuts and bruises.
"I came off my bike at 20-whatever miles an hour, an ambulance was called and everything – I could have died.
"I'm worrying every night about football, about this, about that, I could have been dead on Monday."
There has been much local speculation over how Knill would be received by Scunthorpe fans, as he returns to the club for the first time since he was sacked. One fan asked whether fans wearing squirrel costumes would be allowed into Glanford Park.
@drageben No you won't be banned. However, the club would prefer it if you didn't dress up in "squirrel attire"
— Scunthorpe United FC (@SUFCOfficial) November 27, 2013
Expect to see plenty of squirrel outfits on Saturday so.
H/T Guardian