It was a scandal that hit the nationals, and a discussion that was had by many. It was also an incident that helped Ian Holloway fire up his Crystal Palace side in the final leg of a Championship Play-Off Semi-Final, and 13 years on, it remains arguably the funniest footballing offence in English football history.
Brighton hosted the game at the Amex Stadium in May 2013, with the winners set to play Watford in the play-off final at Wembley for a place in the Premier League. It was the Eagles that ended up triumphing against the Seagulls on a memorable night for fans.
What was even more memorable was the resulting play-off final, which saw manager at the time, Ian Holloway, get his side promoted to the top-flight, but one thing that will never be forgotten from that campaign was the incident in the away dressing room on the night of the play-off semi-final on the south coast.
Crystal Palace Poo-Gate Scandal
Ian Holloway and his team entered the dressing room at Brighton on the night of the game, only to find that someone had relieved themselves in the changing room – an incident that gained an instant apology from staff at the club and a further in-depth apology days after the game.
The pre-match incident gained national press coverage throughout the week after the game, with Holloway claiming it helped him deliver his team talk before the game, and it occurred against bitter rivals. Brighton took the matter into their own hands, assuming that someone from their home club had carried out the dirty deed, with manager Gus Poyet sending an email to staff (as revealed by The Sun) asking the person responsible for the hideous crime to resign.
The Reveal
In January 2015, it was revealed at Fairfield Hall, where Julian Speroni’s testimonial Q&A was being held; an event attended by fans, journalists and players who have played with the goalkeeper at the club.
It was former club captain Paddy McCarthy who revealed all about that night on the south coast, and what he disclosed shocked many.
“The dressing room scandal at Brighton was thanks to our coach driver who couldn’t control himself,” he said.
“We wouldn’t be in the Premier League if it wasn’t thanks to that driver. Olly wasn’t very happy. The driver was ill and in the changing room the day before. It was coming out of both ends. He tried to clean and only made it worse.
A dodgy kebab was said to have been responsible and it resulted in one of the most peculiar scandals in Palace history. Maybe lay off the takeaways in the future.
Editor’s Note:
This article was originally published on 20 January 2015 and has been updated on 03 May 2026
