Reminiscing over our Wembley win, and having watched several finals over the past week, I've been wondering when exactly the "trophy lift" was turned into the cluster-feck that it currently is. What was wrong with the captain going first and lifting the cup before passing it in turn to each team-mate? Why do we no have to watch everyone collect their medals, overcrowding the stage/platform/royal box before the captain pushes his way to the front (if he's lucky) and finally gets to pick up the trophy. It goes on so long that by the time the cup is lifted I'm bored out of my mind. It really bugs me!! Am I the only one?
I'd hazard a guess it started when Wembley was out of action and they moved to doing it on a stage on the pitch at the Millennium Stadium. I bet the sponsors have played a big role too - the medal ribbons are festooned with their branding so they probably insist they're handed out first and worn so the money shot photo that'll be in the papers the next day is full of free advertising for them.
It was when the players started taking their stupid kids up to the box to collect the trophy that the descent started. I seem to recall that idiot Dennis Wise lifting the cup with one hand whilst holding his dribbling offspring in the other.
Spot on.. the razzmatazz surrounding any big game these days is OTT if you ask me. I know it's a small thing but those silly little bouncing/skipping dances that players do every time there's a trophy anywhere nearby also really bug me! and then there's the fireworks, the confetti, the music.. and what was the latest thing.. a TV camera selfie stick As the OP said the actual lifting of the trophy has become lost in all this. Captain alone should lift the trophy to treasure the moment. What was wrong with that?
Dennis Wise was the first to start that annoying trend . As it turned out the little kid he was carrying was his older brother
Exactly this. The moment a players kid arrives I'm out of the stadium or the TV goes off. Sometimes both!
It was particularly OTT on Monday as they had to fit the Club Captain (injured, non-playing), Captain on the day (went off injured), captain at the end (Hogg) + manager. They need trophies with more handles
Has always irritated me that back in 99 the Wembley stadium announcer messed up when Page lifted the play-off trophy. He announced over the PA system words something like "...in the premiership next season - Watford", but he said it a couple of seconds before Page actually lifted the trophy. As a result, half our fans cheer at his announcement and half when the trophy is held aloft. Despite being emotionally shattered at the time, it bugged me then and looking at the footage shared across social media today on the 18th anniversary - it still bugs me a bit now (but not as much as selfie sticks though)!
It's all nonsense. I hate the over the top idiocy of it all. A team should do a minimalist approach one year. Captain should go up steps alone. Shake hands with a single dignatory. Walk down steps immediately with trophy and team should file solemnly back to changing room behind him in numerical order.
Personally i dont mind seeing the players kids reeled out from time to time. At least that means they are thinking of someone other than themselves! The difference that time with Dennis Wise was that he actually went up to collect the trophy with his kid under his arm.. which was daft.. https://www.fourfourtwo.com/features/how-dennis-wise-ruined-football