The day former Portsmouth boss nearly had to pay up on £20,000 Yakubu bet

Harry Redknapp has revealed how he narrowly avoided forking out £20,000 to former Pompey striker Yakubu following a bet.
By The Newsroom
Published 20th Dec 2018, 10:11 BST
Updated 10th Jan 2019, 10:24 BST
Attacking pace like that brought by Yakubu's arrival in 2003 may be crucial to Pompey's promotion hopesAttacking pace like that brought by Yakubu's arrival in 2003 may be crucial to Pompey's promotion hopes
Attacking pace like that brought by Yakubu's arrival in 2003 may be crucial to Pompey's promotion hopes

The former Blues boss told talkSPORT that he was due to pay up if the Nigerian striker netted 20 goals during his first full season season at Fratton Park.

However, according to Redknapp, the £4.5m signing from Maccabi Haifa missed out by one goal '“ with his four goals in the 5-0 2003-04 season finale win over Middlesbrough proving not enough.

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The newly-crowned '˜I'm a Celebrity'¦ King of the Jungle' admitted he had forgotten about the bet, which was made at the start of that season in the Premiership.

Attacking pace like that brought by Yakubu's arrival in 2003 may be crucial to Pompey's promotion hopesAttacking pace like that brought by Yakubu's arrival in 2003 may be crucial to Pompey's promotion hopes
Attacking pace like that brought by Yakubu's arrival in 2003 may be crucial to Pompey's promotion hopes

And he joked how he would have subbed the Yak during the game against Boro had he remembered what was at stake.

Talking to talkSPORT's Jim White, Redknapp said: '˜We got promoted from the Championship and we were in the Premier League. I said to the Yak at the start of the season: 'How many goals do you think you will score this year?' Premier goals, not cup goals.

'˜He said 20. I said: '20 league goals?!'

'˜He went: 'I think so gaffer, yeah'.

'˜If you get 20 league goals I will give you £20,000. Me, personally.

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'˜Anyway the season goes on and he is going okay. Last game of the season we played Middlesbrough at home and we won 5-0. The Yak has scored four goals.

'˜He comes in after the game: 'Hey Yak you were fantastic today', I said.

'˜What a performance, great goals.

'˜He said: 'Yeah but I should have scored the other goal'.

'˜I said: 'What goal, don't worry about that you got four goals'.

'˜He said: 'But I have 19 goals and one more goal and I would have won your money.

appointment?

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'˜I went: 'Oh my god. I didn't realise that. I would have subbed you way before that'.

'˜I said no way would you have stayed on the pitch. I would have had you off the pitch straight away.

'˜I forgot about the bet and I didn't know he had 19 goals.

'˜I would have subbed him straight away, Jim, there was no way he was going to have my £20,000 off me.'

In total, Yakubu scored 40 goals in 91 appearances before being sold to Middlesbrough for £7.5m in the summer of 2005.

Note: Without wanting to question Harry's version of event, Yakubu actually scored 16 Premier League goals that season, with his other three coming in the Carabao Cup and FA Cup!

Related topics:Harry RedknappPortsmouthBluesFratton ParkPremier LeagueMiddlesbrough