Plenty goals don shake net for football history, some na long build-up, some na last-minute drama. But the one wey Gavin Stokes score for 2017?
Na like thunder wey no warn anybody. Just 2.1 seconds after referee blow whistle, ball don already dey inside net.
Na official fastest goal wey football don ever witness, and e happen for one small Scottish lower-league match between Maryhill and Clydebank.
The Scene for Scotland
No be Wembley, no be Old Trafford, no be Nou Camp. This one happen for small pitch wey get rusty stands, cold breeze dey blow, fans never even warm hand finish.
Referee put whistle for mouth, blow start. Next thing? Stokes look ball, adjust boot, fire straight from kickoff. The shot carry power wey goalkeeper no fit react. The scoreboard still dey blink “00:02.1” when everybody realize say na goal.
How Madness Take Start
Normally, kickoff dey start with back pass, small movement, maybe one long ball forward. But Stokes no get that kind patience. From center circle, the boy decide say him no go wait to test goalkeeper.
Him boot meet ball with violence, and before Clydebank keeper fit settle, the ball don already land for net.
Fans shock, players shock, even referee self bend neck like: “Wetin just happen?”
Na Lower League, But Big History
E fit no be Premier League or Champions League, but the history wey come out from that small Scottish match dey big pass plenty golden boots.
Lower-league football get vibe wey dey raw, no too much paparazzi, but na there magic moments dey sneak out.
Gavin Stokes prove say history no dey care about stadium size or sponsorship banner — goal na goal, record na record.
Why People Still Dey Talk Am
Think am again: people still dey find seat, some never even open their snacks, goalkeeper still dey adjust glove, cameraman still dey focus lens — boom, goal don enter.
This one na madness wey show say for football, no dull moment. Even VAR no fit argue this one, because everything too clear: ball enter net faster than you fit shout “kickoff.”
Comparison with Other Fast Goals
Plenty names dey record book for fastest goals — Shane Long wey score after 7.69 seconds for Premier League, Hakan Şükür wey break World Cup record with 11 seconds.
But 2.1 seconds? Abeg, that one dey another planet. E no even give defense chance to blink, talk less of organize shape.
Na world record wey go hard small to break, unless goalkeeper waka comot net before kickoff.
TPB Angle
For The Pidgin Blog, we dey call am “no-time-to-waste football.” Na reminder say for pitch, anything fit happen. From kickoff to full-time, na the same ball dey roll, and na the same chance dey for everybody.
Watch the goal below
Can you ever score too early?!
— BBC Sport Scotland (@BBCSportScot) April 12, 2017
Has @Maryhill_FC‘s Gavin Stokes scored the fastest goal of all time?
(@clydebankfc)#bbcsportscot pic.twitter.com/GkWV67LfDc
Gavin Stokes own go remain one of the most savage football records for life. If you dey talk about fast goals, you must call this man name.
The Legend of 2.1 Seconds
Football na game of patience sometimes, but this one break the rules. From zero to one, from whistle to goal, na flash.
For fans wey dey that stadium that day, dem no just watch match — dem witness history.
E fit be lower league, but na story wey dem go tell forever. And for Gavin Stokes, even if him no win Ballon d’Or, him don win title wey nobody fit drag: fastest goal scorer in football history.
TPB Verdict
Our verdict simple: na mad fact wey deserve respect. From the streets of Scotland to the world football record books, 2.1 seconds show say sometimes, football no dey waste time.
And for TPB, we go always bring you this kind gist wey dey shake head. One kickoff, one boot, one net — history don write am.