Icelandic half-time anti-hero on Crossbeer Challenge – including hilarious slip and rude gesture to Ipswich Town fans

BY PETER YOUNG

Dagur Jóhannsson – Charlton’s Icelandic half-time anti-hero from Saturday’s dramatic 4-4 draw with Ipswich – has lifted the lid on his chaotic afternoon in SE7.

Jóhannsson, an International Addick, was the latest participant in the Crossbeer Challenge, a one-shot attempt at hitting the crossbar from the centre circle, with a free drink for all fans at the next home game as a reward.

His attempt involved a rendition of the Viking Clap, an inappropriate gesture to the away supporters and a stern telling off from stadium announcer Brian Cole.

He went on to slip in his run-up, falling on his backside as the ball trickled slowly towards the Covered End.

Jóhannsson had made the trip over to South London from his native Reykjavik with eight compatriots.

“We’re all huge fans of Herman Hreidarsson and he played both for Charlton and Ipswich, therefore we decided to go to Charlton vs Ipswich,” he said.

“We realised that there was an international fans’ day at the Valley, so it just fell into our hands. We were a group of nine that were together. Three of us went to the Arsenal game on Sunday and six went to the NFL [at Wembley].

“This game was supposed to be like, just a bonus on the trip. But the Saturday made the whole trip. The other games, although they were fun, it was nothing in comparison with the Charlton game.”

Despite being an Arsenal fan, Jóhannsson has kept an eye out for Charlton results in recent years, although this was his first time seeing the Addicks in-person.

“We thought the level was quite good. Like, it’s better than the best division here in Iceland, at least. And the players, we also knew one that played for Arsenal that now plays for Charlton, Chuks Aneke.

“It was good to come to Charlton, [a club] that has experience from the Premier League. It is quite a big club. Everything around it was very professional, like the hospitality was amazing. The people are so friendly.”

Jóhannsson was selected to take the now infamous kick whilst sharing breakfast with fellow International Addick delegates at the Valley a few hours before the game.

Asked how it was decided who among them would step up at half-time, he responded: “My friends pointed at me and then it was decided.

“We went to the club store later on to buy jerseys as we wanted to do that. We all bought jerseys, but they [his friends] put together to buy shorts and socks for me so I would look the part.”

Jóhannsson took to the Valley turf around 4pm in his freshly printed Jesurun Rak-Sakyi kit. He welcomed the reception by waving to Charlton supporters in the stands before turning and giving a less friendly gesture to the travelling fans in the Jimmy Seed.

“That was in the spur of the moment,” he said. “I may have thought that it was not as rude as it was.”

Brian Cole was responsible for giving the Scandinavian a talking to. “I don’t recall exactly what he said, but he let me know that I should not do that,” he chuckled.

A slippery surface paired with a lack of studded boots proved to be Johansson’s eventual downfall.

He said: “I saw that they were wetting the grass during halftime. I almost knew that this would happen.”

The whole ordeal was captured by close friend, Birkir, and has now been viewed over 50,000 times on Twitter

[https://twitter.com/BirkirGudmundar/status/1586765355577651200]

The rest of the group watching on from the stands could not believe what they had just seen.

“They could not speak. They were all laughing so hard. I think they’re still laughing,” he said.

To make circumstances even more bizarre, the incident took place in perfect view of the Valley’s corporate boxes, where Ed Sheeran and his entourage were sat during the game.

Referring back to the signal given to the Ipswich fans, Johannson joked, tongue-in-cheek: “It’s good to have it on the record that I have given him the w****r sign.”

As if the travelling Scandinavian party had not seen enough madness for one afternoon, they were treated to four injury time goals, which saw Charlton go 4-2 down in the 95th minute, before grabbing two back in the dying embers of the game.

“I don’t have any words, it was just like, the ultimate match experience. If you go to a match, this is what you want to see,” he noted.

“We want to come back. We’ll be keeping a close eye on Charlton and their results.”