A Croatian football fan has solved one of football folklore’s greatest mysteries by revealed that it was he who killed a live rooster on the pitch ahead of a Tottenham Hotspur match.

The bizarre incident happened ahead of a UEFA Cup semi-final against Hajduk Split in 1984.

The Croatian side were fined 3,000 Swiss francs and banned from playing home matches after an unidentified fan ran onto the pitch before kick-off and broke the neck of a cockerel.

Yesterday, a 50-year-old lawyer finally claimed responsibility for the slaughter, which was described by UEFA as a “hostile act”.

Anthony Barabbas outed himself as the chicken choker and claimed that Spurs’ arrogance was his motive.

Barabbas said: “The rooster was the symbol of Tottenham and the English fans were so arrogant. They thought they were bigger than God.

“So I drank a beer, stole a rooster from a bar and ran onto the centre of the pitch and snapped its neck. I realise now I was very wrong and I apologise.

“I’m sorry, really I was wrong. I can only blame my immeasurable love of Hadjuk.”

Via Pies