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25th Jan 2018

If Twitter had been around for Eric Cantona’s kung fu kick it might have looked something like this…

The 27 stages of an internet storm caused by King Eric

Conan Doherty

The internet wasn’t around when Eric Cantona produced that infamous kung fu-style kick but, by God, imagine.

He hardly escaped lightly without the attention of social media but that incident on January 25 back in 1995 would’ve sent the whole online world into complete and utter meltdown.

Here’s how we imagine it would’ve went down that night.

1. Eric Cantona attacks a Crystal Palace fan

cantona-grab

 

2. A journalist tweets quickly but he’s missed something

2-Journalist New

3. Someone tweets what actually happened

3-SJ NEW

4. The footage emerges

5. Blind United fans protest his innocence

5 NEW2

6. Another journalist weighs in with his tuppence worth

6 Pompous journalist New

7. Liverpool fans aren’t going to let this one slide

7 Liverpool-vert

8. A few random footballers who no-one really cares about are watching the game

8 Shit Footballers1-vert

9. A teenage Michael Owen gets involved

Screen Shot 2015-01-23 at 12.58.07

10. The official United account finally gets around to updating us and offers a bland recount

10 Utd tweet

11. Some current affairs columnists aren’t too happy with the chaos a football game is causing

Columnist11

12. Someone more opportunistic uses the commotion to wreck up old graves

13. Things are getting heated now

13 convoNEW

14. A well-known celebrity nominates himself as the voice of reason

Terry

15. The internet shows its creative side

1253390

Meme4

Meme1

Meme3

Meme2

16. The Metropolitan Police let the public know they’re on top of things

17 Metro Police

17. Poor Eric’s Wikipedia page is quickly altered by resourceful Liverpool fans

Wiki-liverpoolfans

18. The official United account tweet out an unflappably upbeat full time result despite a late equaliser

19 Utd full time

19. Take That superfans soon weigh in

20 Take That-vert

20. The January ’95 trending list makes for interesting reading

Trending%201994

21. A 12-year-old Joey Barton is suitably impressed with the evening’s antics

22 Joey Barton

22. Media outlets make hay whilst the sun’s shining

23 Media

23. Man United fans re-edit Cantona’s Wikipedia page

Wiki-unitedfans

 

24. The victim speaks out

24 Matthew Simmons

25. People turn to Yahoo looking for answers but don’t really get anywhere

25 Yahoo 26. Google starts playing up

25 Google

27. The man himself clears it up with a simple explanation when the dust just about settles

26 Cantona-vert New