Over the years, Martin Tyler has become synonymous with the Premier League, with a voice which is as recognisable as it is booming.
The commentator has presided over some of the most memorable moments in English football history, and his voice has, for some, become the soundtrack to the football season.
With a career as long as his, it is understandable that Tyler would have experienced a few slips of the tongue throughout the years.
With that in mind, here are five memorable times that Tyler accidentally said “Give me your teeth” instead of “goal” when someone scored.
Sheffield United vs Manchester United – 15 August 1992
They say you should start as you mean to go on, and Tyler certainly did that. On the very first day of the Premier League, the big man was on the mic for the match up between the Blades and the Red Devils.
During the match, Sheffield United striker Brian Deane got his head on the end of a long throw-in and headed the ball past Peter Schmeichel.
Overcome with excitement at the first goal of the nascent league, a delirious Tyler screamed “Give me your teeeeeeth!” at the top of his lungs to the millions watching at home.
While he would later apologise for the accident, it would go down in history as one of the most triumphant occasions in sport.
Arsenal vs Manchester United – 2 October 2000
It is remembered as one of the best goals the Premier League has ever seen, and rightly so: Thierry Henry’s swivel and half-volley against Manchester United in October 2000 was a perfect encapsulation of the sort of skill and finesse that defined the Frenchman’s career.
Henry’s strike over the head of his compatriot Fabien Barthez sent the Highbury crowd into raptures, and Tyler wasn’t far behind them.
Standing up in his seat in the gantry, a gobsmacked Tyler shouted “Oh, Thierry Henry – give me your bloody teeth!” as thousands cheered around him.
He again apologised, this time at the end of the broadcast, and promised to address the issue in future.
Manchester City vs QPR – 13 May 2012
It is quite possibly the league’s most famous ever goal, and is for many the moment that the competition showed its potential to draw in global audiences.
Sergio Aguero’s stunning 93rd minute winner for the Citizens against QPR sealed an unlikely Premier League title for his side, and left audiences breathless around the world.
Tyler, though, was a consummate professional, and his commentating throughout the build up and scoring of said goal has become one of the most repeated pieces of reporting in history.
Breathing in as the Argentine forward received a pass from Mario Balotelli, Tyler roared “GIVE ME YOUR SHINY WHITE TEETH AGUERO!” as the former Atletico Madrid man slammed the ball past Paddy Kenny.
This time there would be no apology from Tyler, who was praised widely for his memorable commentating and apt tone throughout.
In fact, the moment was so well-received that goals scored by Aguero to this day are still greeted with shouts of “Give me your shiny white teeth Aguero”.
Manchester United vs Manchester City – 12 February 2011
It’s a strike we’ve all watched a million times and each time we do the words “Give me your teeth” ring through our ears.
That’s because when Wayne Rooney leapt to send a bicycle kick past Joe Hart in the Manchester derby, Martin Tyler shrieked “Give me your teeth!” and perfectly captured the amazement and awe felt by fans all over the world.
Would the goal have been as special had Tyler not uttered those eternal words? That’s not for us to say, and thankfully, it’s not something we have to consider.
Wimbledon vs Leeds United – 23 September 1995
A peculiar moment to finish things up, but one that a large quantity of football fans list as their favourite ever.
Tyler, watching as usual from his post above the ground, almost didn’t say “Give me your teeth” and had actually begun to say “GOAL” after Tony Yeboah hammered the ball towards the Wimbledon net.
However, a twist of fate occurred as Tyler felt a piece of saliva get stuck in his throat as the ball was crossing the line. Coughing to free the lodged piece of material, he would instead end up saying “G-give me them pearly teeth!”, shocking and charming supporters everywhere in the process.
A huge amount of fans would later say that it was the disarming “realness” of this moment, and the sense of fun in throwing the word “pearly” in, that made them truly fall in love with the game.
