What a load of bollocks! Sunderland's brass neck in 1999, inserting a 'Space Clause' in Stefan Schwarz's contract, taking the piss or what?!
The Beautiful Game's Bizarre Contract
The Swedish bellend, who'd been at Arsenal for a year, was set to join Sunderland from Valencia for a record fee. Schwarz was proper up for it, but the muppets at Sunderland were taking liberties with some space Tourism shite.
Space: The Final Frontier... For Footy Contracts?
Schwarz, Sweden's Player of the Year in '99, had been harping on about wanting to go to space. So, those divvys at Sunderland, led by John Fickling and Peter Reid, put a clause in his contract saying it'd be null and void if he did. Cheeky bastards!
Insurance? More Like Insuring Against Alien Abduction!
Fickling, the mug, tried to justify it by comparing it to insurance exclusions for dangerous activities. Get stuffed! We all know it was just a power play by the Sunderland top brass.
From Star Player to Bench Warmer
Schwarz ended up staying at Sunderland 'til 2003, but fell out with Reid and got put on the transfer list. No one wanted him, so he warmed the bench in his last season. Shocking! His last game was a League Cup match in December 2002, then he retired. What a waste!
Management Material? Don't Make Me Laugh!
Then, in 2017, Schwarz had the nerve to say he wanted to manage Sunderland! With no experience! He claimed he knew the fans and the area. Delusional!
Still Waiting for His Space Odyssey
Years later, Schwarz admitted he still wanted to go to space. He called it a "once-in-a-lifetime opportunity." Yeah, and a chance to get out of his contract, maybe?
In the end, this whole farce just proves how mental footy contracts can be. But hey, it makes for a good laugh, doesn't it? Now, Granit Xhaka might be joining Schwarz as a former Gunner at Sunderland. Let's see if they put a "No Space Travel" clause in his contract. Prats!
