Digging in bed dog

It has been 57 years since Pickles the dog rescued England’s World Cup dream by finding the stolen Jules Rimet Trophy.

The unlikely hero’s discovery came after the trophy had been stolen from a public exhibition just a few months before the 1966 World Cup was due to get underway in England. Pickles’ heroics made him a superstar in the UK and he is not the last pooch to be made famous by football in the years since.

Here, Daily Star Sport looks at the stories of Pickles and six other dogs who have rose to stardom in the world of football.

READ MORE: Paul Merson warns Gareth Southgate he’s facing problem after Kalvin Phillips example

Pickles the dog

Despite a middleman being arrested after the Jules Rimet Trophy was stolen in March 1966, the missing silverware was still yet to be located a week on from the theft.

That was until Pickles stepped up as he sniffed around a neighbour’s car, with his owner David Corbett recalling in 2016: “There was a package by the front wheel. It was very tightly wrapped – the IRA was in action in those days and I thought to myself ‘was it a bomb?’

“So I picked it up. Put it down. Picked it up, put it down again. I tore a little bit off the bottom and saw a shield. I recognised it straight away and thought ‘This is it!'”

Corbett was initially treated as a suspect before being cleared of any wrongdoing once the trophy had been identified as the real thing. As for Pickles, he was presented with a cash prize for finding the treasure and was photographed posing with a football.

Relegation saviour

Back in May 1987, Torquay United found themselves on the brink of relegation from the Football League as they trailed Crewe Alexandra on the final day of the season.

With Torquay’s desperate attempts to find an equaliser to keep them up appearing to be in vain, right-back Jim McNichol was bitten by a police dog who thought he was attacking his handler.

In the time added on for McNichol receiving treatment, Torquay equalised and secured their place in the Fourth Division for the following season.

Fluminense superfan

Brazilians are known for their passionate support and their pets are no different.

One Fluminense fan’s dog recently went viral after being caught on camera watching the club play on television. The excited pooch could be seen wearing the club’s home shirt as it lay at the foot of a bed watching the match.

After Fluminense scored, the dog excitedly jumped in the air before running round in circles in celebration.

Touching tribute

Unlike the other dogs on this list, one footballer’s pet instead rose to fame after tragically passing away last year.

The player emotionally celebrated scoring for their club by ripping off his jersey to reveal a t-shirt baring an image of his recently-deceased dog.

As his team-mates gathered around him, the player then ushered them away so that the cameras at the side of the pitch could get a good view of the photo. Visibly emotional, he also lifted the shirt up to kiss the photo as he gazed to the sky.

P***taking pooch

Not all of football’s famous dogs have made their mark by saving the day, with one pooch doing the opposite last summer.

A non-league friendly between Yorkshire clubs Ilkley Town and Thackley back in July had to be paused after a dog bounded onto the pitch to relieve themselves during the match.

The dog ran around the pitch before heading to the corner flag to take a “p***”, much to the amusement of the players and those watching on the sidelines.

World Cup guard dog

After his penalty shootout antics helped Argentina win a third World Cup in December, Emiliano Martinez was quick to ensure his winners medal would be well-protected.

The Aston Villa goalkeeper forked out £20,000 on a Belgian Malinois guard dog to protect his medal after returning to the Midlands following the tournament.

Belgian Malinois’ can weigh up to 30kgs and have been deployed by the SAS and US Navy Seals in the past, with Martinez having his pet pooch specially trained to guard his home from invaders.

Club mascots

In addition to pet pooches and pitch invaders, football’s famous dogs also include a string of club mascots to have graced stadiums from the Premier League to League Two.

Huddersfield Town’s Terry the Terrier was the subject of controversy in 2018 after being pictured looking glum during a match against Watford, having been told to sit down to avoid obstructing the view of supporters.

Meanwhile, Birmingham City mascot Beau Brummie was involved in a kidnapping scare in 2012, only for it to turn out the mascot was instead taking a break until the club started spending money.

Barnsley, Doncaster Rovers, Newport County and Dagenham & Redbridge also have dogs as their official club mascots.

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A naked six-year-old child was found locked in a dog cage after concerned neighbour’s called police after hearing screaming.

Cops were called to a home in Philadelphia, US, at around 12.50pm on Thursday afternoon and found two partially clothed children, ages 3 and 5, crying and wandering around the garden.

When officers entered the house they found a 6-year-old child naked and locked in a dog cage, which had been secured with a zip tie to stop the toddler escaping, according to police.

It is unclear how long the child had been locked away.

Investigators also found an elderly woman in a wheelchair along with a 40-year-old man in the property.

Cops believe the woman is the grandmother to the children while the man is said to be a family member.

Officers were also met by a woman at the home who claimed one of the three children was hers. She was taken away to the Special Victims Unit where she is being interviewed by police.

She has not been charged but an investigation is continuing.

Meanwhile, the children were taken to a nearby hospital for evaluation; police do not believe they were physically harmed.

Philadelphia Police Public Information Officer Eric Gripp said: “We don’t know entirely everything that’s going on here.

“This is just an absolutely tragic situation. We have a long investigation ahead of us. But obviously we don’t live in a world where under any situation whatsoever we should have a child inside of a cage or young children outside standing in the rain.

“This should never happen and we’re going to do everything we can to ensure it doesn’t again to these children.”

Authorities have charged parents Michelle Campbell, 30, and Paul Weber, 31, with endangering the welfare of a child and recklessly endangering a person.

The Philadelphia Department of Human Services refused to confirm if the suspect’s had any history of neglect.

A spokesperson told NBC: “Due to Commonwealth of Pennsylvania confidentiality laws, DHS cannot comment whether or not a family has any current or past DHS involvement.”

However, neighbour Hector Perez told NBC police have often been called to the address for different incidents.

He said: “Cops have been coming here on and off. Nothing has ever been done.”

The arrest comes after two parents were taken into custody in Ohio, US, after their children were found in a bug-filled cage.

Franklin Varney, 38, and Megan Smith, 25, were charged after their three-year-old was found locked in a cage while their two-year-old was found holding a methamphetamine pipe.

The Hocking County Sheriff’s Office said: “[Law enforcement] located a three-year-old child locked inside a cage, which was secured with zipties. The cage that the infant was in was filled with bugs, soiled bedding, and a cup full of spoiled milk.

“A two-year-old was also found walking around the residence holding a methamphetamine pipe.”

The children have since been removed from the parents’ care and into social services.

Buying holiday gifts for gamers should be a piece of cake—just get them a game, like Cyberpunk 2077 , Animal Crossing or Doom Eternal . But games are so predictable; you can do better than that. There are a slew of gaming-related gifts that show you understand what gaming is all about. We’ve rounded up 17 of the best gift ideas for gamers, from items priced (and sized) for stocking stuffers all the way up to showstopper gifts that’ll be the subject of conversation on Discord for weeks to come.

A Working Retro Arcade Cabinet that Fits on a Desk

My Arcade Dig Dug Micro Player

You can buy full-size arcade cabinets to recreate the 80s arcade experience in your basement (just scroll down the list for a killer example) but not everyone has room for that. Instead, My Arcade offers a handful of tabletop micro-sized arcades. It’s all a matter of taste and personal memories, of course, but this Dig Dug cabinet might be the best of them. It recreates the adorably thrilling iconic game with a 7-inch-high fully playable mini replica. It features a 2.75-inch color screen and adjustable volume control to help you save Dig Dug from the Pookas armed with nothing more than a bike pump.

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A Message That Says “Talk to the Feet.”

Do Not Disturb I’m Gaming Socks for Men and Women

Every gamer needs to show their love of the game, but rather than doing it with a t-shirt, here’s a chance to do it with the bottom of their feet. These one-size-fits-all 80% cotton socks fit men and women from size 6 to 12, so you can rest assured these will fit your favorite gamer no matter their size. The “I’m gaming – Do not disturb” design features a rubberized graphic, making the socks non-slip. There are a handful of other designs to choose from as well, including “If you can read this – I’m busy gaming” and the universally relatable “If you can read this – Bring me donuts.”

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A Smart Gaming Headset That Won’t Break the Bank

HyperX Cloud II Gaming Headset

Better audio is always a welcome gift for a gamer, and the HyperX Cloud II headset ticks a bunch of important boxes. Not only does it deliver excellent sound quality through its larger-than-average 53mm neodymium magnet drivers, but it can simulate 7.12 channel surround sound as well.

The detachable microphone stalk means you don’t need to be bothered by the mic when not chatting in games, and a set of audio controls inline with the USB cable clips conveniently to your shirt. Best of all, this wired headset works with virtually any and all gaming platforms, so you don’t need to know what console your gamer uses. It’s versatile enough to work with a PC, Xbox, PlayStation and more.

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A Plushie Gamers Probably Shouldn’t Trust

Among Us Plush

Among Us is the Macarena of 2020… in a good way. It’s the murder-mystery game set on a space ship that everyone seems to know—even Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has played it . And whether you’re playing as an innocent crewmember or you’re the sneaky murderer trying to avoid getting caught, you’re simply adorable. Just like this plushie version of the game characters. It looks great on the bed, but don’t turn your back on it for too long.

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Turn An iPhone into a Gameboy

Razer Kishi Mobile Game Controller for iPhone

You know what would make an iPhone perfect? Built-in game controllers. The Razer Kishi Mobile Game Controller stretches to snap around almost any model iPhone (including the iPhone X, 11 and 12 variations), giving the phone thumbstick, a D-pad and bumper buttons. Your favorite gamer will love the fact that the controller is compatible with Apple Arcade games, so it automatically works with a large library of titles. And when it’s not in use, it shrinks down small enough to fit in your pocket. the Razer Kishi also works great with Android devices.

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T-Shirt Version of Rolling Your Eyes at Whoever Asked You to Put Down Your Switch

Paused My Game T Shirt

Your kid, brother or spouse won’t have to roll their eyes when you call them away from their favorite game, because this t-shirt says it for them in large letters. It’s available in pretty much every size and 18 colors, so there’s a combination here for pretty much anyone who knows how much of a sacrifice it really is to put a game on hold to take out the trash.

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A Tabletop Game Based on A TV Show Based on a Book Based on A World That Didn’t Happen

Tales from The Loop RPG Starter Set

Tales from the Loop was a quiet, charming anthology series on Amazon Prime that reimagined a small town in the 1970s with retro-futuristic technology. Every episode had heart and soul, and a few were downright heartbreaking. If you know a fan of the show, you can help him or her become a part of that universe with this tabletop role playing game in which you solve mysteries that rise out of the show’s quirky environments. The best part is that it doesn’t feature dungeons, dragons or wizards, so it’s more accessible for family members who aren’t usually that interested in playing an RPG.

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Give the Gift of Streaming Gaming

Google Stadia Premiere Edition

Your favorite gamers probably already have an Xbox or PS4 (but not an Xbox Series X or PS5, because those will be backordered well into 2021), but there’s a new kind of console on the block that is in stock right now and may very well represent the future of gaming. Google Stadia is a streaming platform—think of it like the Netflix of gaming.

It comes with a Chromecast Ultra and a game controller, and you just need a reliable internet connection (ideally 100Mbps, but good performance can be had with as little as 10Mbps) to purchase and play games that stream in real time to your laptop. You can play Stadia on virtually any mobile device, and it has both original titles as well as popular games like Cyberpunk 2077 and Red Dead Redemption 2 .

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It’s Like Giving Someone a Whole New TV for about $20

Power Practical Luminoodle USB Bias Lighting

Every console gamer who plays on a large screen TV should have bias lighting, plain and simple. It’s a strip of LED lighting that goes around the back of the TV and reflects off the wall, surrounding the TV with a soft glow. The background light makes anything on the TV look better, and is especially great at improving the perception of contrast in games. When the game is over, bias lighting does wonders on movies, too, and it adds enough ambient lighting so no one will trip on the dog on the way to more popcorn.

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It’s the Next Best Thing to Gifting an Edible PS4

Chocolate Game Controller Twin Pack

There are a lot of third-party game controllers out there which promise to improve a gamer’s experience. But before you spend money on a new PowerA controller for the Switch or Xbox, for example, consider a controller made of chocolate. This hardly even needs to be explained: Everyone loves chocolate and these controllers (they come in a two-pack for just $15) are adorable, made from solid milk chocolate and decorated with white and dark chocolate. If only you could nibble on a real controller.

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Be a Hero by Gifting one of the Few Popular Consoles Actually in Stock

Nintendo Switch Lite

It’s a rough holiday season for gamers who want a new console. Not only are the new next-gen PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S consoles completely sold out and probably unavailable for months to come, but the venerable Nintendo Switch has been largely out of stock for months too. What’s a gamer to get for the holidays? How about giving a Switch Lite? This more modest version of the Switch will give your favorite gamer most of the fun of a full-size Switch, only you can’t connect it to a TV or detach the controllers. The upshot is that this one is actually in stock, and costs $100 less than a Switch to boot.

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For the Gaming Completist Who Loves to Show Off

100 Video Games Bucket List Scratch Poster

Gamers tend to be completists. Many gamers need to play the whole game through, collect all the items and earn all achievements, play the sequels, read the novelizations and even play the classic games that inspired the modern hits. That’s where this 100 Video Games Bucket List Scratch Poster comes in. Your gamer hangs an grid of 100 empty boxes on the wall and scratches off each famous, important and popular game that he or she has played, revealing the icon underneath. It features all the essentials, from Tetris to Sonic to Red Dead Redemption to Far Cry 3. It’s a great conversation piece for any gamer’s den.

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Gamers Spend Their Time Sitting—So You do the Math

GTRacing Luxury Gaming Chair Racing Style

What’s the most audacious way to amp up someone’s gaming experience without spending a fortune? With a gaming chair. Racing style seats—complete with high backs, side-wing cushions and an aesthetic that looks like it was ripped straight out of a Ferrari—are comfortable and ergonomic, plus have that very particular gamer chic. GTRacing’s line of racing chairs is among the most popular, and this model has super-comfy cold-cured foam padding that’s finished in standard PU leather. The back reclines to 170 degrees—just shy of horizontal and convenient for mid-day naps—and has highly configurable 4D arm rests (which means they go up and down, back and forth, side to side, and angle). You also get lumbar and headrest pillows for comfort.

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It’s Like Giving Someone an Actual X-Wing Fighter

Arcade1Up Star Wars Arcade Machine With Bench Seat

Arcade1Up specializes in selling 3/4-height versions of officially licensed classic arcade cabinets—they’re so close to full size it’s hard to tell the difference, and the controls are wholly authentic to recreate the true arcade experience. This Star Wars arcade game might be the best cabinet Arcade1Up has ever offered; for $500, you get the cabinet with a bench seat—just like the deluxe cabinet you might have played back in the day—and it has that same yoke you remember wrapping your hands around as you pumped in quarter after quarter.

It comes with all three games in the Star Wars arcade franchise (but to be honest, it’s the first game you’ll remember most fondly and want to play). This would be an amazing gift for a gamer if you can somehow avoid buying it for yourself.

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This Wireless Mousepad Keeps the Mouse Charged all the Time, Like Magic

Logitech G Powerplay Wireless Charging System

When you’re gaming, even the mouse cord can slow you down, which is why a lot of gamers like to use a wireless mouse. But the bummer then becomes remembering to charge it up or change the batteries. What if the whole mouse pad was a wireless charging pad, so the mouse was always topped off? Brilliant, right? That’s what Logitech has done with the G Powerplay Wireless Charging System. It’s compatible with a handful of Logitech’s wireless mice, including the G502 Lightspeed , G703 and G903 Lightspeed wireless gaming mice. So if you’re planning to wrap this mousepad for the tree, be sure your gamer has a compatible mouse or toss one in the same package.

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It’s Star Trek’s Holodeck Packed into a Headset

Oculus Quest 2

Any gamer worth their mouse salivates at the thought of playing games in virtual reality, and after years of mediocre, expensive, and convoluted VR systems, the Oculus Quest 2 is finally here. Because it has virtually no setup, doesn’t require a PC, and is portable to play almost anywhere, the Quest 2 is a great gift for casual and hardcore gamers alike.

The Quest 2 has a large library of games to choose from and sucks you into a fully convincing virtual universe you can move around in and interact with—either with the included controllers or your bare hands. It’s hard to explain how completely captivating VR is; you need to experience it for yourself. So take our word for the fact that this is perhaps the single best gift you can give a gamer this year.

forbes.com Oculus Promo Codes | 35% Off In March 2023 | Forbes

This Working R2-D2 You Build From Scratch is the Ultimate Geek Gift

Build R2-D2 1:2 Scale Working Robot Model

Need a gift that will blow someone away, and price is no object? Model-Space specializes in selling models you build on a subscription basis—each month you get a few parts, instructions, and some additional fun reading, and you use each monthly package to assemble the model over the course of a year. Model-Space’s R2-D2 is a full-licensed half-scale working model of everyone’s favorite robot. The instructions are detailed and more or less fool-proof, but also intricate enough that modelers will feel a deep sense of accomplishment building this android.

When fully assembled, R2 roams your home with its motorized wheels; the tool arms pop out, the head spins and Luke’s detailed light saber pops out of the top of his head. And that’s just scratching the surface of what this model can do. Yes, it’s expensive, but if you have the means, it’s hard to beat a gift like this, and the damage to your wallet is lessened because you don’t pay all at once. You pay about $65 per month until the model is completed. Don’t like R2? There are other models like an X-Wing fighter, Millennium Falcon, and (believe it or not) a lot of completely non- Star Wars models as well.

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