Karl Power

Karl Power is a prankster from Droylsden, Greater Manchester, England, known for appearing uninvited at sporting events as an impostor. He appeared in the Manchester United team photo before an away UEFA Champions League knockout stage match against Bayern Munich in 2001.[1]

After the stunt, there was a nationwide manhunt in the United Kingdom for Power with tabloid newspapers asking their readers to write in and give them information.[citation needed] He was unmasked to BBC Sport by men's magazine Front, which revealed that Power had entered the stadium pretending to be with a TV crew to gain access to the pitch,[2] and simply walked back to the stands again afterwards to watch the game.

He is a long-term friend of Manchester band Happy Mondays. The hit single "Fat Neck" by their follow-up band, Black Grape, is a tribute to him. He also appeared in Puressence's pop video, "Walking Dead", with Happy Mondays dancer Bez.

Power is now manager of a local Manchester band The Backhanders.[3]

Power was sentenced to 6 months in jail in April 2012 for £26,000 benefit fraud after an anonymous tipoff.[4]

  1. ^ "The week in pictures: April 16 - 21". BBC News. 20 April 2001.
  2. ^ BBC SPORT | FOOTBALL | The biggest football sting in history
  3. ^ "Karl Power and the art of the sporting blag". The Guardian. 22 October 2016. Retrieved 5 April 2023.
  4. ^ "Joke over as £26,000 fraudster sent to jail". Evening Standard. 13 April 2012. Retrieved 6 April 2023.