Strangest goal ever? Reading's 'ghost goal' vs Watford in 2008

Watford vs Reading in 2008 played host to one of the craziest moments in English football history.

In fact, we’d probably go as far as to say that the ‘ghost goal’ scored on that fateful afternoon at Vicarage Road might be the most baffling that your humble GIVEMESPORT writer has ever seen.

Whether it’s the absence of goal-line technology, faulty nets or linesmen having their view obstructed, there have been countless examples of ‘ghost goals’ where they are at least broadly understandable.

Sure, Frank Lampard should have made it 2-2 for England at the 2010 World Cup, but those sorts of goal-line errors weren’t all that uncommon in a world before Hawk-Eye and their vibrating watches.

However, if you were to show someone footage of what happened in Watford vs Reading all those years ago for the very first time, they’d struggle to explain how a goal was possibly awarded.

So, let’s revisit that chaotic afternoon and try our best to walk through an officiating error that will no doubt continue to be discussed in the annals of English football history.

Thirteen minutes into the Championship clash, Reading took the lead in what would ultimately go down as a John Eustace own goal despite the fact, well, there wasn’t a goal in the first place.

Stephen Hunt had swung in a corner for the visitors, which duly hit Eustace’s thigh, before Noel Hunt chased after the ball in an attempt to cut it back that ultimately ended with the chance fizzling out.

Assistant referee Nigel Bannister then raised his flag in a gesture that was originally interpreted as a goal-kick, but was ultimately revealed to be a signal for a goal after he spoke to referee Stuart Attwell.

It was assumed that the linesman believed the ball to have been inside the