For 18 entire years, Ledley King has been known as the fastest ever Premier League goal scorer, but until very recently, this record was actually unofficial.
During a Prem match against Bradford City way back in the year 2000, Ledley King found himself a little way outside the box and decided to take an early pop shot.
After around 10 seconds on the clock, the ball rippled the back of the net.
However, this record was always known as ten seconds, because these kind of straight-from-kick-off goals were always rounded up.
After Christian Eriksen struck gold for the same club over 17 years later, it was time to take Ledley to the Opta offices in Munich for a pinpoint accurate time measurement.
The Premier League had the exact times confirmed, and have now announced that Ledley’s in indeed the fastest ever goal scored in the competition, with a time of 9.82 second.
In second place was Alan Shearer with 10.52 seconds, and in third Spurs’ Eriksen with 10.54.
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PremierLeague.com quoted King as saying: “I was at the game and was taking my seat and I just heard a roar and, initially, I thought, ‘What’s happened? Who’s scored?’
“And then a little while after, I thought, ‘That’s quick. That’s challenging my record.’
“So I started asking people, ‘What time was that?’ And a few people were saying, ‘Ten, 12 [seconds].’ That’s when I realised I actually cared about my record! I didn’t want to lose it!
“Really pleased about that. I wasn’t sure if technology proved there was a quicker goal and it was going to get taken off me all of sudden.
“So I am pleased for now I am still holding that record. Someone like Harry Kane is going to beat it in the future. It wouldn’t surprise me.”
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