Football mascot seen stumbling along touchline during FA Cup match before appearing to be ejected

Yet it was not Burton’s dominant display that seized the imagination of supporters online, but rather the antics of “Sammy the Saint,” whose erratic movements beside the pitch became an unlikely talking point across social media.

Footage shared widely on X, formerly Twitter, shows the St Albans mascot stumbling unsteadily along the touchline before toppling over the advertising boards.

The figure then attempts to regain balance, thrusts his fists skyward in a moment of misplaced triumph, and promptly loses his footing once again.

As the short clip continues, the character clings to the railings for support and appears to make an obscene gesture towards the stands.

A second video, also filmed by fans, captures stewards guiding Sammy the Saint away from the pitch while the person inside the costume continues to wave animatedly to the crowd.

The St Albans mascot was a little bit worse for wear this afternoon at Burton…he eventually got ejected 😳pic.twitter.com/4Sb1GMlXgQ

— The Real EFL (@RealEFLSocial) November 1, 2025

The clip’s rapid spread online led to speculation that the mascot had been removed from the match for inappropriate behaviour.

St Albans City have yet to issue a public statement, though the incident has drawn widespread amusement from supporters of non-league football.

“This is so non-league,” wrote one viewer beneath the viral video, while another quipped, “Sammy’s no saint.”

A third observer declared it “the most British thing that has ever happened,” summing up the surreal mix of humour and embarrassment that often accompanies such lower-tier spectacles.

For the Saints, the episode capped a miserable afternoon.

Burton, who sit 79 league places above their visitors, showed no mercy in front of goal.

Tyrese Shade and Charlie Webster each struck twice, with Fabio Tavares also scoring a brace as the Brewers eased through to the second round.

The gulf in class was clear from the outset, with the hosts controlling possession and converting chances ruthlessly.

While Burton can now look forward to another cup fixture, St Albans must turn their focus back to the Isthmian League Premier Division, where they currently lie mid-table with three wins from their opening five matches.

It marks a period of rebuilding after a difficult 2023–24 season that saw them relegated from National League South following a dismal run of results.

For now, though, their defeat will be remembered less for the football than for the moment their club mascot became an unlikely viral star.

The episode has drawn comparisons with other famous non-league mishaps that have occasionally features in matches themselves, from pitch invasions to streakers and wayward celebrations.

As the club contemplates its early FA Cup exit, supporters are left with the image of Sammy the Saint’s ungainly stumble—a moment that, however embarrassing, has offered St Albans a fleeting claim to fame far beyond the terraces of Clarence Park.