Playboy bunnies vs ‘Planet of the Apes’… is this the weirdest football game ever?


THE date is August 5 1973 and the world’s weirdest football match, probably ever, is being played in West London.

A team of Playboy bunnies are thrown into battle against a ‘Planet of the Apes’ side, managed by the legendary Malcolm Allison, Crystal Palace boss at the time.

Playboy bunny Prue gets stuck in during the match against ‘Apes’ from Planet of the Apes
PA Archive

Hurlingham Stadium is the venue for a game that, really, blurs the line between fiction and reality.

Fortunately there is photographic evidence of it really happening.

The clash, which appeared in some shots to have taken place in either quicksand or fresh mud, was in aid of the World Wildlife Fund.

Very little information remains about the fixture.

Crystal Palace manager Malcolm Allison gets involved in the action
PA Archive
Playboy bunnies show off their footie skills at Hurlingham stadium in West London
PA Archive

No record seems to exist anywhere of the final score, how many fans were in attendance or even if any subs were made.

Instead all we are left with are these incredible images of football from a bygone era.


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The ‘apes’ were from hit science fiction film of the time, Battle for the Planet of the Apes, which featured late English actor Roddy McDowall.

As if it couldn’t get stranger, Hurlingham was Fulham’s first ground and was where Monty Python’s Upper Class Twit of the Year sketch was filmed.

Playboy bunny Prue is up to her ears in mud during the exhibition game
PA Archive
One of the ‘apes’ nonchalantly breezes past a bevy of Playboy bunnies
PA Archive
No one quite knows what is happening in this photo
PA Archive
Malcolm Allison sizes up his opponents before the Playboy bunnies vs Planet of the Apes clash
Times Newspapers Ltd

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