From the Prince of Denmark to the Wolf of Wolfsburg, he’s had a few nicknames – but for many Arsenal fans and beyond he remains, however ironically, Lord Bendtner. And in March 2015, one magazine decided to take that moniker literally.
Danish mag Se og Hor (See & Hear) purchased a plot of land in Glencoe, Scotland to make the striker an actual lord (OK, technically a ‘laird’, but close enough). Their £29.99 landed him an official title – cue social media hysterics – and a square foot of grass, bestowed by Highland Titles Ltd. Well, it’s the thought that counts.
Highland fling
And it’s the thought alone that counts, because sadly the land bought for Bendtner doesn’t legally constitute the addition of that craved honorific title. Indeed, the Advertising Standards Authority said: “We told Highland Titles Ltd to make clear on their website that consumers did not receive a genuine or officially recognised title through purchasing their land.” That’s £30 down the drain then.
It would have been disappointing news for the new Nottingham Forest hitman, especially after his agent revealed at the time that “Nicklas thinks it’s a fun gimmick”, but a legitimate lairdship wouldn’t really have bestowed Bendtner with any greater privileges than demanding respect from his peers. He does that anyway (unless you've played for Wolfsburg recently. Or Juventus. Or Sunderland. Or Arsenal).
So Lord Bendtner, sadly, can’t call himself a lord. But if he wants to decamp to North West Scotland and fight a legal battle for his claim to a patch of grass just big enough to stand in, nobody can stop him.
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