Top 10 most embarrassing sporting mothers

Poor Mitchell Johnson. First the Aussie quick bowler bowls like a drain against every team in England - including the national side, who have so far this Ashes series smashed 331 runs off him - is pillared by press both back home and in Britain, and THEN his mother steps in to add her sixpence.

In the Australian media she has been blamed for distracting him after complaining of having him 'stolen' from her by his fiancée. She has now produced a gushing apology that concluded: "Never forget I love you, mate."

Sportsmen and their mothers do not always go hand in hand, and below are ten more examples when mums make their super-star kids cringe, just as they did at the school gates when they licked their hanky and wiped that grubby mark off their cheek. Cue wincing and blushing.

1. Angela Morrison

The mother of Republic of Ireland international striker Clinton Morrison, Angela, similarly felt the need to protect her little baby back in December 2002.

The then-23-year-old was turning out for Birmingham City and tangled with QPR defender Rufus Brevett at Loftus Road.

After the tempestuous game, which Brum won 1-0, Angela took exception to the treatment Brevett had given her boy and she confronted him in the players' lounge.

Brevett said to Angela: "Your son's got a big mouth."

To which she began to swing her handbag and snarled: "I know. He gets it from me."

Stewards had to rush to the scene to stop trouble escalating.

2. Brigitte Warne

In February 2003 Australian leg-spinning great Shane Warne was suspended from cricket by the Australian Cricket Board after he was deemed to be using performance-enhancing drugs. In actual fact Warne had been taking advice from his mother on how to lose a stone or two, the vain peroxide tweaker.

Brigitte handed him a diuretic pill so he could shrink his 36" waste. Warney forgot to tell the team doctor, Trefor Jones, or the physio, Errol Alcott - perhaps because he was worried his team-mates would rib him for using drugs that are used by jockeys and excessive dieters. Or perhaps it was because diuretics are used to mask other performance-enhancing drugs …

Chairman of the World Anti-Doping Agency, Dick Pound, was unimpressed with Warne's explanation that his mum had given him the banned tablet. "Poisoned by his mother?" Pound chuckled. "It is good, very good. It ranks up there with the one 'I got it from the toilet seat'."

3. Gloria James

LeBron James, one of the NBA's biggest stars, is very close to his mother, Gloria, as evidenced by his tattoo of her name on his right arm.

The Cleveland Cavaliers star, who signed a US$90 million shoe contract with Nike before his professional debut, was fouled by fierce rival Paul Pierce of the Boston Celtics last December.

Their momentum took both players, still wrapped around each other, careering in to the crowd behind the basket. It was at this point little Gloria began berating Pierce for fouling her son.

Embarrassed James turned to her and told her: "sit your ass down".

4. Annie Underwood

When Tony and Rory Underwood became the first brothers in decades to represent England's rugby team in the same team, there was no one more delighted than the backs' mother, Annie.

When the boys crossed the try line in the early 1990s, television cameras would zoom in to where their mum was celebrating. Arms in the air, wrists cocked, beaming smile, Annie gave it some and wanted the world to know how proud she was of her lads. It was more heart-warming for Red Rose supporters but cringe-worthy for Rory and Tony.

5. Maria Antoinetta O'Sullivan

World No1 snooker player Ronnie O'Sullivan is not planning on using his mother, Maria Antoinetta, as his public relations officer any time soon. The Rocket has admitted that he can't take her anywhere with him as he belittles him and embarrasses him in front of anyone within ear shot.

He said: "My mum will go to a restaurant and they'll start making a fuss of her, saying 'Oh, you're Ronnie's mum, what's he like?'

"She hates that. 'He's filthy, he's messy, he's a nightmare,' she'll say."

6. Barbara Southgate

If missing the most important penalty kick in six years for England was not enough, Gareth Southgate, whose spot-kick miss in 1996 cost the Three Lions a shot at European Championship glory, also had to face his mum.

"Why didn't he just belt it," asked mum Barbara after Southgate's weak penalty was easily saved in the Euro 96 semi-final shootout between England and Germany. Poor old Gareth.

7. Berit Riise

Former Liverpool full-back John Arne Riise - the ginger Norwegian with the howitzer of a shot - had to sack his agent in August 2002 because of the bad press she was churning out about him. It just so happened to be his mother, Berit.

John unceremoniously dumped her after she had messed up moves from Monaco to Leeds and then Fulham, and then finally called him a "cry baby" in public.

The then 22-year-old wanted to harden him image and explained: "I prefer her in the role as mum only, not as agent-mum."

8. Fiorella Totti

Roma idol Francesco Totti was warned that he would never be able to leave the club - lest he wanted his bits lopped off.

The threat came when rumours linked the playmaker with a move away from Rome - and, amazingly, it came from his mother, Fiorella, who regularly took her knitting with her while she watched her boy train. However she said she would cut off his "whatever" if he left.

Fiorella's obviously a passionate person. She added: "I could survive, who knows how long, without food, without water, without air. But I wouldn't last a minute without my son."

9. Minna Wilson

In a 1989 fight for the British light-heavyweight championship Tony Wilson got knocked down in the third round by Steve McCarthy - but that wasn't the decisive blow.

Wilson's mom Minna Wilson then sprang into the ring and started beating McCarthy with her high-heeled shoe, opening a gash on his forehead that required four stitches to close. When McCarthy refused to continue, the victory was awarded to Wilson — Tony, not Minna.

10. Mrs Ambrose

West Indian cricketing great Curtly Ambrose was 6'7" tall and as a quick bowler as intimidating as they come. Though every time he struck, the thought of what his mother would be doing back some in Antigua would make him cringe.

"Whenever I took a Test wicket my mother would rush onto the balcony of her home in Swetes Village, Antigua, to triumphantly ring a special bell to celebrate," grinned Ambrose.

It must have been irritating for her neighbours when Curtly was playing on the other side of the world in what, to them, was the middle of the night.