The Gallery 2012: readers' review of the year

'Sloth love Chunk,' bleated Ben Somner as we kicked off the year with a wee look at Phil Jones. And the Goonies Photograph: Photomontage

'This picture has been inspired by the way Stephen Ireland floats around in midfield and by his very round head,' said the logical Gareth Johnson Photograph: Photomontage

Paul Butler earned top marks for details as he gave his take on Thierry Henry and Paul Scholes's return to the Premier League Photograph: Photomontage

As plans for football's answer to the IPL were mooted, Gareth Johnson sent us this cracker Photograph: Photomontage

'He's guiding Newcastle through European waters,' rowed Nico Kaufmann as you paid tribute to Demba Ba Photograph: Photomontage

Football got a little bit more American as Clint Dempsey starred back in February Photograph: Photomontage

'OxSlade-Chamberlain has added some much need glamour to the Arsenal front line,' wailed Mat Dumont, after he'd stopped feeling the noize Photograph: Photomontage

Ricardo Sanchez casted Juan Mata as the hero in André Villas-Boas's remake of Titanic. And didn't poor Fernando make a fetching Kate Winslet? Photograph: Photomontage

'Brad Friedel is one hell of a keeper,' chuckled Stew Allan Photograph: Photomontage

'The Prince finally finds someone who believes in him,' sobbed Will Buckland as Kevin-Prince Boateng (and Massimiliano Allegri) got a Photoshop makeover Photograph: Photomontage

'Mole hills – yet another method of breaking opposition player's ankles,' reckons Ben Somner, who appears to believe Lee Cattermole is not quite the delicate flower we all thought he was Photograph: Photomontage

'If the performance of the last few next-big-things is anything to go by, Edinson Cavani needs to rein in his talents a little bit or risk being crucified when the mob decides to turn on him … Tom Hoskins risked defaming two of the richest, most ruthless people in football AND a billion followers of the world's second largest religion in this entry Photograph: Photomontage

'Not as tasty as the Spanish Tiki Takas,' sniggered Jack Palmer as we took a look at Swansea's (then) manager Brendan Rodgers Photograph: Photomontage

'I am so frustrated about this gallery! All of you are suckers, you are British transvestites, you are not people ...' Reading some of the emails we received about your Dimitar Berbatov gallery, it's safe to say that it didn't go down well in Bulgaria. We rather liked Tim Sinclair's effort though Photograph: Photomontage

Here's Kochiro Yamamura: 'Grant Holt looks like a rugby player rather than a footballer, and that's a compliment' Photograph: Photomontage

'When the sward Sting glows Carles Puyol and his similarly coiffed hobbit friends know to be on guard for Los Blancos and their evil wizard Mourinho' – Brennan Jordan's entry was a dead ringer Photograph: Photomontage

Gavin McCoy had a question of vital import as we tackled Cristiano Ronaldo: 'Mirror, mirror on the wall, who is the vainest footballer of them all?' Photograph: Photomontage

'Gimme a D …' began Pauric Farrell as we looked at the murky world of diving Photograph: Photomontage

'He's no Tom Cruise, but will he make England's mission possible?' chuckled Rachel Eirinberg as we looked at Roy Hodgson, England manager Photograph: Photomontage

Jack Palmer presented us with the lovely Lady Ga ... Yaya Photograph: Photomontage

'The England boys show their pain as they struggle to comprehend the 23 Enigma,' purred Milford Edge as Roy Hodgson announced his squad for Euro 2012 Photograph: Photomontage

Not content with a simple caption, Brett Turner penned a whole verse to pay tribute to the scrap for Eden Hazard: '(In a southern drawl voiceover-stylee) Down in Prem County they've got money comin' out o'their ears, which is lucky for some folk – the reporters may be pretty, but the bosses sure ain't! Good thing for our boy Hazard he's got his pick of the bunch ... YEEE-HAAAW!' Photograph: Photomontage

'I wish this wasn't England,' wept Daniel Pitchford as you made your Euro 2012 predictions Photograph: Photomontage

Next it was time for your England v France offerings, and Shane Palmer's rousing (and spelling pedant-friendly) entry Photograph: Photomontage

Koichiro Yamamura kindly dug a hole for Holland's flops to hide in as the group stages got a Photoshop once-over Photograph: Photomontage

'Can Mariorissey and his mighty quiff end 15 years of tournament misery and gloom for the Germans?' crooned Robert Kelly in the Mario Gomez gallery Photograph: Photomontage

The answer was of course no, and Spain went on to 'pass Italy to death' in the final. This Euro 2012 memory came courtesy of Allan Smith Photograph: Photomontage

'I think I may have read the title wrong,' mumbles Stewart Smith. 'Did you say Andrés in a Fiesta?' As we looked at, well you can guess Photograph: Garvo/Photomontage

Neymar was up for the usual treatment in July. 'Enjoy him while you can, I reckon he's got eight more years before he succumbs to the inevitable,' says Tom Hoskins Photograph: Photomontage

'On me 'ead Herakles, son of Zeus,' chuckled Darrell Hayward as football took to the Olympics Photograph: Photomontage

'Je bois à votre milk-shake,' ecrit Gavin McCoy, as we crossed the Channel to visit Paris St Germain Photograph: Photomontage

'There is a rumour going round the office that Gary Lineker inspired 50 Shades Of Grey,' giggled Feint Zebra Photograph: Photomontage

'Now he has graduated to the first team Robin van Persie takes his place on the wall of honor at the academy for the world’s best teams,' guffaws Bruce Cooper as the striker swapped Arsenal for Manchester United Photograph: Photomontage

'I resisted all temptations to make comparisons with Carlos Valderrama (1986) or Kevin Keegan (1982) and decided to concentrate on Carrick's woeful attempt at marking at corners instead,' said Niel Butler as we Photoshopped Marouane Fellaini Photograph: Photomontage

Graeme Stanley imagined Brendan Rodgers as Brentan Rodgers. 'Andy the point is, you talk the talk but you do not tiki-taka ... vis-a-vis, please go and play for Big Sam' Photograph: Photomontage

Jack Palmer imagines the Ride of the Falcaories Photograph: Photomontage

Mat Dumont reckoned Victor Moses has something in common with his TV namesake ... Photograph: Photomontage

'Comrade Peter Odemwingie appears on some vintage West Brom propaganda,' giggled David Hodges Photograph: Photomontage

'They may not have always seen eye to eye but Michael Laudrup is certainly from the philosophical school of Johan Cruyff,' roared Richard Baker Photograph: Photomontage

'Olivier Giroud certainly has very big shoes to fill at Arsenal,' stated the stating-the-obvious Rowan Averill Photograph: Photomontage

'Mark Hughes was sure he had the answer but he couldn't quite put his finger on it,' noted Travis Highrise Photograph: Guardian

'Uh oh fart. Uh oh fart.' Well Rob Snook thought there was a Rainman resemblance when he first laid eyes on Santi Cazorla Photograph: Photomontage

Chris Allen went for some comic-book inspiration after Leonardo Bonucci fought off an armed robber Photograph: Photomontage

'Joe Hart brushes up his haka in readiness for the next penalty shootout,' roared Richard Baker Photograph: Photomontage

Chris Allen really, really hopes Ian Holloway doesn't get mixed up in the pre-match entertainment at Palace. As do we Photograph: Photomontage

He's bad, he's bad, you know it. This from Richard Laignel as we imagined what Sir Alex Ferguson's Old Trafford statue would look like Photograph: Photomontage

'Meanwhile, in Pete Winkelman’s executive box ...' Gareth Roberts gave us a preview of MK Dons v AFC Wimbledon Photograph: Photomontage

Andrew Dean presents 'Rafa and Roman's Bridge to Nowhere' as Chelsea got themselves a new manager Photograph: Photomontage

'Think I was a little generous with Stewart Downing's price tag,' admits Jack Palmer Photograph: Photomontage