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Sunday August 9
Kam, Birmingham: Hi Gaff. Who is England's longest-serving manager? Thanks.
The Gaffer says: I'm assuming that you mean the England team, in which case the answer is Walter Winterbottom, who was in charge for 16 years from 1946-62. Before 1946, the team was under the oleadership of an FA official and a trainer, usually selected from a London club. Winterbottom's record was played 139, won 78, drawn 33, lost 28.
SDBORO: If Darren gets Posh promoted, or they draw Man Utd in a cup game, would this be the first father v son management game? If not, who are the previous?
The Gaffer says: It wouldn't be a first in English football. When Bill Dodgin senior took Bristol Rovers to Fulham for an FA Cup first-round tie in November 1970, his son Bill junior was the opposing manager.
Steve, Letchworth: How many goals did Van the Man score at Man Utd in his time at Old Trafford?
The Gaffer says: Van Nistelrooy made an overall total of 219 appearnaces for Man Utd, scoring 150 goals. His league tally was 95 in 150 games.
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Saturday August 8
Steve, Aberdeen: How many Champions League winners have also won their domestic title in the same season?
The Gaffer says: There are plenty: Barca 92, 06, 09. Milan 94. Ajax 95. United 99, 08. Bayern 01. Porto 04.
Lee Preston: Alrite Gaff, loving the page. Do you know who has the best goal to games average in the Premier League?
The Gaffer says: Theirry Henry (0.68 per game) just nicks it from Fernando Torres (0.67) and Ruud van Nistelrooy (0.63).
Isaac: Out of Alberto Aquilani, Xabi Alonso and Gareth Barry who has the most assists and goals, and also how many appearances have each had?
The Gaffer says: In the Premier League, Barry's stats are 365 games, 41 goals, 77 assists and Alonso's are 143 games, 15 goals, 37 assists. Overall, Barry averages a goal every 8.9 games and an assist every 4.7, while Alonso averages a goal every 9.5 games and an assist every 3.8. As for Aquilani, in Serie A, his stats are 102 games, nine goals with an average of a goal every 11.3 games (although almost half of his appearances came as a substitute). Unfortunately, I'm struggling to find anything on assists for the Italian.
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Friday August 7
Steven: Can you name five players or more that have gone between Man Utd and Barcelona? It's driving us nuts!
The Gaffer says: Mark Hughes, Jordi Cruyff, Laurent Blanc, Henrik Larsson and Gerard Pique are the only five to have played for United and Barca. However, only Hughes, Cruyff and Pique were involved in direct transfers between the two clubs.
Dan: How many players have suffered career-ending injuries whilst playing in the Premier League? I can only think of Dave Busst (broken leg, Coventry), Luc Nilis (broken leg, Aston Villa) and Pierluigi Casiraghi (cruciate ligament, Chelsea).
The Gaffer says: The only other player I can think of is Alf-Inge Haaland. Even though it was the left knee that forced the former Manchester City midfielder to retire, he has always believed Roy Keane's horror tackle on his right was the root cause.
Johnny: Hi Gaffer, can you tell me how many players Celtic have purchased from Hibs since the start of the SPL?
The Gaffer says: I count six: Scott Brown, Chris Killen, Derek Riordan, Gary Caldwell, Ulrik Laursen, Didier Agathe.
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Thursday August 6
Big Un: Is it true that for Manchester United's first match after the Munich air crash, which was against Sheffield Wednesday, the programme featured 12 question marks where players' names should be? Great page, by the way - keep it going.
The Gaffer says: On a highly emotional night at Old Trafford only 13 days after the crash on 6 February 1958, a makeshift United XI beat Wednesday 3-0 in an FA Cup tie. The front cover of the match programme read "United will go on" and on the team sheet, there were 11 blank spaces to fill in. Bill Foulkes captained the side and Matt Busby, who was still seriously ill in Germany on the day of the game, called his assistant Jimmy Murphy from his hospital bed to tell him to "keep the flag flying".
Westy: Hi Gaff. I was wondering what would happen if the goalkeeper got a serious injury during a penalty shoot-out? Would he be substituted or would an outfield player replace him?
The Gaffer says: A substitution can indeed be made in the case of injury to a goalkeeper during a penalty shoot-out, provided the team has not already used the maximum number of substitutes allowed by the competition. In fact this is the only circumstance in which a sub can be used once a shoot-out has started.
Alex, Leeds: Can you name all the players from Leeds to Man Utd, and vice versa?
The Gaffer says: Leeds to Man Utd: Joe Jordan, Gordon McQueen, Arthur Graham, Eric Cantona, Rio Ferdinand, Alan Smith. Man Utd to Leeds: Freddie Goodwin, Johnny Giles, Brian Greenhoff, Gordon Strachan, Lee Sharpe, Danny Pugh, Liam Miller.
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Wednesday August 5
Tangerine Killeen: Who is the all time leading goalscorer in the FA Cup?
The Gaffer says: The commonly held view is that Henry 'Harry' Cursham is the top FA Cup goalscorer, having held the record since 1887 with 49 goals. All his strikes were for Notts County between 1877-1887. Cursham also holds County's all-time FA Cup appearance record with 43 games played. The closest anyone has come to breaking the record is Ian Rush when he scored his 44th FA Cup goal in 1998 (39 for Liverpool, 4 for Chester City, 1 for Newcastle United). But then again, there might be some great unknown who's scored bucket-loads of goals in qualifying rounds lost in the mists of time.
Paul, Belfast: During the Shamrock v Real Madrid friendly they said that Rovers have used lots of grounds for home matches. Is this true?
The Gaffer says: It's true, after their Glenmalure Park was sold in 1987. They then played the entire 1987-88 season in an almost empty Tolka Park after a boycott called for by the Shamrock Rovers Supporters Club. Dalymount Park, the RDS Arena and Morton Stadium also hosted Rovers before they moved back to the new Tallaght Stadium south of Dublin this year.
Bernard, Newcastle: I remember Third Lanark in Scotland and New Brighton in England, but what other clubs have played League football who are no more?
The Gaffer says: Including clubs who were swallowed up by local rivals, you have Aberdare Athletic, Accrington, Burton Swifts, Burton United, Burton Wanderers, Leeds City, Loughborough Town, Merthyr Town, Middlesbrough Ironopolis, New Brighton Tower, Rotherham County, Rotherham Town, South Shields, Thames, Wigan Borough and Wimbledon.
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Tuesday August 4
Scott, Pembroke: Can you settle something for me. A lot of England fans say they could have done better at tournaments if Ryan Giggs had opted to play for them, but I read somewhere that he was never eligible to play for the England first team back then. Is this true?
The Gaffer says: Yes, it's true. Contrary to popular belief, Giggs never had the option of playing for England because he was born in Cardiff to Welsh parents, and only moved to the Manchester area when he was seven. However, he did captain England schoolboys when he played at that level for Man Utd but that was due to his residency in the Manchester area. It just depends on where you go to school.
Big D: Can you name the top five who have received the most red cards in the Premier League? Love the site.
The Gaffer says: Patrick Vieira, Duncan Ferguson and Richard Dunne (thanks Jim) top the Premier League red card charts with eight apiece. Then come Roy Keane, Alan Smith (Newcastle) and Vinnie Jones with seven. On six are Nicky Butt, Martin Keown, Franck Queudrue and Andy Cole. There's quite a list of players who have been sent off five times: Lee Bowyer, Frank Sinclair, David Batty, Carlton Palmer, Luis Boa Morte, Ugo Ehiogu, Don Hutchison, Francis Benali, Tugay, Steve Lomas, Steven Gerrard, John Hartson, Frank Leboeuf, Dion Dublin, Jason Wilcox.
Chopper: How many goals did Sir Bobby Charlton score score for Man Utd?
The Gaffer says: Sir Bobby scored 249 goals in a grand total of 758 appearances during his 17-year career at Old Trafford. He made his league debut at home to Charlton on 6 October 1956, scoring twice despite carrying an injury.
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Monday August 3
John: Which player has scored the most headers in the Premier League? I reckon Alan Shearer but my mate thinks it could be Teddy Sheringham.
The Gaffer says: You're right, John. Shearer scored 46 headers which was one more than Dion Dublin. Les Ferdinand is third with 43, Dwight Yorke fourth with 38 and then Sheringham and Duncan Ferguson with 35.
Abe: Who is the youngest player to play in the Premier League?
The Gaffer says: Matthew Briggs, 16 years and 65 days, for Fulham against Middlesbrough on 13 May 2007.
Phil, Burnley: How many England managers have also played for England?
The Gaffer says: Sir Alf Ramsey, Joe Mercer, Don Revie, Sir Bobby Robson, Terry Venables, Glenn Hoddle, Kevin Keegan, Peter Taylor.
Recent trivia answers from The Gaffer:
27/07/09 - 02/08/09: European teams to win the treble or quadruple; Frenchmen to play for Newcastle. Trivia answers
20/07/09 - 26/07/09: Most-capped Premier League manager; Europe's record goalscorers; the Brylcream Boy revealed. Trivia answers
13/07/09 - 19/07/09: Brothers in the Prem; most saves in a shootout; Fifa and European player award winners. Trivia answers
06/07/09 - 12/07/09: Longest penalty shootouts; first substitute and perfect Premier League hat-tricks. Trivia answers
Check out much more trivia in the Ask The Gaffer archives >>>
