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Sunday September 20
Jamie: Hi Gaff, can you please name the British and Irish players signed by Rafael Benitez during his time at Liverpool? I can only count six.
The Gaffer says: It's seven if you discount non-first-team regulars like Hobbs and Anderson - Craig Bellamy, Peter Crouch, Jermaine Pennant, Robbie Keane, Robbie Fowler, Glen Johnson and Scott Carson. Before anyone says Steve Finnan, he moved to Anfield a year before Benitez.
Matty, Cov: Gaffer, why does Birmingham's new signing Benitez have 'Chucho' on the back of his shirt? Cheers.
The Gaffer says: The Ecuador striker is known by his nickname of Chucho, which is an affectionate South American term for a small, pesky dog. Benitez has always worn the nickname on his top for club and country, and the Premier League have given permission for the name to be used on the back of his Birmingham shirt.
Martin: Which team have scored the most Premier League goals and which team has conceded the most?
The Gaffer says: Most goals scored Man Utd 1288, most goals against Spurs 892.
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Saturday September 19
Dennis, Sheffield: Hi Gaffer. Apparently there are 25 players who have played for both Sheffield Wednesday and Sheffield United. Can you name them for me please?
The Gaffer says: Jon-Paul McGovern, Dean Windass, Tommy Johnson, Leigh Bromby, Derek Geary, Owen Morrison, Alan Quinn, Franz Carr, Wilf Rostron, Carl Bradshaw, Brian Marwood, Terry Curran, Jeff King, Imre Varadi, Simon Stainrod, Neil Ramsbottom, Alan Warboys, David Ford, Bernard Shaw, Joe Cockroft, Walter Rickett, Bernard Oxley, Charles Taylor, Oliver Tummon, Billy Mellars.
Peter: Hi Gaffer, keep up the cracking work! Please settle a long-standing argument...How much did Arsenal pay for Francis Jeffers from Everton? There's a whopping 96p at stake on this one...
The Gaffer says: Somebody is going to be rich. Jeffers cost the Gunners £8m.
Scott: Before Man Utd's last two games, when was the last time Giggs and Scholes scored in back-to-back games?
The Gaffer says: Back in 2005. Scholes netted in their 2-1 defeat at Benfica on 7 December, and Giggs scored four days later against Everton in a 1-1 draw.
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Friday September 18
Ross Cov: Gaff, I've got few beers riding on this one - my mate is adamant that Gary Neville has got more than 10 career goals. I'm not having it, so who's going up to the bar?
The Gaffer says: Five in the league, two in cups and none at international level - seven goals in total. Order something nice and expensive, my friend!
Top Dog: Morning Gaff! Have there ever been three teams to go down from the Prem but then the same three teams come back up the following season?
The Gaffer says: It has never happened in the Premier League. There have been a couple of seasons when two clubs bounced back up, but never all three. To give you an idea of how rare it is, in the past six years there have been 18 clubs relegated from the top flight and only four have come straight back up.
Lee Bristol: Who is the oldest player to make his debut for England?
The Gaffer says: Alexander Morten was 41 years and 114 days young when he made his international bow against Scotland, on 8 March 1873. It was England's second-ever international and Morten captained the side to a 4-2 victory.
Rob Tiger: Hi Gaff. Ian Ashbee has captained the same club through all four divisions. Has anyone else achieved this or is he the only one?
The Gaffer says: I believe he's the only one. Ashbee himself has said: "I don't think it will ever be done again."
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Thursday September 17
Jamie: Hi Gaff. Who was the first English player born after the 1966 World Cup victory to win a cap for England?
The Gaffer says: Cracking question, Jamie. It's Tony Adams, who was born on 10 October 1966 and made his debut for England against Spain in 1987. Nigel Martyn was born on 11 August 1966, just 12 days after England won the World Cup, but he didn't win his first cap until 1992.
Crespo, Blackpool: Alright Gaff. Can you name the Premier League team that has two players who were both sent off in the same Old Firm game?
The Gaffer says: Hull City. Daniel Cousin and Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink were both sent off in Rangers' 4-2 win at Celtic Park at the start of last season.
Jay: Hey Gaffer. Who was the last England captain to score a competitive hat-trick?
The Gaffer says: Alan Shearer on 4 September 1999 in a 6-0 win over Luxembourg at Wembley. The match was a Euro 2000 qualifier.
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Wednesday September 16
Doofy: Gaff! Which player has scored the most penalties since the Premier League began?
The Gaffer says: Alan Shearer with 58. Matthew Le Tissier (24), Thierry Henry (23), David Unsworth (23), Frank Lampard (21), Teddy Sheringham (21) are the only other players to have scored more than 20 penalties.
Marco: How many European Cup finals have been played on British soil and where were they held?
The Gaffer says: Old Trafford (2003), Hampden Park (2002, 1976, 1960), Wembley (1992, 1978, 1971, 1968, 1963).
Big Un, Sheffield: Hi Gaff. A friend of mine has asked the following. I was born 15 miles from Wembley. My dad would not let me sign for Man Utd. I won 60+ caps for my country. I played alongside my brother as an international. I managed a Premier League club. Who am I?
The Gaffer says: David O'Leary is your man. He was born in Stoke Newington but won 68 caps for Republic of Ireland. In three of those games, he played alongside his brother, Pierce. O'Leary then went on to manage Leeds and Aston Villa in the Premier League. I can't find anything on his dad not letting him sign for Man Utd but O'Leary must be the answer.
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Tuesday September 15
Woody, Clitheroe: Pub debate here! Who presently playing in the Premier League has the most hat-tricks while playing in Prem games? I have a pint on Adeybayor - my mate has Benayoun. We're both probably wrong but who is closest?
The Gaffer says: Always happy to settle a pub dispute, Woody! Adebayor has three (two v Derby and one v Blackburn), while Benayoun has just one in the Premier League, which he bagged last weekend against Burnley. You'll kick yourself when you find out which current player has the most - Michael Owen with eight, beaten only by Robbie Fowler (nine) and Alan Shearer (11) in the all-time records.
Dave, London: Gaffer, when Arbroath beat Bon Accord 36-0 in the all-time world record highest score, how many goals did the highest individual scorer score that day? Do records exist detailing the scorers?
The Gaffer says: John Petrie rattled home 13 goals in the famous Scottish Cup tie of 1885 - the highest by one man in a single game. The final score could have been much higher - many years later ref Dave Stormont revealed the Lichties could actually have won 43-0, but he chalked off seven goals for doubtful offsides. Did you know that on the very same day of the 36-0 landmark score, Dundee Harp thrashed Aberdeen Rovers 35-0 just 20 miles away?
Peter in London: Where are Debrecen from?
The Gaffer says: Debrecen is the second largest city in Hungary after Budapest.
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Monday September 14
Moggsy: Can you name me three players that have played for five different clubs that have won the European Cup (without the player necessarily winning it himself)?
The Gaffer says: Edgar Davids (Ajax, Milan, Juventus, Barcelona and Inter), Ronaldo (PSV, Barcelona, Inter, Real Madrid and Milan) and... frankly I don't think there's a third one. I've found a host of players who've played for three or four former European Cup-winning clubs, but no more with five. The closest is Ronald Koeman, who played for four (Ajax, PSV, Barcelona and Feyenoord) and later managed a fifth - Benfica. If he ever turned out for them during his time there (and he was 41 when he took over, so it seems unlikely) then he's your man.
Parry: Hi Gaffer, which team has accumulated the most England caps since the Premier League began?
The Gaffer says: A fine question! The answer is Manchester United and Liverpool with 18 players each since 1992/93. Tottenham have provided 16 players with Arsenal, Newcastle and Aston Villa level on 14 each.
Daniel: Is that 18 consecutive top-flight seasons Giggs has scored in now? Must be a record, or close to it at least?
The Gaffer says: It's certainly a Premier League record, and after a pretty exhaustive search I can find no other who has ever matched it in the English top flight. Even Stanley Matthews, who played in 26 consecutive First Division seasons before joining Second Division Stoke at the age of 46, drew blanks in 1949/50 and 1950/51. Neither Stan Mortensen or Dixie Dean managed it and very few modern day professionals have had long enough top-flight careers to even have a chance of achieving the feat. Giggs truly is an all-time great.
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