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The Gaffer's football trivia archive
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Sunday October 4
Gavlar Ayr: Gaffer how are you doing? Where does the term "the Old Firm" come from?
The Gaffer says: The nickname originated during the early 20th century when the clubs began to dominate Scottish football, and the term in part referred to the financial benefits associated with their frequent meetings. However, there is another theory which claims that the expression derives from Celtic's first game in 1888, which was played against Rangers. A newspaper reported that both sets of players "got on so well that you would believe that they were old firm friends."
Dave Liverpool: Who are the only players from a particular country to have won the Champions League?
The Gaffer says: I count 21. Hleb (Belarus), Yaya Toure (Ivory Coast), Gudjohnsen (Iceland), Park (S Korea), Marquez (Mexico), McCarthy (S Africa), Alenichev (Russia), Jankauskas (Lithuania), Kaladze (Georgia), Santa Cruz (Paraguay), Shevchenko (Ukraine), Kuffour (Ghana), Yorke (T&T), Stoichkov (Bulgaria), Gerets (Belgium), Madjer (Algeria), Bonini (San Marino), Grobbelaar (Zimbabwe), Hasil (Austria), Victor (Peru), Puskas (Hungary).
Lee, Newcastle: Just read an interesting article on the internet about who is best between Rooney, Torres and Drogba. I would like to know how many times each have scored against the other sides and in how many games.
The Gaffer says: Wayne Rooney: one in 12 v Liverpool, three in 15 v Chelsea. Torres: one in three v United, five in six v Chelsea. Drogba: six in 19 v Liverpool, one in 12 v United.
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Saturday October 3
Lee Harding and Robert: Name four players who have scored for three different clubs against Manchester United since the Prem began?
The Gaffer says: Both of you asked the same question. Nicolas Anelka, Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, Brian Deane and Les Ferdinand (4).
Grant, Dunfermline: Alrite Gaff - Dunfermline Athletic have 3 former players currently managing in the English Premier League. Alex Ferguson, David Moyes and Owen Coyle. Can any other team match/beat this?
The Gaffer says: None can beat it, but five can match it. Nottingham Forest (O'Neill, Megson, Hart), Norwich (O'Neill, Megson, Bruce), Manchester City (O'Neill, McCarthy, Megson), Bolton (Allardyce, Coyle, Brown) and Motherwell (McLeish, Coyle, Martinez).
Ben Ashmore, Sheffield: Hi Gaffer, great page. Since the Premier league began, which league has had the most goals scored and which league has had the most 0-0 bores?? The Premier League or La Liga? There's six hash browns from the staff canteen riding on this.
The Gaffer says: Up until the end of last season, there have been 17,407 goals in the Premier League and 17,535 in La Liga. There have been slightly more games played in the Premier League so La Liga is clearly ahead in that respect. I'm sorry can't give you a goalless draws comparison.
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Friday October 2
John, Derby: Heard on the news that Keegan had been awarded £2million from Newcastle. What's the highest payout any club has had to pay to an ex-player or manager?
The Gaffer says: As you can imagine, these figures aren't readily disclosed by clubs. Take Jose Mourinho for example - figures for his Chelsea pay-off in 2007 vary from £12m to £26m. The truth is likely to be somewhere in the middle. One boss in the money is Phil Scolari who picked up around £8m from Roman Abramovich when he left Chelsea in February, and he's looking set for another big windfall as he's about to lose his £12m-a-year job in Uzbekistan.
Bladesman: Is it true that Leeds United once had a owl as the club badge? If so why?
The Gaffer says: They did indeed. In 1961 boss Don Revie introduced a plain white strip in the hope of emulating Real Madrid, and the perched owl was added three years later. It came from the city's crest, which is based on the crest of Sir John Saville, the first alderman of Leeds.
Ash, Cheshire: What is the highest number ever worn by a player?
The Gaffer says: During his record-breaking 618th game for Sao Paulo, Rogerio Ceni wore 618, the highest number ever worn in professional football.
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Thursday October 1
Dave Redhead: Can you name the players who have scored a hat-trick in the Premiership, Champions League and FA Cup?
The Gaffer says: I thought there was just one - Yossi Benayoun.
Andrew Brown: Has anyone ever scored twice for the same team in the same minute?
The Gaffer says: This is a tricky one to answer. There are numerous records which encompass rapid scoring by an individual, but nothing which states categorically that two goals were scored in the same minute by any one player. Of course, as should be well known by all trivia enthusiasts, the fastest ever Football League hat-trick was scored by Bournemouth's James Hayter in 2mins 20secs, but his three goals were officially recorded as being scored in the 86th, 87th and 88th minutes. Another famous hat-trick was scored by Jimmy Scarth for Gillingham against Orient in 1952, reputedly in 2mins 30secs. The other sub-three-minute domestic trebles were notched by Billy Lane (Watford v Clapton, 1933), Johnny Hartburn (Orient v Shrewsbury, 1955), Gary Roberts (Brentford v Newport, 1985) and Gary Shaw (Shrewsbury v Bradford, 1990) while John McIntyre (Blackburn v Everton, 1922) and Billy Richardson (WBA v West Ham, 1931) claimed four in five minutes.
Philip Molloy: Each of the top 4 sides plays 32 league games a season against non-top 4 teams. So thats 384 league games the top 4 played against non-top 4 opposition in the last 3 seasons - 2006/7, 2007/8, 2008/9. How many of those games did the top 4 NOT win?
The Gaffer says: 122 in total. Manchester United 20, Chelsea 27, Liverpool 36, Arsenal 39.
Big Un Sheffield: Hi Gaff, have a father and son played together in British international football?
The Gaffer says: No, the only instance of a father and son playing in the same international was in 1996 when Eidur Gudjohnsen entered as a substitute for his father Arnor. Even then, they didn't actually get to play together.
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Wednesday September 30
Johnny Thompson: How many World Cup winners have played in an Old Firm derby?
The Gaffer says: I've come up with four names - Juninho, Stephane Guivrac'h, Lionel Charbonnier and Genaro Gattuso (pictured).
Darren Hilton: Tony Hibbert has now made an astonishing 211 senior appearances in all competitions since the start of his career, all of them for Everton, without notching a single goal. Can any other top-flight player match this record?
The Gaffer says: Step forward Kenny Cunningham, who played a mammoth 335 Premiership games for Wimbledon and Birmingham without ever scoring a goal. Hibbert's got some way to go yet!
Matthew Ellis: Who won the FA Cup in 1914? What score was it and who scored? I know the club but I don't know the players.
The Gaffer says: You'll know, therefore, that the winners were Burnley after a 1-0 victory over Liverpool. Bert Freeman, formerly of Woolwich Arsenal and Everton, was the scorer of the only goal.
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Tuesday September 29
Jack: Is it correct that Sunderland were the last team to win the FA Cup without an international in their side?
The Gaffer says: That is correct (although some were capped at a later date). Wimbledon had no international players in their XI when they beat Liverpool in the 1988 final but Laurie Cunningham, who won six caps for England between 1979-80, came off the bench.
Simon: Can you name seven players who have played for two of the 'big four' (Liverpool, Man Utd, Arsenal and Chelsea) and also played for a Spanish team?
The Gaffer says: Jermaine Pennant, Lassana Diarra, Bolo Zenden, Nicolas Anelka, Mark Hughes, Emmanuel Petit, Michael Owen.
Lou, Swansea: Help me out please...I've got a room full of men arguing over how many clubs Mark Hughes played for.
The Gaffer says: Man Utd, Barcelona, Bayern Munich (loan), Chelsea, Southampton, Everton and Blackburn make seven.
Jim: Can you name a player who has won the Champions League, FA Cup, has an Olympic gold medal, been relegated from the Premier League but not played in the Championship?
The Gaffer says: Nwankwo Kanu. The Nigerian lifted the Champions League with Ajax in 1995, claimed gold at the 1996 Olympic Games, won three FA Cups with Arsenal and Portsmouth and was relegated with West Brom before jumping ship to Fratton Park.
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Monday September 28
David Casado: Name seven English teams that have a type of building in their name?
The Gaffer says: I've taken liberties here and included any man-made construction to get nine (but excluded endings such as Town, City etc! PORTsmouth, NewCASTLE, BlackPOOL, WatFORD, Crystal PALACE, BARNsley, MillWALL, Dagenham and RedBRIDGE, PORT Vale, TorQUAY. Thanks to Stephen for correctly suggesting Aston VILLA.
Nick: Hi Gaffer, after Portsmouth’s loss to Everton it's now 7 straight defeats. Do they hold the record for worst start to a league season ever in the top division either prem or div 1?
The Gaffer says: No, Manchester United lost their first 12 games in 1930-1.
Damien Mitchell: Hello Gaffer, how many goals has Shay Given conceded against Man Utd to date?
The Gaffer says: An astonishing 51 in just 18 encounters.
Gary: Which footballer has played in the north east, north west and a London derby?
The Gaffer says: Christian Ziege (Middlesbrough, Liverpool, Tottenham)
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Recent trivia answers from The Gaffer:
21/09/09 - 27/09/09: England's one-cap goalscorers, Serie A appearance records and three successive hat-tricks. Trivia answers
14/09/09 - 20/09/09: Highest penalty scorers in the Premier League and 25 players who appeared for Sheff Utd and Wednesday. Trivia answers
07/09/09 - 13/09/09: Hat-tricks by England midfielders and when the Rest of the World came to Wembley. Trivia answers
31/08/09 - 06/09/09: Smallest player ever, Cole's row with Sheringham and most successful colours. Trivia answers
24/08/09 - 30/08/09: Footballing politicians; youngest captain to win Champions League; most Premier League appearances. Trivia answers
17/08/09 - 23/08/09: Smallest country to provide a Premier League player; most hat-tricks for one club; most relegated player. Trivia answers
10/08/09 - 16/08/09: Club with the worst League Cup record; highest priced uncapped Englishman; Roy Keane conundrum. Trivia answers
03/08/09 - 09/08/09: Played for Man Utd and Barcelona; most headed goals in the Premier League; FA Cup leading goalscorer. Trivia answers
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 >>>
