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Orange's football trivia expert answers your best questions
Chris, Horwich – 17 October 2012
Howdo Gaff. I still can't believe that Germany threw away a 4-0 lead against Sweden to draw 4-4. My question is, when (if ever) was the last time that Germany failed to win after having a four goal lead? If my memory serves me right, the opposition goalkeeper Robert Hatch saved a last minute penalty!
The Gaffer says:
Yes Chris, I too remember Escape To Victory. Great film. Back in the real world, the 4-4 draw with Sweden in Berlin was indeed the first time that a German national side had frittered away a four-goal lead. The mass circulation Bild newspaper carried the massive headline: 'Jogi, that was daft!', referring to Germany boss Joachim Loew, above. It was almost as big a shock as England's 5-1 win in Munich in their qualifier for the 2002 World Cup.
Sid, Hull – 17 October 2012
Re England players sent off, who was the first to be sent off at Wembley?
The Gaffer says:
The answer is Paul Scholes in the 51st minute of a goalless European Championship qualifier v Sweden on 5 June 1999. Four England players have been sent off in home games, but Scholes is the only one to have been dismissed at old Wembley. Steven Gerrard became the first to be sent off at new Wembley on 11 September 2012 v Ukraine, while Alan Smith departed early v Macedonia at St Mary's Stadium in 2002, and David Beckham v Austria at Old Trafford in 2005.
Del, Carnwath – 17 October 2012
Gaffer, what was RvP's record against ManU?
The Gaffer says:
Robin van Persie scored four goals for Arsenal v Manchester Utd in 10 starts and four substitute appearances in all competitions. The first of those four goals was on 21 January 2007 in Arsenal's 2-1 Premier League win; the second was in a 3-1 Champions League defeat on 5 May 2009; the third in United's 8-2 romp on 28 August 2011, and the fourth in Arsenal's 2-1 home defeat in the Prem on 22 January 2012.
Paul, Bradford – 17 October 2012
Hi Gaff. Could you give a full list of players sent off for England?
The Gaffer says:
England players have been sent off on 14 occasions, the first being in June 1968 when Alan Mullery was dismissed v Yugoslavia in Euro 68. Other culprits, in chronological order, are Alan Ball, Trevor Cherry, Ray Wilkins, David Beckham, Paul Ince, Paul Scholes, David Batty, Alan Smith, Beckham again, Wayne Rooney, Robert Green, Rooney again, Steven Gerrard. Only one of those dismissals was in a friendly, that of Cherry v Argentina in 1977. England have won one of the 14 games in which they've had a man sent off (v Austria in 2005); in the other 13, they've been beaten in four and drawn nine.
John, Reading – 16 October 2012
Who was sent off in England's one and only defeat to Poland?
The Gaffer says:
It was Alan Ball on 6 June 1973 when England slumped to a 2-0 away defeat which contributed to their eventual failure to qualify for the 1974 World Cup. Ball became only the second player to be sent off when playing for England. He took exception to a nasty challenge on Martin Peters by Leslaw Cmikiewicz and laid into the Pole before being dismissed by Austrian ref Paul Schiller. Bobby Moore had a rare off-day and was largely to blame for both Poland goals. England played in the unfamiliar yellow shirts and socks which had first been worn v Czechoslovakia in their previous game.
Alex, Southampton – 16 May 2012
In the light of Jermaine Pennant's potential jail time can you name a jailbird XI (players who've spent time in prison)? I've currently thought of Lee Hughes, Ched Evans and Marlon King...
The Gaffer says:
Fabulous question! The man you're looking for is Les Sealey. He featured regularly in his first spell at Old Trafford, including a 1991 League Cup final defeat to Sheffield Wednesday and the 1991 Cup Winners' Cup final victory against Barcelona. He was then transferred to Aston Villa before returning to Manchester United on a free transfer as understudy to Peter Schmeichel (thanks to Fred the Red and Woody in Swindon for pointing out that Sealey and Mark Bosnich are the only players Sir Alex Ferguson has ever re-signed). In his second spell, Sealey played only two games - coming on in an FA Cup quarter-final against Charlton after Schmeichel was sent off, and starting the 1994 League Cup final, which United lost 3-1 to Villa.
Kev Swannack, UK – 24 December 2011
Name three post-war England players with 3 letter o in their surnames.
The Gaffer says:
Superb question Kev - a cracking bit of trivia! The three men in question are Peter Osgood, Tony Woodcock and Ian Storey-Moore.
Andrew Clarke, Mossley – 8 December 2011
Who won league titles in three consecutive seasons with three different clubs?
The Gaffer says:
Hail Eric Cantona, winner of titles with Marseille in 1991, with Leeds in 1992, and with Manchester United in 1993. In all, the flamboyant Frenchman won seven league championship medals, four of them with United. Another, and less obvious, player to achieve the feat is Alexei Mikhailichenko, who won titles with Dynamo Kiev, Sampdoria and Rangers from 1990-92 (thanks Martin from Doncaster).
Gary Africa, Iraq – 31 May 2011
Who are 9 players who have played for two of the Big Four (ManU, Liverpool, Chelsea, Arsenal) plus a Spanish club??
The Gaffer says:
This old chestnut eh? I get this one a lot and in previous years there were seven - Michael Owen, Lassana Diarra, Boudewijn Zenden, Mark Hughes, Nicolas Anelka, Emmanuel Petit and Jermaine Pennant. More recently we can of course add Fernando Torres and Yossi Benayoun to the list to make it nine.
Dave, Arsenal – 23 May 2011
Why do Boca Juniors wear a blue and yellow kit?
The Gaffer says:
Until 1907 Boca Juniors wore white shirts with vertical dark blue or black stripes. However, rivals Club Boedo had the same colours so a game was played, with the losers having to change colours. Boca were beaten and after the match some of the players went down to the local harbour. They decided that they would choose the colours of the flag of the first ship to arrive in the harbour. The Swedish vessel Drottning Sophia duly arrived so Boca decided that the club should adopt the blue and yellow of the Swedish flag.
Chum, London – 13 April 2011
Which was the last team to win the FA Cup with an all-English side?
The Gaffer says:
The 1975 West Ham team who beat Fulham 2-0 in the final. The line-up was: Mervyn Day, John McDowell, Frank Lampard, Billy Bonds (c), Tommy Taylor, Kevin Lock, Billy Jennings, Graham Paddon, Alan Taylor, Trevor Brooking, Pat Holland.
Imran, Manchester – 22 March 2011
Which players have won the Premier League, that are the only players from their country to do so. Eg Dwight Yorke with Man Utd who comes from Trinidad & Tobago.
The Gaffer says:
This is one of my 'classic questions', so apologies to long-term readers who may have seen it on the old site or on Orange World. Here's the full list: Alex Manninger (Austria), Dimitar Berbatov (Bulgaria), Peter Schmeichel (Denmark), Michael Essien (Ghana), Eidur Gudjohnsen (Iceland), Park Ji-Sung (Korea), Christopher Wreh (Liberia), Tomasz Kuszczak (Poland), Dwight Yorke (Trinidad and Tobago), Oleg Luzhny (Ukraine), Diego Forlan (Uruguay). N.B. Quinton Fortune (South Africa) didn't play enough games in one season to win a title while at Manchester United.
Darren Stow, Boston – 28 February 2011
Who played in the Premiership and was also on the plane of the Munich air crash but obviously survived?
The Gaffer says:
A horrible urban myth this one. The answer is supposedly the unborn John Lukic in his mother's womb, but it's untrue. Lukic was born in December 1960, nearly three years after the tragedy - that's one long pregnancy! There was at least a passenger called Lukic on the flight, which is where the myth stems from.
Zac Bearshaw, Rochdale – 16 February 2011
Which Football League team is closest to the River Mersey?
The Gaffer says:
Stockport County's Edgeley Park. The River Mersey starts where the River Goyt and River Tame - which run off the Derbyshire hills - meet under the MerseyWay Shopping Centre in the centre of Stockport.
Rambo, Scotland – 11 February 2011
What's the only team in Britain with a J in its name?
The Gaffer says:
Of note? St Johnstone.
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