Topic: Football facts that don’t seem real

[Romford_Red]

Arsenal beat the French National team 2 - 0 in a friendly in February 1989

[A weatherfield winter wonderland]

In England’s 1986 World Cup squad, both left backs were called Gary Stevens.

[Only Me]

Charlton once fielded a back 4 of:

Young Fish Costa Fortune

[Sprouts of Spion]

Charlton once fielded a back 4 of:

Young Fish Costa Fortune

I know Sheffield United once had Currie and Rice playing for them, but that Charlton line-up tops it. 

[A weatherfield winter wonderland]

I know Sheffield United once had Currie and Rice playing for them, but that Charlton line-up tops it. 

An all Ireland select team once had a centre back pairing of Donaghy Babb.

[Santas robbed me shorts]

hasnt Carra scored more goals for spurs than liverpool? might be wrong

He's scored 3 for Spurs. Also managed to score twice for the Mancs in one game.

[dudleyred]

Now at Crawley Town of course.

[vblfc]

2008 Champions league - Juventus failed to beat Belarus side BATE. Producing the headline the next day.  “Old Lady unable to master BATE at home”.

[Jingle wils 21 thrills]

The current LFC squad have scored nine goals against Liverpool prior to joining:

Wijnaldum 1
Oxlade-Chamberlain 2
Milner 1
Mane 4 (and 1 missed pen)
Minamino 1

And between them, have featured in seventeen wins over Liverpool:

Adrian 2 (Both for West Ham)
Alisson 1 (Roma)
Van Dijk 1 (Soton)
Robertson 1 (Hull)
Henderson 1 (Sunderland)
Wijnaldum 1 (Newcastle)
Oxlade-Chamberlain 2 (Both for Arsenal)
Milner 5 (One for Newcastle, One for Villa and Three for Manchester City)
Salah 1 (Chelsea)
Mane 1 (Soton)
Shaqiri 1 (Stoke)

[Statto Red]

Blimey, and they were still shit. Who were they?

Shilton?
Keegan?
Channon?
Mick Mills?

Southampton finished 2nd in 83/84, 3 points behind us, & went into the UEFA cup for 84/85, also representing the 1st division  in the 84/85 UEFA cup was Man Utd[who got knocked out on penalties by Videoton ], Spurs, as holders, Forest & QPR.

In 1984 Spurs could have played Forest in an all English UEFA cup final, but Forest lost the semi to Anderlecht, Anderlecht admitted later to bribing the ref

[A weatherfield winter wonderland]

Southampton finished 2nd in 83/84, 3 points behind us, & went into the UEFA cup for 84/85, also representing the 1st division  in the 84/85 UEFA cup was Man Utd[who got knocked out on penalties by Videoton ], Spurs, as holders, Forest & QPR.

In 1984 Spurs could have played Forest in an all English UEFA cup final, but Forest lost the semi to Anderlecht, Anderlecht admitted later to bribing the ref

Fair point. Forgot we had a revolving cast of runners up to us back then!

[Statto Red]

Fair point. Forgot we had a revolving cast of runners up to us back then!

Yep, Watford finished 2nd, Ipswich finished 2nd, 2 seasons in a row too.

[Statto Red]

74/75 Carlisle went from top of the first division to finish bottom all in the same season.

[Clayton Bigsby]

74/75 Carlisle went from top of the first division to finish bottom all in the same season.

Millwall did this in 95/96 season. Top in December to relegation

[TheMissionary]

74/75 Carlisle went from top of the first division to finish bottom all in the same season.

In consecutive seasons, including the one mentioned here, Carlisle went from 4th division, to 3rd Division, to 2nd Division, to 1st Division (including being top), to 2nd Division, to 3rd Division, to 4th Division.

[Zeppelin]

I know Sheffield United once had Currie and Rice playing for them, but that Charlton line-up tops it. 

Aston Villa once had Jimmy Brown and Barrie Hole on their books, along with an Argentinian called Oscar Arce. Legend has it that they had a back three of Brown, Arce and Hole - although this guy reckons it never happened. Shouldn't let the facts spoil a good story though.

https://www.heroesandvillains.info/forumv3/index.php?topic=58039.0

[Medellin]

First player to be purchased with Bitcoin. 

https://www.kickoff.com/news/articles/world-news/categories/news/laliga/ex-real-madrid-b-striker-becomes-first-ever-footballer-bought-with-bitcoin/692862

[stoz]

I posted this a little while ago in the 'Well I never knew that' thread:

Since the inception of the Premier League, 32 Liverpool players have won BBC's Goal of the Month, 20 of those whilst playing for Liverpool.
Paul Konchesky has won it, as have Glen Johnson, Christian Benteke, and Jonjo Shelvey.
But amazingly, Robbie Fowler never won it, despite being both a great goalscorer, and a scorer of great goals.

[A weatherfield winter wonderland]

I posted this a little while ago in the 'Well I never knew that' thread:

Since the inception of the Premier League, 32 Liverpool players have won BBC's Goal of the Month, 20 of those whilst playing for Liverpool.
Paul Konchesky has won it, as have Glen Johnson, Christian Benteke, and Jonjo Shelvey.
But amazingly, Robbie Fowler never won it, despite being both a great goalscorer, and a scorer of great goals.

I think I demanded to know who won it the month he scored that goal against Villa when he megged Staunton. I think it might have been Kinkladze which may be fair enough.

[Dr Stu-Pid]

In consecutive seasons, including the one mentioned here, Carlisle went from 4th division, to 3rd Division, to 2nd Division, to 1st Division (including being top), to 2nd Division, to 3rd Division, to 4th Division.

This seemed too amazing to be true, and sadly that seems to be the case:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Carlisle_United_F.C._seasons

[alonsoisared]

Liverpool have still not signed a new centre back in the January 2021 transfer window

[Ratboy3G]

I posted this a little while ago in the 'Well I never knew that' thread:

Since the inception of the Premier League, 32 Liverpool players have won BBC's Goal of the Month, 20 of those whilst playing for Liverpool.
Paul Konchesky has won it, as have Glen Johnson, Christian Benteke, and Jonjo Shelvey.
But amazingly, Robbie Fowler never won it, despite being both a great goalscorer, and a scorer of great goals.

There must have been a beauty of a goal scored the month he scored that overhead volley away at Charlton

[Ray K]

I think I demanded to know who won it the month he scored that goal against Villa when he megged Staunton. I think it might have been Kinkladze which may be fair enough.

Dead right, your memory is almost Fowler-at-his-peak levels. Kinkladze won it in March 1996.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BBC_Goal_of_the_Month#1995%E2%80%9396

[Ray K]

Dead right, your memory is almost Fowler-at-his-peak levels. Kinkladze won it in March 1996.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BBC_Goal_of_the_Month#1995%E2%80%9396

Another football fact that doesn't seem real is that when you go to the Goal of the Month wikipedia page, the Lightning Seeds's Life of Riley automatically starts playing in your head.

[A weatherfield winter wonderland]

That’s made me check the Wiki page. In the 2016/17 season we won 5 separate goal of the months!

Was it a pub kick vote that season?

[WEST HAM PAUL]

In consecutive seasons, including the one mentioned here, Carlisle went from 4th division, to 3rd Division, to 2nd Division, to 1st Division (including being top), to 2nd Division, to 3rd Division, to 4th Division.

Sorry mate not correct for Carlisle . They took from 1964-1987 to go from Div 4 to Div 1 & back again


The closest I believe it’s been done is Northampton Town over 9 seasons

1961 Div 4 (3rd) promotion
1963 Div 3 (1st) promotion
1965 Div 2 (2nd) promotion
1966 Div 1  (21st) relegation
1967 Div 2 (21st) relegation
1969 Div 3 (21st) relegation

They’ve never got out of the bottom two divisions since and hadn’t before
What a roller coaster for the fans


Edit
Swansea City did basically the same

1978 Div 4 (3rd) promotion
1979 Div 3 (3rd) promotion
1981 Div 2 (3rd) promotion
1983 Div 1 ( 21st) relegation
1984 Div 2 (21st) relegation
1986 Div 3 (24th) relegation

Also done in 9 seasons but Swansea did finish 6th in Division 1 in 1982
Remarkable really

[Once in Royal Craigy DS]

Liverpool are only 6pts off the top of the table.

Yes, unbelievable if you listened to a lot of fans, I know!

[Jookie]

Yep, Watford finished 2nd, Ipswich finished 2nd, 2 seasons in a row too.

There was also West Ham in 1985-86, who were in the title race to the very end. They ended up 3rd on 84 points but were only 4 points behind us. They actually lost the final game of the season versus Everton to be pushed down to 3rd.

West Ham were much closer to title contenders than Watford in 1982-83 who finished >10 points away from us. 1983-84 was close though between us, Southampton, United and others. Our form at the end of the league season wasn't great. Took a look and we finished the last 8 games in the league only getting 11 points (W2 D5 L1). United's form was W1 D4 L3 during the last 8 games. This is what made the title race closer and allowed Southampton, Forest etc. to get close in the final table. We did bag another European Cup during that period so that poor run of form wasn't all bad.

[B0151?]

That Nuno Espírito Santo was a goalkeeper and was on the bench for Porto when they won the CL in 04

Maybe it's well known now but I had no idea when I found out a while ago. Just a keeper as a manager seems a bit mad. Have there been any other notable ones?

[Ratboy3G]

That Nuno Espírito Santo was a goalkeeper and was on the bench for Porto when they won the CL in 04

Maybe it's well known now but I had no idea when I found out a while ago. Just a keeper as a manager seems a bit mad. Have there been any other notable ones?

Dino Zoff?

[FiSh77]

That Nuno Espírito Santo was a goalkeeper and was on the bench for Porto when they won the CL in 04

Maybe it's well known now but I had no idea when I found out a while ago. Just a keeper as a manager seems a bit mad. Have there been any other notable ones?

Walter Zenga managed Wolves a few years ago, don't think he lasted long

[Comatose on Boxing Day in front of the Great S-cape]

The CL final lineup against Spurs is such a strange one. That’s the kind of team you would imagine we fielded countless times. Really surprised at that.

On the subject of lineups. In his first 99 league games as Liverpool manager, Rafa didn’t once field the same starting lineup in consecutive games. Then he did just that for the 100th.

[Once in Royal Craigy DS]

On the subject of lineups. In his first 99 league games as Liverpool manager, Rafa didn’t once field the same starting lineup in consecutive games. Then he did just that for the 100th.

I remember that. I swear he did it on purpose.

[BoRed]

This one probably won't last long, but as it stands Gareth Bale's last six goals were scored in six different competitions: FA Cup, League Cup, Europa League, Premier League, Copa del Rey and Euro 2020 qualifying.

[A weatherfield winter wonderland]

That Nuno Espírito Santo was a goalkeeper and was on the bench for Porto when they won the CL in 04

Maybe it's well known now but I had no idea when I found out a while ago. Just a keeper as a manager seems a bit mad. Have there been any other notable ones?

I think Nigel Adkins was a keeper.

[Ratboy3G]

Walter Zenga managed Wolves a few years ago, don't think he lasted long

That's who I was thinking of, not Zoff although I think he was a manager too.

[free_at_last]

Liverpool had a goal scored against them chalked off by VAR against Spurs.

[Red_Bear]

The only team not to lose a match at the 2010 World Cup was New Zealand.

[Statto Red]

There was also West Ham in 1985-86, who were in the title race to the very end. They ended up 3rd on 84 points but were only 4 points behind us. They actually lost the final game of the season versus Everton to be pushed down to 3rd.

West Ham were much closer to title contenders than Watford in 1982-83 who finished >10 points away from us. 1983-84 was close though between us, Southampton, United and others. Our form at the end of the league season wasn't great. Took a look and we finished the last 8 games in the league only getting 11 points (W2 D5 L1). United's form was W1 D4 L3 during the last 8 games. This is what made the title race closer and allowed Southampton, Forest etc. to get close in the final table. We did bag another European Cup during that period so that poor run of form wasn't all bad.

Yep, had we not won at Chelsea, Everton vs West Ham was 2 days after that match, a win by either team would have seen them winning the title, a draw would have us win the title, we had the better GD too.  I remember Neville Southall doing his ankle ligaments in in an International near the end of that season & was out for the remainder of the season, including the cup final, that cost the Ev big time too.

https://www.lfchistory.net/SeasonArchive/Game/1530

Side note, i think that match 85/86, was our last win at Stamford Bridge in the league at least until 2008/09 season

[12C]

Steve Nicol only got 27.

The Scotland team must have had one hell of a defence to have kept those two out of the side.

Shame they were up against Miller and McLeish.