Most football fans like to pop down the old ‘Fox and Goose,’ for a quick beer spilling contest, whilst boisterously debating the beautiful game. Every week Simon Bunn loads your brain with knowledge, so that you can be the loudest.
1) Fulham goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer is a published author of children’s books. He has written a series of books based on a young footballer’s (Edward “Megs” Morrison) struggles to get a soccer team going after moving to Australia.
2) Man City boss, Roberto Mancini, is a keen cyclist and likes to arrive at the clubs Carrington training ground on a specially designed road bike costing £2,500.
3) In a match between Hartlepool United and Walsall two players were sent off for the same tackle. Just before half-time, Walsall’s Andy Butler and Hartlepool’s Nathan Luscombe received their marching orders for a low, hard tackle on one another. Neither player was injured.
4) The quickest time recorded by an ex-footballer running a marathon is 3 hours, 22 minutes and 36 seconds. The record was set by former Leicester midfielder Muzzy Izzet in the 2011London marathon
5) The Republic ofIreland have produced far more Premier League players than any other country outside of the UK. France are second followed by Holland.
6) In 2001 Inter supporters stole a scooter from an Atalanta fan outside the ground, snuck it into the stadium, set it on fire and tossed it from the second tier into the lower tier. Nobody was hurt.
7) French side Lille used to blast out the Flintstones ‘Yabba Dabba Doo!’ over the Tannoy system every time that they scored a goal. Fred’s voice would then seamlessly blend into Blur’s ‘Song 2.’
8) Ex Tottenham striker, Clive Allen, had a brief spell as specialist goal-kicker with the NFL Europe side London Monarchs.
9) In 1999 Toni Schumacher, manager of second-division side Fortuna Cologne in Germany, was sacked whilst giving his half time team talk.
10) The only team to win a major International tournament without qualifying is Denmark, at Euro 92.
image: © Alistair Israel
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