“Just a few weeks in the past, Sandra Jessen began for FC Köln towards Essen,” notes James Vortkamp-Tong. “Is that this the primary time a participant has contained the opposing aspect’s identify in their very own?”
It’s not truly the primary time Sandra Jessen has performed towards Essen, as Alicia Butteriss factors out. “From what I can inform she first began towards Essen, for Bayer Leverkusen, on the final day of the 2018-19 Frauen Bundesliga,” writes Alicia. “It could be remiss of me to not add that she scored each of Köln’s targets once they beat Essen 2-1 close to the beginning of this season.”
No targets for Charlton Athletic’s Conor Coventry towards Namesake FC this season, however he did play in each matches towards the Championship leaders. His first recreation towards Coventry was when he got here on as an alternative to Peterborough United in 2021. Coventry received 3-0 that night time, with a little-known striker known as Viktor Gyökeres scoring twice.
The subsequent instance entails a group coming again from 3-0 down in a recreation that everyone is aware of. “Liverpool’s Milan Baros did it within the 2005 Champions League remaining towards, nicely, Milan,” writes Sean DeLoughry. “Quite a few different Milans have performed towards Milan, together with Pjanic, Skriniar and Badelj. “Like Milan, some Italian membership names lend themselves to this process. Roma have lately confronted Alessandro Romagnoli (Lazio) and Filippo Romagna (Sassuolo and Cagliari). Paolo Barison of Milan confronted Bari and Aron Winter performed towards Inter whereas at Lazio.
“Some notable examples in England embody Alan Sunderland, Matt Derbyshire (towards Derby) and Jack Charlton. Manchester United’s Antonio Valencia confronted Valencia within the Champions League. The splendidly named Russian journeyman Spartak Gogniev performed for quite a few golf equipment towards Spartak Moscow. Nilton Santos and Djalma Santos performed towards Pelé’s Santos.
At worldwide stage, Mike England performed for and managed Wales v England, Mousa Dembélé performed for Belgium towards USA and a number of Francescos have performed towards France, together with Totti and Graziani.” If we enable Mousa Dembélé then we are able to in all probability embody Alessia Russo towards the US, although it will be extra exact in the event that they had been known as Mousmnta Dembélé and Alessia Ruswntso.
Roy Hodson has extra on one of many examples talked about by Sean. “Wouldn’t have the ability to show this,” he begins, “however I’m certain that a few years in the past Alan Sunderland performed towards Sunderland on the identical day Ricky Villa appeared towards Aston Villa.” We’d must test to make sure, however we expect you imply Saturday 18 October 1980 within the previous Division One, when Arsenal drew 2-2 at residence to Sunderland and Ricky Villa’s Spurs had been plugged 3-0 by that season’s eventual champions.
A pleasant coincidence, however not so good as this despatched in by Gregor Lawson. “When Arbroath performed Hamilton Academical in February 2022,” he writes, “they fielded three players called Hamilton: Chris, Colin and Jack. Hamilton additionally had one among their very own, Jamie. Absolutely a file!”
When Leyton Orient beat Barnet 4-2 within the previous Division Two in September 1993, a person known as Barnett scored for each groups: Gary for Orient, Dave for Barnet. Due to Gareth M for that nugget, and to Tom Reed for informing us that Countdown star Clarke Carlisle scored an injury-time winner on his residence debut for Blackpool in 1997. You may guess the opposition.
Our personal Jonathan Liew, a Countdown octochamp, has auditioned for Richard Osman’s Home of Video games by declaring that Lautaro Martínez has performed a number of video games towards Roma. Have you ever acquired it but? We had a gazillion solutions to this query – thanks every body – so we are able to’t record all of them. Let’s end with the earliest instances of nominative opposition. Joe Stynes begins with Luigi Milan, who performed for varied golf equipment towards Milan within the Nineteen Sixties.
“Geoff Barrowcliffe performed right-back for Derby County at Barrow on 17 March 1956 within the Third Division (North),” provides Mark Baker. “The Rams received 2-1.”
Tom Reed reminds us that Bobby Charlton, aged 18, scored twice towards Charlton Athletic on his debut for Manchester United in 1956. However the earliest instance, additionally despatched in by Joe Stynes, is one other Manchester United participant: John Aston Sr – whose son John Aston Jr was a teammate of Charlton’s at Outdated Trafford – performed towards Aston Villa for the primary time on 8 March 1947.
4 targets however no player-of-the-match award
“Earlier than giving his player-of-the-match award to Pedro Neto at Friday’s FA Cup recreation at Hull, Alan Shearer commented that nobody may probably not get the award after scoring a hat-trick,” notes Geraint Lewis. “Has this ever occurred, and what had been the circumstances?”
Oh it has you already know, and right here’s Adam Pinder with the small print. “This occurred in August 2002 within the second match and first Edinburgh derby of the 2002-03 SPL season,” he writes. “Dutch striker Mark de Vries made his first begin and residential debut for Hearts and scored not three however 4 targets in a 5-1 thumping of Hibs. As the person himself explains here, French winger Jean-Louis Valois was introduced because the TV man-of-the match within the 89th minute, earlier than De Vries scored his third and fourth targets. In equity, Valois’s help for De Vries’s first purpose was a factor of magnificence. See about 40 seconds in here.”
A prime and tail throughout 4 divisions
“Following on from the part about alphabetical champions and final place, it’s in all probability additionally price declaring that in 2003-04, when Arsenal received the Premier League title, York Metropolis (alphabetically the final group within the Soccer League) completed backside of League Two,” writes Vasco Wackrill.
Data archive
“Flamengo sacked Filipe Luís after an 8-0 win over Madureira,” writes Jim Hearson. “Is that this the most important victory a supervisor has loved earlier than being handed their P45?”
We had an identical query again in 2009, when Norwich sacked Bryan Gunn after a 4-0 win over Yeovil.
A few of you will have performed quick and unfastened with the phrases of the query at hand — Antony Final suggests Mike Walker, who left Norwich by “mutual consent” in 1998 after back-to-back 5-0 residence wins, whereas Will Morrison factors out Kevin Keegan’s resignation (Mk I) at Newcastle in 1997 got here after a 7-1 win over Spurs in his remaining league recreation (his final match in all competitions was a 1-1 FA Cup draw at Charlton).
England’s beloved Graham Taylor additionally resigned after a 7-1 win – in his case away to San Marino in 1993.
Lastly, a supervisor who was sacked after profitable his final seven video games in cost. “Former Manchester United supervisor Dave Sexton was famously sacked from the membership in April 1981 regardless of profitable his final seven video games in cost,” writes Phil Kayes. “He was blamed for failing to progress from the earlier season when the membership had completed runners-up behind Liverpool within the league, in addition to not profitable any trophies in his four-year reign.”
Are you able to assist?
“Are Bodø/Glimt the one skilled soccer group with a ahead slash of their identify?” muses Anthony Porthouse. “And what’s that every one about within the first place?”
“By the top of March, Manchester United could have performed 11 of their 31 Premier League fixtures on weekdays,” notes Tom Solan. “Which group has performed essentially the most league fixtures in a season on a weekday?”
“If Wrexham get promoted from the Championship this season that may make 4 consecutive promotions,” writes Ant Gee. “Has every other group achieved that or extra?”
“The Actual Madrid-Benfica video games acquired me desirous about the profession arc of José Mourinho and, when you’ll forgive the pretension as a result of I’ve learn the e book, the gravity’s rainbow of it: from Benfica to Chelsea to the apex of the arc with Actual Madrid again to Chelsea and in the end again to Benfica,” mails Tom Whiteley. “Clearly the precise arc was a lot messier than I’ve described it and took a fantastic deal longer on the way in which down than up. Are there any managers or gamers with a extra completely symmetrical arc? So hometown membership – success at mid-ranked membership – profitable every thing on the prime of the sport – again to mid-ranked membership – again to hometown membership? With out such tortured spells as Manchester United and Spurs?”
“Oldham Athletic famously sunk from ‘Premier League to Nationwide League’, however their Wembley 1994 nemesis Mark Hughes surpasses that in his managerial profession. He began at worldwide stage with Wales, went by way of the Premier League and League Two, and is at present the Carlisle boss. Has every other supervisor gone from ‘nationwide group to Nationwide League’, or its equal?” asks Matt Kenny.
“I used to be unlucky sufficient to be within the residence stands for Gillingham’s 3-0 capitulation to Oldham final week,” sighs Jimmy Woolley. “The referee was none aside from James Oldham. Is that this the one occasion of referee/membership identify match-up? And has the household identify all the time emerged victorious?”
“Viktoria Plzen acquired knocked out of the Europa League regardless of not shedding a recreation within the match,” experiences Dean Whearty. “Has this occurred earlier than in European competitors?”
“Liam Rosenior has misplaced every of three matches (two EFL Cup video games plus the Premier League defeat) to Arsenal in his first seven weeks and 5 days as Chelsea boss,” writes Craig Reeves. “Has a newly appointed top-tier supervisor ever misplaced three consecutive video games towards the identical group extra shortly?”
“Actual Zaragoza, at present in backside place within the Segunda, have given Rubén Sellés his third dismissal in lower than 10 months. Has any supervisor been sacked extra instances in a shorter interval?” enquires Darren White.
“With an overload of knowledge for evaluation … is there a MPG desk?” enquires David Armitage. “M = Miles. P = Per. G = Objectives. May be fascinating to see which groups are most effective.”
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