Association Football Trivia Thread

[Liquid]

I looked. Had no idea who it was. But Lee Dixon joins him with that particular distinction.

 

[polysmut]

I looked. Had no idea who it was. But Lee Dixon joins him with that particular distinction.

Does that mean we have to wait until someone else gets the answer? Or will you ask the next question for adding Lee Dixon to the whole thing?

 

[Liquid]

Let's keep it going.

Which is the smallest ground to win the title?

This is a post-war record, where maximum capacities are fixed and clubs stop changing stadiums so often. And by 'the title' I mean top flight, of course.

 

[Akmuq]

Fratton Park? I know Portsmouth have won it and that stadium only holds like 15,000 people.

 

[Liquid]

Fratton Park? I know Portsmouth have won it and that stadium only holds like 15,000 people.

Excellent guess; Portsmouth are one of the more obscure post-war champions. Its capacity now is less than 20,000 thanks to higher, shorter stands and compulsory seating but around the time Portsmouth did win the league Fratton Park was pulling in 50,000 people.

 

[polysmut]

Excellent guess; Portsmouth are one of the more obscure post-war champions. Its capacity now is less than 20,000 thanks to higher, shorter stands and compulsory seating but around the time Portsmouth did win the league Fratton Park was pulling in 50,000 people.

The Baseball Ground? In Derby?

 

[Liquid]

The Baseball Ground? In Derby?

42,000 during the heyday of the 1970s. Not correct.

 

[polysmut]

Which is the smallest ground to win the title?

I don't fully understand the question. Do you mean the smallest ground at which the title was decided? Or the team who have won the title whilst having the smallest home stadium?

 

[Liquid]

I don't fully understand the question. Do you mean the smallest ground at which the title was decided? Or the team who have won the title whilst having the smallest home stadium?

The second one. And the capacity of the stadium at the time the team won the title, of course. Using Luke's example:

Portsmouth, Fratton Park

League Winners: 1948/49, 1949/50
Stadium Capacity: 51,000

It's irrelevant if Fratton Park is smaller now. It had a capacity of 51,000 at the time Portsmouth won the league and there are plenty smaller than that.

Your example:

Derby County, Baseball Ground (defunct)

League Winners: 1971/72, 1974/75
Stadium Capacity: 42,000

It's irrelevant if the Baseball Ground had just 18,300 seats when it closed in 2003. It had a capacity of 42,000 at the time Derby won the league and there are title winning stadiums smaller still.

I can help you by saying the ground is still extant and in use.

 

[polysmut]

The second one. And the capacity of the stadium at the time the team won the title, of course. Using Luke's example:

Portsmouth, Fratton Park

League Winners: 1948/49, 1949/50
Stadium Capacity: 51,000

It's irrelevant if Fratton Park is smaller now. It had a capacity of 51,000 at the time Portsmouth won the league and there are plenty smaller than that.

Your example:

Derby County, Baseball Ground (defunct)

League Winners: 1971/72, 1974/75
Stadium Capacity: 42,000

It's irrelevant if the Baseball Ground had just 18,300 seats when it closed in 2003. It had a capacity of 42,000 at the time Derby won the league and there are title winning stadiums smaller still.

I can help you by saying the ground is still extant and in use.

As a pure guess, I'll have a stab at Deepdale. In the same vein, Bloomfield Road. Other than that, I'll have another think tomorrow.

 

[Liquid]

As a pure guess, I'll have a stab at Deepdale. In the same vein, Bloomfield Road. Other than that, I'll have another think tomorrow.

Deepdale is a small stadium but Preston haven't won the league since 1891. Bloomfield Road is a good answer but Blackpool have actually never won the English championship; the closest they came was 2nd in 1955/56.

 

[polysmut]

Deepdale is a small stadium but Preston haven't won the league in two centuries. Bloomfield Road is a good answer but Blackpool have actually never won the English championship; the closest they came was 2nd in 1955/56.

Tempting just to name as many stadia as possible now in the hope of hitting the answer!

edit: Bramall Lane?
edit again: Back to Lancs, Turf Moor?

 

[Akmuq]

Newer stadiums have less capacity, so Ewood Park? Think that was redeveloped by the time Blackburn won their title.

 

[Liquid]

Tempting just to name as many stadia as possible now in the hope of hitting the answer!

edit: Bramall Lane?
edit again: Back to Lancs, Turf Moor?

Sheffield United last won the title in 1898. Burnley won it in 1959/60 but Turf Moor had a capacity of 55,000 at that time.

Newer stadiums have less capacity, so Ewood Park? Think that was redeveloped by the time Blackburn won their title.

We're getting much closer to the capacity, but Blackburn's 31,500 capacity Ewood Park is not the smallest.

 

[Famine]

This is going to be a trick question, like the 1950s Stamford Bridge or a season where Anfield, Goodison or Old Trafford were being redeveloped or post-Hillsborough converted or something.

Elland Road?

 

[Liquid]

This is going to be a trick question, like the 1950s Stamford Bridge or a season where Anfield, Goodison or Old Trafford were being redeveloped or post-Hillsborough converted or something.

Elland Road?

It's straight forward enough, I promise. It's a small stadium and always has been. Even smaller than Ewood Park.

But it isn't Elland Road; it had a capacity well in the 50,000-55,000 range during the Don Revie era.

 

[Famine]

It's straight forward enough, I promise. It's a small stadium and always has been. Even smaller than Ewood Park.

Portman Road? That's never been large, as far as I'm aware and was little more than three sheds even in the 1950s.

 

[Liquid]

Portman Road? That's never been large, as far as I'm aware and was little more than three sheds even in the 1950s.

Correct!

Portman road held 29,000-31,000 at the time they won the league in 1961/62, making it fractionally smaller than the next smallest, Ewood Park, which is the Premiership's smallest winning stadium. It's a very small stadium indeed; Portman Road's all time attendence record is just 38,000.

To that it in perspective, small teams like Wrexham and Leyton Orient's record attendences are not far behind on 34,000 while a club of similar division status like your own Sheffield Wednesday has a record attendence of over 74,000.

Your turn.

 

[Famine]

For a game against Manchester City in the FA Cup, I recall. I think the return fixture did hold the attendance record until the modern super-stadiums came online.

I'd love to set a question, but I'm about to fly to Austria for two-anna-bit days...

 

[Liquid]

Just a simple one to keep it going.

Who famously scored the goal which kept Alex Ferguson his job at Manchester United?

 

[Ross]

Steve Bruce I think?

 

[lxmmy]

Mark Robins?

 

[MUSC4EVER]

Aww you beat me to it! ^

 

[Liquid]

Mark Robins?

Mark Robins it was. His claim to fame was scoring the goal which kept Fergie his job; a winner against Oldham in the FA Cup third round in 1990. United were 15th in the league at that time and it was widely reported that chairman Martin Edwards was going to sack Alex Ferguson, after four trophyless years and a dismal league campaign at that time, if they failed to beat Oldham. Robins' goal was enough for a 1-0 win, United went on to beat Palace in the final and the rest is history.

Your turn.

 

[lxmmy]

Who is this?

 

[MUSC4EVER]

Errrr......I dunno...

 

[lxmmy]

Errrr......I dunno...

Was part of Arsenal 'invincibles'. Scoring a total of 49 goals during his time at Arsenal.

 

[Akmuq]

Sylvain Wiltord?

 

[lxmmy]

Sylvain Wiltord?

Yes!

 

[Liquid]

Do you have a question, @Luke?