Association Football Trivia Thread

[Liquid]

I feel at this point that Google maps would be more helpful than Google search. My last 2 guesses have to be Kazakhstan and Armenia since I think they're both in UEFA qualifying groups for tournaments.

And there it is! Armenia is the right answer; Arsen Avetisyan of Homenetnem bagged 39 goals in 1994/95.

Here's the full list of non-elite Golden Shoe winning countries in order:

Bulgaria (1968/69, 1989/90) - Famine
Cyprus (1975/76) - Famine
Romania (1976/77, 1986/87, 1988/89) - daan
Austria (1977/78) - daan
Belgium (1979/80) - Famine
Turkey (1987/88) - Barra333
Yugoslavia (1990/91) - daan
Scotland (1991/92, 1992/93) - S_Bridge
Wales (1993/94) - MUSC4EVER
Armenia (1994/95) - adamp93
Georgia (1995/96) - Barra333

It was that consecutive Scotland, Scotland, Wales, Armenia, Georgia run which ended the pure competition and the weighted system took place. Clearly the top nations weren't getting enough accolades.

I'd also just like to point out that in terms of players Wales (Ian Rush, David Taylor) has 100% more European Golden Shoe winners than England (Kevin Phillips).

So with three apiece, it's between @Famine and @daan for the next question.

 

[Liquid]

Robert Pires has announced his total retirement from playing football, having gone on until the venerable age of 42.

Pires is the last player from the 1998 World Cup winning squad to hang up his boots.

 

[adamp93]

I'll have a quick go with a question someone asked in the pub the other day. (So if it's wrong blame him)
Who is the only player to play in 2 successful premier league campaigns in consecutive seasons for different clubs?

 

[Liquid]

As in winning the Premiership with more than one team? Henning Berg was the classic answer but you have to add Kolo Toure, Ashley Cole and Carlos Tevez to that list.

 

[adamp93]

As in winning the Premiership with more than one team? Henning Berg was the classic answer but you have to add Kolo Toure, Ashley Cole and Carlos Tevez to that list.

Bugger, missed out the successive season bit. Fixed now.

 

[Liquid]

I think that was Tevez though, wasn't it?

 

[adamp93]

I think that was Tevez though, wasn't it?

Nope, he won it with Man Utd then went to Man City in 09/10 when Chelsea won.

 

[Famine]

I'll have a quick go with a question someone asked in the pub the other day. (So if it's wrong blame him)
Who is the only player to play in 2 successful premier league campaigns in consecutive seasons for different clubs?

Soon there'll be two - Petr Cech!

Edit: I'm not really sure that there's a right answer here. I can think of one person who played two successive league titles in two seasons for two teams, but only one of them was Premier League - he won the league with Leeds in the last season of the old Division One and then won the first Premier League season with Manchester United.

Just thinking about the picks given so far, I can only add Gael Clichy, for Arsenal and Manchester City - but the wins are very far apart.

 

[adamp93]

Soon there'll be two - Petr Cech!

Not now the transfer window is closed.

But back on topic, the clue is how I worded the question. I said he played in both seasons, not that he was an integral part of the success; in fact he didn't play enough to get a winner's medal either time (despite what the guy in the pub said).

 

[MUSC4EVER]

Adebayor??

 

[polysmut]

I can think of one person who played two successive league titles in two seasons for two teams, but only one of them was Premier League - he won the league with Leeds in the last season of the old Division One and then won the first Premier League season with Manchester United.

Was that Eric Cantona?

 

[Liquid]

What year did David May move to Manchester United? They signed him from Blackburn around 1994 and I think it might very well have been the 1994/95 season but he hadn't played enough games for Blackburn to win a medal.

I'll say David May. Blackburn (1994/95) and Manchester United (1996/97).

 

[adamp93]

Adebayor??

Nope.

I'll say David May. Blackburn (1994/95) and Manchester United (1996/97).

Firstly they wouldn't be consecutive seasons and secondly he did it the wrong way round. He played for Blackburn when they were runners up to Man United then moved to Old Trafford only to finish second to Blackburn.

 

[Liquid]

Firstly they wouldn't be consecutive seasons and secondly he did it the wrong way round. He played for Blackburn when they were runners up to Man United then moved to Old Trafford only to finish second to Blackburn.

Oh, whoops. I meant Blackburn (1994/95) and Manchester United (1995/96). Not sure what the answer is.

 

[Sureboss]

I don't know if this should be in here or in the other football thread...

Has anyone born in the 21st century played in the Football League yet?

 

[polysmut]

in fact he didn't play enough to get a winner's medal either time (despite what the guy in the pub said).

Does that lead us into the realm of substitute goalkeepers?

Edit: Tony Coton?

 

[adamp93]

Does that lead us into the realm of substitute goalkeepers?

Edit: Tony Coton?

Not a substitute, a player who was very injury prone at the end of his career.

I'll give a clue, he played in 2 world cups for England before becoming said injury magnet.

 

[polysmut]

I'll give a clue, he played in 2 world cups for England before becoming said injury magnet.

1986 & 1990?

 

[Famine]

Would it be Owen Hargreaves? He's played for Manchester United and Manchester City at around the right time for both, has been in at least one England World Cup squad and was commonly extremely injured...

 

[adamp93]

Would it be Owen Hargreaves? He's played for Manchester United and Manchester City at around the right time for both, has been in at least one England World Cup squad and was commonly extremely injured...

It certainly would be! He made one appearance for Man United in which he went off injured in the first half and then played once in the league for Man City the following season and went full John Terry in the celebrations.

 

[Famine]

It certainly would be! He made one appearance for Man United in which he went off injured in the first half and then played once in the league for Man City the following season and went full John Terry in the celebrations.

Was that around the time he did his "look at me, I'm still fit" video?

 

[adamp93]

Was that around the time he did his "look at me, I'm still fit" video?

If I remember correctly that was what convinced Man City to sign him, I think he retired after playing for them.

 

[Liquid]

Do you have a question, @Famine?

 

[Famine]

Do you have a question, @Famine?

So, as far as I can tell, the football leagues of England, Australia, the USA, Switzerland, Singapore and - on a technicality - Scotland are unique in that they...

... what?


Edit: It seems that Spain and Germany can also be included - and Sweden on a technicality too. There have been others in the past, including Greece...

 

[Liquid]

Have never run on a calendar year?

 

[Famine]

Have never run on a calendar year?

Nope - and that's the more common way of doing it, it seems.

 

[Liquid]

Which is why I thought such a small number of leagues (in the grander scheme of things) might not have ever done it.

Are they leagues in which there is a team which has never been relegated from the top tier?

 

[Famine]

Which is why I thought such a small number of leagues (in the grander scheme of things) might not have ever done it.

Are they leagues in which there is a team which has never been relegated from the top tier?

No - though that's a neat answer, but probably extends to Italy and some other nations where there is no relegation.

 

[Liquid]

Have teams from other countries playing in their domestic league? I'm thinking about teams like Wrexham (England), Monaco (France), Berwick Rovers (Scotland), Toronto (United States), Vaduz (Switzerland) and so on. Greece might have had a Cypriot club in the past.

If so, Wales would also count on a technicality; TNS merged with Oswestry Town in 2001 and play in Oswestry, which is in Shropshire.

 

[adamp93]

Have teams from other countries playing in their domestic league? I'm thinking about teams like Wrexham (England), Monaco (France), Berwick Rovers (Scotland), Toronto (United States), Vaduz (Switzerland) and so on. Greece might have had a Cypriot club in the past.

If so, Wales would also count on a technicality; TNS merged with Oswestry Town in 2001 and play in Oswestry, which is in Shropshire.

That sounds good as you can add Wellington Phoenix from the Australian league.