“Josh Cavallo proposing to his now fiance in Adelaide United’s empty stadium bought me pondering: has a participant ever popped the query throughout a match? And did the proposee say sure?” wonders Jack Hayward.
Some very good solutions have been despatched in on this one, so because of Joran and Corentine Hatfield for bringing the romance again into our lives. “Let’s first set the environment,” begins Joran, self confessed fan of soccer and love. “Customary Liège’s magnificent stadium was full as an egg (because the saying goes in Belgium), on 24 October 2022. The “clasico” towards Anderlecht is crucial fixture of the season for Liège followers. Customary have been profitable 3-1 however the sport was stopped across the sixtieth minute, due to Anderlecht supporters throwing hearth on the pitch.
“That’s when the Norwegian Aaron Dønnum determined it was his large day: he proposed to his girlfriend, in entrance of the crimson Kop, surrounded by his teammates. She stated sure and all of the followers shouted for them!
“So technically he did suggest in the course of the sport, as a result of at that time no one knew if the sport must be completed or not.”
That is the place Corentine steps in: “There have been fairly just a few circumstances of footballers proposing on the pitch – probably the most notable lately being Belarusian defender Vladislav Shubovich, who in 2022 proposed to his girlfriend after scoring a purpose for FC Smorgon, just for a steward to attempt to get her off the pitch, pondering she was a pitch invader. After a short dialogue, she stated sure.”
“Additionally, in 2018, Venezuelan worldwide Eduard Bello celebrated scoring for Antofagasta of the Chilean league by rushing to the sideline and proposing, once more efficiently – he’d go on to attain one other in the course of the sport, although Antofagasta misplaced 3-2.
“My private favorite must be Guamanian Ashton Surber, who scored a bicycle kick for Napa Rovers in 2017, celebrated by taking off his shirt, revealing the message “MARRY ME?” on it, then bought booked proper as he drops to at least one knee to finalise the proposal. She additionally stated sure.”
Managers taking cost of each membership they performed for
“The reported pursuit of Xabi Alonso by Bayern Munich and Liverpool made me marvel: has anybody managed each membership they performed for? Nobody-club males or ladies, and bonus factors if in addition they managed their nationwide workforce,” mails Rakin Choudhury.
Step ahead a visionary supervisor who was enjoying 4-6-0 earlier than the world was prepared for it. “Craig Levein matches the invoice,” writes Adam Pinder. “He began his enjoying profession with Cowdenbeath earlier than making over 400 appearances for Hearts regardless of a number of critical accidents. His managerial profession additionally began at Cowdenbeath earlier than two spells in command of Hearts. And as a bonus he additionally performed for and managed Scotland.”
The opposite solutions are reliant on stints as caretaker or interim supervisor; we’ll depart it as much as you whether or not they depend. “Kenny Dalglish is a potential reply,” writes Jack Hayward. “Scotland’s most capped participant made 559 membership league appearances for Liverpool and Celtic. He managed the previous twice, profitable Division One 3 times throughout his first spell, and was appointed to the latter on a short lived foundation in 2000, changing former Liverpool teammate John Barnes and profitable the Scottish League Cup.”
One other former Celtic supervisor additionally matches the ball. “Tony Mowbray has (form of) executed it,” writes Phil Jolly. “His first managerial position was as caretaker supervisor of Ipswich and he has managed Middlesbrough and Celtic on a everlasting foundation – the three groups he performed for.”
Harm-time ‘winners’ that end up to not be?
@TheKnowledge_GU Man Utd took the lead within the 96th minute and nonetheless didn’t win. Have a workforce taken a lead later than this and never gained the sport?
— SW (@spaceagehero365) April 1, 2024
Nope! When Liverpool visited Arsenal in March 2011, Jamie Carragher suffered a head harm and was taken off on a stretcher sporting an oxygen masks. There have been eight minutes of added time because of this. “Eight! Bloody hell!” wrote Gregg Bakowski in our minute-by-minute report, which exhibits how uncommon that was on the time.
Robin van Persie put Arsenal forward with a 98th-minute penalty, however the two-minute delay earlier than his kick meant much more time was added on. Emmanuel Eboué fouled Lucas Leiva and Dirk Kuyt equalised from the spot with the final kick of the match – within the 102nd minute. You can read the late Kevin McCarra’s match report here.
Unbeaten seasons in all competitions
“Has any membership enjoying in a significant European competitors gone your complete season unbeaten in all competitions?” wonders John Whyte. “I do know that Steaua Bucharest (1985-86) and Ajax (1994-95) got here shut. If not, has it occurred in one other continent?”
Xabi Alonso’s Bayer Leverkusen facet are nonetheless on track to realize the feat this season, having misplaced none of their 39 video games this season within the Bundesliga, Europa League and German Cup. No top-level European workforce has gone via a whole season unbeaten, however Ben Janeson informs us of Al-Ahly’s magnificent season of 2004-05, when the Egyptian facet swept all earlier than them. He took to X to provide us the complete particulars …
“Has any membership enjoying in a significant European competitors gone your complete season unbeaten in all competitions?”
No (as much as 2023-24).
“If not, has it occurred in one other continent?”
Sure, by Egypt’s Al Ahly in 2004-05, with a complete of 55 matches undefeated (https://t.co/gKuXKhH3XT). pic.twitter.com/RSD2DW9eOc— Ben (@BenJaneson) March 29, 2024
Information archive
“Sam Szmodics is the highest goalscorer within the Championship with 23,” notes Chris Bentley. “His membership, Blackburn Rovers, are 5 factors above the relegation zone with six video games left. Has the highest goalscorer ever been relegated in England? What’s probably the most objectives a participant has ever scored and nonetheless been relegated? Correct leagues solely please.”
So, we had this question in 2021, when VVV-Venlo have been relegated from the Eredivisie regardless of Giorgos Giakoumakis profitable the golden boot at a canter with 26 objectives. Right here’s what we stated.
Let’s begin down on the south coast of England. “Southampton’s Mick Channon managed that feat,” wrote Andy Grace. “The well-known windmill celebration was seen 21 occasions in 1973-74 and he topped the Division One scoring charts, regardless of the membership getting relegated that very same season.”
Dirk Maas identified that simply a few years later, within the 1975-76 La Liga season, Enrique Castro González (higher often known as ‘Quini’) suffered the identical destiny at Sporting Gijón. He caught round to fireplace them straight again as much as La Liga the subsequent season, although, after they even certified for the Uefa Cup. Dirk additionally discovered that Thomas Dalgaard went down with Viborg FF within the 2013-14 Danish Tremendous Liga whereas scoring 18 objectives in 33 video games.
It’s occurred in Italy, too. “Igor Protti was the one Serie A participant to have suffered this destiny,” provided Jörg Michner. “In 1995-96 he scored 24 objectives and have become capocannoniere alongside Lazio legend Giuseppe Signori, however his Bari facet bought relegated anyway. Funnily sufficient, Protti’s goalscoring prowess earned him a transfer to Lazio on the finish of the season. He flopped there badly, nevertheless, and was launched from his contract two years later. By the way, together with Dario Hübner, Protti can be the one participant who was high scorer in Serie A, Serie B and Serie C.”
Are you able to assist?
“My workforce, Dagenham and Redbridge, have 53 factors however are nonetheless not mathematically secure from relegation. What’s the highest factors achieved throughout all main leagues that also resulted in relegation?” wonders John Benstead.
In Spain’s match tonight, 16-year-old Lamine Yamal was taken off and changed by 38-year-old Jesús Navas.
In worldwide soccer historical past, there ever been a bigger age hole in a substitution the place the *older* participant was introduced on, as was the case on this match?— Ben (@BenJaneson) March 26, 2024
Through the worldwide break, St Kitts and Nevis performed a pair of friendlies towards San Marino, who went in at 210th within the Fifa world rankings. Their subsequent worldwide will likely be a World Cup qualifier towards Costa Rica, who’re presently ranked 147 locations greater than San Marino. I’d guess the farm on this not being the most important hole within the rankings between consecutive worldwide opponents: so what’s?” asks Jack Hayward
“Has a workforce ever gained each away sport in season?” wonders Joe McDonagh. “Presently, Cray Valley PM within the Isthmian South Jap league have gained all 16 video games. They could not but win the league as their house type is 8-7-1.”
Manchester Metropolis haven’t but overwhelmed any of the highest 5 within the Premier League this season. Has any workforce gained the PL with out beating any of the highest 5? What is the highest n such that the winner has didn’t beat any of the highest n within the league, for any league? @TheKnowledge_GU
— Daniel Hill (@hilldaniel) March 31, 2024
