“Within the 1975 FA Cup, I used to be shocked that within the quarter-final that season Ipswich and Leeds had taken 4 video games to resolve their tie, with a complete attendance of 143,000. My query is: which is the tie with the very best complete attendance?” asks Nicholas Idoine.
“Because the FA lately bowed to the Premier League and replays are to develop into a factor of the previous, I used to be intrigued by this query and consulted 11v 11.com and Marching on Together web sites to provide you with a solution,” begins Michael Haughey. “The match quoted between Ipswich and Leeds (142,849) was seen by fewer individuals in 4 video games than the 154,201 who noticed the three video games it took to settle Leeds v Sunderland in 1967. This included Elland Highway’s report crowd on the replay.
“Aside from the FA Cup finals of 1981, 1982 and 1983, which went to replays, I dug into the slog-fest of cup ties with a number of replays. The marathon semi-final between Arsenal and Liverpool in 1980 went to 4 matches, in entrance of a complete of 169,083 spectators. The earlier season, 143,996 watched Arsenal v Sheffield Wednesday over 5 matches, together with three video games at impartial Filbert Avenue. However Arsenal take the biscuit with the 183,197 who noticed them tumble out within the third spherical in 1947 to Chelsea after three video games with a second replay at White Hart Lane. All within the days when replays kicked off on Wednesday afternoons.
“Surprisingly within the much-maligned League Cup, 171,334 watched the 2 legs and two replays of the semi-final between West Ham and Stoke Metropolis in 1972.”
Tim in New York widens the web to supply “the 1998 World Cup qualifier between Iran and Australia, which drew 190,000 over two legs (100,000 in Tehran, 90,000 in Melbourne)”. And if we take the query into Scotland, Vincent Connolly can prime even that. “Celtic and Rangers drew 1-1 within the 1971 Scottish Cup remaining in entrance of 120,092, then Celtic gained the replay 2-1 the place the group was 103,332. A complete of 223,424. Certainly needs to be near a winner?”
Even when we have a look at English FA Cup remaining replays at Wembley, we will’t beat that complete, Vincent. The replayed Manchester United v Brighton final in 1983 introduced the attendance to 190,593 however the yr beforehand the official crowd at Wembley for Tottenham v QPR was recorded as 100,000 for each the ultimate and the replay, so 200,000 all in. It doesn’t beat Celtic-Rangers in 1971.
Second-tier stalwarts who by no means made it to prime
“Who has made probably the most Championship appearances with out ever enjoying a recreation within the prime flight?” wonders Michael Bond.
Dan Seppings has achieved the arduous yards on this one for us. “I took ‘Championship’ to imply second-tier as soccer wasn’t invented in 1992, and so forth and so forth. Anyway, the outcomes are as follows:
Tony Ford 506 second-tier appearances of 931 in complete
Dele Adebola 489 of 639
Wayne Allison 482 of 752
Mike Protecting 470 of 470
Paul McKenna 469 of 554
Simon Garner 464 of 594
Richard Keogh 457 of 626
Don Goodman 456 of 515
Luke Chambers 455 of 791
Tom Lees 454 of 538
Matt Bell 453 of 478
David Holdsworth 445 of 445
Barry Kitchener 444 of 523
Paul Groves 442 of 627
Keith Peacock 434 of 533
“A few of these gamers are price a disappearance down a Wikipedia rabbit gap. Tony Ford has made extra Soccer League appearances (931) than any outfield participant. Ever! Dele Adebola was picked for each the Northern Eire and Nigeria nationwide squads with out being lucky sufficient to get a cap. Keith Peacock was the primary ever official Soccer League substitute … and he was Gavin Peacock’s dad. Fred Protecting was a future Actual Madrid supervisor and his dad was a medallist within the first ever trendy Olympics in 1896. David Holdsworth grew to become the primary individual to handle in a league match in opposition to his personal twin, Dean. Anyway, proof that lower-league soccer is miles extra fascinating than this top-flight malarkey.”
Prime-scoring in a division for longest streak
“What’s the longest streak of a participant being prime scorer in the identical division?” asks Aaron. “Has somebody managed 12-plus seasons consecutively?”
Dirk Maas likes a problem. “This query is nearly unattainable to reply, but thanks to RSSSF, I thinks it’s Pelé, who grew to become prime scorer of the Campeonato Paulista, the top-flight skilled state soccer league within the Brazilian state of São Paulo, 9 instances in a row between 1957 and 1965.”
“The one different participant who can match Pelé’s feat of 9 consecutive prime scorer titles is Josef Bican. Between the 1937-38 and 1946-47 seasons (in 1944-45, Bican didn’t play league soccer as no championship was held due to the second world warfare), he grew to become prime scorer of each prime division, Czechoslovakian and Bohemian-Moravian, he performed in. However, as a result of political turmoil within the Thirties and the Nineteen Forties, these leagues weren’t at all times Czechoslovakian.”
“Final week you reported on a participant who had gained 14 consecutive titles within the Gibraltarian league,” writes Dave Mellinger. “In my electronic mail to you final week, I missed the truth that this has been equalled in a considerably extra outstanding league: Wendie Renard has performed for Lyon her whole skilled profession, together with their run of 14 consecutive Division 1 Féminine titles from 2006-07 by to 2019-20.”
Information archive
“I used to be lately watching the third Check between India and West Indies,” wrote Manas Phadke in July 2011. “I used to be fairly shocked to see Billy Doctrove (who’s an umpire) sitting in a stand named after him carrying a Liverpool jersey and kissing the badge for the cameras. Are there every other umpires in worldwide cricket (current or previous) who’ve publicly pledged their allegiance to a soccer membership?”
Roy Proctor was readily available with just a few solutions. “The obvious cricket umpire to have a publicly acknowledged soccer affiliation is the incomparable Harold ‘Dickie’ Hen, who, in an article for the Guardian in 2008, proclaimed: “I’ve supported Barnsley for 70 years so there’s no approach I’ll miss this afternoon.” The afternoon in query was an FA Cup quarter-final between the Tykes and Chelsea, a match that Barnsley gained. “One other, extra present, umpire is Ian Gould, a wicketkeeper who performed in aim for Slough City and Arsenal, incomes him the nickname ‘Gunner’. In July 2009, Gould grew to become chairman of Burnham FC of the Southern Soccer League. And though I’m unsure which group he helps, the legendary West Indian umpire Steve Bucknor, like Gould, was a goalkeeper, enjoying for Jamaica at schoolboy degree. He went on to be a referee and took cost of a World Cup qualifier.”
Are you able to assist?
“Is there a league on this planet the place the identical participant holds the report for being each the youngest and the oldest goalscorer?” asks Harry Dawson.
If Leeds pip Ipswich for promotion, and Southampton then win the play-offs, there’s a probability that every one three relegated golf equipment will exchange the three promoted to the Prem final season. Has this occurred earlier than?
— Steve Pye (@1980sSportsBlog) April 30, 2024
“All of the groups that reached, and misplaced in, the League One playoffs final season (Peterborough, Bolton and Barnsley) have reached them once more this yr. Has this occurred earlier than?” ponders Tom Davies.
Bradford Metropolis made a double substitution on the 83rd minute, earlier than changing each gamers on the ninetieth minute of their current recreation in opposition to Barrow. Has there ever been a shorter stint for a double substitution who’re subsequently subbed off?
— B (@BcfcBrad1903) April 30, 2024
“Given we’re within the late-season interval of a little bit of managerial merry-go-round … at a low, organised (some would say disorganised) degree, five- and six-a-side groups typically simply kind themselves out,” writes Stuart Goodwin. “Many common kickabouts happen the place it’s 11 v 11 and no one’s notably in cost – not even a captain on all sides. Because the late-1800s period of William Sudell and George Ramsay that led to what we now know as membership managers, are there any notable examples at professional or semi-pro degree the place a group hasn’t had any type of managerial presence both on the sidelines or as a player-manager? Since managers grew to become the norm, what’s the very best degree the place such a group has appeared, and what’s the very best degree the place two such groups have met?”
Newcastle have crushed Sheffield United 13-1 on mixture this season. Has there been a bigger margin earlier than?
— Craig (@Craig_SAFC) April 30, 2024
“Huddersfield City have simply accomplished a whole season with out being awarded a single dwelling penalty,” writes Roger Pashby. “That’s now three consecutive full seasons. You possibly can even throw in Cup video games too! The final dwelling penalty was awarded in opposition to Cardiff on 5 March 2021, and missed by Yaya Sanogo. That was through the Covid pandemic so the bottom was shut on the time. It’s a must to return to 25 February 2020 and Karlan Grant’s penalty in opposition to Bristol Metropolis for the final time any paying buyer noticed City take a penalty at dwelling. Certainly no skilled membership can match this appalling statistic.”
