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Your support makes all the difference.Q. Which Football League club has had the same shirt sponsors for the longest continuous time?
A. I understand the question was directed more towards shirt sponsors, but I thought our kit contract with Manchester City may be of interest. Umbro International, has been associated with the club, as kit suppliers, since 1934. This sponsorship was undertaken when Manchester City played in the 1934 FA Cup final and we have remained suppliers of their playing and training kit since that day. - S A Marsh, Promotions Manager, Umbro International Limited, Wythenshawe
Q. During the 1970 World Cup final, Pele wore the No 10 shirt, but what numbers did the other players wear?
A. Straight from the Fifa archives, the following is the Brazilian and Italian 1970 World Cup teams, who played in the final at the Azteca Stadium in Mexico City on 21 June 1970. Brazil: 1 Felix, 2 Brito, 3 Piazza, 4 Carlos Alberto, 5 Clodoaldo, 7 Jairzinho, 8 Gerson, 9 Tostao, 10 Pele, 11 Rivelino, 16 Everaldo. Italy: 1 Albertosi, 2 Burgnich, 3 Facchetti, 5 Cera, 8 Rosato, 10 Bertini, 11 Riva, 13 Domenghini, 14 Rivera (substitute for Boninsegna), 15 Mazzola, 16 de Sisti, 18 Juliano (substitute for Bertini), 20 Boninsegna. - Keith Cooper, Press Officer, Fdration Internationale de Football Association, Zurich.
Q. Franco Baresi has spent his entire career with Milan and this is his 18th season in the senior team. Which other footballers have spent so many years playing for the same club?
A. Danny McGrain spent 17 years with Celtic. He made his debut as substitute on 26 August 1970, against Dundee United at Tannadice Park, and his final appearance came on 9 May 1987 at Tynecastle Park against Hearts. During his career he made more than 600 league appearances for Celtic. Packie Bonner was signed for Celtic in 1978 from the amateur Irish side, Keadue Rovers. In the summer of 1994 he was given a free transfer by the then manager Lou Macari. Several days later Macari was sacked and Bonner was reinstated by the new Celtic manager, Tommy Burns. Bonner has spent 17 years at the club and has made more than 450 league appearances. - Sean McColm, Copenhagen
A. The longest spell a player has ever had professionally with one Football League club is 24 years and one month, and that is Ted Sagar at Everton. He made his debut in goal in the 1929-30 season, and his final appearance was at Plymouth on 15 November 1952. However, because of the Second World War, he actually only played in 16 Football League seasons.
Roy Sproson played 21 seasons for his only League club, Port Vale. He signed for them after a spell at Stoke City as an amateur in July 1949, made his debut the following year, and the last of his 756 appearances was in 1971. - Patrick J McGrath, Belfast
ANSWERS PLEASE
Q. At the end of February, in one of the wettest winters on record, which Football League pitch remains in the best condition, and if a fraction of the money spent on stands and players went into pitch drainage, etc, would there be a significant improvement in the general standard? - P T Evans, Craven Arms, Shropshire
Q. In terms of goals per game, who is the most successful Scottish striker to have played in the top English division? It could be Hughie Gallagher (Newcastle) or David Halliday (Sunderland) from the Twenties. - John Smith, Peterhead
Q. Several years ago the Flat jockey, Billy Newnes, was banned for several seasons. What was his offence, and what was his first mount and first winner on his return from suspension? Is the ban the reason he gets very few engagements from leading trainers, even to this day? - Gregg S Prescott, Wigan
Q. During the 1984-85 season Charity Shield match between Everton and Liverpool, Everton scored first and a little later on in the game, one of the Everton substitutes, a young Neil Adams, was brought on. If my memory serves me, when Liverpool equalised, Adams was promptly substituted, although he did not appear to be injured.
Is this a unique occurrence, especially as Adams was only on briefly? On a more topical note, are Manchester United still paying Eric Cantona's wages while he is suspended? - Jim Hind, Liverpool
Q. I recently noticed a horse entered in a race at Nottingham aged 17 years. Are there any records of horses older than this having run either on the Flat or over jumps? - N Seaton, Stoke-on-Trent
Q. There are now 13 professional football clubs in London, but the dismal average attendances of Wimbledon and Barnet show that the capital cannot support so many teams. Do any other cities in the world have more than a couple of professional clubs, with the obvious exception of Glasgow? - Tony Denzil, Bournemouth
If you know the answers to any of these questions, or have a sporting question of your own you would like answered, write to:
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