Q & A: The hairless referee phenomenon. . . and expats' pitch-narrowing in Kuala Lumpur
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Your support makes all the difference.Q. What has become of the Arthur Sandford who had so much to do with the setting up of the FA Premier League?
A. He has returned to local government, from where he emerged. He was shortlisted for two chief executive positions, in Strathclyde and Manchester. He didn't get the former, but was appointed to the latter.
Andy Asquith, Wolverhampton.
Q. Although it was not a brilliant season by his usual high standards, Graeme Fowler, Durham's former England opener, was bowled only once during his 40 innings (when he was bowled by Martin Bicknell at The Oval on 4 July he played on). Is this a record for an English season?
A. Neither Fowler, Richie Richardson (Yorkshire) nor Colin Metson (Glamorgan) were bowled out during the 1993 season in the County Championship. Wasim Akram and Ian Wells were bowled out eight and nine times respectively.
Tom Lee, Beverley, East Yorkshire.
Q. My team, Barnet, have lost their first eight League fixtures of the season. Is this a record?
A. The longest non-winning start to a season is 25 matches by Newport County in the Fourth Division in 1970- 71, and the most League defeats in a season is 33 by Rochdale (Fourth Division, 1931-32), Cambridge United (Third Division, 1984-85), Newport County (Fourth Division, 1987-88) and by Chester City (Second Division, 1992-93).
Nathan Spencer (aged 13), Northampton.
A. Darwen suffered the longest sequence of consecutive defeats (18), in the Second Division in 1898-99.
Marc Patel, London SE26.
Q. Why are most referees bald?
A. Most people who apply to become referees are over-intelligent. They become bald as a result of surgery to remove 80 per cent of their brain tissue and to have their eyesight and hearing impaired. After they recover from the operation, the hair never grows back properly. There is, however, further danger with this operation; sometimes too much brain tissue is removed - ie 100 per cent. If this happens they become football commentators.
P Coraci, Oxford.
Q. It was reported that for the recent game against Arsenal, Odense reduced the width of their pitch to curb the reputedly mobile forwards. Is this legal, and if so does it occur in English games? Are there other 'adjustments' to playing conditions which can be made?
A. In 1959, whilst playing football for the Selangor Club, Kuala Lumpur, an old European team in those days, I remember instructing the groundsman to reduce the width of our pitch on 'The Padang' to just above the minimum laid down by the rules. My idea was to contain the comparatively speedy Asian opposition. It seemed to work as we won the league handsomely and, according to the local press in Malaysia, had the best results of any European team in local football since before the war.
Incidentally, our own speed merchant was a full-back by the name of 'Ash' Underwood, the father of Tony and Rory, the England rugby players.
B J Kinnersley, Lincoln.
Q. Would anyone who leaves a football match five minutes early, regardless of the score, please tell me why? And does the same reason apply when they are at the cinema or the theatre?
A. I am a Leeds supporter who lives in Reading. When I go to home games by rail it means a 450-mile round trip, setting off at 8am and getting home at 9pm, and costs anything from pounds 70to pounds 100. I sometimes leave Elland Road a few minutes before the other 32,299 fans end in order to save anything up to two hours' journey time. I missed the last goal against Wimbledon, and it hurt. Especially knowing the time and money I'd given up. At the end of the day, though it's common sense.
Paul Carty, Reading, Berks.
Answers Please
Q. Who was the last player to go directly from Liverpool to Manchester United, or vice-versa? - Sam Pryke, Manchester.
Q. Recently, Nigel Mansell held both the Formula One championship and the IndyCar championship for all of one week. Is he the first to hold them simultaneously? - Al Campbell, Cardiff.
Q. In 1984-85 Everton won 28 games in the League, five in the FA Cup, two in the League Cup, seven in the European Cup-Winners' Cup and one in the Charity Shield - 43 wins in total. Is this a record? - Michael Crick, Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire.
Q. Can anyone explain why most of the first results that appear on the Grandstand printer each week are from Scottish matches? - Nick Smith, Pinner, Middlesex.
Q. Which sport has the fewest professional players in Great Britain? - Tim Mickleburgh, Grimsby, Lincolnshire.
Q. Readers recently debated the decline of speedway. For this Sixties child, rainy Saturday afternoons were brightened by scrambling. The only marque I can remember is (my spelling) Husque Varna; riders, sadly, not one. Who and what were the stars? When did television drop this spectacular contrivance? Why? - Gareth Brearley, London E3.
Q. Which Formula One driver has gained most points in a season, and when? - Jo Montagu, London W4.
If you know the answers to any of these questions, or have a sporting question of your own you would like answered, write to:
Q & A
Sports Desk
Independent on Sunday
40 City Road
London EC1Y 2DB
Fax: 071-956 1894
(Photographs omitted)
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