Q & A: The numbers game .. and the secrets of home advantage

Q. In the late Sixties I seem to remember BBC Television running a competition to find a new football commentator. The winner, I believe, was a Welshman - the name Idwal Robling sticks in my mind, though I don't remember hearing him commentate more than once or twice. Can anybody tell me more about this bizarre episode in broadcasting history?

A. BBC's Sportsnight with Coleman ran the commentators competition in 1969 to find a new commentator to go to the World Cup finals in Mexico. Almost 10,000 hopefuls entered and were whittled down to six finalists, who all went to Wembley to commentate on England v Wales. The judges, who awarded marks for voice, player identification, interpretation, flair and use of language, could not separate two of the finalists. They were Liverpool's Ian St John and the former Welsh amateur international Idwal Robling. Alf Ramsey's casting vote as chairman sent Idwal to Mexico, where he commentated on Belgium v USSR and Belgium v Mexico. He spent the next dozen or so years commentating for BBC Wales and, occasionally, Match of the Day.

The commentators competition is just one of the high points of television football coverage that can be seen in Goalnight, a themed evening on BBC 2 scheduled for transmission early next summer. The evening will also include some of the best football matches ever played and a documentary by Nick Hornby on why football is the greatest game in the world. - Michael Cole, Assistant Producer, 'Goalnight', BBC Television

A. Perhaps as an early indicator of his future career, among the also-rans was the disc jockey Ed Stewart. I believe he came fifth. - Mike Davis, West Wickham, Kent

A. The runner-up was Ian St John. When this was revealed, I recall hearing a note of surprise in the announcer's voice (David Coleman's, perhaps) that a professional footballer could string so many words together intelligibly. - Robin Jackson, London N11

Q. The numbers on the players' vests in the American NBA are very diverse. Are they determined by NBA rules or are they purely the choice of the player? The number 23, for example, is now synonymous with the great Michael Jordan.

A. Upon joining a new NBA team each player has the opportunity to choose a number for their vest (traditionally numbers from 0-55 are selected). There are no specific NBA rules that govern the allocation of numbers, though no team is permitted to have the same number appear twice on their roster. From time to time NBA teams decide to 'retire' particular numbers worn by great players, and these remain sacrosanct. In recent years, numerous rookie NBA players (Jordan being one of them) have opted to retain their college number in the professional league. Although No 23 is synonymous with Jordan, other players' numbers are perhaps more recognisable. The two which spring most readily to mind are No 32 (worn by 'Magic' Johnson, Julius Erving, and now Shaquille O'Neal) and No 33 (Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Larry Bird). The two most popular NBA player numbers at present are 3 and 34, both of which are being used by 16 of the NBA's 27 teams. - Stephen Ashmore, Rugby

Q. With League football matches now being played on all days of the week, there being two kick-off times on Sunday, and with the FA Premiership, and various European and domestic cup competitions, is it possible to watch all the 92 League clubs play at home in a single season?

A. It is possible and has been for many seasons. Bob Wilson - a winger, not a goalkeeper - and I completed all 93 League grounds in England and Wales during the 1968-69 season, and only counted League games towards the record. The reason for the extra ground was that Berwick Rangers' ground is in England. The record appeared in the Guinness Book towards the end of the Seventies and was verified by all the clubs' secretaries, who initialled our programmes. We started at Leyton Orient on 10 August, went to Brentford that night and ended at Workington v Halifax. The feat has been achieved since but to my knowledge only once attending only league games. - Michael Jones, Shropshire

A. I feel it must be possible. I once managed to watch three matches in one day (August Bank Holiday Monday 1985, with kick-offs at 11.30am, 3pm and 7.30pm). Surely no one can beat this for a daily total? - A Douglas, London SW17

Q. As a lifelong West Ham fan, I remember Jim Standen, who played in goal in the mid-Sixties and also played first-class cricket for Worcestershire. I assume the Compton brothers are the most famous double performers. Who else can readers add to this list, and has there ever been a treble performer?

A. My father's godfather, the now largely forgotten Surrey batsman Andy Ducat, scored 23,373 runs in first-class cricket, including 52 centuries despite a career interrupted by the First World War and dogged by serious injuries. He also played football for Southend United, Woolwich Arsenal, Fulham and Aston Villa, being the Villa captain when they won the FA Cup in 1920. He played at right-half for England in six soccer internationals, the last being in 1921, and in 1924 he became manager of Fulham. His one England cricket cap came in 1921, when our Test side was thoroughly demolished by McDonald and Gregory. On retiring from the game in 1931 he became cricket coach at Eton, and later a cricket reporter. He died at the crease at Lord's in 1942, from heart failure when he was 29 not out playing for the Surrey Home Guard against the corresponding Sussex team. He was 56. - Tim Curtis, Rugby, Warwickshire

Q. Other than psychological reasons, why do football teams tend to do better at home than away? And why do Norwich City seem to be doing the opposite this season?

A. The reasons are indeed 'psychological' but not in the normally accepted meaning of the word. The crux is how decisions are made and carried out within the game. A home player enjoys a great deal of advantage in respect of much of the information or 'cues' that may be used. His familiarity with such factors as the dimensions of the field, the nature of the surface and, particularly, his own spatial orientation as regards the 'markers' surrounding the pitch (structure of the walls, fences, stands, etc) give him a considerable advantage over opponents who may only play there once a year.

Conversely, the supposed 'psychological' advantage of a supporting home crowd may be more than outweighed by the drawbacks. It is probably true that teams can be 'sustained' on the adrenalin produced in response to the noise but this may be more than offset by the fear of failing in front of them, which could produce more stress than the optimum required to perform complex skills well. Too much anxiety is believed to reduce the attention span, producing what is termed tunnel vision, and to reduce the ability to take on board important information.

Many players, particularly those who are having a 'bad run' or being got at by fans can dread playing at home, where their errors may influence crowd attitudes in the future. Some, such as Gordon West, the ex-Everton goalkeeper, actually give up playing because of it. - John Severs, Durham

ANSWERS PLEASE

Q. What is the percentage of corner kicks which result in a goal? Has the success rate declined over the last 10, 20, or 40 years of League football? - Michael Nixon, Louth, Lincolnshire

Q. Why is the cricket team that represents this island at international level called England? In rugby league, for example, the presence of Welsh and Scottish players is fairly reflected in the team's name of Great Britain. - Stephen Thomas, London SW4

Q. If a batsman hit a ball which struck the stumps at the bowler's end and rebounded on to his own wicket, would he be out bowled? - Peter Laurance, London NW11

Q. In cricket, tennis and football, left-handers and left-footers have always done well at the top level. But in the past 30 years, Bob Charles is the only top-class left-handed golfer I can recall. Do left-handers turn round and play right-handed, or do golf courses militate against left-handers? - Dr Roger A P Gaubert, Sheffield

Q. When, if ever, is Sunday cricket returning to television? - Joan Smith, Gloucester

Q. In Scotland, some rugby union team names finish with the title of FP (former pupils). But in England we use OB for old boys. Is there a logical explanation? - Kevin Maguire, Batley, West Yorkshire

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 EC88 1HR

Fax: 071-956 1894

(Photographs omitted)