The Most Eye-catching English Football Fixtures That Are Yet To Be Played | The Knowledge

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“My beleaguered Tranmere played Barnet a mates of weeks ago,” originates James. “I was amazed that this was nan first ever gathering betwixt 2 clubs who person spent truthful overmuch clip successful nan Football League. It made maine wonder: what is nan astir astonishing aliases eye-catching fixture successful English nine shot that has ne'er been played?”

We were amazed to perceive that Middlesbrough’s 1-1 tie pinch Wrexham connected Saturday was nan first ever convention lucifer betwixt those 2 sides, though they person met successful some home cup competitions.

The astir eye-catching unplayed fixture is, well, successful nan oculus of nan beholder. But on nan Facebook group, The English Football Record – if you for illustration nan Knowledge, you’ll emotion this – Lars Bjering Husum has listed them by nan number of seasons nan 2 teams person spent successful nan Football League.

Lars has done 2 abstracted lists – nan first conscionable for convention games, nan 2nd for those who haven’t met successful immoderate of nan cups either. As Tranmere and Barnet had ne'er met before, successful convention aliases cup, we’ve picked nan 2nd to usage here, but you tin see them some connected nan EFR page (Lars’ database is up to nan extremity of nan 2024-25 season; we’ve adapted it to see this twelvemonth arsenic well).

Incidentally, Tranmere v Barnet would not person been peculiarly high. Barnet person only spent 21 seasons successful nan Football League; Tranmere’s 94 gives them a mixed full of 115.

222 seasons Everton (127) v Rochdale (95), West Brom (127) v Rochdale (95)
218 Everton (127) v Hartlepool United (91)
217 Manchester United (123) v Gillingham (94), Manchester City (123) v Exeter City (94)
216 Arsenal (122) v Southend United (94), Arsenal (122) v Exeter (94)
213 Liverpool (122) v Hartlepool (91)
206 Manchester United (123) v Mansfield Town (83)
205 Everton (127) v Torquay United (78)
204 Manchester United (123) v Darlington (81)
203 Newcastle United (122) v Darlington (81), Sunderland (125) v Torquay(7 8)
201 Manchester United (123) v Torquay (78)
200 Arsenal (122) v Torquay (78), Aston Villa (127) v Newport (73), Liverpool (122) v Torquay

The highest for convention games only was Everton v Walsall, who person been successful nan Football League for a mixed 233 seasons. But they person met erstwhile each successful nan League and FA Cups.

But this mobility isn’t conscionable astir nan numbers. Mike Slattery has written successful pinch a mates of curiosities. “The only nine successful nan Championship astatine nan infinitesimal who’ve ne'er played top-flight shot is Wrexham. They’ve met almost each of nan bigger clubs astatine immoderate constituent successful cup shot (and successful nan lawsuit of Manchester United, successful Europe!) but they person ne'er played Leeds United successful a competitory match,” writes Mike. “They are nan only 2 clubs successful nan apical 2 divisions astatine coming who’ve ne'er met successful immoderate competition.

“Carlisle United’s only top-flight play was successful 1974-75, astatine nan extremity of which they were relegated backmost to nan Second Division. Manchester United had been relegated from Division One nan erstwhile season, and were instantly promoted again. This play of missing each different intends that Carlisle is nan only nine successful convention history to person played top-flight shot but not met Manchester United successful a convention match.”

Early English managerial exits (2)

In past week’s Knowledge we looked astatine nan shortest reigns for a imperishable head successful nan English apical flight. A number of you wrote successful to mention Steve Coppell’s 33-day enactment astatine Manchester City successful 1996, but they were successful nan 2nd tier astatine nan time.

A mates of you besides mentioned Sam Allardyce’s 30-day spell successful complaint of Leeds successful 2023. We excluded him arsenic he was efficaciously a deluxe caretaker – he was only appointed for nan past 4 games of nan season, whereas everyone connected nan database was fixed a longer-term contract.

If we had included Football League managers, nan victor (sic) would person been Leroy Rosenior. He was appointed head of Torquay successful May 2007, only to beryllium sacked – 10 minutes later according to reports astatine nan clip – erstwhile a caller consortium took complete nan club. The reality was somewhat much complicated, but let’s conscionable people nan legend.

Here are immoderate different notably short reigns successful nan Football League:

3 days: Bill Lambton, Scunthorpe, April 1959
4 days: Dave Bassett, Crystal Palace, May 1984
7 days: Tim Ward, Exeter City, March 1953
Kevin Cullis, Swansea City, February 1996
8 days: Billy McKinlay, Watford, Sept-Oct 2014
9 days: Martin Ling, Cambridge, Jul-Aug 2009

Close but nary cigar

“Cody Gakpo deed nan woodwork 3 times for Liverpool against Manchester United,” originates H. “Is this a grounds for top-flight football?”

Our soul pedant, a beast that won’t beryllium tamed, would reason he deed nan station only doubly and that had his deflected transverse dropped into nan net, it would person been a Bruno Fernandes ain goal. But nary matter, because different Liverpool guardant has Gakpo’s number. When Liverpool trounced Chelsea 4-1 in February 2024, Darwin Núñez deed nan station aliases crossbar four times.

Knowledge archive

“I can’t retrieve nan past clip I publication of a nine P45-ing a head without a connection declaring: ‘The nine would for illustration to spot connected grounds its acknowledgment to [wotsisname] …’” began Dom Smith successful 2017, and we’ve nary thought what made america deliberation of this peculiar mobility this week. “Wolves are nan latest illustration astatine nan clip of writing. Someone’s to blasted for this Ctrl+C/V-ery and I want to cognize who. So, who was nan first nine to usage this firing formula?” [And really astir nan slightest thankful nine connection connected a manager’s departure? – Knowledge Ed.]

“You’d beryllium hard-pressed to rival nan double-whammy of ingratitude from Raith Rovers this year,” wrote Iain Wallace. “An annus horribilis that resulted successful our unexpected, and mostly self-inflicted, relegation to League Two besides resulted successful 2 managers leaving without overmuch emotion being lost. After Gary Locke’s calamitous reign was brought to an extremity connected 7 February 2017, nan Rovers had only the following to say:

The committee of board of Raith Rovers FC announces that we person parted institution pinch head Gary Locke and adjunct head Darren Jackson, pinch contiguous effect.

“They were likewise laconic erstwhile releasing the following regarding John Hughes, specified minutes aft nan last punishment confirmed relegation done nan playoffs.

Raith Rovers FC announces that we person this evening parted institution pinch head John Hughes and adjunct head Kevin McBride

“It’s been a reliable twelvemonth …”

The Knowledge Archive

Can you help?

“The past squad extracurricular nan Old Firm to go champions of Scotland were Aberdeen successful 1984-85,” notes Jason Jandu. “Has location been a longer two-team power of a home league, either now aliases successful nan past?”

“Marc Guiu became Chelsea’s youngest-ever Champions League goalscorer against Ajax, only to person nan grounds snatched distant from him by Estêvão 30 minutes later. What different examples of quickly mislaid records are location successful nan world of football? What’s nan grounds for nan shortest-held record?” asks Matt Prior.

“Tyrique George’s extremity past week intends his 5 elder goals for Chelsea person each travel successful a different title (Conference League, Premier League, Club World Cup, League Cup, Champions League). Is this mild oddity unique?” wonders Jack Freeman.

“I precocious watched a YouTube video astir Tugay’s clip astatine Blackburn Rovers, and noticed that each but 1 of his 13 goals for them were from extracurricular nan box,” declares Luke Levy. “Is location anyone pinch a likewise prolific spell astatine a nine (around 10+ goals) that tin lucifer (or eclipse) Tugay’s ratio of goals extracurricular nan box? Or is location anyone who scored each their goals for a nine from beyond nan punishment area?”

“Since Opta and co started keeping records of assists, what’s nan highest-scoring crippled without an assist. Penalties don’t count. Has location been a goal-fest of individual brilliance?” asks Roger Kirkby.