“Pakistan made headlines in the cricket world recently by utilizing patio heaters and giant fans on the pitch set for the third Test against England at Rawalpindi,” writes Harry Trumpston. “The goal was to create conditions more favorable for the home team’s spin bowlers. Conversely, what strategies have football clubs employed to optimize their pitches for better performance?”
You can’t discuss this topic without mentioning John Beck and his Cambridge United team from the early 1990s, who impressively climbed from the fourth tier to the second and nearly squeezed into the top flight. Beck instructed the groundskeepers at Abbey Stadium to let the grass grow long in the corners, allowing the ball to sit perfectly when launched to the wingers, who would then assist the formidable front duo of Dion Dublin and John Taylor.
Beck’s unconventional tactics didn’t stop there; he often held training sessions on the pitch to deliberately churn up the grass, hindering opponents keen on playing through midfield. His pursuit of marginal gains predates Dave Brailsford’s methods. He also engaged in mind games by cranking up the heat in the away dressing room until it was unbearable, soaking their warm-up balls in water to add weight, and loading their tea with sugar. “Every single thing you’ve heard from that time was true,” Dublin affirmed in an interview with the Cambridge News in 2017.
Beck’s unique strategies clearly influenced others. Mark Hughes had the Millennium Stadium’s ground staff allow the grass on the wings to grow longer and even narrowed the pitch before Wales faced Brazil in a friendly in 2000. It didn’t help much; Brazil won 3-0. The tactic of narrowing the pitch for a strategic edge goes further back, to Graeme Souness, who tried it with Rangers against Dynamo Kyiv during his tenure at Ibrox in the late ’80s. It was successful; Rangers overcame an aggregate deficit to win 2-1.
In a less subtle approach, Patrik Gunnarsson, the Viking goalkeeper from Norway, was caught on video in 2022, pulling goalposts closer together right after the assistant referee checked them. Perhaps he learned this trick from Kim Christensen, a goalkeeper in Gothenburg who admitted to adjusting the goalposts to make them less than a full eight yards wide. “I got the tip from a goalkeeping friend a few years ago, and since then I have done it occasionally,” Christensen said unapologetically.
And then there’s the infamous tale of Halifax Town and their legendary flamethrower. Are there any other amusing examples of pitch tricks or adjustments in football history?
In a twist, Exeter City’s FA Cup clash with Barnet is notable for a “stand derby,” as the Bees sold part of The Hive to the Grecians during the redevelopment of St James Park. Stephen Joseph inquired, “Have any other clubs sold parts of their grounds to one another?”
Paul Levay points to Port Vale: “After Chester City was removed from their old Sealand Road ground in the late ’80s, the roof of their main stand ended up at Vale Park. It was installed in 1992 and, as far as I know, it’s still there today. Billy Bell, Vale’s chairman and a local used-car dealer, masterminded this unusual maneuver. The stand at the Hamil Road End has gone through multiple sponsorships and name changes, but for many fans, it remains a tribute to Bell.
“The ’90s marked the peak of Vale’s history, thanks to Bell and their legendary manager, John Rudge. This week is particularly fitting for the inquiry, as a statue honoring Rudge was unveiled outside the Hamil Road End. If you look closely at photos from the ceremony, you can spot remnants of the Sealand Road roof.”
Jim McEleny adds, “This phenomenon appears more common in Scotland than England.” He notes that Greenock Morton once purchased a stand roof (which was never reinstalled) and two floodlights (still operational) from St Mirren upon their departure from Love Street. Interestingly, St Mirren’s original floodlights came from Ibrox Park as part of a transfer deal with Rangers. Auchinleck Talbot acquired a stand when Hamilton Accies vacated their old Douglas Park, reassembly taking time due to the lack of organized dismantling. Kilwinning Rangers also benefitted from floodlights pried from York City’s Bootham Crescent, which reportedly had ties back to Manchester United’s old training ground.
As it turns out, there will be yet another ‘Stand Derby’ soon, with Maidstone United, who reached the fifth round last year, facing Solihull Moors. During a past redevelopment of the ‘Elvis End,’ Maidstone sold their old stand to Solihull, where it still resides today.
Shifting gears, “Erling Haaland has set the record as Norway’s top scorer at just 24,” posed Ben Jones. “Is this a modern-era record?”
Jack Hayward offers insight, saying, “The youngest player to be the top scorer for a national team seems to be Shalom Luani, who is now better known for his NFL career. Luani scored during a 1-1 draw for American Samoa against the Cook Islands on November 24, 2011. This goal tied him with Ramin Ott at the time. Interestingly, Luani was just 17 years, three months, and 19 days old. He had scored his debut international goal two days prior against Tonga in the World Cup qualifiers; Ott later netted a third goal and shares the record for the national team with Samuel Hayward.”
Derek Robertson draws attention to a remarkable situation in this season’s Women’s Division 4 in Sweden, where Ängelholms FF finished the season unbeaten without conceding a single goal yet still ended as runners-up. “They must surely be the most unlucky—yet ‘best’—runners-up in history?”
The story highlights the unpredictability of Division 4 women’s football. Despite their invincibility, Ängelholms FF fell short of the league title due to three draws, as Ljungbyhed surprisingly surpassed them for promotion. Currently, Ängelholm (P18 W15 D3 L0 F78 A0) is engaged in a playoff that could still yield a way up, facing Strövelstorps GoIF/IF Salamis from the tier above. The first leg ended in a 1-1 draw, with the visitors equalizing in the 87th minute. Good luck in the second leg, Ängelholm! They wouldn’t be the first to be denied promotion despite an undefeated season.
Reflecting on the relationship between intelligence and footballers, Karl Corrick recounted in January 2012, “Footballers aren’t usually considered intellectuals, yet upon learning of David Wetherall, a childhood hero, I was amazed to find he graduated with a BSc in chemistry from the University of Sheffield. Are there other professional footballers who’ve achieved degrees, thus debunking this stereotype?”
While honorary degrees don’t qualify—consider Alan Shearer’s, for example—many professional players have indeed earned academic credentials. Wetherall’s accomplishment is matched by former Everton and Wales midfielder Barry Horne, who also graduated from the University of Liverpool.
The late Sócrates held degrees in both medicine and philosophy, and Steve Palmer, a defender from Ipswich and various clubs, earned a software engineering degree from Cambridge. “When I started, it was a media novelty, but entering professional sports means you’re evaluated solely on performance,” Palmer noted. “Perhaps my ability to study mirrored qualities that helped me learn the game.”
Additional educated players include Steve Heighway (economics), Slaven Bilic (law), Shaka Hislop (mechanical engineering), Iain Dowie (a master’s in engineering), Steve Coppell (economics), Richard Hinds (law from Open University), Arsène Wenger (economics), Gudni Bergsson (law), and Oliver Bierhoff (economics).
Among those new to this list are Kaoru Mitoma (dribbling), Giorgio Chiellini (master’s in business administration), Stuart Armstrong (law), Romelu Lukaku (public relations and tourism), Simon Mignolet (law and political science), Juan Mata (marketing, later sports science), Mary Earps (management and business studies), Gerard Piqué (master’s in business), Duncan Watmore (economics and business management), Vincent Kompany (MBA), Andrés Iniesta (physical activity and sports sciences, later biology), and Edwin van der Sar (sports and brand management), with undoubtedly more out there that we’ve missed.
Finally, Tim P. raises an interesting question: “With seven London teams and three from the south coast, is this season the least ‘northern’ in English top-flight history?”
Steve Butler adds, “Which team in the Premier League era has the worst record in lunchtime kick-offs? As a West Ham fan, this idea crossed my mind around 2 PM last Saturday.”
Cameron McGlone chimes in, stating, “While on loan at Peterborough from Rotherham last season, Peter Kioso was appointed club captain. Is this a common occurrence? What other examples exist of loan players being named permanent captains?”
Nigel Smith also shares an intriguing stat: “Ipswich’s nine results this season form a palindrome (0-2, 1-4, 2-2, 1-1, 0-0, 1-1, 2-2, 1-4, 0-2). Can we find longer streaks?”
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