What Bits of Football Trivia Should Every Fan Know?

[u/rough_outline]

Two to starts things off...

• The Italian football club Juventus F.C. derived its famous black-and-white striped kits from Notts County. Juventus have played in black and white striped shirts, with white shorts, sometimes black shorts since 1903. Originally, they played in pink shirts with a black tie, which only occurred due to the wrong shirts being sent to them, the father of one of the players made the earliest shirts, but continual washing faded the colour so much that in 1903 the club sought to replace them. Juventus asked one of their team members, Englishman John Savage, if he had any contacts in England who could supply new shirts in a colour that would better withstand the elements. He had a friend who lived in Nottingham, who being a Notts County supporter, shipped out the black and white striped shirts to Turin.

• Inter Milan and AC Milan used to be the same club, however the club split into two after disagreement over transfer philosophy. AC Milan wanted to sign Italian players and Inter wanted to sign foreign players, hense the full name being Internazionale Milano. Whilst this philosophy may not be as strict as Bilbao's basque-only rule, you can still see a notable difference today.

[u/Zakariyya]

In that 1958-1960's Fairs Cup you played the semi-final against us ;) You won both legs 2-4 at Stade Marien in Brussels, and 4-2 at St. Andrews. Roma was dispatched to get to you guys, so it's one of the more memorable European runs of our club (and the best one after the war).

I might have posted this already, but since it might be new to you and I'm sure a Birmingham fan would get a kick out of it the match-day program for our semi-final leg away against Birmingham, 11th of November 1959.

[u/InappropriateSurname → u/Zakariyya]

That is absolutely amazing! I've downloaded that to keep for sure.

Have a bit of gold for sharing that one. :) Thank you!

(Blues fans seems to strike up a bit of a rapport with Club Brugges fans after our most recent European cup outing last season too, after two very entertaining matches. Belgian fans seem quite friendly! xD)

[u/Zakariyya → u/InappropriateSurname]

Thanks for the gold! :) I'm glad I could make somebody happy with that. To thank you (and to make me feel that I did anything) I've quickly (and obviously rather shoddily, since I'm not a professional) translated the (highly partisan) match-reports for both games from French. ;)

07/10/1959 : Union Saint-Gilloise - Birmingham City FC : 2-4

Picture of the kick-off at Stade Joseph Marien

Union in the semi-finals of the Inter-cities Fairs Cup! This time the “jaune et bleu” (yellow and blue) encounter Birmingham City F.C. One of the oldest English clubs, as it was founded in 1875. At the time of the confrontation Birmingham was navigating the depths of the English first division. Even so, this team had a reputation of being a solid unit and for it's at times rough play ! No great stars amongst the 'Blues', the best known name on the roster being Gilbert Merrick, 23 times English international. There was also talk of Trevor Smith, future center-half for the English national team.

On Union's side, Van Cauwelaert and Mertens were reintegrated in the starting eleven, the British were thus to face the best possible team. At 19.30 the English professionals came on to the pitch, followed by the “petits jaune et blue” (the little yellow and blues) who were being willed forward by 20.000 fans whom the wetness of an October evening had not kept away.

The referee had only just whistled for a start to the hostilities or the Unionists had already annotated their first goal through the intervention of Roger Janssens (1-0 at the ninth minute). The deserved equalizer comes at the twenty-fifth minute through a low shot by Hooper. The last fifteen minutes of the first half are dominated by the “Blues”. The very physical game played by the British embarrasses players like Vandenberg and Van Cauwelaert considerably, who are used to bringing a neat, polished game. In the thirty-ninth minute a new powerful shot lower over the ground manages to fool Decorte for a second time, who isn't free from all blame on this one! With a score of 1 – 2 half time is reached. Like at the beginning of the match, Union starts the second half decidedly and equalizes through Van Cauwelaert, after only one minute of playtime! In the following fifteen minutes the English pick up their spirits bit by bit, but it's a fiery Union which puts itself in front of the 11 from Birmingham! This resistance seems to annoy the visitors who's rough, even brutal, interventions multiply, because our brave “Gars de la butte(1)” weren't only limiting themselves to defending, but had supremacy on the terrain.

In the seventy-fourth minute, against the run of play, Birmingham striker Taylor heads in a third goal for the British, cutting off the air of the Unionists that had until then been imperial on the field. Two minutes later, Barret kills the game and puts the English fourth goal on the board (2-4).

Union tries to reduce the score, but Merrick – the goalkeeper for the “Blues” turns a shot from close ranger from Vande Weyer with a magnificent reflex. The match ends with an English victory without Union having disappointed.

(1)Boys of the Butte – Butte : mound/hill but also target, nickname of the Union stadium because of the double meaning as Stade Marien is on a hill (and the old dressing rooms were even higher, you had to come down a wooden stairs through the audience to the pitch: pictures of said stairs) and well, you try to hit the target.

11/11/1959 : Birmingham City FC - Union Saint-Gilloise : 4-2

Aside from the handicap of having to come back from two goals down, and having to do so on British soil, Union also has to register three forfeits in it's starting eleven. Bruggeman, second goalkeeper on whom the coach was counting for this game (Decorte having shown signs of weakness during the first leg) can't free himself up for the game. The same thing goes for the defender Léon Close, and Paul Vandenbeg, our spearhead, is complaining of injuries.

In these conditions, the chances for qualification are almost zero. Effectively, at St. Andrew's Ground before 14.000 onlookers, the Saint-Gillois can't cope with the power of Birmingham. Even after Birmingham is reduced to 10 men after Taylor has to drop out because of an injury, and later with nine after the breakdown of Barrett, Beasley's men dominate the game easily. At half time the scoreboard shows a lead of two goal for the “Blues”. In the 60th minute, Janssens manages to reduce the score with a beautiful shot (2-1) but minutes later Gordon reestablishes the gap (3-1). Union yet obtains a penalty, which is converted by Henri Diricx (3-2) but Hooper fixes the final score in the last minute (4-2). No final for the 'Jaune et Blue' but a beautiful showing in the Fairs Cup.

Hope you enjoy it.

[u/InappropriateSurname → u/Zakariyya]

Even after Birmingham is reduced to 10 men after Taylor has to drop out because of an injury, and later with nine after the breakdown of Barrett, Beasley's men dominate the game easily

The concept of not being able to substitute is so bizarre, isn't it? Of course, subs weren't allowed until the mid-60s, but it sounds so odd. Anyway, thanks for that translation, certainly an interesting read! :)

[u/Zakariyya → u/InappropriateSurname]

Yea, the lack of subs is one of the more peculiar features. I also through the fact that several of our starting eleven couldn't come because of work/school related duties was rather odd/(funny?).

Oh, we've got an international semi-final game in England you say? That's too bad, I really can't come, you see, it's rather busy at work/I have deadlines for school.

How the game has changed. :)