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So you think you know your football…could you have answered any of these?

BLACK footballers continue to shine in the Premier League. The Voice of Sport was asked to test the considerable combined knowledge of text question and answer service Any Question Answered (AQA) in a bid to find out some of the quirky stats and facts involving black players at home and abroad. We think you’ll find it fascinating reading…

Who scored the 10,000th goal in the Premiership?

Les Ferdinand scored the Premiership's 10,000th goal on 15 Dec 2001, firing home Tottenham's opener in the 4-0 victory over Fulham at White Hart Lane. (image supplied)

Name seven footballers with food related names?

Seven footballers with food related names include South African Mark Fish, Harry Haddock, Pat Rice, Barry Fry, Jason Cook, Tom Curry and Philipp Lahm.

Who was the first black player to play for Arsenal in a senior game?

Brendon Batson was the first black player to play for Arsenal in a senior game. He made 10 appearances for the club before moving to Cambridge United.

Who is the highest paid black player in the Premier League?

Chelsea's Didier Drogba is the highest-paid Premier League black player (£4.8 million pa). Ronaldinho Gaucho is the highest-paid black player worldwide.

What is Nicolas Anelka’s combined transfer total?

Anelka has cost £85.8m: £0.5m to Arsenal, £22.3m to Real Madrid, £20m to PSG, £13m to Man City, £7m to Fenerbahce, £8m to Bolton, £15m to Chelsea.

How times was Ian Wright sent off in the top flight?

Ian Wright was sent off 4 times. He says the worst was when he was 1 of 3 West Ham players to be sent off in a 5-1 defeat against Leeds in 1999.

What percentage of Andrew Cole’s goals were scored with his head?

Of Andrew Cole's 189 Premier League goals, 15.3% (29) were scored with his head, 68.8% (130) with his right foot, and 15.9% (30) with his left foot.

How many times has Kanu been substituted while playing in the Premier League?

Nwankwo Kanu has been substituted 80 times in the Premier League. He's come off the bench 87 times, and been an unused substitute 33 times.

Michael Essien’s first goal for Chelsea was against whom?

Michael Essien's 1st Chelsea goal was at 12.59pm on 13 Mar 2006, against Tottenham. Jenas made it 1-1, then Gallas won it for Chelsea in the 90th minute.

Who was the first black player to appear in an FA Cup final at Wembley?

South African Albert Johanneson was the first black player in an FA Cup final at Wembley. He appeared for Leeds in their 2-1 defeat to Liverpool in 1965.

Who was the first black player to score a hat-trick in the Premier League?

Sheffield United's Brian Deane was the first black player to score a hat-trick in the Premier League. His team defeated Ipswich 3-0 on 16 Jan 1993.

Who was the first black player to make 100 appearances in the top flight?

Robbie Earle of Wimbledon was the first black footballer to make 100 top-flight Premier League appearances. His 100th game resulted in a 2-0 loss against Man City on 26 November 1994.

Name the oldest black player to play in the Premier League?

Dwight Yorke is the oldest black player to play in the Premier League. The Smiling Assassin plays for Sunderland and is 36 years old.

Who is the most expensive black player to have played in the Premier League?

Rio Ferdinand is the most expensive black player to have played in the Premier League. His Leeds to Manchester United transfer in 2002 was for £29.1m.

Who was the first black player to be sent off in the Premier League?

Frank Sinclair of Chelsea was the first black player to be sent off in the Premier League. Chelsea lost the game 2-0 away to Blackburn on 21 Feb 1993.

How many Jamaican internationals have played in the Premier League?

A total of 28 Jamaican internationals have played in the Premier League. These include Marlon King, Jason Eull, Robbie Earle, Paul Hall and Micah Hyde.

Who was the first black player to play for two London clubs?

Andrew Watson (1857-1902) was the first black football player to play for 2 London clubs. He played for both London Swifts (1882) and Corinthians (1884).

How many black players have been sent off since the inception of the Premier League?

There have been 593 players sent off in the Premier League to date. Of those 123 are black. Patrick Vieira has been sent off the most times (8).

So why is he called Pele?

Pele's nickname arose from his mispronunciation of the Vasco da Gama goalkeeper Bile, when he was a schoolboy. He used to pronounce it Pele.

• AQA 63336’s team of 1,200 highly skilled researchers on average take less than five minutes in replying to the majority of questions texted to 63336 - whether its advice that’s needed, an entertaining riposte, or facts in a hurry. To use AQA 63336, just text a question to 63336 (costs £1) and you’ll get an answer in minutes. New customers can also ask a question free from www.aqa.63336.com.

Published: 02 December 2008
Issue: 1349

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