Baby X Book Review - Hackney Citizen Spring 2010

The Guardian Knowledge - 21st January 2009

Which footballers have displayed their religious views on the pitch?

Plus: father and son managing the same team (2); Spurs' half-baked 1987 FA Cup final kit; and politicians lobbying for topless male players. Send your questions and answers to knowledge@guardian.co.uk

Kaka: Jesus's No1 fan. Photograph: Jamie McDonald/Getty Images

"Kaka has made it pretty clear that he 'belongs to Jesus'," wrote Jamie Jones, with reference to the 2007 Champions League final we'll be bound. "But have any other players publicly displayed their religious views on the field?" he asked.

O yea, came the reply from many of the Knowledge brethren. First in line, like an eager Catholic queueing up to receive booze and biscuit from the priest, is Rob Davies. Rob resides in Walsall, and it seems he is not the only one. "The Brazilian striker Junior scored for my hometown club," he writes, "and celebrated by lifting up his top to reveal a T-shirt with the slogan 'Jesus lives in Walsall'." Not that Rob was particularly impressed. "Jesus must have lived in Derby as well, because that's where Junior went the season after."

While Mr Christ's exact address may remain a moot point, there is one thing we know for certain. And that's that he loves us. This is because, in addition to Kaka, we've also been told by numerous other Brazilian internationals. "Almost the entire 2002 Brazilian squad seemed to have similar slogans under their shirts when they won the World Cup," notes Mohammed Choudhary, he of the amazing X-ray eyes. Of course we jest: Mohammed is no doubt referring to the likes of Lucio and unused substitute Kaka cavorting about in their vests, but only half the team scrawled religious messages on captain Cafu's shirt before he lifted the trophy. "Lucio still does it at Bayern Munich," adds Rajan X, who may or may not be a distant relation of Malcolm.

Speaking of Muslims, and indeed Bayern, Paul Haynes reports how "Franck Ribéry raises his hands to Allah at the beginning of every match as he enters the playing area". As does, Mohammed Choudhary adds, Fredi Kanouté of Sevilla: "He has always been quite open about being a Muslim. Whenever he scored, he would open up his hands in supplication, like most Muslims do after their prayers. He tried to cover the 888.com advert on his Sevilla shirt because gambling is against his religion." Kanouté was even fined €3,000 by the Spanish Soccer Federation for celebrating a goal against Deportivo de La Coruña bylifting his shirt to reveal a T-shirt with the word 'Palestine' adorning it, plus other Arabic words. Article 120 of the rules and regulations in Spain prohibits players from displaying religious or political messages on the pitch.

Getting his message across on the field was something devout Christian Marvin Andrews was only too happy to do while at Rangers. "I don't remember any T-shirts," writes Ciaran Carey, "but he publicly declared having sought God's advice on transfer matters and also spurned an operation on a cruciate ligament injury, declaring his faith would see him through." Reinforcing his religious outlook, Andrews explained to Small Talk in 2007 why homosexuality "is against the word of God", adding that "the Bible said that it's an abomination to God; that God created a man to be with a woman or a woman to be with a man. Simple as that." The Knowledge also vaguely recalls listening to Andrews being interviewed on Radio Five Live in the immediate aftermath of Rangers' 2003 SPL win. Upon being asked for his reaction, Andrews sobbed uncontrollably for the best part of a minute, before screaming "I love God" for another 60 seconds or so. It was an improvement on "the boys done good", at least.

Email us at the the usual address if there are any other examples we have missed.

Walsall 'Til I Die Book - November 2008

The Guardian Knowledge - 8th October 2008

THE 30-YEAR CREDIT CRUNCH

"I read last year that Glenn Murray was the most expensive player Brighton had signed since Terry Connor joined in 1983 (as part of a swap deal with Andy Ritchie) - does any club have a longer-standing record signing?" asked Ben Peachey last week.

Brighton's transfer record actually stretches back to October 1980 and the £500,000 signing of Ritchie from Manchester United, and there are few clubs in England that can surpass it.

Few, indeed, come close. 1989 is a year from which several clubs' transfer records still stand. Luton (Lars Elstrup, £850,000 from Odense), Leyton Orient (Paul Beesley, £175,000 from Wigan), Bournemouth (Gavin Peacock, £210,000 from Gillingham) and Millwall (Paul Goddard, £800,000 from Derby County) will all be celebrating, if that is the right word, the 20th anniversary of their biggest splurge next year.

Surpassing Brighton, if only by a few months, are Rotherham United. The £150,000 the Millers paid Millwall for the services of Tony Towner in August 1980 has never been exceeded by the club, though they have equalled it on three occasions since for the strikers Lee Glover, Alan Lee and Martin Butler.

Rob Davies, Mickey Smith and Tom Lines also email with a mixture of pride and embarrassment to offer the name of Walsall's record signing Alan Buckley. "Buckley was bought from Birmingham City in June 1979 for the then enormous transfer fee of £175,000," writes Rob. "He went on to manage the club and holds a special place in the hearts of many Walsall fans."

Walsall claim the record for Football League clubs, but it would appear that Wrexham hold the overall title. They forked out £210,000 for Liverpool's Joey Jones in October 1978, a figure unsurpassed since. And with the club currently languishing in the Blue Square Premier, there's little prospect of it being eclipsed any time soon.