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Knowledge Unlimited

WELL-TRAVELLED FOOTBALLERS

"Has anyone played for a First Division side in each of the big four European leagues (Italy, Spain, England, Germany)?" asks Paul Carek. "If so, who was the last to do it? Who was the most successful?"

Step forward one Florin Valeriu Raducioiu, who like the kid who can manage three Shredded Wheat, boasts a travelling record many players would envy. After playing for five seasons at Dinamo Bucharest, the Harvey Nicks regular spent four years in Italy (with Bari, Verona, Brescia and Milan), two years in Spain (with Espanyol), that season at West Ham and also a year at Stuttgart - before going back to Espanyol and then Brescia. Cheers to Duncan Young for the spot.

Other players have also been suggested - notably Stefan Schwarz (Fiorentina, Valencia, Arsenal/Sunderland and Bayer Leverkusen). However, hats off to Simon Lindberg who, after originally suggesting the Swedish midfielder, decided to phone up "the people at his Swedish club Malmo" to make sure. They confirmed that while Schwarz was at Leverkusen, he was merely a trainee and never played. "I hope I haven't caused any troubles since I am a big fan of Knowledge Unlimited," says Simon.

Meanwhile, Duncan Young points out that several players have managed three clubs in the big four countries, including: Jurgen Klinsmann (Tottenham, Sampdoria, Stuttgart); Allan Simonsen (Charlton, Borussia Moenchengladbach and Barcelona); Savo Milosevic (Villa, Zaragoza, Parma); Karlheinz Riedle (Dortmund, Lazio, Liverpool); Mark Hughes (Man U, Barcelona, Bayern Munich); Darko Kovacevic (Sheffield Wednesday, Sociedad, Juventus); Brian Laudrup (Bayern Munich, Fiorentina, Chelsea); Bryan Roy (Nottm Forest, Foggia, Hertha Berlin); Martin Dahlin (Borussia Moenchengladbach, Blackburn, Roma); Christian Karembeu (Sampdoria, Real Madrid, Middlesbrough); Paulo Futre (West Ham, Atletico Madrid, Reggiana); Alojsa Asanovic (Valladolid, Derby, Napoli); and Mario Stanic (Gijon, Parma, Chelsea).

WHAT A REFRESHING TACTIC

"Can anyone explain the archaic tactic of 'metodo', beloved of the Austrian side of the 1950s I believe?" asks Liam Arthur.

During football's formative years, attack was the name of the game. The barnstorming 2-3-5 formation was king, while the classic W-M formation - used by England after the war - was merely a glint in Walter Winterbottom's eye. But during the 1930s, Italy coach Vittorio Pozzo was formulating an idea which was to become known as the Italian metodo.

Pozzo decided that 2-3-5 was just a little bit too bold and decided to pull his two inside-forwards back into midfield, making a sort of 2-3-2-3 formation. Five men in midfield obviously worked, as Italy won successive World Cups in 1934 and 1938 and Pozzo was hailed as a tactical genius.

Incidentally, before the 1938 World Cup, fascist dictator Benito Mussolini sent a telegram to Pozzo which said "win or die". Fortunately for the creator of metodo, Italy beat Hungary 4-2 in the final.

HOMER - D'OH!

Were Fenerbahce the first team to beat Manchester United in the Champions League at home? asks John Stewart

The Turks weren't just the first team to beat Manchester United at home in the Competition Formerly Known As European Cup. By winning 1-0 in Group C of the Champions League in October 1996, they ended United's 40-year unbeaten home record in all European competition.

The damage was done by Elvir Bolic, who broke down the left wing in the 76th minute of a dull game and walloped a shot which deflected off David May and over Peter Schmeichel into the net.

Sure enough, having lost at home in Europe for the first time in 40 years, United took only 14 days to repeat the feat. A penalty from Allesandro Del Piero was enough to give eventual finalists Juventus a 1-0 win.

PUTTING IT ON YOUR SHIRT

Last week we explained how Kettering Town became the first British club to run out with a company's name emblazoned on their shirts, which - not surprisingly - got many of you reminiscing fondly about those early days of kit advertising.

"I recall when I was with the Daily Express in Manchester, going to a Bolton match (circa 1980) and they were sponsored by the local paper, the Bolton Evening News. Since they used only the initials every player in the team appeared to be named BEN," remembers Len Findlay, who now works in Australia.

This is disputed by the club, however, who can only remember as far back as their sponsors for the 1981 season Knights Security.

Meanwhile, Paddy Dwyer says he can remember an edition of Roy of the Rovers "from some time in the late seventies in which Melchester Rovers were getting ready for one of the invariably vital games they played.

"The company name Gola was emblazoned across their shirts and, as they put them on, one of the players said to Roy: 'What's this, shouldn't it say Goal?' Even at age eight, I thought to myself 'Jesus, what a twat'. It's good to know footballers in comics are just as thick as their real life counterparts."

EMILE "SCRATCH" HESKEY

"So what's that scratching thing that Emile Heskey does every time he scores a goal then?" asks Dr Adam Marshall. "He's not turning his hand to music is he?"

Sadly Dr Adam, our prognosis is that Emile is not the music man. Indeed, according to sources close to Liverpool Football Club, Emile is doing nothing more than an impression of a dance DJ (popular amongst the youth). This impression consists of listening to an imaginary song on imaginary headphones - hence the left hand placed against the ear - while spinning back said imaginary track with the right hand (the rewind, as it is known) for the delectation of the crowd.

However, scholars of the 'rap scene' insist that Emile is 'scratching' with his right hand, the process by which DJs grind their records into dust, and also the means by which 5ive created the "wiggy wiggy" noise on their recent number one hit 'We Will Rock You.'

WOLFSBURG'S WOLFGANG WOLF

Can you confirm that the manager of [Bundesliga side] Wolfsburg is called Wolfgang Wolf? asks Stefan Schnoor (which could possibly be an alias)

It sounds ridiculous. And it is. But it's also true.

CAN YOU HELP?

"Is Raul the youngest player to score a hat-trick in the Champions League?" asks John Stewart.

"What percentage of the games that Chelsea have lost over the last three seasons have they been without Marcel Desailly for? Surely he is the key link to this teams current success?" reckons Gavin Gray.

Anyone who knows can mail their answer to the.boss@theguardian.com. And you can use the same address to send your questions: we'll do our best to answer them.

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