Zanimljivosti iz engleskog i svetskog fudbala

Is Rotherham really the pie capital of the football world?

"On Wikipedia it says: 'The supporters of Rotherham United still maintain the record for the most pies consumed at a football match, with a consumption of pies 40% above the Football League average,'" writes Mark Ireland. "Is this true? There doesn't seem to be a reference for this amazing fact."

Never one to shirk a challenge, the Knowledge got on the phone to Pukka Pies to find out if Rotherham United really can claim to be the pie capital of English football. And the answer is – well, sort of.

Though the Millers (average attendance 4,214) clearly don't shift pastry in the same numbers as the Premier League giants, in terms of the pie-eating percentage of those coming through the gates at Don Valley they are top of the league.

"Among the 35-40 clubs we supply, you usually get 15%-20% of supporters at the ground buying a pie," says Peter Mayes of Pukka Pies. "At Rotherham that jumps to 40%-50%. So, relatively, they're our best-performing football customer. They do like their pies."

But, of course, no pie-based coronation could be complete without reference to Wigan, whose Pooles Pies often come up trumps in fan surveys and, slightly weirdly, are now available in the region's health clubs. Tom Dickinson, in his book 92 Pies, also gave a thumbs up to the pie-credentials of Morecambe. But while Rotherham may not have the definitive crown, they certainly have a legitimate claim to the throne.

Which is the highest league ground in the English league," asked James Taylor in 2005. "I always understood it to be Oldham's Boundary park but the commentator at the recent FA Cup tie said it was only the second highest ... if so then which is the highest?"

According to Simon Inglis's definitive work, Football Grounds Of Britain, the three highest league grounds above sea level belong to West Bromwich Albion, Port Vale and Oldham Athletic. The Hawthorns - built in 1900 - is the highest of the lot, standing at 551 feet above sea level. Next comes Vale Park (525 feet) and Boundary Park (509 feet).

The highest football ground in England, though, is at Silverlands, home to Buxton FC, which is more than 1,000 feet above sea level - but that's nothing compared to the real altitude-busters in central and south America.

The Azteca Stadium in Mexico City stands at 7,000 feet above sea level, while the daddy of them all, the National Stadium in the Bolivian capital La Paz, is a breath-sapping 8,500 feet above sea level.

Former Toon star Michael Chopra spat at by fan
Jan 29 2010 Katie Davies

FORMER Toon star Michael Chopra punched a Newcastle fan who spat in his face at St James’ Park on Wednesday.

The Cardiff City striker, who also played for Sunderland for two years, was left "appalled" after the half-time incident during a game with Crystal Palace.

Chopra, 26, had been watching the match in the players’ box with a friend when the fan asked him if he could have a photo taken with him.

As Chopra climbed down from the Milburn Stand, the fan asked him "What’s it like to play for Sunderland?" before spitting in his face and then assaulting him.

A shocked Chopra then punched him in the face – leaving his own right hand swollen.

Stadium security staff moved in quickly to detain the fan and take him away, leaving Chopra to return to the box.

Chopra, speaking from his parents’ home in Gosforth, Newcastle, said: "He spat in my face and I did what I had to do to defend myself. He was bang out of order.

"He asked me for a photo and I agreed to that but then he started videoing me and asking me why I had played for Sunderland and what it was like to play for them.

"He spat in my face and called me names and then I had to get him off me.

"I don’t know if anyone from the club got hold of him after that but I did not involve the stewards or the police.

"The fan was completely out of order. All I did was get him off me."

The fan was described as male, in his late 20s and smartly dressed.

Chopra’s Cardiff face Newcastle at St James’ Park next Friday.

They refused to comment on the incident.

Baby born after Southampton-Portsmouth ticket wait


Baby Jessica has been given Southampton FC season tickets for life
A woman went into labour while queuing for tickets for the FA Cup fifth round Southampton and Portsmouth derby.
Saints fans Rebecca and Vince Reeves had waited to buy tickets at St Mary's football stadium after the rival teams were drawn against each other.
But while the couple were in the queue Mrs Reeves started suffering pains.
A friend took her home while her husband stayed in the queue. Minutes later her waters broke but the parents were reunited for the birth of Jessica.
Bosses at the League One club have welcomed their newest fan by giving her a season ticket for life.

Clutching tickets
The couple had been queuing for the tickets last week when Mrs Reeves started to go into labour.
She was taken home by her friend and then to hospital.
Mr Reeves arrived at hospital just minutes after his wife, clutching tickets for the match, and in time for the birth of their daughter four hours later.
"Vince was on the phone to me finding out how it was going and I was finding out how far along he was getting," Mrs Reeves said.
"As soon as we got to the hospital I said, 'did you get the tickets?'
"It will be one story that we are not going to forget."
Mr Reeves added: "It was important to get tickets for the derby match, but obviously the birth came first."
The teams meet in the fifth round of the FA Cup on Saturday at St Mary's.

NEMOJTE MI ISPASTI IZ LIGE I LETOVACETE NA BARBADOSU!
Wigan Athletic se bori za ostanak u Premier ligi, a najbolje moguće ih je motivirao vlasnik kluba, koji im plaća ljetovanje na Barbadosu ostanu li u ligi.
Vlasnik Wigan Athletica, milijunaš Dave Whelan poslao je svojim nogometašima doista velikodušnu ponudu.
- Ostanete li u Premier ligi plaćam vam svima ljetovanje na Barbadosu - poručio je milijunaš na čelu engleskog premierligaša.
Whelan se upravo vratio iz svoje karipske rezidencije i taman stigao na utakmicu njegovih 'laticsa' i moćnog Liverpoola na Wiganovu stadionu prošli vikend. Na sreću po igrače gazda je uživo gledao njihovu vjerojatno najbolju predstavu ove sezone i povijesnu pobjedu nad 'redsima'. Pobjednički gol zabio je nesuđeni dinamovac Hugo Rodallega, a Davea, koji je očito još bio u prazničkom raspoloženju, je to toliko oduševilo te nije birao sredstva da nagradi svoje nogometaše. Kako je tijekom dugog odmora na Karibima Whelan sa suzom u očima promatrao propadanje Wigana na tablici najjače lige svijeta, ova pobjeda nije mogla ostati nenagrađena. Još kad se zna da Wigan ne zna za pobjedu na domaćem terenu tri mjeseca, postaje jasnije Whelanovo oduševljenje. No bez obzira na slavlje protiv velikog protivnika, 'laticsi' su još u teškoj poziciji na tablici. Samo su četiri boda od zone ispadanja glavnih konkurenata za ostanak Wolvesa, Burnleya i Hulla. Put do ostanka u prvoligaškom društvu je dalek, no Rodallegi i društvu pred očima su od proteklog vikenda vjerojatno prekrasne karipske plaže i djevojke čiju ljepotu svijetom najbolje promiče prekrasna Rihanna.