Recently, Watford defender Ngakia found the net twice for his club against Oxford United to bring his total career goals to three from 116 senior club appearances,” asks Peter Skilton. “Not counting players who scored only once, has anybody with 100+ appearances managed a higher percentage of their total goals in a single match?”
Denis Boone submits with the story of French defender Chalmé. “Defender Chalmé appeared in 362 games during his career, mostly for Bordeaux and Lille,” Denis writes. “He netted four goals in total, with three of them coming in a solitary match. He scored all three in Lille’s victory at AC Ajaccio in March 2004, achieving the most unlikely of hat-tricks.”
Those three well-taken goals in Corsica were the only ones Chalmé managed in 179 Lille appearances, while in 167 matches with Bordeaux, he scored once. Actually, twice including his own goal in the 2010 Coupe de la Ligue final against Olympique Marseille. Scoring 75% of his career goals in one game puts Chalmé ahead of Ngakia’s percentage (66.7%), but there is a fly in the ointment.
Chalmé hung up his boots at Bordeaux in July 2014 after a temporary move at Ajaccio, who likely remembered his brief purple patch a ten years prior. He did return to the game with amateur team Lège Cap-Ferret, featuring seven times in half a year – and scoring one goal. This reduces Chalmé’s percentage of goals scored in a single game down to 60%, but it feels harsh to count against him for a post-career stint at amateur football.
A quick mention, too, for another French full-back: the legendary Thuram. While the original question concerns club careers, plenty of you wrote in to point out that Thuram made 142 France appearances and netted twice in the identical game – the World Cup semi-final against the Croatian team. Look, when you’re hot, you’re hot.
Players Defying Managers: Part II
In last week’s Knowledge we examined players who disobeyed their coaches. We have additional fantastic examples, so we’re revisiting the Disobedience Records for a second look.
Tottenham v Manchester City, FA Cup semi-final, 1955-56
Tottenham’s skipper, Danny Blanchflower, altered tactics to the side during the cup match against City while they were losing 1-0,” recalls John Tumbridge. “Switching Norman from centre-half to up front, they ultimately lost and the coach, Anderson [not that one], benched the captain for the next match and stripped him of the captaincy. Soon after Anderson left, Bill Nicholson became manager, the captain returned and the outcome is legendary.”
England vs Albania, World Cup 1990 qualifier, April 1989
Adam Clark points out: “Gazza scored his first England goal in this victory at Wembley after playing ‘all over the pitch’, as per manager Bobby Robson. The post-match interview are priceless – a wonderful mixture of frustration, sarcasm and fatherly pride.”
Everton vs Spurs, FA Cup semi-final, the 1990s
The Toffees’ most recent silverware was the 1995 FA Cup, and it wouldn’t have been possible without a key figure,” writes a contributor. “Coach Royle? No. Goalscorer in the final, Rideout? Almost. Keeper Neville Southall? Nope. That man was unpredictable forward Amokachi, who substituted himself on during the semi-final against Spurs, scoring twice to secure Everton a spot in the final against Manchester United.”
Recounting the story to the BBC, the striker said: “Rideout was injured and went down ... I just went to Willie Donachie and told him ‘The gaffer says you need me on’.” Royle was rightly angry at the moment, but kinder at the final whistle: “He entered the dressing room and hugged me, shook my hand and said: ‘Well done, son, but never try that again.’”
Sporting vs Barça, Champions League group stage, 2008
During his time with Guardiola’s Barça against Sporting Lisbon, Thierry Henry decided to change flanks. He soon netted to give Barcelona the lead at half-time. Guardiola’s reaction? He hooked Henry for ignoring his instructions.”
Set-Piece Specialists
“Being a Hammers supporter, I’m increasingly having to look at previous years for some enjoyment,” weeps a fan. “While recently doing so, I noticed that Dimitri Payet netted six set-pieces in the 18 cherished months that we had him. I’m curious if there is a more productive free-kick taker in a similar time period?”
An example exists: David Beckham netted 27 direct kicks in his spell with United, including eight in as many months between March and November 2000. His most prolific 18-month spell at the club includes the identical timeframe: from 1999-2000, he scored 10 direct-free-kicks – including two brilliant strikes against the West Ham. Apologies.
For consolation, there’s a footballer now at West Ham who can outdo Payet’s record: James Ward-Prowse. The dead-ball specialist had two great runs with Southampton, scoring seven free kicks between 2019-2021 across two Covid-affected seasons. Ward-Prowse then added six more dead-ball beauties in a ten-month period between April 2022 and February 2023.
Knowledge archive
“A friend who follows Southend insists the club once played a league game at the national stadium? Is he having me on?” queried Stuart Jacks in April 2012.
Ludicrously, he was correct. The team were among two clubs – Brentford being the second – to face Clapton Orient in the third tier at Wembley back in 1930, owing to ground improvement work at Orient’s Lea Bridge Stadium. Club records takes up the story:
Following a league match against Torquay United (a victory for Orient), Torquay representatives complained about the boundary fence being too near to the field. League officials was requested to inspect the ground and agreed that alterations had to be made before further matches could take place; abruptly the Orient found themselves without a stadium. Incredible as it seems, the national stadium was suggested and the O’s actually played two league games in that year against Brentford and Southend United, winning 3-0 and 3-1 respectively. Even now the club is the sole league team to have hosted matches at Wembley Stadium!
Since then of course, Spurs joined Orient in becoming residents at Wembley, albeit in the top flight. Lately, discussions about Arsenal upgrading the Emirates – and relocating to the Wembley while the construction occurs – has surfaced.
Your Input Needed
“Aubameyang scored four goals and was sent off in Gabon’s 4-3 win over the Gambia last week,” notes Seb in Berlin. “Which other players have been dismissed after scoring at least three goals?”
“During Austria’s huge win of San Marino, every outfield player who started got a goal, an assist or both,” queries another correspondent. “Is there another side managed this?”
“Among all footballers who have a monument at their club’s stadium of their former club, who played the fewest games for that club?” asks Masai Graham.
“Interestingly, Tomasson is the initial coach to be sacked by {Sw
