Trivia and Facts-Part 26

1-Shortly following his transfer, to Rangers Glasgow in the summer of 1995, English Star Paul Gascoigne mocked the Catholic Celtic Glasgow fans by pretending to play a flute (symbol of the Loyalists) during a pre-season summer friendly vs. Steaua Bucharest.

He did the same thing during the ‘old firm’ clash with Celtic in January 1998, for which he was internally reprimanded by Rangers.

Finally, he did it as a Middlesbrough player in a Testimonial match vs. Rangers for former Rangers teammate Alan McLaren.

Photo from : Goal, July 1996

(Paul Gascoigne amongst Rangers Glasgow fans who have bleached their hair just like him when he had joined them)

Photo from : Soccer Journal, 1996

(Paul Gascoigne)

2- Early in 1990/91 season, new AS Roma teammates Angelo Peruzzi and Andrea Carnevalle tested positive for Phentermine in a random drugs test after a match on September 23, 1990 (AS Roma 1-Bari 0). They were both banned for a year.

The pair claimed that they had taken the pills at family dinner given a family member to suppress headache pain.

Years later Peruzzi claimed that another player had given him the medication and there was no family dinner.

He was coming back after injury and was advised by the player that this would help his recovery.

Peruzzi claims that the Federation advised Roma President Dino Viola to go public with the dinner table version story and the bans would have been about 3 months.

But were in fact just waiting for the opportunity to attack Viola and humiliate him in Public.

Photo from: World Soccer, March  1998

(Goalkeeper Angelo Peruzzi, standing second from right, October 11, 1997, World Cup Qualifier, Italy 0-England 0, Top, left to right: Paolo Maldini, Alessandro Nesta, Fillipo Inzaghi, Christian Vieri, Angelo Peruzzi, Dino Baggio, Bottom, left to right: Alessandro Costacurta, Gianfranco Zola, Angelo Di Livio, Fabio Cannavaro, Demetrio Albertini)

Photo From: Don Balon, February 17, 1997

(Angelo Peruzzi at Juventus)

Photo from : Onze-Mondial, March 1992

(AS Roma’s Andrea Carnevalle, January 26, 1992, AS Roma 1-Verona 0)

3- England midfielder David Batty refused a winners’ medal after his club Blackburn Rovers had clinched the EPL title in 1995.

He had missed most of the season through injury and felt that he had not earned it.

In total he had played only 5 matches.

Photo From: 90 Minutes, April 2, 1994

(Blackburn’s David Batty on the cover of 90 Minutes magazine)

4- French International Carlos Curbelo of Nancy-Lorraine played for France twice in 1976.

However, FIFA banned him after they found out that the Uruguayan born player had already represented Uruguay three times as a Junior in 1971.

Photo from : Onze, May 1976

(Carlos Curbelo standing second from left in his first national team appearance for France, April 24, 1976, France 2-Poland 0, Top, left to right : Dominique Baratelli, Carlos Curbelo, Patrice Rio, Gerard Farison, Christian Synaeghel, Raymond Domenech, Bottom, left to right : Patrick Revelli, Jean-Marc Guillou, Robert Pintenat, Jean-Michel Larque, Didider Six)

5- The original referee, for Brazil’s Friendly vs. West Germany in March 1982, was Portugal’s Antonio Jose da Silva Garrido of Portugal, However the West Germans protested since he spoke the same language as the opponents.

Therefore Spanish referee Augusto Lamo Castillo replaced him.

Photo from : Onze, April 1982

(Brazil’s Leandro and West Germany’s Uli Stielieke, March 21, 1982, Brazil 1-West Germany 0)