Trivia and Facts-Part 45

1-In November 1983, Borussia Moenchengladbach’s Lothar Matthaus crashed his Mercedes 190E into a Transmission Tower (Electrical Pylon), while driving at 60 km/h.

After the incident he hid in a nearby park, until a bystander convinced him to go back to the scene of the accident.

He claimed he had only drank milk that day and that he had fled the scene fearing the car might explode.

Alcohol tests revealed to be at 0.8.

Photo From: Fussball Magazin, Issue 2, March April 1983

(Lothar Matthaus at Borussia Moenchengladbach)

2-  During the 1970/71 season, AS Roma Manager Helenio Herrera benched Brazilian star Amarildo.

Amarildo was still to be retained as a substitute for matches, however, he refused saying it was acceptable to be a substitute for Pele, but surely not for Walter Franzot (making a reference to his role during the 1962 World Cup).

Photo From: Ferrero 67-68    

(Amarildo at Fiorentina)

Photo From: Placar, Issue 3, April 3, 1970

(Amarildo during the 1962 World Cup)

Photo From: 1970-71 Calciatori Panini

(AS Roma’s Walter Franzot)

Photo From: World Soccer, July 1964

(Helenio Herrera)

3- On November 1, 1978, Grasshoppers Zurich eliminated Real Madrid from the Champions Cup after winning (2-0) and advancing on the away goals rule (Real had won 3-1 on October 18^th, 1978 at home).

After the match Real Madrid’s fiery forward Juanito approached the match Referee, the East German Adolf Prokop, and complained that Grasshoppers’ second goal had been offside.

In the Official Match Report, Prokop claimed that Juanito had ‘head butted’ him. Despite the fact that Television footage debunked this claim, UEFA nonetheless, suspended Juanito for two years from all European Competition.

Photo From: Foot Magazine, Issue 3, June 1981

(Real Madrid’s Juanito)

4- Greenock Morton’s Billy Campbel had been selected for Scotland in a friendly vs. France on May 23, 1948 at Paris (3-0 French win).

He was forced to withdraw after the toecap of one of his boots was broken.

He tried the toecaps of three other reserve players but none of them fit.

As a result, Sammy Cox took his place in the lineup.

Photo From: A Scottish Soccer Internationalists' Who's Who, 1872-1986, Author: Douglas Lamming , 1986

(Billy Campbell)

5-1930s and 40s French International Roger Courtois had been born in Switzerland and had double Nationality (French and Swiss).

In 1940, he had been mobilized as France had entered the War and was taken prisoner.

He decided on a plan to get repatriated to neutral Switzerland.

He went to the Prison Camp Hospital on the pretense of inflammation of lungs that he had from childhood (healed by then).

There he decided not to eat to lose weigtht. In doing so he lost more than 25 pounds and was repatriated to Switzerland in a seemingly ill state.

Once in Switzerland, he resumed his playing career and joined Lausanne.

Photo From: Football Magazine, Issue 44, September 1963

(Roger Courtois)