Squad Numbers

Quoted from ivanosandwich

Conteh said 42 is the same number as his hero, Yaya Toure

If Yaya Koure is his hero someone at the club needs to be super organised and get him a birthday cake sorted for his 21st on Boxing Day. We don't want him throwing his toys out of the pram just before the January transfer window opens if the club forgets.

Quoted from Civvy at last

I believe the number 12 shirt in local league  football was retired in respect when I stopped playing.
But I did win the best ‘Lino’ and net putter upper’ three years running 😉

When you put said nets up who's shoulders where you perched on?All the best fella hope to catch you at a game

Quoted from BobbyCummingsTackle

Might Conteh have wanted 6, been told he can't have it and so opted for 42 because 4+2=6?

Several players at other clubs have done similar. Somebody (I can't for the life of me remember who) even had a little plus sign on their shirt between the 2 numbers.

I think that was Ivan Zamorano at Inter when Ronaldo took the 9.

Quoted from mimma

When Argentina hosted the world, they issued squad numbers in alphabetical order.Midfield player Ossie Ardilles was no 1.

England did the same (more or less) at the World Cup in Spain. The goalkeepers wore 1, 13 & 22. The rest of the squad were in alphabetic order apart from Kevin Keegan who was given number 7 (he would have been 9 with alphabetic order).

It meant midfielder Trevor Brooking wore 3, winger Steve Coppell wore 5 and midfielder Glenn Hoddle wore 9.

Italy took it to another level for their Italia 90 squad numbers. Similar to England in 1982 the goalkeepers were given 1, 12 & 22.

The defenders were given numbers 2 to 8 in alphabetic order meaning a young Paolo Maldini wore 7 & Pietro Vierchowod wore 8.

The midfielders wore 9 to 14 (minus 12) in alphabetic order including Carlo Ancelotti wearing 9.

The forwards, number 10's and the one attack minded winger in the squad wore numbers 15 to 21 in alphabetic order with Roberto Baggio (15) & Toto Schillaci (19) coming from no where to star at the tournament.

Gigi Buffon's decision to wear 88 was an interesting one, especially after already wearing a t-shirt with a phrase used my Mussolini.

His explanation was even more interesting...

Quoted Text

"I have chosen 88 because it reminds me of four balls and in Italy we all know what it means to have balls: strength and determination," he said. "And this season I will have to have balls to get back my place in the Italy team."

It gets better though, to the point where you just think he probably is/was thick.

Quoted Text

"At first I didn't choose 88," he explained. "I wanted 00 but the league told me that was impossible. I also considered 01 but that was not considered a proper number. I liked 01 because it was the number on the General Lee car in the TV series the Dukes of Hazzard."

Quoted from Marinerdan

Didn’t Scotland have an odd system based on number of appearances?

I remember Ally McCoist wearing something odd like number 4.

At Italia 90, but the system gave Ally McCoist the number 9 shirt...

1 Jim Leighton (55)
2 Alex McLeish (69)
3 Roy Aitken (53)
4 Richard Gough (49)
5 Paul McStay (46)
6 Maurice Malpas (34)
7 Mo Johnston (33)
8 Jim Bett (24)
9 Ally McCoist (23)
10 Murdo MacLeod     (14)
11 Gary Gillespie (11)
12 Andy Goram (9)
13 Gordon Durie (6)
14 Alan McInally (7)
15 Craig Levein (5)
16 Stuart McCall (5)
17 Stewart McKimmie (4)
18 John Collins (4)
19 David McPherson (4)
20 Gary McAllister (3)
21 Robert Fleck (3)
22 Bryan Gunn (1)

*Presumably Alan McInally played in Scotland's final warm up match away in Malta after the squad was announced and Gordon Durie didn't.

And Scotland did the same at Euro 92 and Ally McCoist wore number 5.

Quoted from diehardmariner

Gigi Buffon's decision to wear 88 was an interesting one, especially after already wearing a t-shirt with a phrase used my Mussolini.

His explanation was even more interesting...



It gets better though, to the point where you just think he probably is/was thick.

He must be thick if he wears 88 and doesn't think people will know exactly why he's chosen it.

Always liked this fella at Aberdeen:

Can't say I'm overly bothered who wears what shirt number.