Recently, Jeremy Ngakia found the net twice for Watford against Oxford to bring his total career goals to three from 116 professional matches,” wonders a curious fan. “Excluding players who scored only once, has anybody with over 100 matches managed a greater proportion of their total goals in a single match?”
Denis Boone submits with the tale of French defender Chalmé. “Defender Chalmé appeared in 362 games during his playing days, primarily with Lille and Bordeaux,” he explains. “He scored four career goals, with a hat-trick scored during a single game. He scored all three in Lille’s 3-0 win at AC Ajaccio in 2004, achieving the most unlikely of three-goal hauls.”
That memorable hat-trick in Corsica were the sole goals Chalmé managed in 179 Lille appearances, while in 167 for Bordeaux, he found the net one time. Actually, twice including his self-scored goal in the 2010 League Cup final against Marseille. Scoring 75% of his career goals in one game puts Chalmé ahead of Ngakia’s mark (two-thirds), but there is a fly in the ointment.
Chalmé retired at Bordeaux in July 2014 after a loan spell at the Corsican club, who presumably recalled his brief purple patch a ten years prior. He came back to football with fifth-tier side his local club, playing seven games in half a year – and netting once. This reduces Chalmé’s percentage of goals scored in a single game down to three-fifths, but it seems unfair to penalise him for a post-career stint at semi-professional level.
A quick mention, too, for a different French defender: the legendary Thuram. While the original question relates to club careers, many readers emailed in to highlight that Thuram made 142 international caps and scored two goals in the identical game – the 1998 World Cup semi-final against the Croatian team. Sometimes, form is everything.
The Insubordination Files: Part II
Previously in this series we examined footballers who disobeyed their coaches. There are some more great stories, so we’re revisiting the Disobedience Records for a second look.
Tottenham v Manchester City, FA Cup semi-final, the 1950s
Tottenham’s skipper, Danny Blanchflower, made changes to the side during the FA Cup semi-final against Manchester City while they were losing 1-0,” recalls John Tumbridge. “Switching Maurice Norman from centre-half to attack, they ultimately lost and the manager, Jimmy Anderson [not that one], benched the captain for the next match and stripped him of the captaincy. Within a year Anderson left, Bill Nicholson became manager, the captain returned and the rest is history.”
England vs Albania, World Cup 1990 qualifier, 1989
Adam Clark points out: “Gazza scored his first England goal in this 5-0 win at Wembley after roaming everywhere’, according to coach Robson. The post-match interview are marvellous – a great blend of frustration, irony and fatherly pride.”
Everton v Tottenham, FA Cup semi-final, 1994-95
The Toffees’ most recent silverware was the 1995 Cup, and it couldn’t have happened without one man,” writes Jim Hearson. “Coach Royle? Nah. Goalscorer in the final, Paul Rideout? Close, but no. Goalkeeping colossus Southall? Nope. The hero was unpredictable forward Amokachi, who substituted himself on during the semi-final against Spurs, scoring twice to earn the Toffees a place in the Wembley showpiece against United.”
Telling the tale to the BBC, Amokachi said: “Rideout got a knock and went down ... I just approached the assistant and told him ‘The gaffer says you need me on’.” The manager was understandably furious at the moment, but kinder at the final whistle: “He entered the locker room and hugged me, gave me his hand and said: ‘Well done, son, but never try that again.’”
Sporting v Barcelona, Champions League group stage, 2008-09
“While playing for Pep Guardiola’s Barcelona against Sporting, Thierry Henry decided to change flanks. He soon netted to give Barcelona the lead at the break. Guardiola’s reaction? He substituted Henry for ignoring his instructions.”
Free-kick flurries
“As a West Ham fan, I’m often looking back at past seasons for some enjoyment,” weeps a fan. “While recently doing so, I saw that Dimitri Payet scored six free kicks in the 18 cherished months that we enjoyed him. I’m curious if there is a more productive free-kick taker in a comparable span?”
One comes to mind: David Beckham scored 27 free-kicks in his spell with United, including eight over several months between 2000. His most prolific 18-month spell at the club covers the identical timeframe: from 1999-2000, Beckham netted ten set-pieces – including two raspers against the West Ham. Apologies.
If it helps, there’s a player currently on West Ham’s books who can outdo Payet’s record: Ward-Prowse. The dead-ball specialist had two great runs with his former club, scoring seven free kicks between 2019-2021 across two Covid-affected seasons. He then hit another six superb free-kicks in a 10-month spell between April 2022 and February 2023.
Historical Trivia
“A friend who follows Southend insists the club once featured in a league match at the national stadium? Is he having me on?” queried a reader in April 2012.
Surprisingly, he wasn’t. The team were among two clubs – Brentford being the other – to play against Orient in the third tier at Wembley back in the 1930s, owing to stadium renovations at their home ground. Their official website takes up the story:
Following a league match against Torquay United (which the O’s won), Torquay representatives complained about the boundary fence being too near to the field. The Football League was duly asked to inspect the ground and agreed that changes were needed before further matches could be held; abruptly the Orient found themselves without a stadium. Incredible as it seems, the national stadium was proposed and the Orient actually hosted two matches in that year against Brentford and Southend United, securing two victories. Even now the Orient is the sole league team to have played home games at Wembley Stadium!
After that of course, Tottenham joined Orient in becoming residents at the stadium, albeit in the top flight. Lately, discussions about the Gunners upgrading the Emirates – and relocating to the national stadium while the work is carried out – has emerged.
Your Input Needed
“Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang netted four times and was sent off in Gabon’s 4-3 win over the Gambia last week,” writes Seb in Berlin. “Who else have been dismissed after scoring at least three goals?”
“In Austria’s 10-0 demolition of the minnows, every outfield player who started scored or assisted,” queries Paul Savage. “Has any other team managed this?”
“Of all of the players who have a monument outside the ground of their ex-team, who played the fewest games for that team?” asks a fan.
“Remarkably, Tomasson is the first manager to be fired by {Sw
