“Harry Kane is now Bayern’s seventh-highest scorer of all time, as well as being Tottenham’s highest scorer. The man he overtook at the top of that list, Jimmy Greaves, is also Chelsea’s seventh-highest scorer of all time. Do any other players feature on two (or more) clubs’ all-time top-10 scoring charts?” asks Owen Powell.
A trawl through the Knowledge archive reminded us that we have previously looked at players who are the record goalscorer for more than one club. This question is slightly different, as we’re focusing on goalscorers who are in the all-time top 10 for the most different clubs. There are dozens of players who appear for two clubs, including Sergio Agüero (Atlético Madrid and Manchester City), Kenny Dalglish (Celtic and Liverpool), Jimmy Greaves (Chelsea and Tottenham), Lionel Messi (Barcelona and Inter Miami), Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid and Al-Nassr) and Alan Shearer (Blackburn and Newcastle).
There’s one more worthy of mention. “Harry Johnson is all-time top scorer for both Sheffield United and Mansfield,” writes Darren White. “He played for the Blades between 1919 and 1931, scoring 201 league goals. At the age of 32, he left for Mansfield, scoring 104 goals for them over three seasons. He didn’t play for anyone else, so he has the possibly unique record (for someone with more than one club) of being top scorer for every team he represented.”
And so to those who are among the top 10 goalscorers for more than two clubs: “Romário (Vasco da Gama, Flamengo and PSV) and Delio Onnis (Monaco, Tours FC and Gimnasia) feature on at least three clubs’ all time top-10 scoring charts,” writes Dirk Maas. “Onnis also played for Toulon, but I could not find an official source to confirm that Onnis is in their top 10 as well.”
Elsewhere, Rhys Shakeshaft suggests Robbie Keane, who is among the top 10 goalscorers for three of his clubs (Tottenham, LA Galaxy, ATK), and André-Pierre Gignac (Marseille, Toulouse, Tigres UANL). And Tom Stuart was among those who nominated John Aldridge (Newport County, Oxford United, Tranmere Rovers). The striker is also the Republic of Ireland’s fourth-highest goalscorer.
As well as being Cameroon’s all-time leading goalscorer, Samuel Eto’o is potentially in the top 10 for four clubs: Mallorca, Barcelona, Anzhi Makhachkala and Antalyaspor. “I’m not 100% sure if I can trust the Antalyaspor record,” writes Rhys Shakeshaft, who sent in the answer, “but I’m happy with the other three.”
Historical goalscoring data isn’t always 100% reliable, but we think Sam Kerr is among the top 10 leading scorers for five teams: Perth Glory FC, Western New York Flash, Gotham FC, Chicago Red Stars and Chelsea.
Even five clubs wouldn’t be a record. “I’ve managed to find one male footballer who, amazingly, is in the top 10 for six different clubs!” writes Ben. “Morocco’s Abderrazak Hamdallah is the all-time top scorer for OC Safi (Morocco), second for El-Jaish (Qatar), fourth for Guangzhou R&F/Guangzhou City (China), fourth for Al-Nassr, seventh for Al-Ittihad and 10 for Al-Shabab (all Saudi Arabia). He’s 35 years old and has just joined Al-Taawoun, so it’s entirely possible he’ll add another club to that list.”
Getting shirty
“The German national kit is not going to be made by Adidas any more, going to Nike after 70 years. Is this the longest kit supply partnership in history, and what’s the longest current run in club football?” asks Paul Savage.
Dirk Maas has unearthed a couple of club sponsorships that have lasted more than 60 years. “Adidas has been Bayern Munich’s kit sponsor since 1965,” writes Dirk, “but the first time the Adidas trefoil was visible on the shirt was 17 October 1973. HJK (from Helsinki) also started a partnership with Adidas in 1965, one that has continued uninterrupted ever since. The first HJK shirt with the Adidas trefoil I could find was in 1976.”
We can’t find anything to beat the 70-year relationship between Germany and Adidas. We think that, when that deal officially ends, the longest partnership in international football will be between Austria and Puma. That goes back to 1977 and includes some memorable kits – most of them for the right reasons.
In the red
In the Knowledge last week we looked at players who scored more own-goals than goals during their career. A number of you pointed out the omission of Des Walker, a magnificent defender for Nottingham Forest and England in particular, but one who wasn’t renowned for his goalscoring exploits.
Walker famously scored only once in more than 800 games, an improbable belter for Forest against Luton in 1992. But he scored at least seven own goals – four for Forest and three for Sheffield Wednesday. The Forest collection included the winner for Spurs in the dramatic 1991 FA Cup final. He also scored at the wrong end when Sheffield United came from 2-0 down to beat Forest in a First Division playoff semi-final in 2003. His other own goals came in the League Cup: against Crystal Palace in January 1992 (a week after he scored against Luton) and Portsmouth in 2003.
He also managed at least three own goals during his time at Sheffield Wednesday, against Liverpool (1994-95), Tottenham (1995-96) and Preston (2000-01). That gives him a career balance of -6 goals: an unbecoming legacy for one of England’s greatest central defenders.
Knowledge archive
“After Lahti’s fourth consecutive 0-0 draw last night, does anyone know of a similar run?” tweeted Finnish Football Show back in 2017.
This question was made for George Graham, and he hasn’t let us down. His Arsenal team played four league games in October 1993 and drew the lot 0-0. In Arsenal’s defence (or should that be attack?) they did score some goals in cup matches during the month. Still, four consecutive 0-0s in the league is pretty impressive.
Surprisingly enough, Arsène Wenger’s Arsenal also managed a quartet of 0-0s in the league during the 2008-09 season – though they also scored and conceded in cup games during that period.
Goalless George did it again at Spurs, with four consecutive 0-0 draws in January and February 2001. They were all in the league but as no cup games were played in that period it counts as four consecutive 0-0s in all competitions. Serhiy Rebrov was guilty of appalling statisticide when, in the next league match at Manchester City, he scored the only goal in the 90th minute.
Wolves tested the will of season-ticket holders with four consecutive 0-0s at Molineux at the back end of the 2015-16 season. Udinese managed four in a row in the 1982-83 Serie A season, a campaign in which – and you’ll like this – they drew 20 of their 30 games. Como matched that feat in Serie A in 1986-87. That season, they played 30 games, scored 16 goals and conceded 20.
Best of all, earlier this year [in 2017 – ed] FC Rostov followed a 6-0 win at Tom Tomsk with five consecutive 0-0 draws in the Russian Premier League, though they were punctuated by a Europa League goalfest at Old Trafford: Rostov lost 1-0.
Can you help?
“Burnley have gone a calendar year without a home league win. What is the longest home drought, in the league or in all competitions?” asks our own Niall McVeigh.
“Last week, Justin Seven-Seven came on in the 75th minute and then scored in the 77th minute for West Brom Under-21s against Sutton United in the National League Cup. You have probably already guessed my question, but has anyone else ever scored in the same minute as their name?” wonders Peter Skilton.
“Since the advent of squad numbers, has any club used every number from 1 to 99? Which British club comes closest to using all 99 one and two-digit numbers?” asks Vasko Wackrill.
“With the constant talk of the golden boot and how unstoppable Erling Haaland is for Manchester City, wouldn’t a team be more dangerous if all of the outfield players, including substitutes, scored at least once or perhaps a few times during a season? Have there been any teams in which all of their outfield players have scored at least once in a particular season? If not, which group has had the most players score in a season?” asks Bob Zoellner.
“In the third round of the Portuguese Cup, played last weekend, six clubs from the Primeira Liga were eliminated by teams from lower divisions,” begins Cláudio Gameiro. “Is this a record for a European league? And has a national cup final ever been contested by two teams from lower divisions? I’m betting France.”
“By my reckoning, Ross County have already scored 81 goals this season: 38 in 10 league games (including beating poor Queen of the South 8-0 and 7-1), 30 in six Challenge Cup group games, 13 in six League Cup games. They may well have scored a century of goals by the end of October! Surely that cannot be bettered. What is the earliest a team has hit a century of goals in a season?” asks Stephen James.
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