Half pay the Cup price

Q&A

Q. What is the record number of Premiership or old First Division clubs to be knocked out of the third round of the FA Cup in one season?

A. The current third round (the last 64) has been styled thus since 1925-26. From 1905-06 until 1924-25, the last 64 was the first round. Before that the first round was the last 32.

Since 1906 the answer is 11 clubs. This happened twice, in 1952 and 1982. Both times exactly half the First Division was knocked out. Ten clubs have gone out on 10 occasions, while the lowest figure is three, in 1995 and 1928.

In 1952 Aston Villa, Bolton, Derby, Manchester City and Sunderland were knocked out by fellow First Division teams;Blackpool, Charlton, Fulham and Man Utd were knocked out by Second Division sides (West Ham, Luton, Birmingham and Hull respectively); Huddersfield and Preston went out to lower division sides (Tranmere, of the Third Division North and Bristol Rovers, of the Third Division South).

In 1982 Arsenal, Birmingham, Everton, Notts County, Swansea and Wolves were knocked out by fellow First Division sides; Man Utd, Middlesbrough, Nottingham Forest, Southampton and Stoke were beaten by Second Division opposition (Watford, QPR, Wrexham, Leicester and Norwich respectively). - Barry Seaton, Stoke-on-Trent

Q. In August 1977, Steve Ovett won a half-marathon and two weeks later the World Cup 1500 metres. Has any other athlete shown such a mastery of disatance and surface in such a short time?

A. On 19 July 1952, the Olympic Games were officially opened in Helsinki; they closed on 3 August. In the intervening period, Emil Zatopek, the Czech athlete, won gold in the 5,000m and 10,000m and also won the marathon gold out on the road. - Tim Mickleburgh, Grimsby

Q. Is Tranmere Rovers the only senior British football club without a supporters' club (official or otherwise) or a fanzine?

A. To my knowledge there have been four Tranmere fanzines. Friday Night Fever, Three Men in a Boat and White Magic! are defunct, but Give Us an R is by no means a lost cause. - Tracy Walsh, Liverpool

ANSWERS PLEASE

Q. A Spanish football team made up of Republicans and Nationalists played an international match in Mexico during the Spanish Civil War. The team manager might have been Irish. Does anyone have any information about this match? - Sue and Mike O'Connell, Burscough

Q. Sheffield FC, formed in 1855, are the oldest football club, while Notts County (formed 1862), are the oldest Football League team, but which is the world's second oldest team? And which is the oldest Scottish team? - Ian Cusack, Newcastle-upon-Tyne

Q. Three rugby clubs in Courage League One - Bristol, Bath and Leicester - have odd shirt notations. Are there any other similar unusual variations in rugby or any other sport? And why do Bath miss out No 13? - Robert Fox, Blagdon Hill

Q. In sports like ice skating, diving and gymnastics, judges are clearly needed to determine the best performer. But why in ski-jumping, where the idea surely is to jump the furthest, should competitors be marked down on style? - Chris Pidgeon, Dyfed

If you know the answers to any of these questions or have a question of your own, write to: Q & A, Sports Desk, Independent on Sunday, 1 Canada Square, London E14 5DL. Fax: 0171-293 2894