Four gone conclusion

Martin Tyler on the FA Cup without the big boys, defending champions, hat-trick heroes and more.

Martin Tyler's stats and facts column is back for 2008 and will be here offering you statistical gems for the remainder of the season. Sky Sports' voice of football and his back-up team of experts are here to answer your questions and queries on all things statistical and historical from the beautiful game. It could be on a side in the Premier League or Football League, international scene or European competitions - or it could be about an individual player or manager. If you have spotted something from a game or have been stumped by a pub quiz question, simply Email here and Martin will do his best to answer. Or use the feedback form at the bottom of the page....

Starting stat - Pomp and circumstance

I was at Old Trafford on Saturday to see Portsmouth kick off a weekend of incredible FA Cup shocks and throw up some weird and wonderful stats at the same time. The 1-0 victory means Pompey are yet to concede goal away from home in a domestic cup game this season: they have beaten Burnley (League Cup); Ipswich, Preston and now Manchester United (FA Cup) by a single goal on their travels. It was also their first win over United in the FA Cup since 1934 and their first win at Old Trafford since 1957, when they triumphed 3-0 thanks to goals from Peter Harris, Jackie Henderson and a player who I remember from my early days at Woking, Ron Newman. As for Manchester United, it was the first time that Sir Alex Ferguson had lost an FA Cup quarter-final in nine attempts. He had won his previous eight, but did lose his first back in 1989, when a Garry Parker goal gave Nottingham Forest a 1-0 win. UP AND UP FOR THE CUP
Hey Martin, you're doing great job. I wanted to ask, with Chelsea out of FA Cup now, can youy tell me has any FA Cup holder successfully defended the cup and how many years back it was? As far as I can remember every time it seems to be a different team lifting it! Hope you answer soon. Zohaib Durrani
MARTIN SAYS: Although none of us could have expected what happened at the weekend Zohaib, I did start my commentary by suggesting the odds for a repeat of the 2007 final were ridiculously long because it has actually only happened once before - way back in 1884 and 1885 when Blackburn Rovers beat Scottish side Queens Park on both occasions. Rovers are indeed one of only five clubs to have retained the FA Cup since the very first final back in 1872. They won it three times between 1884 and 1886, while Wanderers matched the feat between 1876 and 1878- the only two sides to have won back-to-back-to-back FA Cups. Wanderers won the first two FA Cup finals in 1872 and 1873 but Zohaib, you are right to think successful defences are rare, because it has only happened four more times since the Second World War. In 1951 and 1952 Newcastle lifted the trophy, while a decade later Bill Nicholson's Tottenham side did it, their first win coming as part of the famous Double of course. Tottenham did it again in 1981 and 1982 and more recently, Arsene Wenger's Arsenal side were FA Cup winners in 2002 and 2003 - and like the Spurs side of the 1960's, their first win was part of a Double. FOUR GONE AT THE CONCLUSION
Hi Martin - what a weekend! I was wondering when the last time none of the so-called 'big four' made it through to the semi-finals of the FA Cup? I certainly can't remember it! James Broome
MARTIN SAYS: You can be forgiven James, because the last time the FA Cup semi-finals did not include Manchester United, Arsenal, Chelsea or Liverpool was some 21 years ago. It was way back in 1987, when Tottenham beat Watford 4-1 and Coventry City beat Leeds 3-2, before going on to win the final. Since that 1987 final there has only been one occasion when the final itself hasn't included the 'big four' and that came in 1991 when Tottenham beat Nottingham Forest 2-1 in a game that will probably be best remembered for Paul Gascoigne's injury. Before the Premier League years, I suppose Everton and Tottenham were considered among English football's elite and if you take that into account, the last time an FA Cup semi-final line-up didn't include one of the big four, five or six, was in 1975 when West Ham beat Ipswich and Fulham beat Birmingham to set up an all-London final, won by the Hammers. HUNTING DOWN HAT-TRICKS
Martin, I know he didn't get a third one in a row, but before the game me and my mates were talking about Fernando Torres and his recent hat-tricks. We were wondering who the last Liverpool player to score four hat-tricks in a season was. Are we right in thinking it's Michael Owen? Paddy Heaton
MARTIN SAYS: You have also overlooked another Anfield goalscoring legend in Ian Rush, Paddy! But, even taking Rushie into account you have to go way back to the 1961-62 season to find the last time a Liverpool player scored four hat-tricks. In fact it was even five hat-tricks because that was how many Roger Hunt managed that season as the Reds won promotion from the old Second Division to the top flight. Hunt's hat-tricks game against Leeds United (Aug 26th, won 5-0), Walsall (Oct 14th, won 6-1), Swansea (Nov 25th, won 5-0), Bury (10th Feb, won 3-0) and Middlesbrough (Feb 24th, won 5-1). Michael Owen has scored three hat-tricks in a single season before in 2002-03 when he got two in the Premiership (including four against West Brom) and one in the Champions League. Going back to Fernando Torres, his 19 goals mean he is also on the verge of becoming the first Liverpool player to score 20 Premier League goals in a season since Robbie Fowler bagged 28 some 11 years ago. HAT-TRICKS GALORE
Martin, Benjani and Torres have both scored two hat-tricks in the league this season. That can't happen that often, but I was wondering what is the record for the number of hat-tricks scored in one Premier League season by the same player? Vicky Weston
MARTIN SAYS: We seem to be getting a lot of Fernando Torres questions in this week, but seeing as this is another variation, I will gladly answer, Vicky. His two Premier League hat-tricks and indeed Benjani's as well, have boosted the overall tally for this season to 11, but they still have some way to go before they match the Premier League record. That belongs to none other than Alan Shearer, who scored an incredible five trebles for Blackburn Rovers in the 1995-96 season. Four of them came at Ewood Park (against Coventry, Nottingham Forest, West Ham and Bolton) and one came away, at White Hart Lane. There have been plenty of instances of players scoring two Premier League hat-tricks in the same season, although with Easter approaching we should really mention Les Ferdinand, who scored back-to-back hat-tricks for QPR over the holiday weekend in the first Premier League season, 1992-93. He gor three against Nottingham Forest on April 10 and then three more at Everton two days later. IMPORTS AND EXCELLENCE
Hi Martin, I'm sure you're inundated with FA Cup questions this week so I thought I'd give you a change and ask a Premiership one. With Fernando Torres now on 19 Premiership goals I was wondering whether this is the highest amount for a foreign player in his debut season in the Premiership? If not, how many more does he need to reach this total? Keep up the good work! Adam, Wokingham
MARTIN SAYS: Thanks for the kind words Adam, I will endeavour to keep up the good work! And I will also answer your question for you, even though I have actually been inundated with questions on El Nino, this week! The goalscoring record for a foreign import in his first Premier League season is 23, and it belongs to Manchester United's Ruud van Nistelrooy. The Dutchman arrived in July 2001 and proceded to become one of four players that following season to top the 20-goal mark in the league, along with Alan Shearer and Thierry Henry (24) and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, who also got 23. Van Nistelrooy only managed one hat-trick though, in the 6-1 win over Southampton, and three two-goal hauls.BOBBY PUZZLER
Hi Martin, love the column, and all the stats! Please could you settle an arguement between me and a mate over a certain goalkeeper - Bobby Mimms. I say that he collected an old First Division medal with Everton and a Premier League medal with Blackburn, but my friend claims he didn't have enough appearances at either to warrant one. Please could you settle it once and for all! I am also told that there are five players who, if Bobby is one, have done the old First Divis and Premiership double medal collection. I presume Cantona and Batty are two of them who are the others? Thanks and keep up the good work! James O'Reilly, Dublin, Ireland
MARTIN SAYS: This is a difficult one James, because as I am sure you know, players are required to make 10 league appearances in order to receive a medal, although clubs do apply for extras in special circumstances, as was the case with Alan Smith at Manchester United last season. Bobby Mimms did indeed win a medal with Everton in the 1986-87 season, but only made four appearances for Blackburn when they were crowned champions in 1994-95. The same applies to David Batty who, having won the last Division One crown with Leeds United in 1991-92, suffered an injury at didn't make the required 10 appearances for Rovers either. So technically Eric Cantona is indeed correct and as for the other five players you mention James, all of them played for Arsenal. And more so, they made up the famous back five that won the old Division One title under George Graham in 1990-91 and then the Premier League under Arsene Wenger in 2001-02 - David Seaman, Lee Dixon, Nigel Winterburn, Tony Adams and Steve Bould. John Lukic, who won the old First Division with Arsenal and Leeds was also a non-playing member of the Gunners side that won the Double in 1997-98. Send Martin YOUR question by using the feeback form below, Clicking here or mail skysportsclub@bskyb.com (put Martin Tyler in the subject field)