The Football Faithful’s Advent Calendar: December 15th

There are now only ten sleeps until Christmas and here at the Football Faithful we’re starting to get excited.

Here’s another daily dose of stats, facts and birthdays from this day.

The Football Faithful’s Advent Calendar: December 15th

Number: 15

During December we have discussed some numbers that are significant due to players making them iconic or picking them for unorthodox reasons.

But Leeds United take the cake for the most outrageous use, or rather misuse of the number back in the 2007/08 season.

At the end of the previous season, the Football League deducted a staggering 15 points from the Yorkshire-based club.

The punishment was dealt due to the club breaching financial rules and illegally bringing the club out of administration. Leeds were fortunate that a more lenient approach was taken as they were nearly expelled from the league system entirely.

The club’s owner at the time Ken Bates determined the number 15 was unlucky, so he made the decision to retire the number for the season.

A decision so bizarre you could only do such a thing once. Well, not if you’re Leeds United, more on that on Day 17!

Goal On this Day: Taarabt’s Moment of Magic

Adel Taarabt is the epitome of the brand of footballers put into the category of ‘Streets Won’t Forget.’

Today, 12 years ago, Taarabt was part of a Queens Park Rangers team that welcomed Fulham to Loftus Road.

Earlier on in the match the Moroccan had got himself on the scoresheet as his deflected effort found the back of the net.

However, Taarabt wasn’t satisfied there.

He picked up the ball just inside Fulham’s half before a mixture of good fortune and a clever stud roll saw him burst clear of Brede Hangeland.

The attacker drove towards the edge of the box before performing another stud roll and using the outside of his foot to place the ball into the bottom corner.

The goal oozed quality and nonchalance. In his prime, Taarabt made football look so effortless.

Footballer Born on this Day: Keylor Navas

Happy birthday to one of the most decorated goalkeepers in football history; Keylor Navas.

The Costa Rican turns 38 today and currently spends his day dusting his trophy cabinet and putting his feet – or should we say hands – up as a free agent.

Navas’s career stems from humble beginnings at Deportivo Saprissa in his native Costa Rica before he moved to Spain.

An impressive spell at Levante attracted the attention of Real Madrid who secured his services for roughly £10 million.

Whilst with Los Blancos, the stopper helped the club to three consecutive Champions League titles as first-choice goalkeeper.

He also won the league with Madrid before moving to Paris Saint-Germain and lifting another three league titles amongst many other trophies.

Navas also graced English football in 2023 as he spent the second half of the campaign on loan at Nottingham Forest.

Since his time at the City Ground, Navas has been unemployed but there’s no doubt he is still an elite shot-stopper.

It’s also a day for left-backs. West Ham’s Aaron Cresswell is 35 today, Arsenal defender Oleksandr Zinchenko is 28 and former Manchester United full-back Alex Telles is 32!

Stat: FA Chief Executive Resigns

On this day in 1998, Graham Kelly resigned from his role as Chief Executive of the Football Association.

There were allegations that Kelly had sanctioned a loan to the Welsh FA in order to persuade them to aid English FA chairman Keith Wiseman’s bid to become FIFA vice president.

Wiseman was desperate to be appointed to the position of power, as it would have been hugely beneficial in England’s pursuit of hosting the 2006 World Cup.

Ultimately, Germany hosted the tournament and Kelly left his post.

Read – The perfect gift for a football fan? Noughties Nines out now

See more – The Football Faithful’s Advent Calendar: December 14th

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