"I vaguely recall hearing on the radio a while back that football was once illegal in Britain. Is this true?" asks a rather bemused Craig Dunmore.
While some would say that crimes such as England's performance in Euro '92 and the very existence of Wags Boutique should be grounds for slapping a banning order on all football in Britain, it has been quite some time since the game was illegal in this country. In fact, the game was only illegal before the Football Association laid down the current laws in the 19th century, and then it was only outlawed for limited periods in specific parts of the country.
It was first banned way back in April 1314 by Edward II when the game consisted of vast mobs attempting to kick, carry or throw the ball between opposing villages. "For as much as there is great noise in the city, caused by hustling over large balls from which many evils might arise which God forbid, we command and forbid, on behalf of the king, a pain of imprisonment, such game to be used in the city in the future," he proclaimed.
During the Hundred Years' War between England and France, Edward III, Richard II, Henry IV and Henry V all thought the game stopped their subjects practising archery and issued laws to suppress it. Scottish kings didn't look upon the game much more favourably and in 1424 James I decreed that "na man play at the Fute-ball".
Attitudes became more relaxed during the Elizabethan period, although the game was banned in Manchester in the early 17th century because of shanked passes breaking windows. Despite playing in his youth, the game's "frivolity" didn't fit into Oliver Cromwell's puritanical world view and the fact that the game was played on Sundays was particularly frowned upon. This led to football on the Sabbath pretty much disappearing for the next 300 years. However, the authorities never succeeded in stamping the game out - despite cities such as Derby introducing anti-riot laws to combat it - and its popularity increased as time went on, eventually leading to the formation of the FA.
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WHAT'S THE BACUP PLAN?
"In the Highland League, Clachnacuddin have played 20 games so far, but Fort William only 14," writes Ken Colgan. "Is this the most games in hand a team has ever had?"
In a word, Ken, no, as John Cooke is quick to point out. "When my team, Chippenham Town, played away at Merthyr Tydfil on January 27 2007 in the Southern League Premier Division, we had played 26 games and Merthyr only 19."
However, that's nothing compared to the goings on in the North West Counties League Division One, where one team have a whopping 12 games in hand. Second-placed FC United of Manchester lie one point behind leaders Salford City with six games in hand, but Bacup Borough have played just 20 games compared to Salford's 32. "In December we had several away games called off due to Cup replays; in January the stormy weather up here meant we couldn't play any midweek games - and now we have a problem with frost," said Bacup boss Brent Peters when we tracked him down. "The groundsman hasn't been able to get on the pitch all week so I doubt we'll be playing this weekend either."
League rules state that all fixtures must be fulfilled by the last weekend in April, which leaves Bacup in rather dire straits - but it's nothing Peters hasn't seen before. "We had this situation last season as well," he grumbled. "It makes a mockery of the league. We ended up playing three times a week and teams coming here weren't seeing the real Bacup. We had so many of our squad injured that in the end I had to pull me boots on and turn out for the first team - and I'm 49!" Still, with Borough currently 38 points behind the leaders and a total of 39 still at stake, they could leap from 12th to 1st if they win all their games in hand. "If I'm honest we might just miss it by one point," chuckled Peters.
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PADDY KENNY? ENGLAND GOT OFF LIGHTLY
"Much has been made in the past about English-born players declaring for Ireland, but is there an English XI who have played for England but technically could have declared for Ireland?" enquires Dan Brady.
Indeed there is, Dan. Picking from the reams of responses from informed readers (well, three), let us kick off with Dermot Lynn. "My XI would be: Joe Corrigan, Phil Neal, Martin Keown, Rio Ferdinand, Steve McManaman, Matt Le Tissier, Gareth Barry, David Dunn, Danny Murphy, Wayne Rooney and Kevin Keegan." Joe Innity also adds the names of Alan Mullery, Steve McMahon, Gareth Barry, Gavin McCann and Kieran Richardson for potential selection.
Going the other way, meanwhile, Colin Owens in Dublin reckons he's got a tasty team that slipped through England's fingers. "There's Paddy Kenny, Terry Phelan, Steve Finnan, Mark Lawrenson, Paul McGrath, Jason McAteer, Tony Galvin, Andy Townsend, Lee Carsley, Tony Cascarino and John Aldridge in a tidy 4-4-2 formation."
KNOWLEDGE ARCHIVE
"Does anyone know why 1860 Munich are so-named? I'm assuming it's not the year that the club was formed as the older English clubs were only formed around 1890," asked Simon Beresford way back in 2000.
"The yearly Bundesliga issue of Kicker magazine lists the club's founding date indeed as May 17 1860," said Carsten Bogdahn. "They are called Turn-und Sportverein München von 1860 (TSV, which means gymnastics and sports club). But their footie department was founded much later, on April 25 1899." And just in case you're wondering, the other sports that the club competes in include athletics, wrestling, boxing, water polo and skittles.
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Can you help?
"Which two Premiership players have had their surnames on both sides of their shirts (ie sponsor being the same as their surname)?" asks Alastair Francis.
"I vaguely recall hearing about a match when some players were eaten by lions," claims Liam Blake. "Is this true or was my imagination running wild."
"A mate of mine in Copenhagen sent me a message last weekend saying he was at a quiz night and one of the questions was 'What year did QPR win an award for best toilets at a football stadium?'" says Steve Mitchell. "Does this award exist and, if so, what year did they win it!"
"There's a story going round here in Germany that apparently in the summer of 2002, Germany midfielder Bernd Schneider went on holiday right after the World Cup to Sardinia," writes Henning Furbach. "There he could not refrain himself from joining kickabouts at his hotel with British tourists, who failed to recognise who he was. The story goes that everyone was astonished by his skills, but that still people didn't find out who he really was. Can this story be true? Maybe one of your readers remembers their holiday to Sardinia in August 2002 and a skilful German possibly going by the nickname 'Schnix'?"
"I seem to recall that the last us Pompey fans ever saw of Rory Allen, was during a tame home defeat to QPR on the last day of the 99-00 season. Given his fitness record, he didn't appear the next season and then mysteriously disappeared amidst rumours of heading Down Under to watch the Ashes. Can anyone shed any light on the missing years?" wonders a concerned Simon Humber.
Email your questions and answers to knowledge@theguardian.com.