# In which countries is football (ok, soccer) not the biggest sport? **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [June 15, 2009, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-which-countries-is-football-ok-soccer-not-the-biggest-sport/499829 "2009-06-15T14:09:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Wash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/9dc877/32.png) [@Wash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wash)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2009, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-which-countries-is-football-ok-soccer-not-the-biggest-sport/499829/41 "2009-06-16T15:35:10Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > [Most Obscure Reference Ever] Accrington Stanley? Who’re _they_? [/MORE] Milk? Ugh! ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2009, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-which-countries-is-football-ok-soccer-not-the-biggest-sport/499829/42 "2009-06-16T15:37:35Z")
> [@Giles](#): > > No cultural reference is too obscure for the Wikipedia: > [Accrington Stanley F.C. (1891)](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Accrington_Stanley_F.C._(1891)) That specific quote is the M.O.R.E., not Accrington Stanley itself. ETA: _sees **Wash** ’s post_ Holy shit! ---
**Author:** ![chowder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/977dab/32.png) [@chowder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chowder)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2009, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-which-countries-is-football-ok-soccer-not-the-biggest-sport/499829/43 "2009-06-16T16:04:44Z")
And what’s more, JC also opened the batting for Mercia -v- Old Caesarians in the very first test match played in 59AD at Stonehenge He scored 209 before being caught in the slips by W.J.C.D.S. Albertus. He was a very fine spin bowler and in the same match took 7/81. On retirement he returned to his homeland and began a more or less wandering nomadic lifestyle before being arrested on some trumped up charge of spreading sedition. He was put to death on Golgotha and a bloke who played against him in the first test (and was bowled for a duck) was still miffed so he stuck a spear in his side. Not a lot of people know that either ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2009, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-which-countries-is-football-ok-soccer-not-the-biggest-sport/499829/44 "2009-06-16T16:19:24Z")
Heresy! Jesus was a wicket-keeper. ---
**Author:** ![chowder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/977dab/32.png) [@chowder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chowder)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2009, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-which-countries-is-football-ok-soccer-not-the-biggest-sport/499829/45 "2009-06-16T16:31:24Z")
I think you’re confusing JC with Joshua who was indeed a very fine wicket keeper until his untimely demise when crossing the Jordan. He did not live to a ripe old age as most people think ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2009, 12:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-which-countries-is-football-ok-soccer-not-the-biggest-sport/499829/46 "2009-06-17T12:34:01Z")
> [@chowder](#): > > Yes I am, he played RFB for Accrington Stanley in the Cup Final of 54ad when they beat Scunthorpe 3-1. > > Not a lot of people know that Yes I remember, that was after the controversial 80-shekel transfer from Nazareth Athletic. ETA: Or was that 30 pieces of silver? ETA2: No, I think that was when he was transferred to Pharisees United. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2009, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-which-countries-is-football-ok-soccer-not-the-biggest-sport/499829/47 "2009-06-17T13:49:51Z")
Fun fact: that was Alex Ferguson’s first managing job. ---
**Author:** ![Scougs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scougs/32/3158_2.png) [@Scougs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scougs)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2009, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-which-countries-is-football-ok-soccer-not-the-biggest-sport/499829/48 "2009-06-17T14:39:34Z")
> [@gonzomax](#): > > Whats bigger in Scotland, soccer or golf? Football. Or, as we call it in these parts, fitba’. Sure, lots of lots of people play golf recreationally, and will watch the big tournaments on TV. But no comparison to the interest in football. Get chatting to someone in a pub in Glasgow and one of their first questions will be “Which team dae you support?”. And the implications of your answer to that are for another thread… ---
**Author:** ![Oredigger77](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/oredigger77/32/3181_2.png) [@Oredigger77](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oredigger77)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2009, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-which-countries-is-football-ok-soccer-not-the-biggest-sport/499829/49 "2009-06-17T14:47:18Z")
> [@chowder](#): > > Football and Cricket, numbers 1 & 2 in the world rankings. > > And we invented 'em 😃 > > cue “Land of Hope and Glory”… While you’re throwing out things you invented don’t forget Rugby. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2009, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-which-countries-is-football-ok-soccer-not-the-biggest-sport/499829/50 "2009-06-17T14:53:55Z")
> [@Oredigger77](#): > > While you’re throwing out things you invented don’t forget Rugby. And hockey, baseball, water polo, tennis… ---
**Author:** ![DSYoungEsq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c6cbf5/32.png) [@DSYoungEsq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSYoungEsq)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2009, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-which-countries-is-football-ok-soccer-not-the-biggest-sport/499829/51 "2009-06-17T14:59:19Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > And hockey, baseball, water polo, tennis… The English did NOT invent baseball. They simply invented it’s predecessor. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2009, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-which-countries-is-football-ok-soccer-not-the-biggest-sport/499829/52 "2009-06-17T15:47:54Z")
```auto ``` > [@DSYoungEsq](#): > > The English did NOT invent baseball. They simply invented it’s predecessor. 😉 [I beg to differ](http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/surrey/7610016.stm). ---
**Author:** ![Oredigger77](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/oredigger77/32/3181_2.png) [@Oredigger77](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oredigger77)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2009, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-which-countries-is-football-ok-soccer-not-the-biggest-sport/499829/53 "2009-06-17T15:52:53Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > And hockey, baseball, water polo, tennis… Huh, I figured tennis was a French invention and I assumed Hokey was invented on this side of the pond. I haven’t had time to read the baseball origin but I always thought that was a USA thing. ---
**Author:** ![chowder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/977dab/32.png) [@chowder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chowder)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2009, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-which-countries-is-football-ok-soccer-not-the-biggest-sport/499829/54 "2009-06-17T16:05:06Z")
> [@jjimm](#): > > ```auto > > ``` > > [I beg to differ](http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/surrey/7610016.stm). Yeah, in your face Yanks:D ---
**Author:** ![chowder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/977dab/32.png) [@chowder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chowder)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2009, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-which-countries-is-football-ok-soccer-not-the-biggest-sport/499829/55 "2009-06-17T16:08:18Z")
> [@jjimm](#): > > Yes I remember, that was after the controversial 80-shekel transfer from Nazareth Athletic. > ETA: Or was that 30 pieces of silver? > > ETA2: No, I think that was when he was transferred to Pharisees United. Wasn’t Nazareth Athletic kicked out of the league for offering bungs to a guy named Judas who at the time was playing GK for Canaan County? **Oredigger** : We also invented Cokey to go with the Hokey ---
**Author:** ![Oredigger77](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/oredigger77/32/3181_2.png) [@Oredigger77](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oredigger77)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2009, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-which-countries-is-football-ok-soccer-not-the-biggest-sport/499829/56 "2009-06-17T16:12:51Z")
> [@chowder](#): > > **Oredigger** : We also invented Cokey to go with the Hokey But you didn’t invent the Pokey and that’s the only thing that really goes with the Hokey. ---
**Author:** ![chowder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/977dab/32.png) [@chowder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chowder)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2009, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-which-countries-is-football-ok-soccer-not-the-biggest-sport/499829/57 "2009-06-17T16:16:12Z")
> [@Oredigger77](#): > > But you didn’t invent the Pokey and that’s the only thing that really goes with the Hokey. You’ve obviously never heard of “Oh hokey hokey cokey” have you? That and gung ho pilots is what won the Battle of Britain matey. With a bit of help from Vera and Gracie of course ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2009, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-which-countries-is-football-ok-soccer-not-the-biggest-sport/499829/58 "2009-06-17T16:27:35Z")
> [@Oredigger77](#): > > Huh, I figured tennis was a French invention and I assumed Hokey was invented on this side of the pond. I haven’t had time to read the baseball origin but I always thought that was a USA thing. Ice hockey was invented in Canada, but not hockey. ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2009, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-which-countries-is-football-ok-soccer-not-the-biggest-sport/499829/59 "2009-06-17T16:42:24Z")
According to Stephen J. Gould, the only thing we really know for sure about the genesis of baseball is that it had absolutely nothing to do with Abner Doubleday or Cooperstown. ---
**Author:** ![amarone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@amarone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarone)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2009, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-which-countries-is-football-ok-soccer-not-the-biggest-sport/499829/60 "2009-06-17T16:52:18Z")
> [@chowder](#): > > cue " And did those feet in ancient times…" I thought you wanted Land of Hope and Glory. Make your mind up, man. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-which-countries-is-football-ok-soccer-not-the-biggest-sport/499829.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-which-countries-is-football-ok-soccer-not-the-biggest-sport/499829.md?page=4)