Shirt Numbers - Meaning or Bullshít?

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OK, I've seen a comment in a thread about certain players having "shown glimpses" of deserving to wear a certain shirt number for a certain club.

The Number 7 shirt has a special place in the heart of the fans of many clubs. Liverpool and Man United to name two, the players who have worn the number down the years. I suppose the Number 10 Shirt for Argentina carries a certain weight for those who wear it too.

What about being the club's "Number 9"?

Does shirt number actually matter?

What about in times of squad numbering? Does a certain, non 1-11 number evoke special memories? I suppose the whole Keane 16 thing would be an example of it, but doesn't Carrick wear the 16 now for Man United? Is he "fit" to wear it? Why was Keane never given a "proper" number?

Is it only fans who care? Are only the 1-11 jersies special?

PDN

Depends if the number is 'cursed' - Arsenal #9, for example.

dr.bollocko

Some players do care and ask for specific squad numbers. For reasons of superstition or habit. To fans, I guess it is nice to see a new player echo a past great by echoing his number. I dont like to see players running out with number 32 on their backs. It can get a bit ridiculous.

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PDN wrote: »

Depends if the number is 'cursed' - Arsenal #9, for example.

Explain please, I've never heard of this curse.

Thanks.

PDN

dr.bollocko wrote: »

To fans, I guess it is nice to see a new player echo a past great by echoing his number.

eg Adebayor honouring Kanu by wearing #25

Malice

Des wrote: »

Explain please, I've never heard of this curse.

Thanks.

I haven't heard about a curse either but they do seem to have allocated that number to a few players who were less than successful - Francis Jeffers, Julio Baptista and I think Reyes had it as well.

Eduardo has it now and I don't think he'll be banging in goals any time soon unfortunately.

PDN

Des wrote: »

Explain please, I've never heard of this curse.

Thanks.

http://http://onlinegooner.com/exclusive/index.php?id=323

The article was written before 'the Beast' turned out to be a poodle in the box and before the latest bearer of #9 ended up getting his leg mashed in the worst tackle of last season.

Mitch Connor

for non 1-11 numbers in squad numbers times.... 20 and 18 are special numbers for United fans now imo.

7 is obviously the big one at United - Best, Robson, Cantona to name but 3. None of the other numbers are really all that special. Even 18 and 20 will become ordinary numbers in a few years because they are mainly special due to who is/was wearing them most recently, as opposed to any long standing significance.

To echo a previous poster, not a great fan of seeing players wear massively high numbers (32 on Tevez for example) or Buffon wearing 99 for a time (think it was him) Also get annoyed by numbers being 'out of position' such as Gallas wearing 10. Another pet-hate is players wanting the '9' jersey and not getting it, then wearing 99, or even worse 1+8 on the back.

Xavi6

Clearly it doesn't matter to some teams. Arsenal gave Dennis Bergkamp's number 10 shirt to a defender ffs. Likewise Boulahrouz getting number 9 at Chelsea. :rolleyes:

Personally I love squad numbers. It's great that a player is associated with a certain number throughout their career and afterwards.

Oh, and Foe 23, RIP.

wcarey1975

Something says that it was my post that started this thread. It's a good topic for discussion. As for the 7 in LFC shift. I remember Kewell asking for this shirt when he came to the club. Smicer IIRC had it before he signed and was 'asked' to move his number and he did. The number 7 shirt carries a lot of weight. Particularly with UTD and LFC. It's typically under the older systems the focal of the attack. Ronaldo at the moment is carrying the '7' jersey with great skill. Beckham carried it aswell but in a completely different way. Typically the number 7 was the 'star' of the team.

I have heard of the curse of the number 9 shirt. As a matter of interest what shirt number is Eduardo and or who is the current number 9 at arsenal.

Edit: JUst saw PDN post. The curse strikes again.

stovelid

Not really, if he puts the ball in the net, I don't care if he is wearing #99.

Mitch Connor

Xavi6 wrote: »

Clearly it doesn't matter to some teams. Arsenal gave Dennis Bergkamp's number 10 shirt to a defender ffs. Likewise Boulahrouz getting number 9 at Chelsea. :rolleyes:

Personally I love squad numbers. It's great that a player is associated with a certain number throughout their career and afterwards.

Oh, and Foe 23, RIP.

They gave Gallas the number 10 so that the next wearer would not be burdened with the task of taking over from Bergkamp. Exact opposite to United regarding 7 after becks and 16 after keane

eirebhoy

Celtic players were offered the chance to change their squad numbers this season. McDonald took the number 7. McManus took number 4. McGeady thinks they mean F all so will stick with number 46.

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Tauren wrote: »

Also get annoyed by numbers being 'out of position'

Actually, yes, that annoys me too.

I wonder who the last club team, who use squad numbers, to line out 1-11 were.

Mitch Connor

Des wrote: »

Actually, yes, that annoys me too.

I wonder who the last club team, who use squad numbers, to line out 1-11 were.

Man United against Man City in Feb:D

EDIT: Shame about the result...

Anyway, the United 1 to 11 aint that bad....

Van der Saar (1)

Neville(2) Rio (5) Brown (6) Evra (3)

Ronaldo (7) Hargreaves (4) Anderson (8) Giggs (11)

Rooney(10) Saha (9)

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Tauren wrote: »

Man United against Man City in Feb:D

In a non-special occasion match.

Fratton Fred

Sol campbell wears No. 23 because he took a £23k a week pay cut when he joined us.

Or is it because Michael Jordon first wore that number?

Probably the latter.:D

grames_bond

when cantona retired you could get a utd jersey with "legend 7" on the back.....now that jersey would have lasted a while!! some players are superstitious, some feel if they wear the number of a legend itll make them step up their game (somehitng carrick must have felt) and osme players are just idiots! number 99 :rolleyes:

Chardee MacDennis

zamarano took 18 at inter when Ronaldo took the number 9 jersey, but he put a plus sign in between them - the lenghts players go to...

Melion

Some numbers do have special meanings. Imagine the poor lad who has to step into the #8 at Liverpool in a few years. Or the number 2 at United.

Xavi6

BastardPrince wrote: »

zamarano took 18 at inter when Ronaldo took the number 9 jersey, but he put a plus sign in between them - the lenghts players go to...

Clinton Morrison did that too at Palace AFAIK. If it's good enough for him......

Chardee MacDennis

Melion wrote: »

Or the number 2 at United.

as long as they have a proper tash they will have made the number their own....

Charlie

I think it depends on the club.

For Newcastle, the number 9 shirt is a big honour to wear considering the like of Shearer and Jackie Milburn wore it in the past, and it is the probably the number/position that the club will push the boat out in terms of a signing to wear it, i.e. Oba Martins now.

ciaran76

I know at Everton its the number 4 and number 9 jersey that holds a place in most fans hearts.

leninbenjamin

heh, i have a thing for shirt numbers. every number has its own unique properties and in essence this means for me each number has its own 'personality'. but the personality of the number changes with the context its used in. personally I like to wear number 7 in when i'm playing in defence, 2 in midfield and 11 if i'm playing up front. I don't buy into the superstition mumbo jumbo, it's just i like the 'personality' of my number to reflect what i'm trying to achieve on the pitch.

p.s. i'm not insane.

eZe^

Its all relative really, some players like the feeling of sentimentality when it comes to particular teams numbers, it may not actually translate to anything on the pitch but it's nice to feel like you are continuing a clubs historic legacy... Like the number 7 at Manchester Utd, or the 9 at Madrid and the 10 at Barcelona...


My personal favourite number is probably 21 because of Luis Enrique... Lucho 21 forever!! :P

BaZmO*

Obviously the numbers 1 to 11 would have more significance due to history but the advent of squad numbers has made them less so.

Galvasean

Senderos inherited Tony Adams' number 6. They mean nothing.
Except #9 for Arsenal which has been proven to be haunted by the ghost of Paul Merson.

edit: actually #7 is considered very special amongst us Gunners. RIP Rocky Roscastle.

RefulgentGnomon

Zero RIP


No. 7 is significant for Celtic (Jinky, Henrik etc)
I wouldn't imagine a player wearing 6 or maybe 8 to be creative or skillful (relatively) and instead to be more of a battler or tackler!

On a partly related point, could we please sort this out?

Im_No_Superman

Yeah I hate that aswell when players wear numbers out of position eg Gallas number 10. When I play I do try to get the number 14, love that number, didnt do the amazing Johan Cruyff any harm either.

Trippie

Of all the shirt numbers carrying a certain tradition Milan's number 3 will always be one the most important imo Thinking about it now I actually feel sorry for Paolo's kid, he better live up to all the hype considering they will be un-retiring the number 3 just for him

Bubs101

It depends on the country. The OP mentioned that the number 10 holds special meaning in Argentina but they robbed that meanin from Italy. The number 10 in Italy is normally the playmaker or the fulchrum of the team and they are normally Italian. Baggio, Del Piero and Totti have been the last two great ones. In Italy, number 10 is even the name of a position.

If you look at some of the current number 10's there you have Totti, Rosina,Di Natale, Del Piero and Mutu. All essential players to the team, two of them home grown and all filling similar roles and none of them (maybe Mutu) started with that number. Apart from that numbers have little meaning bar Number 1

Zaph

Don't forget the greatest number 10 of them all, Pele.

Flamed Diving

Anyone remember Zamorano for Inter with the number 1 + 8 on his back?

Pepe LeFrits

Fratton Fred wrote: »

Sol campbell wears No. 23 because he took a £23k a week pay cut when he joined us.

Or is it because Michael Jordon first wore that number?

Probably the latter.:D

He was #23 at Arsenal. I can't recall why.

leninbenjamin

Pepe LeFrits wrote: »

He was #23 at Arsenal. I can't recall why.

would it have anything to do with the fact that at 23 years of age Sol became the second youngest player since Bobby Moore to captain Engerland?

estebancambias

Maby its because he's gay. Let me explain.
2+3=5

Subtract by 2, and it equals 3. 3 being the number of letters in the word gay.

Take the first 2 and multiply it by 5(2x5), and it equals ten(10). 10 is the number of words in the word homosexual.

So for this reason I believe Sol wears the number 23.

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South Park was used as inspiration in this post
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pickarooney

Remember Argentina tried to retire the number 10 jersey, but FIFA wouldn't let them?

Jesus Wept

Djimi Troare - 21

Galvasean

Pepe LeFrits wrote: »

He was #23 at Arsenal. I can't recall why.

When he signed werent all the traditional defender numbers; 2,3,4,5,6 already taken?

ibh

Didn't he wear 23 at Spurs for a while as well. (My question mark key is broken so that is a question not a statement.)

Jesus Wept

ibh wrote: »

Didn't he wear 23 at Spurs for a while as well. (My question mark key is broken so that is a question not a statement.)

If you hold down 'alt' and press 63 on the number pad (the number pad to the right) you get a question mark symbol.

If you don't have a numberpad to the right/are using a laptop, I dunno.

ibh

The-Rigger wrote: »

If you hold down 'alt' and press 63 on the number pad (the number pad to the right) you get a question mark symbol.

If you don't have a numberpad to the right/are using a laptop, I dunno.

Cheers but i'm on a laptop... Just have to struggle on with poor punctuation for the time being...;)