Eduardo Panizzo kicks off this week's offering with a poser: "Has anyone ever subbed their keeper specifically for a penalty and/or a penalty shoot-out?"

It's happened several times, Eduardo. In the 1996 First Division play-off final, Leicester manager Martin O'Neill decided to bring on 6ft 7ins Aussie keeper Zeljko Kalac for Kevin Poole, who's barely 5ft 11ins in his boots.

The substitution had the desired effect - but not in the way everyone expected. With the score delicately tied at 1-1 deep into extra-time, Crystal Palace failed to deal with a Garry Parker free-kick and as the ball was nodded into the penalty area, Steve Claridge "shinned a volley into the top corner". Well, so say objective Palace fans.

And then there's the case of a famous German keeper, who shall remain nameless for now. Said keeper had just moved to Milan after a successful spell with Schalke, but during one game of his five-match spell with the Rossoneri (in October 1998), he managed to upend Cagliari forward Roberto Muzzi and concede a penalty. Milan coach Alberto Zaccheroni had seen enough and immediately brought on Sebastiano Rossi for the beleaguered keeper. Rossi saved Muzzi's ensuing spot-kick, but couldn't stop Cagliari winning the game 1-0. The substituted keeper was soon on his way back to Germany, signing for Borussia Dortmund, from where he moved to the Premiership. Step forward, Jens Lehmann, we salute you.

A reader named Abbey draws attention to another case. When last year's African Champions League final between Enyimba FC of Nigeria and Tunisian side Etoile Sahel went to penalties after the two-legged tie finished 3-3, the former opted to switch keepers.

Off came Vincent Enyeama, with penalty specialist Dele Aiyenugba taking his place. Aiyenugba duly saved Ben Frej's effort as Enyimba prevailed 5-3 and retained their crown. Incredibly, Enyimba had done exactly the same thing in the semi-finals against another Tunisian side, Esperance, where Aiyenugba saved two penalties and saw two others missed.

Finally, in Joe McGinnis's book 'The Miracle Of Castel di Sangro', which follows the fortunes of the team from the Abruzzo as they play their debut season in Serie B in 1996-97, he describes how they gained promotion in a play-off v Ascoli in June 1996.

"The game went into extra-time goalless, and was still 0-0 with one minute left on the clock before the penalty shoot-out that would decide who was promoted when Osvaldo Jaconi, the Castel di Sangro coach, took off the keeper that had played every minute of the season so far and replaced him with a 34-year-old reserve, Pietro Spinosa," says Alan Edgar.

"The first 12 penalties of the shoot-out saw the score level at 5-5, then Castel di Sangro scored and Spinosa saved the next spot-kick from Milana of Ascoli to put Castel di Sangro into Serie B for the first time in their history.

"The Italian press referred to this event as 'di miracolo in miracolo', hence the title of the book."

THE BANDAGE SESSIONS

"I think I heard once that Celtic had an Egyptian player in the early 1900s who wore bandages instead of boots. Am I right?" asks Jimmy Lloyd.

Bluntly, no, Jimmy, but you're not too far away. In the mid-1930s, an Indian international by the name of Abdul-Salim Bachi Khan arrived in Glasgow to play for the Bhoys. However, what caught the eye of the locals was sadly not his talents, but the bandages he wore on his feet instead of boots; apparently, that was the custom where he came from. Still, he figured twice for the reserves in 1936, scoring a penalty against Hamilton.

KNOWLEDGE ARCHIVE

"When was the last instance of a goalkeeper scoring directly from a drop-kick in the English/Scottish top divisions? I remember Peter Shilton and the like doing this on what seemed like a regular basis (although obviously not in the 70s when I was a wee lad)" queried Neil Denny, back in the halcyon days of 2003.

Shilts did indeed score from a goal-kick, for Leicester against Southampton at the Dell, thus helping his team win the First Division match 5-1 in the 1967/68 season. (Although if you were a "wee lad" in the 70s, what were you doing in 1967, Neil? Watching from the womb?)

Since then, four other keepers have now matched Shilton's feat. Ray Cashley hoofed the ball into the net for Bristol City v Hull City in the 1973/74 season (the Robins won 3-1). Steve Sherwood scored for Watford against Coventry (Sherwood's side won the game 2-1 in the 1983/84 season).

Next on the glorious list is ex-Coventry stopper (and one-time victim of a hoax claiming he had been arrested on spying charges in Kazakhstan) Steve Ogrizovic. Oggy booted the ball past Martin Hodge of Sheffield Wednesday at Hillsborough in the 1986/87 season, helping his side to a 2-2 draw.

And the most recent to score from his kick-out is Andy Lonergan, who, since this fine piece of knowledge was originally published, managed to fire one past hapless Kevin Pressman at Leicester earlier this season. The Preston keeper saw his long kick take a bounce over the stranded Pressman and roll into the back of the net, securing his side a 1-1 draw. The portly Pressman later claimed he had been distracted by the sun; we'll leave you to draw your own conclusions.

For more classic knowledge, click here.

HITTING THE GERS WHEN THEY'RE DOWN

In the interests of winding up a Scot in our office, which club has the worst record of qualifying for the European Cup/Champions League without ever winning it? asked Paul Griffiths last week. "My money's on Rangers by a distance!"

We can't accept Scot-baiting here Paul, but thankfully Hugh Mooney, a fan of the Gers' old mates from Glasgow and buoyant after Sunday's Old Firm win, was more than happy to oblige with an answer.

"As a good Celtic fan I'm delighted to confirm Paul's impression, with Rangers owning a record of 0-24 as the Americans might put it," writes Hugh. "However, the field is more competitive than he thinks, because Rangers share this faintly embarrassing record with CSKA Sofia.

"Close behind this unfortunate pairing are Anderlecht and Dynamo Kiev with 23 appearances and nothing to show for it. As for other British contenders, Rangers continue to compete with Linfield of Northern Ireland (21), a battle that I'm sure will run for years."

WRIGHT-ING A WRONG

"On March 9, 2002, Leicester City had a 'Nicole Wright' on the bench for their Premiership clash with Charlton. Can anyone shed any light as to he/she's identity?" asked Adam Hurrey last week.

As mysteries go, this one has been right up there with the best of them. But the obvious answer is the correct one: a typo renamed young striker Tommy Wright for the day.

Can you help?

"After you revealed the now-with-God Pope John Paul II's devotion in supporting multiple clubs, how about Vatican newboy Benedict XVI?" asks Adam Rutherford. "Is he a Bayern Munich fan as his birthplace might indicate, or is he as polytheistic as his predecessor? We should be told."

"Has any player ever achieved the full collection of winners' medals at club (Europe) and country level; World Cup, European Championships/Copa America, European Cup, Uefa Cup, Cup Winners' Cup, domestic league and domestic cup?" asks Shane O'Reilly.

And Simon Phillips wonders:"Charlton have not been awarded a penalty yet this season. Are they on course for a top-flight record?"