Special Sub-Topic: The Curious World of Ajax II Click Here To Play: The Curious World of Ajax II

On May 7th, 1950, Ajax was involved in a memorable match for all the wrong reasons. What happened?

Ajax lost 6-5 to Heerenveen after going 5-1 ahead. Ajax had to win this match to keep their chances of winning the title alive. All was going well, and 30 minutes from time Ajax had taken a seemingly unassailable 1-5 advantage. But then the visitors collapsed and somehow lost. The goalkeeper was so distraught that he never played football again, nor could he bring himself to speak about that match every again.

September 18th, 1983 marked the biggest Ajax win over Feyenoord in competition of the past century. What was the score?

8-2. It was a nice birthday present for me on that rainy day, I can tell you. At first Ajax raced to a 3-0 lead, before Feyenoord came back to 3-2 and looking ominous, but in trying to score the equalizer Feyenoord opened up at the back and Ajax took full advantage, mainly through Marco van Basten and Jesper Olsen. The win was all the more sweeter as maestro Johan Cruyff had done the unthinkable, playing for arch-rivals Feyenoord. Feyenoord won the title that year though.

What was so particular about the penalty Johan Cruyff took against Helmond Sport in the 1982-1983 season?

He took it together with another player. December 5th is a national holiday. Saint Nicholas (Sinterklaas in Dutch) gives the children presents. Johan Cruyff played that generous role for the spectators attending this particular match that day. At 1-0 Ajax got awarded a penalty. Cruyff passed the ball to Jesper Olsen from the spot, got it back and scored. The goal stood, as the ball was always played forward. Ajax won 5-0 by the way.

Sjaak Swart, a through and through Ajax-man uttered a famous one-liner in a television show after a match against Benfica in which he scored the only goal. What did he say?

Well, I had to go that way anyway. It was the 1971-1972 season, arguably one of the best years Ajax had, winning the triple: national title, national cup, European Cup. In the semi-final on April 5th, 1972, Ajax met the Portuguese side Benfica and won 1-0, thanks to that one goal. It was enough to reach the final as the second leg drew a blank.

Ajax once suffered a humiliating 4-0 loss against weak opposition. Where did this happen?

Cyprus. It happened in the 1979-1980 season. Ajax had beaten Omonia Nicosia 10-0. So there was nothing to worry about for the second match, but Ajax was too relaxed and went down 4-0 to the minnows.

In their rise to fame, Ajax once trounced Liverpool 5-1 in a strange match. What was so strange?

Nobody saw it happen as a heavy fog had descended over the Olympic Stadium. On December 7th, 1966, many thought that the match would be postponed. However, both goals could be seen from halfway across the pitch and so the game was on. It wasn't strange that under those circumstances Sjaak Swart left the pitch after what he thought was the whistle for half-time. But he was summoned back by an Ajax-official, re-entered the pitch unnoticed and scored 4-0 a few seconds later.

Who was the first Finn to play for Ajax?

Petri Tiainen. He came to Ajax in 1986 and went in 1988. He did not make a big impact: he played a mere 8 matches during that time.

Ajax has eclipsed the barrier of 100 goals several times in the past century. How many times?

12. It started in 1960 when Ajax scored 109 goals. After that it went like this: 1961 (102 goals), 1967 (122), 1970 (100), 1972 (104), 1973 (102), 1982 (117), 1983 (104), 1984 (100), 1986 (120), 1995 (106) and 1997 (112).

When you look at where they were born, who is the odd man out here?

Marco van Basten. Marco van Basten is the only player here who was born in Utrecht. All others are from Amsterdam.

Shortly after the start of the 1991-1992 season Leo Beenhakker suddenly left for Real Madrid, leaving Louis van Gaal in charge as headcoach. What was the successful result?

The UEFA Cup. Which was all the more remarkable if you consider that Ajax had just returned from a one year ban in Europe.