The Beano 2002 'Guess the Footballer' quiz

[Vicarious Thrillseeker]

Thanks to Adam Hurrey on Twitter.

[Vicarious Thrillseeker]

[Stumpy Pepys]

1–8 I know. I recognise #9 by sight, but I can't see how it matches the cartoon.

[Simon G]

Are we sure it's 2002? Looks very mid-late 90s to me.

Like Stumpy, 1-8 are easy, but I can't work out 9 at all.

[Vicarious Thrillseeker]

Are we sure it's 2002? Looks very mid-late 90s to me.

Like Stumpy, 1-8 are easy, but I can't work out 9 at all.

No. 9 was at Rangers at the time, so the date pans out.

[Artificial Hipster]

No. 9 was at Rangers at the time, so the date pans out.

But Daley Blind never played for Rangers?

I've actually got no idea who no.9 is.

[Stumpy Pepys]

No. 9 was at Rangers at the time, so the date pans out.

Ah, I get it now. But Alan Shearer's hairline looks very mid-to-late 90s.

[3 Colours Red]

Are we sure it's 2002? Looks very mid-late 90s to me.

Are you accusing the Beano of being slightly outdated? Well, I never!

Seriously though, Photoshop had already been around for more than a decade by 2002. This is very much the Pritt Stick and scissors approach to photo manipulation.

[Jah Womble]

It's bothering me that the teddy bear, while being quite nicely rendered, has neither fingers nor toes. Nor indeed any attempt to indicate same.

[Discordant Resonance]

Am I the only one seeing a blank post at #2?

[Jah Womble]

You should be seeing five further illustrations. The first four of which you will very quickly solve.

[Kevin S]

The sheep's worried expression is superb.

[Sheep]

[dislike]

[Stumpy Pepys]

Seriously though, Photoshop had already been around for more than a decade by 2002. This is very much the Pritt Stick and scissors approach to photo manipulation.

I can imagine the Beano had no need for Photoshop. They'd have just sent camera-ready artwork to the printer.

[Capybara]

So, who is no 9 then. And no 7 for that matter.

[Simon G]

I had to cheat - I'd have never in a million years have got number 9. I've never heard of him at all.

[Vicarious Thrillseeker]

So, who is no 9 then. And no 7 for that matter.

Spoiler alert. I've given the answer below in white type.

9 is Michael Mols, obvs. And 7 is David Batty.

[pebblethefish]

So even after cheating I didn't get 9 right???

I went for it being Kevin Muscat/Muskrat, who was also in the Rangers squad that year

[Vicarious Thrillseeker]

So even after cheating I didn't get 9 right???

I'm interested to know how you cheat on this.

[pebblethefish]

I looked at all the Rangers squad from 2002, which had already been given as a clue

[Simon G]

Exactly as Pebble says.

[Sits]

Number 7 doesn’t look like him (well he doesn’t have wings etc. but YKWIM).

And I too had never heard of number 9.

[longeared]

I only remember number 9 because Wednesday very nearly signed him in early 1999, the deal fell through for some reason and he went to Rangers instead. Bet he wouldn't have ended up in the Beano annual if he'd joined us.

[ad hoc]

I am almost too embarrassed to admit that there are a couple of others I don't know, given that apparently they are all blindingly obvious (Is Dennis the Menace Dennis Wise? It doesn't look like I remember him looking)

[treibeis]

I thought number 9 was Bob Taylor. But, as my old man used to say, "'Thought' thought he'd shit himself, but he'd only farted."