Cult Heroes - Jose Dominguez

The English game is famous for being tough and physical and that's how we like it here at AG. But some people are born to go against the grain, to overcome obstacles even at the expense of looking a bit out of place. So we present you with the smallest player ever in the Premier League - Jose Dominguez.


Strangely for a Portuguese national, Jose began his career at Birmingham City in the old First Division. Despite Birmingham being relegated he was selected by the top brass at Sporting to replace none other than Luis Figo who had just moved to Barcelona. Although he fell short of the heights of his predecessor he moved to Spurs in 1997. He was a tricky winger with fast feet and a good burst of acceleration - also the ability to run between larger players legs or hide in long grass proved useful.


At 5'4" he was the embodiment of pluck and determination when faced with brutish English defenders. Although he was in and out of the Spurs side, he was a fan favourite during a relatively successful period - Spurs won the League Cup in 99 - and he helped to prove that there is a place for smaller, more technical players in the Premier League. -TG

Some Perspective: Dominguez, Crouch and worlds tallest player Kristof van Hout

Cult Heroes - Facundo Sava

What do you do if you aren't a very good centre forward but wish to be remembered fondly by the fans? Simple - make every goal you score as memorable as possible with a trademark celebration. Enter the masked Argentine - Facundo Sava. After beginning his career in his homeland at Ferro Carril Oeste he then moved to Boca Juniors and Gimnasia. It was at Gimnasia that he attracted the attention of Fulham. He arrived for £2m in 2002.


Whenever the striker hit the back of the net he would pull down his sock and extract a mask in which he would bask in the glory of his fans. Sava claimed that he was sent over 250 masks from fans but unfortunately he only ever scored 130 career goals. Here at the AG Chateaux we have been combing ebay for the leftovers but sadly searching for 'Sava mask' only yields a crime novel called 'Behind The Mask - a true story of obsession and a savage genius'. The reviews are generally poor.


At Fulham he made 27 appearances but managed to score only six goals(He didn't don the mask when he scored an own goal in the UEFA Cup against Hertha Berlin). But what Sava lacked in goals he made up for with personality. Who doesn't want Zorro playing for their club? He got the fans involved and to this day the supporters at Craven Cottage can not veil their fondness for him. After a spell in the Spanish second division, Sava returned to Argentina and eventually ended his career back at his first club. -TG

Cult Heroes - Chris Marsden

Here at Armchair Gurus we love a baldy and really they don't get much more bald than Chris Marsden. The left-winger first came to widespread attention at Southampton - at the  tender age of 30. Marsden had been something of a journeyman in the lower leagues starting at Sheffield United and moving to Huddersfield, Wolves, Notts County, Coventry, Stockport and Birmingham before finally reaching the Premier League with the saints in 1999.


One of the greatest injustices of modern sporting competition is that 'the bald Beckenbauer' never got the chance to solve the perrenial england left-winger problem. His quality at crosses could have transformed Emile Heskey from donkey-number-one to a Lineker-esque goal machine - it's no coincidence that James Beattie's best form and England call-up coincided with CMFGs(Chris Marsden Football Genius) finest years.


Marsden captained Southampton in the 2003 FA Cup final, but sadly the shine was taken off the day as his aerodynamic properties were not enough to prevent defeat to Arsenal. He scored one of the All-time-great-goals against Ipswich which you can see below as a gleaming example of the best left-winger England never had. -TG