THE LONG AND SHORT OF IT.

Crouchy got a good reception from the Anfield crowd yesterday but I bet his wife was even more popular. At 6'7.5" (2.02m) Peter is one of the tallest players in the game. The happy couple feature here:-

In the top ten tallest, then next four are Norwegians which proves something. My theory is based on rhubarb. With long dark nights in the winter, the Norwegians are "force fed" in the night by artificial light and accelerate their growth skywards in the summer when then have naturally long days.

This is a brave midget having a go at a ref and even a taller Even Iversen in the Norwegian League, even!!

Chinese league player, Yang Changpeng, measures up to these Scandinavians but Romanian Costel Pantilimon beats them at 6'8" along with Ivorian Lacina Traore, playing in the Russian League.

The Croatian goalkeeper, Vanja Ivesa is 6'9" and tallest are Paul Millar of Elgin City. Kristof van Hout, a Belgian goalkeeper at KRC Genk both 6'10".

Smallest include Marlin Garuch playing with Miedz Legnica in Poland at 5'1" and Barrios of River Plate.

Levi Porter now with Shepshed Dynamo is a massive 5'3", smaller than Messi, a giant at 5'5".  You will note that playing with England's U16s he didn't quite fit the kit!

Elton Jose Xavier Gomes, whose name is longer than he is, plays with Al Fateh in Saudi; he is 5'2".

Sammy Lee survived a long successful career at 5'1.8" and made a comedy double act with big Sam at Bolton. Here is Sammy fighting a canary.