I have a great sense of deja-vu heading into this weekend’s Phoenix match against the Queensland Roar. When looking at the statistics, I can’t help but feel a sense of trepidation.

We played Queensland Roar on the opening day of the A-League season, coming off 3 matches where we won 2 and drew 1 (Penalty shoot-out against Melbourne excluded).  When we were heading into our recent fixture against the Roar on the same terms, it got me thinking about superstition in football.

Whether it’s the power of prayer, getting your shirt off with 10 minutes to go, or giving your teammate a kiss on the chrome dome, there are a lot of myths and heresay around football superstitions.

I came across this book recently called “Myths and Facts about Football“, which breaks down a heap of myths and facts with some scientific analysis. It tackles issues such as being more likely to concede a goal after you have just scored one, and that a ‘keeper is more likely to save a penalty by standing still rather than diving’.

Professor Peter Ayton, a psychologist at London’s City University and one of the book’s contributors, reckons that the book could prove a useful tool for players and fans alike.

He told BBC Sport: “I’m not saying we’ve got all the answers but this is the way to find out what the real truth is. Pundits and commentators all have opinions but if you can back something up with data, then why not use it?”

Footballers and their fans are a funny lot when it comes to some of these things, which makes it all the more interesting to have some of these myths debunked.

Personally, I have a couple of superstitions when it comes to playing - I always put my left boot on first, and I always tie my right lace first. It doesn’t really help my game, but it’s something I generally stick to.

What other superstitions are out there? Feel free to drop a few comments in with anything you’ve heard, or something you do yourself.

Adam Brown is one of the founders of Yellow Fever – the Wellington Phoenix supporters group. As a freelance writer, he covers football for Sportal in both New Zealand and Australia as well as writing for several local publications. He is a keen footballer himself, but has never managed to excel beyond plodding through the local divisions in Wellington.

This article originally at The Hand of God, under the title Superstition and football - the perils and pitfalls.

Photo credits: tsetribe on Flickr via the84thminute photo pool.