ON THIS DAY

The Champions League quarter-final first leg between Borussia Dortmund and Monaco was postponed when the bus carrying the Borussia players and officials to the Westfalenstadion was attacked by three roadside bombs. One of their players, Marc Bartra, and a policeman were injured but thankfully the strengthened windows of the bus prevented multiple casualties. Islamic terrorism was initially suspected but then a financial motive was discovered with the bomber planning to make a profit if the attack caused the club share price to drop dramatically. The match was played the following evening, Monaco winning 3-2. 12 th April

Cambridge United chairman Dave Doggett identified a new threat in his programme notes for the League 2 clash with Accrington Stanley – senior citizen violence! He said that his club had identified a number of fans in their 50s and 60s who were trying to relive the 1980s by fighting with rival fans on match days. He wrote ‘ Many of them are grandparents trying to encourage the next generation to join their gangs. It sounds pathetic but unfortunately it is reality. We are working closely with police.’

Billy Wright of Wolves became the first England player – in fact the first player in the world – to make his 100th international appearance in England’s 1-0 victory over Scotland at Wembley. He eventually won 105 caps, captaining England 90 times.

France were due to play Italy in 1937 but when the Italians pulled out of the fixture the opposition that replaced them was perhaps an unusual choice.....Charlton Athletic! So on April 11th 1937 - the day after the Londoners had defeated Huddersfield Town 1-0 at the Valley in the First Division - Charlton were in Paris to take on France. And amazingly Charlton won 5-2 with goals from Don Welsh (2), George Tadman (2) and Harold Hobbis.

Swansea Town weren't too chuffed with the Easter fixture list in the 1935/36 season. On Good Friday - April 10th - they were on the south coast for a Second Division fixture against Plymouth Argyle, which they won 2-1. The following day their Easter Saturday fixture was away again - this time up north at Newcastle United! They lost that one 0-2.