ON THIS DAY

Despite a poor 2013/14 Manchester United helped set a new record on a pre-season tour of the USA at the start of the 2014/15 season. The crowd of 109,318 for their match against Real Madrid at the Michigan Stadium (nicknamed the Big House) was the record for a football match – sorry, ‘soccer’ match – in the United States….and United won 3-1. The previous record was 101,799 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena when France beat Brazil to take gold in the 1984 Olympic final.

‘Le Sulk’ was on his way from Highbury, Nicolas Anelka moving to Real Madrid in return for Davor Šuker and around £20m. But Arsenal’s big transfer news was to come the following day…..

Testimonials are a thank you given to a long serving players. When Tottenham played Fiorentina on this day in 1997 it was a testimonial match for David Howells who had made his debut for Spurs in 1986 and who would complete 335 first-team appearances for the club by the time he left the Londoners at the end of that season. But that match against the Italians also proved to be a welcoming occasion for two players who had arrived from Newcastle in the close season and who would become Spurs stars of the future. Playing in front of the White Hart Lane faithful for the first time as Spurs players were David Ginola and Les Ferdinand. Remember them?