ON THIS DAY

Manchester United beat Arsenal 8-2 in a Premier League match at Old Trafford, the first time Arsenal had conceded 8 goals in a League match since 1896.

It was a day when we all realised that the good health of footballers could never be taken for granted. It was announced that Seville player Antonio Puerta had died, three days after he had collapsed with a heart attack in a La Liga match against Getafe. Later in the day the Carling Cup match between Nottingham Forest and Leicester City was abandoned at half-time after City defender Clive Clarke suffered a heart attack in the dressing room. Thankfully he recovered although he had to retire from playing without making any further first-team appearances.

Robbie Fowler scored what was then the quickest hat-trick scored in the Premier League, his three goals in the Liverpool v Arsenal match at Anfield being scored in just 4 minutes 33 seconds. The record lasted until Sadio Mané scored 3 in just 2 minutes 56 seconds for Southampton against Aston Villa in May 2015.

David Seaman, one of England’s greatest goalkeepers, made his debut in the Football League. Released by the club he had supported as a boy, Leeds United, without playing for them in the League he had joined Fourth Division Peterborough United in August 1982. He first League match was at Stockport’s Edgeley Park on the opening day of the 1982/83 League season – 2,003 souls saw Stockport and Posh draw 1-1.

The first match that a club play in the Football League is always going going to be an important part of that clubs history. On a lighter side the win or loss in that first match will, for a time anyway, be the record League win or loss they had recorded. OK thats a record which will probably change the in the following week or two as well the following season or two, but that's not always the case. Swindon Town played their first ever League fixture on Saturday 28th August 1920, a Third Division home match against Luton Town. Swindon were 5-1 up at half time and Harold Flemming went on to score 4 in what became a 9-1 Swindon win. Over a century has passed since that first match but that 9-1 victory in it is still Swindon's record win in the League. Mind you a week later Swindon were beaten by Luton in the return fixture!