ON THIS DAY

Jermaine Pennant made his senior debut for Notts County in an Auto Windscreens Shield First Round match with 1,109 being present in a 1-0 win for Hull City at Meadow Lane. Aged just 15 years and 341 days he became the youngest player to turn out for Notts County in a senior fixture. He played just once more for for the Magpies - again as a sub in a drawn FA Cup tie at Sheffield United on January 2nd 1999. A week later he was transferred...to Arsenal....in a deal worth £2 million which set a record for such a young player. But I guess most will describe him as a player who didn't live up to his potential. Despite scoring a hat-trick in his first starting League appearance for the Gunners amazingly they were the only League goals he scored for them making just 12 League outings in his 6 seasons with the Gunners. He went on to play for Watford, Leeds, Birmingham, Liverpool, Portsmouth, Stoke, Wolves, Wigan and Bury as well as spells abroad.

Tommy Docherty was appointed Manchester United manager at a reputed salary of £15,000 a year. Mainly remembered, perhaps, as being in charge when the Holy Trinity of Charlton, Best and Law finished their playing days at Old Trafford, seeing United relegated to Division 2 and setting up home with the wife of the club physio.