ON THIS DAY

Footballers behaving badly again hit the headlines on this day in 2000 when Leicester City were kicked out of the exclusive La Manga resort in Spain. Leicester were taking a mid-winter break prior to their League Cup final against Tranmere Rovers but with their players generally misbehaving and Stan Collymore emptying the contents of a fire extinguisher ove r players and guests their stay was cut short. The club got the players to pay for the damage and fined the person they thought the ringleader – Stan Collymore – two weeks wages. Not bad seeing that he had only been signed by City a week earlier! Believing that was behind them Leicester City visited La Manga again in March 2004. This time six players were arrested and appeared in court accused of sexual aggression. Three of them – Paul Dickov, Keith Gillespie and Frank Sinclair spent a week in prison before the charges were dropped. I understand Leicester City now go to Skegness for their winter sun! 17 th February

In the days before substitutes injured players were often expected to stay on the pitch and do their duty. On this day in 1952, Stoke goalkeeper Dennis Herod suffered a first half injury in a Division 1 match against Aston Villa at Villa Park. He was patched up and sent out for the second half and asked 'to make a nuisance of himself' on the left wing. He did just that - and scored the winning goal in Stoke's 3-2 victory. His injury - a broken arm!

Ashington spent 8 seasons in the Football League in the 1920s, their last season being 1928/29. They finished bottom of the Third Division (North) that season conceding 115 goals with their worst defeat being 8-2 at home to eventual champions Bradford City. On this day in 1929 Ashington suffered another major defeat at their Portland Park ground that season, 4-7 against Doncaster Rovers with Tom Keetley scoring 6 of the Doncaster goals. That was – and still is – the record goals scored by a Doncaster player in a League match while the 180 League goals he scored in his Doncaster career also remains a Rovers record. Amazingly Tom was one of six Keetley brothers who played in the Football League including four – Tom plus Harry, Joe and Frank – who turned out for Doncaster Rovers.