ON THIS DAY

If a player from an away team kicked a home player he wouldn’t end up being too popular with the home supporters. Worse still, if a player from the visiting team kicked the home team’s unofficial mascot/good luck symbol he would end up being less popular still. That is what happened when Popular Junior played Deportivo Pereira in a Colombian League match in 2011. That unofficial mascot – an owl which lived at the ground – wandered onto the pitch where it was soon hit by the ball. The referee stopped the match and Deportivo player Luis Moreno walked over to the injured owl and kicked it off the pitch. That action saw the player receive worldwide condemnation as well and a two-match suspension and fine. Sadly the owl died.

The top clubs can win the FA Cup by playing just 6 matches over 6 rounds. That’s not the case for non-league clubs! Back in the 1977/78 season Northern League Blyth Spartans became only the third non-league club to reach the 5th round (last 16) of the competition since the Second World War with doubtless their dreams not being of Wembley but of playing a top side, away from home. They had started their FA Cup campaign that season in the first qualifying round played on September 17th with their last match coming over 5 months later, on 27th February, which was their 11th fixture in the competition over 9 rounds. They were cruelly robbed of a dream tie with the 5th Round draw being Blyth away to the winners of a replay between their near neighbours Newcastle United and Wrexham - with the Welshmen winning. But Blyth drew at Wrexham and the home replay was switched to St James’ Park. An amazing crowd of 42,167 witnessed the match and despite being beaten 2-1 and missing out on a home 6th Round tie against Arsenal what amazing memories they had. That’s what is called the magic of the FA Cup.

Alf Ramsey took charge of England for the first time, away to France in a European Nations Cup tie. England lost 5-2 with just two of the team that were to win the World Cup in 1966 – Bobby Moore and Bobby Charlton.