ON THIS DAY

Leicester City’s Dennis Wise broke the cheekbone of team-mate Callum Davidson in an argument following a game of cards during the club’s pre-season tour of Finland. The incident later saw the England international sacked by Leicester for serious misconduct.

Nick Barmby was transferred from Everton to Liverpool for £6 million. It was the first time that a player had moved from Everton to Liverpool since Dave Hickson in 1959 and the abuse Barmby was to receive probably explained why!

The day that a new transfer fee record for a Football League player was set. Since March 1951 the record was for Jackie Sewell’s transfer from Notts County to Sheffield Wednesday but on this day that record fee was topped when South African Eddie Firmani moved from Charlton Athletic to Sampdoria in Italy. OK, the new record transfer fee was only £35,000 – just £500 more than the previous record – but the Italians were certainly seen to be throwing their money around. In addition to the record transfer fee they paid Firmani a £5,000 signing-on fee and increased his wages from £15 to £150 a week. Amazing! Firmani spent 8 years in Italy – also playing for Inter-Milan and Genoa – and also played 3 times for Italy being eligible to play for them as he had an Italian grandfather. He returned to Charlton in 1963 and later had a spell as manager the The Valley.