ON THIS DAY

The total mis-match that was the Scottish League Division 3 in 2012/13 was well shown by the attendances in the last round of League matches on May 4th. There were 386 spectators at Annan, 745 at Clyde, 786 at Elgin, 462 at Queens Park and 50,048 at Ibrox for the Rangers v Berwick match. Rangers had been demoted from the Premier League after financial problems in the previous season had seen them enter administration. The Scottish giants took the title by a mile, finishing 24 points ahead of runners-up Peterhead and although the 50,048 was their best League gate of the season (will that ever be bettered in Division 3?) only once did a League attendance at Ibrox drop below 40,000.

The First Division fixture between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Liverpool saw a dramatic conclusion to the League season which was suitably marked by the Wolves programme cover. The match, on the last evening of the season, saw Wolves needing a win to have any chance of overtaking near neighbours Birmingham City (who also played that evening) and keep their place in the First Division. Liverpool were a point behind top-placed QPR (who had finished their season) and needed the two points to guarantee them the League title. A 48,900 Molineux crowd saw Wolves leading 1-0 with 15 minutes left - but Liverpool won 3-1. Liverpool were the champs, Wolves were relegated.

Goalkeeper Peter Shilton made his Football League debut for Leicester City against Everton at Filbert Street. He kept a clean sheet in the 3-0 First Division victory and went on to play 1005 League matches in the League and 125 times for England, both records.

Italian football was in mourning following the Superga tragedy. The aeroplane carrying AC Torino back from playing a friendly in Lisbon against Benfica crashed into the Basilica of Superga near Turin in bad weather, killing all 31 on board. Among the dead were 18 Torino players - including most of the Italian national team - as well as their English manager Leslie Lievesley. The crash left Torino with just one senior player - Sauro Tomà who missed the trip due to injury - and so for the final four league matches of the season Torino fielded their youth team. As a mark of respect their opponents in those four matches also fielded their youth sides - Torino won them all to confirm their fifth Italian championship in a row.

It was definitely a game of two halves at Exeter City's last Division 3 (South) fixture in the 1934/35 season. The score at St James Park against Aldershot was 0-0 at half-time - at full time it was Exeter 8 Aldershot 1.

Now this was a memorable debut! After being a consistent scorer for the Accrington Stanley reserve side centre-forward Allan Duckworth was given his first team debut in Accrington's last match of the 1934/35 season, a Division 3 (North) match at Barrow. He scored after 4 minutes and that goal helped Accrington to a victory which saved them from finishing in the re-election area. But he was also carried off after 20 minutes with a knee injury and four months later having not recovered from that injury - and having also suffered a badly dislocated shoulder - he retired from the game. Those 20 minutes proved to be the only League football he ever played.

Cardiff City played their last match of the 1928/29 campaign - a 1-1 draw with Blackburn Rovers - to finish the season with the best defensive record in the First Division. But that achievement didn't see them challenging for the title - in fact they finished bottom and were relegated to the Second Division! Despite winning their first home match of the season 7-0 - against Burnley - Cardiff also finished with the worst goalscoring record in the division and that saw them relegated.