ON THIS DAY

A first at Valley Parade at the League 1 match between Bradford City and Bristol Rovers. Referee Andy Haines took the players off the pitch for several minutes for health and safety reasons - a drone was flying over the playing area! It may have been the first time - but I've a feeling it won't be the last!

Derby beat Newcastle in the Premier League 1-0 at Pride Park in a record-breaking season for the Rams. It was Derby’s only League win of the season, they were guaranteed a relegation place in March and finished the season with just 11 points. Ouch!

Newcastle United played in the Champions League for the first time in 1997/98 and after a Qualifying Round victory over Croatia Zagreb they played their first Champions League Group match on Wednesday September 17th 1997. And what a match it was with the opposition being Spanish giants Barcelona. A near capacity 35,274 St James' Park crowd witnessed a sensational performance from United's Colombian international Faustino Asprilla. An unpredictable player who nevertheless was a fans' favourite with his extravagant playing skills and elaborate goal celebrations Asprilla scored a magnificent 29 minute hat-trick to give the Toon a convincing 3-0 lead. They were to be the last goals Tino scored for Newcastle - an operation on a stomach injury was soon to keep him out of the side for two months after which it was not long before he was on his way back to his former club, Parma in Italy. Newcastle went on to beat Barcelona 3-2 but when the group was completed Newcastle were 3rd and Barcelona 4th and so neither progressed to the knock-out stages.

Liverpool beat Norwegians of Strømsgodset 11-0 in a European Cup Winners Cup First Round match – nine different Liverpool players scored in Liverpool's record victory. Link (match details) - Clubs scoring 10 goals in Cup matches