It was in 1973 that Derby chairman, Sam Longson made one of those decisions that rocked the foundations of his football club. Brian Clough, who had delivered the Football League title to the Baseball Ground for the first time, was sacked after 12 matches into the new season.
Longson and the "Board" were growing tired of "Ol' Big 'Ead's" outspoken nature, particularly after he had called Juventus' players "cheating bastards" following Forests' loss the Italian club in the previous season's European Cup semi-finals the previous season. After short spells at Brighton and Leeds he joined Derby's bitter rivals, Nottingham Forest, who twice became champions of Europe under Clough!
Sam Longson OBE (11 April 1900 – 17 January 1989) founded a road haulage business in Chapel-en-le-Frith that became the largest in Derbyshire. He sold the road haulage company by 1967.
Longson joined the board of directors of Derby County in 1952 and became the chairman in December 1965. He was instrumental in the appointment of Brian Clough as Derby County manager in May 1967, under whose leadership the club won the league title in May 1972.
Clough helped win support to Longson as Chairman after he briefly lost the position. Longson's relationship with Clough broke down in 1973 and he accepted Clough's resignation after a disagreement over the manager's media appearances.
Longson appointed Dave MacKay to succeed Clough and the club won the league title again in 1975. Longson was appointed an OBE in the 1977 New Year's Honours. Later that year he disagreed with some directors on the board who advocated for the return of Clough as manager. Longson resigned as chairman on 24 February, though he remained as club president and was a director until 6 May 1980.
On this day in 1887, Preston etched their name in the history books, when they set an English goalscoring record, beating HYDE FC 26-0, in the First Round of the FA Cup, when Jimmy Ross scored eight goals past the "Tigers". He scored 19 goals during the club's Cup run, the first time that had happened (and since!). Jack Gordon and Sam Thompson each scored 5, making it the first time three players had scored 5 or more for the same club in one FACup tie,
On 22 November 1922, Wilf Minter, below, scored seven goals in an FA Cup match and still ended up on the losing side. The match was an FA Cup Fourth Qualifying Round replay, pairing Dulwich Hamlet from the Isthmian League against Minter's side, reigning Athenian League champions St. Albans. Their first meeting ended in a 1-1 draw at St. Albans, with the hosts nicking a late equalizer.
Played before a crowd of 4,060 at Dulwich's Champion Hill ground, the replay featured emergency replacements in both goals, which undoubtedly contributed to the scoreline. After the first 30 minutes, Minter had his first hat-trick and St. Albans were leading 1-3. Dulwich rallied to go ahead 5-3 in the 60th minute, but Minter notched another hat-trick in the next 10 minutes to push St. Albans ahead, 5-6. With 5 minutes remaining, Dulwich scored again to send the match to extra time. Dulwich struck first in extra time, but Minter again rose to the occasion, scoring his seventh to equalize five minutes from time. The teams appeared to be headed for another replay when a Dulwich player named Davis scored his fourth of the day to win the match 8-7.
Chelsea gained a 1-0 Premier League victory over Reading at the Madjeski Stadium in a match not likely to be forgotten by anyone present that Saturday afternoon. In the first minute Chelsea 'keeper Petr Cech collided with Stephen Hunt, the Reading midfielder's right knee hitting Cech's head which resulted in the Czech 'keeper being stretchered off. Substitute 'keeper Carlo Cudicini took his place but in added time he too was stretchered off, unconscious, after a collision with Ibrahima Sonko. Chelsea captain John Terry took over in goal for the closing seconds of the fixture which saw Chelsea down to 9 players as Mikel John Obi had been sent off earlier, as had Reading's Andre Bikey. Reading's Ivar Ingimarsson scored the only goal of the match - an own goal - to give Chelsea the 1-0 win and end Reading's 14 month unbeaten home record. The injury to Petr Cech was initially believed to be concussion but was later found to be a potentially life-threatening depressed skull fracture. But the Czech goalkeeper was back in action for Chelsea again in January 2007 wearing what became a trademark headguard. Mind you that caused him a bit of strife with the Chelsea kit providers in the early days - the headguard wasn't one of theirs!
