THE MET POLICE DO NOT HAVE TO ENFORCE THEIR PENALTY PUNISHMENT

On Wednesday 31st August 2005 Tunbridge Wells FC  played a replay against Littlehampton Town FC in the FA Cup. On the previous Saturday, they had drawn 1-1 by the seaside (at Littlehampton!!) and going back to Royal Tunbridge Wells and the Culverden Stadium, the Wells drew after extra time 2-2.

Littlehampton was called hamm tun, which means the farm or hamlet by the river meadow. In time the name changed to Hampton and the prefix little was added to distinguish it from Southampton. By the 11th century, Littlehampton was a tiny port. The inhabitants lived by fishing or farming.

Then began the penalty taking ritual in which after 20 shots at goal each, Tunbridge Wells ran out winners, 16-15. Despite having a stadium that held over 3,000, a miserly crowd of 122 only saw this record breaking shoot out, 

In the next round, weary from their exertions, the "Wells" lost 0-2 to the Metropolitan Police FC. You will know why Tunbridge has the added "Royal" and "Wells"!

The previous record for penalties under such conditions was 24.
Founded in 1886, The Wells reached the heady positions of the second round of the FA Cup during the 1930s and in 2013 got to Wembley, only to lose to Spennymoor in the FA Vase.
A spa town, Tunbridge Wells has much to celebrate and not pay the penalty (or upset the Met).

There was an English record for penalty shoot out "lengths" was set in March 2022, when Washington beat Bedlington 25-24. The two non-league clubs from the North-east of England were playing in the local Memorial Cup, a first round tie, which ended 3-3 after extra time. 49 goals were netted in the shoot out. In May 2024, SC Dimona and Shimshon,  took 56 kicks, a record in a Third-Tier Israeli Promotion play off, which took place in Dimona....yes in the Negev Desert! Dimona won 23-22 after each team took 28 kicks. (Shimshon means "bright sun")

In May 2024, SC Dimona and Shimshon Tel Aviv set the record for the longest penalty shootout in history with 56 kicks. The match was part of the third-tier Israeli promotion playoff and took place in Dimona, in the Negev desert. Dimona won the shootout 23-22 after each team took 28 penalties. (Dimona means South and is a girl's name).

F.C. Dimona was founded in 2004, one season after Hapoel Dimona dissolved, but are still commonly known and referred as Hapoel Dimona. The club reached Liga Bet in the 2005-6 season, where they played in the South B division. Ten years later the club was promoted to Liga Alef after winning the 2015-16 season.

In the 2017-18 the club was relegated back to Liga Bet. Two seasons later Shimshon Bitton was appointed the club's manager and the club was promoted after finishing the season in first place before stopping due to COVID-19.

In summer 2023 Nir Klinger joined as the professional manager and Bitton returned to the head coach position. Below, the Dimona badge.

30th AUGUST 1919

30th August 1919 was an auspicious date for Football League clubs, with players and supporters returning from the battles and many experiences of the First World War.

When The Football League resumed, after the Great War, it included and additonal four clubs to make two divisions of 22. 

The League's expansion continued apace and the crowds followed, relishing the camaraderie and escapism of football.

The photo here is of the West  Ham team ready for their "return" to League football. West Ham played their first game in the Second Division against Lincoln City, drawing 1-1 at Upton Park. The link below should give you more on this occasion: (hope the link (s) work!!)

https://www.whufc.com/club/history/greatest-matches/1919-west-ham-united-1-lincoln-city-1

The Football League Second Division was expanded from 20 clubs in 1914-15 to 22 and the First Division also expanded to 22. Glossop disappeared from the League in this change over, but Coventry was included, as was Rotherham County.

Leicester lost the appendage "Fosse" (in their club name) during the War gap.
Port Vale, Stoke, South Shields were added and Tottenham dropped down from Division One. So 44 teams started the new era and in 1919-20 a Third Division was added as the country settled down.

In 1924, on this day, Crystal Palace played their first game at Selhurst Park, against (Sheffield) The Wednesday, which the Yorkshire team won 1-0. This was a Second Division match and at the end of the season Palace were relegated to Division Three with Coventry. Wednesday came 14th. By now the Third Divisions North and South had been introduced.

THERE BY THE GRACE OF GOD

August 29th....it was part of a truly grim 10 days for football, which culminated in the death of the Zambian international footballer, Chaswe Nsofwa, in 2007 aged 28. He was at a "training match",  in Maccabi Be'er Sheva, Israel, at their stadium at Vasermil, when he suffered a heart attack and was taken to the local medical centre, but was found dead on arrival. He was part of the Zambian African Nations' Cup squad in 2002. He also represented his country at the 1999 FIFA Nations Youth Cup in Nigeria. 

Chaswe, shown here, was buried on 6 September, in his home country of Zambia, at Lusaka's Old Leopards Hill cemetery. His funeral was attended by former president Frederick Chiluba, as well as several members of the Zambian national squad. As a mark of respect, the Hapoel Be'er Sheva club retired the number six shirt in his honour.

This shocking event came in the aftermath of Walsall's 16 year old Anton Reid dying on the pitch.  Hundreds of family and friends of the tragic footballer who collapsed and died during a training session turned out to honour him at a charity match. Ex-Walsall FC youth player, Anton Reid’s former team-mates, at his junior team, Streetly AFC, got together at Rushall Olympic FC, Dales Lane, Walsall, to take part in the second annual memorial game. 

Despite the poor weather, more than 500 people turned out to support the event and helped raise around £2,000 for the Cardiac Risk in the Young charity. The teams were led out by the former Blue Coat CE School pupil’s parents Sonia Bailey and Dave Reid. Anton collapsed and died after taking a ball on his chest during a routine practice session at the University of Aston Training pitch in Birmingham Rod, Walsall, aged just 16.

An inquest revealed that Anton had a heart condition that only came to light after his death, and a verdict of natural causes was recorded.Tony Oakes, Anton’s former coach at Streetly, who organised the charity game, said: “It was a very emotional day for everyone involved. After the teams were led out by Anton’s parents, flowers were laid in the centre circle and we had a minute’s silence in his memory. There were mixed emotions. Obviously we are all sad but, at the same time, Anton would have wanted us to enjoy and celebrate his life."

“Anton’s name must live on and the football game is the most appropriate and fitting tribute to him. I haven’t counted all the money yet but it will be around £2,000 and this gives me a target to beat next year. The charity is a very worthy cause and you don’t realise how many people are affected by such problems. The charity is grateful for what we have raised and if it helps save the life of just one person then it will have been worth it.” 

Anton joined West Bromwich Albion from Streetly but left to join Walsall a year later, at the age of 13, where he was looked on as a great prospect.

DENIS BERGKAMP

With so much sadness in our footballing news today, to cheer us up, here is Denis Bergkamp, scoring a great hat trick in Arsenal's 3-3 draw with Leicester City at Filbert Street (remember that stadium?). The third was superb strike, after controlling a 40 yard pass with ease he juggled the ball past Spencer Prior and slotted the ball home, in just four touches. Two of his strikes helped Bergkamp become the first player to "BAG" the top three places in the Match of the Day's Goal of the Month competition!!

https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=636175197939247

Denis Bergkamp

Bergkamp at the unveiling of his statue at the Emirates in 2014
Personal information
Full name	Denis Nicolaas Maria Bergkamp
Date of birth	10 May 1969 (age 55)
Place of birth	Amsterdam Netherlands
Height	1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)
Position(s)	Forward
Youth career
1981–1986	Ajax
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1986–1993	Ajax	185	(103)
1993–1995	Inter Milan	52	(11)
1995–2006	Arsenal	315	(87)
Total		552	(201)
International career
1989	Netherlands U21	2	(0)
1990–2000	Netherlands	79	(37)
Managerial career
2011–2017	Ajax (assistant)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Bergkamp was the last of Wim and Tonnie Bergkamp's four sons. He was brought up in a working-class suburb, in a family aspiring to reach middle-class status. His father, an electrician and amateur footballer in the lower leagues, named him in honour of Scottish striker Denis Law. To comply with Dutch given name customs, an extra "n" was inserted in Bergkamp's first name by his father after their first choice was not accepted by the registrar. According to Bergkamp, his childhood footballing heroes were Geln Hoddle, whom he admired for his soft precise touch and Johan Cruyff, who once coached him when he was twelve.

RIP, SVEN

Former England manager Sven-Goran Eriksson has died aged 76, as the world of football pays tribute to one of the games biggest characters. He was last heard on Amazon Prime. Rest in peace, Sven. You will be greatly missed." Hischildren,  Lina and Johan, released a statement, "Our father Sven-Goran Eriksson fell asleep peacefully in his home at Bjorkefors outside Sunne this morning."

Sven managed England for 67 matches between 2001 (his first was that 5-1 win over Germany) and 2006, taking the Three Lions to two World Cups and a European Championships and reaching the quarter-finals of each competition. His family said on Monday: "Sven-Goran Eriksson has passed away. After a long illness, SGE died during the morning at home surrounded by family."

After retiring from playing, Sven became Tord Grip's assistant at 1976-77 Degerfors IF in 1976, before becoming the team's manager a season later after Grip went on to become the Swedish national team assistant manager. Sven's success drew the attention of IFK Göteborg, whom he joined in 1979.  

His European success caught the attention of SL Benfica, where he joined in 1982 and onto AS Roma in 1984, and then Fiorentina AC. Eriksson returned to SL Benfica in 1989-90 to 1991-92, in Portugal. He returned to Italy in 1992 and Sampdoria UC and despite promising to join Blackburn Rovers FC in 1997, he joined SS Lazio instead. 

His successes were:-Division 3 Västra Svealand winners 1977-78; Svenska Cupen winners 1978-79, 1981-82; Allsvenkan Champions 1981-82; UEFA Cup winners 1981-82, runners-up 1982-83, 1997-98; Primeira Liga Champions 1982-83, 1983-84, 1990-91; Taça de Portugal winners 1982-83; Coppa Italia winners 1985-86, 1993-94, 1997-98, 1999-2000; Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira Champions 1989; European Cup runners up 1989-90; Supercoppa Italiana winners 1998, 2000; European Cup Winners Cup winners 1998-99; UEFA Super Cup winners 1999; Serie A Champions 1999-2000;

He was appointed England national team coach 30 October 2000, effective 1 July 2001, but took charge on 12 January 2001 after resigning three days earlier as coach of SS Lazio in Italy.  The job was turned down by Roy Hodgson, as he had already committed to FC København of Denmark. Adam Crozier, the FA's Chief Executive, revealed that Hodgson was one of three candidates to replace Keegan, the other two were Arsenal FC's Arsene Wenger and Eriksson.

Announced his intention to step down as England coach on 23 January 2006, taking effect from 31 July 2006. The job was turned down by Roy Hodgson, as he had already committed to FC København of Denmark. He was England's first foreign-born coach/manager and had most successful England coaching start with five successive wins.

Returned to coaching in July 2007 with Manchester City FC. His helm was held for one season and he left City 'by mutual consent' on 2 June 2008. 

A day later, he was installed as manager of the Mexican national team. He was sacked on 2 April 2009 after thirteen matches in charge, winning and losing six matches each. 

Eriksson was installed as Notts County FC's Director of Football on 22 July 2009, but false promises and mounting debts meant Eriksson would resign on 11 February 2010.  

He was back with the Côte d'Ivoire national team on 25 March 2010, and despite turning around the country's fortunes, Eriksson was never offered another contract and left on 25 June. 

He returned to England and Championship team Leicester City FC on 3 October 2010, but despite turning City into favourites, Eriksson left on 24 October 2011 with City in mid-table. 

Eriksson applied for the vacant managerial spot at Leeds United AFC in February 2012, without success. 

He became technical director of United Arab Emirates club Al Nasr, until on 4 June 2013, when he was appointed manager of Chinese club Guangzhou R&F on an 18-month contract. 

On 18 November 2014, Eriksson signed a lucrative contract with Shanghai East Asia FC, he was sacked on 4 November 2016. Shenzen FC appointed Eriksson on 5 December, but again, was sacked on 14 June 2017. He made us aware of his state of health shortly before his death.

NUMBERS ON SHIRTS

OK, THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME I HAVE PUBLISHED THIS ONE....But I have had a busy weekend sharing a wedding with many footballers from the Old Carthusian FC. So it is a repeat but interesting nevertheless...isn't it??

August 25th 1928 when Sheffield Wednesday beat Arsenal 3-2 on the opening day of the new season, the crowd saw the two teams run out on to the pitch with numbers on their backs. They were numbered 1-22. At Stamford Bridge, Chelsea and Swansea Town (as the club was then called) did the same. Chelsea won 4-0, wearing black numbers on a white patch. All clubs were told to stop doing this with immediate effect by the FA and League but Herbert Chapman was not happy with this "waste" so he had his reserves wear the numbered kit.

Chelsea then toured South America introducing the numbered kit to their opponents who nicknamed Chelsea as "Los Numerados".

Numbering gradually crept into the game and in the 1933 FA Cup Final Everton players wore 1-11 and Manchester City 12-22. (note there were no subs). Everton won 3-0. See left.

A week later (6th May) the "Toffees" wore the same kit in the league game v Wolves, but it was not until 1939 that the Leafue management Committee eventually voted in the official wearing of numbers. The war got in the way so by 1946/7 numbers were used for the first time by all clubs (although "cost" of providing new numbered kits was a problem and spoil the colours!).

England's first venture into numbered shirts on the 17 April 1937 in a loss to Scotland at Hampden Park Glasgow.

FIFA did not insist on numbers on World Cup shirts until 1954.

Retiring shirt numbers became a bit of a trend but inevitably a club could end up with "no sensible numbers" to use. However Maradona's shirt for Napoli number 10 was hung up for good, as was Baggio's 10 at Brescia, Maldini's 3 at AC Milan and for Chelsea (to complete the circle) Zola's 25. Understandable.

Some shirt numbers given to modern day players have been totally inappropriate especially when legends such as Pele, Stanley Matthews, Bobby Moore and Johnny White (yes the 1960's Spurs player) might have had their numbers welded onto their backs. Can you number them?

Oops.

SCUNNY GRANDSTAND

 OK, so not a new post this time, but one borrowed from a few years ago! Anyone read it earlier?

23rd August 1958 was Scunthorpe United's first home game in the (then) Second Division against Ipswich, a game that ended as a draw 1-1. It was the highest position that The Irons had reached in their history and the first time the club had appeared on the scoreboard as Scunthorpe United. Prior to that time the club was known as Scunthorpe and Lindsay United-so there was a new name too.

Yes, you guessed it, this is a cantilever stand at the Old Show Ground, Scunthorpe, where United used to play before moving to Glandford Park in 1988.  Since Scunthorpe is in Iron and Steel country, a local firm built the stand as publicity stunt.

The last match played in front of this museum piece was in May at the end of the season, when The Irons moved on, letting the builders in to demolish the historic grandstand and replace it with a supermarket.

It was the first such stand (with no poles supporting the roof to obscure the view as at Hillsborough) to be built in British Football.

BRADFORD CITY BANTAMS

Bradford City is the only professional football club in England to wear claret and amber. The club colours were inherited from Manningham Rugby FC, when the club converted to football upon Bradford City's foundation in 1903. However, whereas Manningham played in hoops, the new football club adopted claret and amber vertical stripes. Manningham RFC adopted the colours in 1884 before the move to Valley Parade in 1886. Having originally worn black shirts with white shorts, the club's first game in claret and amber was against Hull on 20 September 1884, at Carlisle Road.

The reason Manningham chose claret and amber is not documented but the colours were the same as those of The Prince of Wales Own West Yorkshire Regiment, which was based at Belle Vue Barracks on nearby Manningham Lane. Both Manningham, from 1886, and Bradford City, from 1903 to 1908, used the barracks as changing rooms and club rooms.

Bradford City has worn claret and amber, with either white or black, since it was founded. Since the fire in 1985, the club has used black on the kit as a memorial to the 56 supporters who died. The club's away shirt has traditionally been white and to a lesser extent also blue, but there has been a profusion of other colours and designs particularly in more recent years. The away kit for the 2008–09 season was all white. For the 2009–10 season, the away kit was all black with a thin claret and amber stripe down the centre-left.

City scarves have also sold in large numbers in recent years to fans of Harry Potter, because the colours are the same as Harry's house scarf at "Hogwart's School".

A number of other clubs across the world wear claret and amber. They include Scottish club Motherwell, who originally wore blue and white until they wore claret and amber for the first time on 23 August 1913, against Celtic. It is erroneously believed that Motherwell chose the claret and amber colours because they were the racing colours of Lord Hamilton; it is more likely that Motherwell were influenced by Bradford City's English FA cup win in 1911.

The club's crest combines a series of logos from over the years. In 1974, City adopted a contemporary style crest incorporating the club's initials, with a B-C logo. At the time, the new logo maintained the previous nickname of the Paraders. By December 1981, the club relaunched the Bantams as the official identity with a bantam on the new crest. The crest shows the club colours and includes the words The Bantams. The nickname reflects the resemblance of the colours to the bird's plumage. There was no objection to being associated with the small but fearless fighting creatures and the nickname was encouraged by the club.

Bradford City have had a number of nicknames during their history. In their early years, they were referred to as the Robins or Wasps, taking over the nickname of Manningham FC, as a result of Manningham's claret and amber hoops. Other nicknames have been the Citizens or Paraders, but the club is better known as the Bantams.

A number of other clubs across the world wear claret and amber. They include Scottish club Motherwell, who originally wore blue and white until they wore claret and amber for the first time on 23 August 1913, against Celtic. It is erroneously believed that Motherwell chose the claret and amber colours because they were the racing colours of Lord Hamilton; it is more likely that Motherwell were influenced by Bradford City's English FA Cup win in 1911.

The club's crest combines a series of logos from over the years. In 1974, City adopted a contemporary style crest incorporating the club's initials, with a B-C logo. At the time, the new logo maintained the previous nickname of the Paraders. By December 1981, the club relaunched the Bantams as the official identity with a bantam on the new crest. The crest maintains the club colours and also includes the words The Bantams.

Reference to http://www.paraders.co.uk for an accurate history.                                              NOTE: Bradford 2025 will be the UK City of Culture 

AUGUST 21st; AN ANNIVERSARY

It's the anniversary of the first use of a substitute in Association Football somebody cried. Well yes, there is a well known anniversary which was on the 21st August 1965 , when Keith Peacock of Charlton Athletic, playing in one of his 532 appearances, was used as a sub in the Second Division of the football league, when he came on to replace his goalkeeper, Mike Rose after 11 minutes at Bolton, he made history.

On the same day, Bobby Knox scored the first goal as a substitute for Barrow against Wrexham; the Welsh club came bottom in Division 4. This was the year that the use of subs was confirmed by the Football League.

Of course football has many answers to the pub quiz question; "When were substitutes first used in a football match?"
At Eton College in the 1850s the word "emergencies" was used when a player took the place of another in one of the school's matches. This would normally be for an injury but.....
in the 1860s, a "sub" described the replacement of a player who failed to turn up for a match.
In 1863 the Charterhouse School XI played a match against their Old Boys (the Old Carthusians) and it was reported that "in the consequence of the non-appearance of some of these who were expected, it was necessary to provide three substitutes." (probably "down  the pub"!!)

On the 15th April 1889, John Trainer, a Welsh international goalkeeper, failed to turn up for a match against Scotland at Wrexham, so a local amateur Alf Pugh played for the first 20 minutes of the match until Sam Gillam (a proper replacement) arrived. This was a substitution apparently; fascinating.

During the World Cup qualifications for the 1954 finals, on the 11th October 1953, Horst Eckel of Germany was used as a sub in a match against Saarland (a region in central Europe). (Germans quite handy with subs you know).

The FA Cup Final was jinxed with injuries, into the 1960s and future Wigan Chairman, Dave Whelan broke a leg in the 1960 FA Cup Final playing for Blackburn Rovers against the Wolves. In the next year, Leicester City right back, Len Chalmers, picked up an injury within 18 minutes of the Wembley Final against Spurs (I watched it on TV). AND there were no subs available at this time. Spurs went on to win a do the first "Double" in the 20th Century. This was the seventh final in nine seasons that a serious injury left a team "one down". Subs were still SIX years away.

By 1965-6 one sub was used only for injury in the league and cup. In 1967-8, the law changed to one tactical sub also. During the 1970 World Cup tournament, subs were allowed in the finals.

1988 saw two subs used out of five on the bench, then in 1994 two subs and a goalie could be used. In 1995 three subs were used. Eventually, in 2008-9, 5-7 subs were named and three used and in 2017 a 4th sub could be used in EFL cup ties in extra time.

In the 2002 World Cup, Claudio Caniggia of Italy was red cared from the bench. And who was super sub? David Fairclough of Liverpool??
A worthwhile link to the anniversary...for Pocock read Peacock.
https://www.theguardian.com/football/when-saturday-comes-blog/2015/sep/18/fifty-years-substitutions-football-sport

SMITH v POINTER

On the 20th August 1960, Tottenham Hotspur had begun a new season having come third in the First Division (in those days the top division) in the previous campaign. Burnley had won the title that year. Playing Everton at White Hart Lane, in front of over 53,000 fans, the two teams were heading for a draw when the England centre forward, Bobby Smith, who was more bull than gazelle, was brought down in the box for a penalty, but the referee played advantage and Les Allen, a silky number 10, took advantage and slotted the first goal. Two minutes later Smith scored the second to send the Spurs to the top of the League.

Smith was from North Yorkshire and he scored 176 goals for Spurs in 271 games. He started at Chelsea, went to Brighton briefly and I saw him play for Hastings United in an FA Cup qualifier at Horsham Town. Smith, of course, was on his way down by then and actually quite old! His career with England was fairly successful with 15 goals in 13 games. By the end of the season Tottenham had won the league and the FA Cup, beating Leicester City in the 1961 final.

I saw Spurs draw 4-4 with Burnley at White Hart Lane in front of a crowd of over 58,000, a game Spurs were well in charge at half time, 4-0, until John Connelly, an England winger, and Ray Pointer, also an England centre forward made their mark. Pointer was a proven goal scorer but he only played three times for England scoring twice. Spurs scored 115 goals that season and conceded 55, the second lowest in the division. 

Former Burnley and England striker Ray Pointer died at the age of 79, on January 26th 2016. Born in Northumberland in 1936, Pointer joined Burnley in 1955 and went on to become the club’s second-highest scorer of all time. Pointer, an integral part of Burnley’s First Division title-winning side of 1959-1960, made a total of 270 appearances and scored 132 goals, which was only bettered by George Beel’s 178. Spells at Bury, Coventry and Portsmouth followed before he finished his playing career at Waterlooville. Pointer, who died peacefully at Blackpool Victoria Hospital, . 

Pointer was only capped three times by England, scoring twice. 

A statement on Burnley’s official club website read: “All of us at Burnley Football Club extend our sympathies to Ray’s family and friends at this very sad time.” 

The next season, Leicester represented England in the European Cup Winners Cup because Tottenham were playing in the European Cup, as it was known then. Aston Villa won the Football League Cup, Birmingham City played in the third Inter Cities Fairs Cup (open only to one city from each European Country-16 countries participated) and lost in the final to Roma over two legs. Sheffield Wednesday were first Division runners up and Newcastle and Preston were relegated. 

A WHOLE NEW BALL GAME

The first live Football League match was transmitted by the ITV in September 1960, but it didn't go too well. The BIG GAME between Blackpool and Bolton was awful with cameras positioned behind the goals and TV only showed the match from the last five minutes of the first half, to the final whistle.

Stanley Matthews, my hero and a star man at the time, did not play (he tended to choose his matches in those days and might have reckoned the Bolton full backs a bit rough!) claiming to be "injured". The viewing figures were low and within weeks, the contract between broadcaster and league was scrapped.

It took another 23 years for another league game to be televised; ITV showed Tottenham vs Nottingham Forest in October 1983. but football did not gain much financially from this arrangement, as the operators acted as a "cartel", keeping the price low. When the administrators tried to hold out for more money, in 1986, the game was taken off the screens for six months before the League went "cap in hand" to take the £4.5m offered. But things were changing.

The introduction of satellite television meant that the BBC and ITV were not the only "players". British SKY Broadcasting made a £99m ten year bid for league rites in 1988 which led to ITV breaking from the BBC and offering £44m for 4 years. ITV won the bid! partly because the larger clubs in the League would pocket the "prize" which had previously been split between all thre league members...92 of them!

With this deal, the "Super League seeds had been sown". In 1991, the FA Premier League was founded and launched in 1992 after the ITV's deal had "run out". ITV bid £262m for the new Premier League TV contract and looked to have won it. But, Alan Sugar, Spurs' Chairman and the Amstrad satellite dish manufacturer!!! was screaming",,,,"You have got to blow them out of the water!" Hours later, SKY tabled a £304m bad and won the contract. 

That August, Teddy Sheringham shot past David James to score SKY's first live goal and the new era was begun!  James recalls that he was one of two debutants for Liverpool, having joined the club from Watford earlier that summer.

Little did the £1 million signing – or anyone else for that matter – realise what an historic moment he was part of, or that it would be the first of his 572 Premier League appearances, more than any other goalkeeper in the competition’s history.

Promoted as "The Greatest Show on Earth", the Premier League is the most-watched football league in the world, broadcast in 212 territories to 643 million homes and a potential TV audience of 4.7 billion people; The Premier League's production arm, Premier League Productions, is operated by IMG Productions and is responsible for producing all content for its international television partners.

PREMIER LEAGUE BIRTH

Today in 1992, The English Premiership was born, roaring on to television screens. It contained the same teams as the previous year, mostly the same players and administrators, but SKY threw onto our screens and papers, flashy graphics, cheerleaders and huge amounts of "dosh" at the game. The BBC and ITV showed highlights and the occasional live games, the new regime had more live matches than you could shake a stick at!

Brian Deane became the first player to score a Premiership goal, opening the score after only 5 minutes in Sheffield United's 2-1 win over Manchester United. The Red Devils picked themselves up thoulgh and won the first Premier League tiltle 9 months later.

The competition was founded as the FA Premier League on 20 February 1992, following the decision of First Division (the top-tier league from 1888 until 1992) clubs to break away from the English Football League. However, teams may still be relegated to and promoted from the EFL Championship. The Premier League takes advantage of a £5 billion television rights deal, with Sky and BT Group securing the domestic rights to broadcast 128 and 32 games, respectively. This deal will rise to £6.7 billion for the four seasons from 2025 to 2029. The league is projected to earn $7.2 billion in overseas TV rights from 2022 to 2025. The Premier League is a corporation managed by a chief executive, with member clubs acting as shareholders. Clubs were apportioned central payment revenues of £2.4 billion in 2016-17, with a further £343 million in solidarity to EFL clubs.

The Premier League is the most-watched sports league in the world, broadcast in 212 territories to 643 million homes, with a potential TV audience of 4.7 billion people.

THE EUROPEAN SUPER CUP 1973+

The European Super Cup, is being contested for the 49th time, tonight at the National Stadium, Warsaw,  between Real Madrid, Champions' League winners, representing Spain and Atalanta, Italy, winners of the UEFA Europa League. We all know about Real Madrid, don't we? However.....tonight's referee is Sandro Scharer from Switzerland.

Atalanta BC, named after an athlete from Greek mythology, was founded on 17 October 1907 by students of the Liceo Classico Paolo Sarpi. Atalanta Bergamasca Calcio, commonly referred to as Atalanta, is a professional football club based in Bergamo, Lombardy, Italy. The club competes in Serie A, the top tier of the Italian League and is located just north-east of Milan.

Founded in 1907, Atalanta holds the record for having played the most Serie A seasons (63) without being based in a regional capital and without having won the league title. Furthermore, the club also holds the record for most promotions to the Serie A (top division) and the joint-most Serie B titles, alongside Genoa.

Atalanta, in mythology, at birth, was taken to Mount Parthenion, in Greece, to be exposed because her father had desired a son. A she-bear, one of the symbols of Artemis, whose cubs had been recently killed by hunters, came upon Atalanta and nursed her until those same hunters discovered her and raised her themselves in the mountains. Atalanta then grew up to be a swift-footed virgin who avoided men and devoted herself to the huntress, Artemis.

Atalanta modelled herself after Artemis, wearing a simple sleeveless tunic that reached her knees and living in the wilderness. While living in the wild, Atalanta slew two centaurs, Rhoecus and Hylaios, with her bow, after her beauty caught their attention and they attempted to rape her.

V

UEFA Super Cup winners

1973: Ajax 6-1 AC Milan (0-1, 6-0)
1975: Dynamo Kyiv 3-0 Bayern München (1-0, 2-0)
1976: Anderlecht 5-3 Bayern München (1-2, 4-1)
1977: Liverpool 7-1 Hamburg (1-1, 6-0)
1978: Anderlecht 4-3 Liverpool (3-1,1-2)
1979: Nottingham Forest 2-1 Barcelona (1-0, 1-1)

1980: Valencia 2-2 Nottingham Forest (1-2, 1-0 Valencia won on away goals)

1982: Aston Villa 3-1 Barcelona (0-1, 3-0aet) 

1983: Aberdeen 2-0 Hamburg (0-0, 2-0)

1984: Juventus 2-0 Liverpool
1986: Steaua București 1-0 Dynamo Kyiv
1987: Porto 2-0 Ajax (1-0, 1-0)
1988: Mechelen 3-1 PSV Eindhoven (3-0, 0-1)
1989: AC Milan 2-1 Barcelona (1-1, 1-0)

1990: AC Milan 3-1 Sampdoria (1-1, 2-0)
1991: Manchester United 1-0 Crvena zvezda
1992: Barcelona 3-2 Werder Bremen (1-1, 2-1)
1993: Parma 2-1 AC Milan (0-1, 2-0aet)
1994: AC Milan 2-0 Arsenal (0-0, 2-0)
1995: Ajax 5-1 Zaragoza (1-1, 4-0)
1996: Juventus 9-2 Paris Saint-Germain (6-1, 3-1)
1997: Barcelona 3-1 Borussia Dortmund (2-0, 1-1)
1998: Chelsea 1-0 Real Madrid
1999: Lazio 1-0 Manchester United

2000: Galatasaray 2-1 Real Madrid (aet, golden goal)
2001: Liverpool 3-2 Bayern München
2002: Real Madrid 3-1 Feyenoord
2003: AC Milan 1-0 Porto
2004: Valencia 2-1 Porto
2005: Liverpool 3-1 CSKA Moskva (aet)
2006: Sevilla 3-0 Barcelona
2007: AC Milan 3-1 Sevilla
2008: Zenit 2-1 Manchester United
2009: Barcelona 1-0 Shakhtar Donetsk (aet)

2010: Atlético de Madrid 2-0 Internazionale
2011: Barcelona 2-0 Porto
2012: Atlético de Madrid 4-1 Chelsea
2013: Bayern München 2-2 Chelsea (aet, 5-4 pens)
2014: Real Madrid 2-0 Sevilla
2015: Barcelona 5-4 Sevilla (aet)
2016: Real Madrid 3-2 Sevilla (aet)
2017: Real Madrid 2-1 Manchester United
2018: Atlético de Madrid 4-2 Real Madrid (aet)
2019: Liverpool 2-2 Chelsea (aet, 5-4 pens)
2020: Bayern München 2-1 Sevilla (aet)
2021: Chelsea 1-1 Villarreal (aet, 6-5 pens)
2022: Real Madrid 2-0 Eintracht Frankfurt
2023: Manchester City 1-1 Sevilla (5-4 pens)

0 seconds of 0 Bayern and other Super Cup extra-time winners