Malcolm Bailey's Football Blog: THE AUTUMNAL EQUINOX

Monday, 23 September 2024

THE AUTUMNAL EQUINOX

Had a few days away, so not been able to access the Blog....to get back on "track", here's an offering from September 23rd, 4 years ago, when I was starting up this "daily" commitment to Footballing "gems"!!! on

Wednesday 23 September 2020 and ankother from 1989. TODAY, is of course the 23rd of September, so look at today's news to see what spectacular events occur on this Celestial occasion!!

THE SEPTEMBER EQUINOX

Actually it was yesterday, when the Sun "appeared" to cross the Celestial Equator, heading South, dragging in our Autumn and Winter from the North. This event can happen on a day between 21st September and the 24th. Harvest Festivals will be celebrated on the Sunday of the "full moon" closest to the September Equinox, but maybe not this year. Bloody goalposts.....I said they have to be 4 inches in diameter

23rd September 2000 at Adams Park, Wycombe Wanderers (The Chairboys) played Peterborough Utd (Posh) in a Div 2 league game and Wycombe's Jamie Bates scored with the last kick of the first half.

Wycombe then kicked off for the second half and within seconds their own, Jermaine MacSporran, scored another for the Chairboys. TWO goals in 9 seconds accoding to the referee. No Posh players touched the ball.

Of course all this would be more appropriate if Wycombe were nicknamed the Choirboys, but they are not...the nickname comes from the local trade, furniture makers, who enjoyed the wooded hills of Buckinghamshire. The club was founded in 1887 by local furniture makers and once established the clb joined the Southern League, gradually carving out a history that led them to be invited to the Football League.

AND on September 23rd 2006, when Arsenal played Sheffield United at home in the Premier League winning 3-0, the three goalscorers shared the same birthday of August 17th: Arsenal's William Gallas (1977), Thierry Henry (1977) and the OWN GOAL scorer Phil Jagielka of the Blades (1982). At home, the Gunners only lost one game in the league that season, but the away games weren't quite so good, leaving Arsenal 4th in the division.

In 1989, Manchester City were thrashing their closest rivals, who had Alex Ferguson "under pressure" to win something...anything? City won 1-5 at Old Trafford which did not help Fergie's popularity.