MULTIPLE 2nd of DECEMBERS

2nd December 1907: The Players' Union – officially the Association of Football Players’ and Trainers’ Union – was founded on this day in 1907 at a meeting in Manchester’s Imperial Hotel. The main issue of the day was the introduction of a maximum wage of £4 per week for players. Now known as the Professional Footballers’ Association, it is the oldest professional sports trade union in the world. OF COURSE IT IS!

And on 2nd December 1948: Alf Ramsey made his debut for the national team. The Southampton full-back played for England in a 6-0 win against Switzerland at Highbury. The Swiss were playing their first international in England but were beaten 6-0 at Highbury. 

Same date but in 1990: The "Battle of Old Trafford" took place in a First Division match between Manchester United and Arsenal. A 21-player brawl erupted, leading to point deductions for both clubs for bringing the game into disrepute. 

On the same date 1994: The first World Cup final to be decided by a penalty shootout was held at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, USA. Brazil beat Italy 3-2 on penalties after the match ended 0-0 following extra time. 

and more on Dec 2nd 2008: Gretna FC. resigned from the Scottish League, marking the end of a dramatic rise and fall. The club went from the English Northern Premier League to the Scottish Premier League in just six years before financial problems led to their downfall. Do you know why the anvil?

2nd December 2010: England again missed out on staging the World Cup finals when FIFA announced the host nations for the 2018 and 2022 tournaments after a vote in Zurich. England were up against Russia and Belgium/Netherlands and Portugal/Spain joint bids in the battle for the 2018 finals. Sadly England received just 2 of the 22 votes in the first round of voting and were eliminated from the vote at that stage. Russia won the right to host the 2018 finals with Qatar getting the nod for the 2022 finals. So nothing controversial there then!

Finally, 2/12/2023: Hollywood actor Tom Hanks attended his first-ever soccer match at Villa Park, watching his favourite team, Aston Villa, play against Arsenal. Villa led twice before Arsenal scored two late goals to win 4-2. Tom discovered the club after hearing the name on the BBC and thinking it sounded like a "lovely vacation spot". I bet he lives in a villa and not a house! and takes his vacations elsewhere.....