If You Know Your History

11-9-1945 – Franz Beckenbauer Born

Flick to kick — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 11:57:04 +0000

“Der Kaiser” Franz Beckenbauer was born on this day in 1945.

He was twice awarded European Footballer of the year (1972 and 1976)
He won 103 caps for West Germany
He played in three World Cups (1966 (2nd place), 1970 (3rd place) and 1974). He captained the German team that won the trophy in 1974.
Beckenbauer scored four goals in the 1966 World Cup Finals
He captained West Germany to the European Championship trophy in 1972 (3-0 vs USSR). Four years later they lost in the final (3-5 on penalties against Czechoslovakia).
He was captain of the Bayern Munich team that won the European Cup in 1974, 1975 and 1976.
He played together with Pele for New York Cosmos in the NASL. Together they won the Soccer Bowl three times (1977, 1978 and 1980).
Managed West Germany to the World Cup final in 1986 losing to Argentina. In 1990 West Germany won the World Cup trophy in Italy. Along with Brazil’s Mario Zagalo, Beckenbauer is the only person to have won the World Cup both as a player and a manager.
Defined the sweeper / libero role.

“Tell the Kraut to get his ass up front. We don’t a million for a guy to hang around on defence.“

New York Cosmos executive on the former West Germany captain’s deep-lying role, 1977.

Sources:

The Book of Football Quotations by Phil Shaw.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beckenbauer

5-9-1961 – Aston Villa Win the First League Cup

Flick to kick — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 19:07:16 +0000

Aston Villa became the first holders of the League Cup when they defeated Rotherham 3-0 on this day in 1961. Villa beat Huddersfield Town, Preston, Plymouth, Wrexham and Burnley on the way to the final. Only 46 of the 92 League clubs played in the first competition which was played under the 1960-61 season in midweek floodlit matches.

The final was not played until the start of the 1961-62 season. The final was played over two legs. Rotherham won the first leg 2-0 at Millmoor thanks to goals by Webster and Kirkman. The match attracted a crowd of the 12,226 on the 22nd of August.

The second leg played at Villa Park on the 5th September 1961 attracted 31,202. Villa won 3-0 with goals by O’Neill and Burrows sending the match to extra time. Northern Ireland international striker Peter McParland scored the winner that gave Joe Mercer’s Villa the trophy.

Sources:
o http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_McParland
o http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Mercer
o http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Football_League_Cup
o http://www.rsssf.com/tablese/engleagcuphistfinal.html

6-9-2003 – Wayne Rooney Scores his First England Goal

Flick to kick — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 18:58:30 +0000

Wayne Rooney scores his first England goal at the age of 17 years and 317 days on this day in 2003. Rooney scored in the 53rd minute of England’s 2-1 away win over Macedonia in a European Championship Qualifier. David Beckham scored England’s winner from the penalty spot in the 63rd minute.

England’s team: James; G. Neville, A. Cole, Terry, Campbell; Butt, Beckham, Lampard, Hargreaves; Owen, Rooney.
o England’s youngest goalscorer at the World Cup Finals: Michael Owen, 18 years 190 days.
o England’s youngest goalscorer at the European Championship Finals: Wayne Rooney, 18 years 236 days.
o England’s youngest goalscorer: Wayne Rooney, 17 years 317 days.

Source:
o http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/England_national_football_team_records#Goals

30-8-1951 – Peter Withe born

Flick to kick — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 13:52:29 +0000

Liverpool born striker Peter Withe enjoyed a career that took him from Stockport to Huddersfield. The highpoint of his career came in 1982 when he scored the only goal of the European Cup final, securing the trophy for Aston Villa. The previous season Withe had been an important part of Villa’s League-winning team together with fellow striker Gary Shaw. He scored 74 goals for Villa in 182 games before moving to Sheffield United.

Withe had a couple of seasons at Nottingham Forest and was part of the team that won the Second Division, but was sold to Newcastle the following season thereby missing out on Forest’s League triumph.

Withe won 11 England caps and scored one goal in a European Championship qualifier against Hungary at Wembley.

27-8-1938 – Ipswich Town play first League game

Flick to kick — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 18:22:55 +0000

Ipswich Town played their first League game on the 27th August 1938. Ipswich beat Southend 4-2 at Portman Road in Division 3 (South).

In 1961-62 Ipswich became the first club to win the First Division in their first season after promotion. Nottingham Forest would repeat the feat under the guidance of Brian Clough in 1977-78. Ipswich where managed by future England manager Alf Ramsey.

Ipswich’s second period in the limelight came with another future England manager at the helm – Bobby Robson. Under Robsons management Ipswich won the 1978 FA Cup Final (1-0 over Arsenal) and the 1981 UEFA Cup Final (AZ 67 Alkmaar 3-0 and 2-4). Robson’s team where built around an effective youth policy – Ipswich won the FA Youth Cup in 1973 and 1975 – which produced international players such as Kevin Beattie, George Burley, John Wark and Alan Brazil. In additon Robson was a shrewd dealer in the transfer market signing Paul Mariner and Dutch duo Frans Thijssen and Arnold Muhren to supplement his home grown talent. Ipswich where one of the countries leading clubs in the late Seventies and early Eighties twice finishing second in the First Division (1980-81 and 1981-82).

Ipswich gained a more dubious fame in recent years when they lost 9-0 to Manchester United at Old Trafford in 1995, a record for the Premier League. But Ipswich supporters would rather remember 1980 when Ipswich beat Manchester United 6-0 at Portman Road in a match where Gary Bailey saved three penalties for United.

Source:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ipswich_Town_F.C.

28-8-1994 – Fowler scores fastest hat-trick in Premier League history

Flick to kick — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 18:27:58 +0000

On this day in 1994 Liverpool striker Robbie Fowler scored the Premier League’s fastest hat-trick when he netted three goals against Arsenal in 4 minutes and 33 seconds. Liverpool won the game at Anfield 3-0 thanks to Fowler’s three first half goals. This was Liverpool’s first home match of the 1994-5 season and the game was played in front of a crowd of 30,017.

Fowler finished the season as Liverpool’s top scorer with 25 goals in 42 games. Robbie Fowler remains the fourth highest goal scorer in the history of the Premier League with 163 goals. Alan Shearer tops the list with 260 goals, Andy Cole has 187 and Thierry Henry 174.

Sources: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/English_Premier_League#Top_scorers

27-8-1997 – Dennis Bergkamp Scores the Goal of the Season

Flick to kick — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 15:52:17 +0000

Dennis Bergkamp scored the 1997-98 Goal of the Season for Arsenal vs Leicester. The game at Filbert Street ended 3-3 with Bergkamp scoring all three for the Gunners. The goals gave him first, second and third place in Match of the Days Goal of the Month for August 1997. A feat that no other player has copied.

Here is the goal of the season:

27-8-1977 – Deco Born

Flick to kick — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 20:19:41 +0000

Barcelona’s Brazilian born midfielder Deco was born on this day in 1977. Both Brazilian club Corinthians and his first Portuguese club Benfica where dubious to Deco’s small build (1.74m). He played for two lower league Portuguese clubs both he was spotted by Porto.

In his first season’s for Porto he gained as many yellow cards as assists and it was first with the arrival of Jose Mourinho that Deco blossomed in his playmaker role. He scored 10 goals in 30 games in the 2002-3 season but gained 17 yellow cards. The season was crowned with the UEFA Cup title as Porto defeated Celtic 3-2. The following season Porto achieved a greater prize when the won the Champions League. Deco scored in Porto’s 3-0 victory over Monaco.

Mourinho left to manage Chelsea and Deco was tipped to follow him to London but in the end moved to Spanish giants Barcelona for a €15m fee in July 2004. Deco who had won the Portuguese League title in 1999, 2003 and 2004 with Porto won La Liga in 2005 and 2006 with Barca. In 2006 he became one of the few players to have won the Champions League with two different clubs when Barcelona defeated Arsenal 2-1 in Paris.

In June 2008 Deco moved to Chelsea to join his former Portuguese manager Luiz Felipe Scolari. Deco scored on his debut against Portsmouth and finished his first season with club with 3 goals in 24 League appearances.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deco

27-8-1921 – Wrexham Play First League Game

Flick to kick — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 17:42:05 +0000

Wrexham played their first League game on the 27th of August in 1921. The Red Dragons lost 2-0 at Hartlepool United in a Third Division North game. Hartlepool where also the opponents when they recorded their record victory 10-1 in a Fourth Division match in 1962.

Source: Sky Sports Football Yearbook 2006-7

26-8-1982 – Shankly Gates are unveiled at Anfield

Flick to kick — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 19:51:09 +0000

Photo by Andy Nugent