International Football History and Statistics

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On this day in football history

1908 Blackburn Rovers drew 0-0 in their First Division match with Manchester City and thus finished their season with an identical record to Woolwich Arsenal. Both sides Played 28, Won 12, Drew 12, Lost 14, Scored 51 and Conceded 63 finishing with 36 points. This is the only time to date that this has happened in Football League history.

1914 Herbert Bamlett (born 1st March 1882) became the youngest ever FA Cup Final referee when he officiated over the Burnley v Liverpool match at Crystal Palace. King George V attended this match; the first time a reigning monarch had attended a Cup Final. It was also the last Cup Final played at Crystal Palace since the outbreak of the First War led to the 1915 Final being played at Old Trafford. When the competition resumed after hostilities the Cup Final was staged at Stamford Bridge until 1922 and at Wembley in 1923 and thereafter.

1931 West Bromwich Albion beat Birmingham 2-1 in the Cup Final at Wembley and achieved a unique double of promotion from the Second Division and winning the Cup in the same season. W.G. Richardson who scored both of Albion's goals was also top scorer in both competitions with 18 in the League and 6 in the Cup.

1932 Leslie Compton made his Football League debut for Arsenal at Aston Villa in Division One. He was to remain with the Gunners for 20 years. Before the Second War he was mainly a reserve full-back but did make 67 appearances up to 1939. In wartime football he played in many positions including centre-forward. In one match he scored 10 goals against Clapton Orient in a 15-2 victory. He also played in seven of the unofficial internationals staged in aid of the Red Cross. After the War he established himself as a centre-half, won a Championship medal in 1948 and a Cup winners medal two years later. In November 1950, two months after his 38th birthday, he became the oldest player to win a first cap for England when he played against Wales. He retired in 1952 having played in 253 League matches. A useful wicket keeper he played for Middlesex for a number of years.

1958 Joe Smith left Blackpool after 23 years as manager and 50 years in the professional game. He joined Bolton Wanderers in 1908 and, as a goal-scoring inside-left, made the England team before the First War. After the War he also played in two "Victory" internationals and one official international. He captained the Bolton side which won the Cup Finals in 1923 and 1926 before moving to Stockport County in 1927 with a record of 254 goals in 450 League games including a League record 38 in 1921. In 1928 he led the Third Division North scorers with 38 and the following season, his last, he scored 19 goals in 22 matches; a fine effort for a man of 40. His career record reads 314 goals in 520 matches.He took over as manager of Blackpool in in 1935 after five seasons as manager of Reading and led Wanderers to promotion to the First Division in 1937 where they remained throughout his reign. He took them to Wembley three times (1948, 1951 and 1953) winning on the third of these in what became known as the "Matthews Final".

1965 East Germany win the European Youth Tournament when they beat England 3-2 in the Final played in Essen.

1970 England and Scotland play out a 0-0 draw at Hampden Park in the Home Championship. This is only the second goaless encounter between the two nations with the first occuring in the inaugural match played in 1872.

1987 Glen Hoddle and Chris Waddle's pop classic "Diamond lights" enters the NME Music Charts.