On this day in 1969, Liverpool secured a 2-0 victory over West Ham United at Anfield in a match that marked a significant milestone in football broadcasting. This fixture was the first to be transmitted in colour, a technological advancement that was still a novelty at the time. Due to the rarity of colour televisions, commentators had to ensure their commentary was suitable for both colour and black and white viewers. This led to some memorable moments, such as John Motson’s famous line, “For those of you watching in black and white, Spurs are in the all-yellow strip.”
15th November 1972
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On 15th November 1972, England played their first World Cup qualifying fixture in 11 years, having previously qualified for the 1966 World Cup finals as hosts and the 1970 finals as holders. The match took place against Wales at Cardiff City’s former Ninian Park home. Before the kick-off, England manager Alf Ramsey was honoured with a silver salver to commemorate his 100th match in charge of the national team. This fixture was notable for the England debuts of Liverpool players Kevin Keegan and Ray Clemence. The rest of the England line-up included Storey, Hughes, Hunter, McFarland, Moore, Bell, Chivers, Marsh, and Ball. Colin Bell scored the only goal of the match, securing a victory for England. Despite this win, it was Poland, the third country in the group, who eventually qualified for the 1974 World Cup Finals in West Germany.
15th November 1986
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The events of 15th November 1986 provided a memorable anecdote in the world of football. After a First Division match against Queens Park Rangers, the Oxford United players were informed that their coach home would depart at 5.30pm sharp. True to their word, the coach left on time, but unfortunately, it did so without four of the team’s players. Jeremy Charles, Les Phillips, Peter Rhoades-Brown, and leading scorer John Aldridge were left behind as they were busy signing autographs for fans. As a result, the stranded players had to find alternative transportation home, eventually securing a lift with supporters. This incident was certainly an unexpected twist to their day.