On this day in 1937, George Hardwick made his Football League debut for Middlesbrough in a match against Bolton Wanderers at Ayresome Park. Unfortunately for Hardwick, his introduction to top-flight football was less than ideal. In the very first minute of the match, he inadvertently scored an own goal with his first touch of the ball. Despite this early setback, Hardwick would go on to have a distinguished career, but his debut remains memorable for this unusual start.
18th December 1954
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The First Division clash between Chelsea and Leicester City at Stamford Bridge on 18th December 1954 witnessed a unique moment in Football League history. During the match, Leicester City defenders Jack Froggatt and Stan Milburn simultaneously struck the ball, resulting in a ‘shared own goal’. This rare occurrence contributed to Chelsea’s 3-1 victory over Leicester. The ‘shared own goal’ remains the only one of its kind recorded in the annals of the Football League.
18th December 1956
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The inaugural Ballon d’Or award, recognising the European Footballer of the Year, was presented on 18th December 1956. The prestigious accolade was awarded to Stanley Matthews, a 41-year-old Englishman playing for Blackpool. Matthews was honoured with the trophy by Gabriel Hanot, the man behind the creation of the award. In the voting, Alfredo Di Stéfano of Real Madrid secured second place, while his teammate Raymond Kopa finished third. Other British players who received votes included Billy Wright, who came in ninth, and Duncan Edwards, who was placed 13th.
18th December 1982
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Harry Redknapp’s managerial career in the Football League began on 18th December 1982 when he took charge of Bournemouth as caretaker manager. Redknapp, who had previously made League appearances as a player for West Ham, Bournemouth, and Brentford, was thrust into the managerial role following the sacking of David Webb. His first match at the helm was against Division 3 leaders Lincoln City. Played on an icy pitch, the match ended in a 9-0 defeat for Bournemouth, marking the club’s record League defeat. Despite this challenging start, Redknapp’s managerial career would eventually flourish, leading to speculation about his potential future as an England manager.