On this day in 1932, Bill Shankly, who would later become renowned as the manager of Liverpool, made his first appearance in the Football League. At the age of 19, Shankly, a former coalminer, debuted for Carlisle United. The match was a Third Division North encounter against Rochdale, held at Brunton Park, and ended in a 2-2 draw.
31st December 1941
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Alex Ferguson, whose full name is Alexandra Chapman Ferguson, was born on this day in 1941. His birthplace was his grandmother’s house in Govan, a district in Glasgow known for its shipbuilding heritage. Ferguson would go on to become one of the most successful football managers in history.
31st December 1966
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In a Third Division match on this day in 1966, Bristol Rovers goalkeeper Bernard Hall suffered a severe injury. The incident occurred during a game against Middlesbrough at Eastville. A back-pass from his team-mate Johnny Williams became stuck in the mud, leading to a serious collision with Middlesbrough’s John O’Rourke. Hall was knocked unconscious and subsequently rushed to hospital, where he spent 16 days in a coma. Although he made a good recovery, he was unable to continue his playing career. Hall had been a one-club man, having made his first-team debut for Bristol Rovers in 1962, and he accumulated 163 League appearances, including a streak of 115 consecutive League games.