On this day in 1899, a unique conclusion to a League match took place between Sheffield Wednesday and Aston Villa. The original First Division match, played in November 1898, was abandoned after 79 minutes with Sheffield Wednesday leading 3-1. The Football League decreed that only the remaining 11 minutes should be played, rather than restarting the match from scratch. Four months later, the teams reconvened, and Sheffield Wednesday maintained their advantage, securing a 4-1 victory.
13th March 1985
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The FA Cup quarter-final between Luton Town and Millwall at Kenilworth Road on this day in 1985 was marred by one of the most notorious outbreaks of hooliganism in football history. The match was disrupted by a riot involving Millwall fans, who invaded the pitch, causing a 25-minute delay. Approximately 700 seats were ripped out and used as missiles, leading to police baton charges. Over 80 people were injured, including many police officers. The following day, 31 individuals appeared in court, with several identified as fans of clubs other than Luton and Millwall. The incident had significant repercussions, including Luton Town’s decision to ban away supporters, which resulted in their expulsion from the League Cup in the 1985/86 season. Additionally, Luton became the second League club to convert to an all-seater stadium, and discussions about fan fencing began. Despite the chaos, Luton won the match 1-0.
13th March 2003
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On this day in 2003, Liverpool’s Senegalese striker El Hadji Diouf was involved in a controversial incident during a UEFA Cup quarter-final match against Celtic. Diouf, who had been signed from French side Lens for around £10 million in June 2002, had a disappointing spell at Liverpool, scoring only three goals in 55 Premier League appearances. During the closing minutes of the match at Celtic Park, Diouf collided with advertising boards and nearly landed among Celtic fans. While the fans claimed they good-humouredly ruffled his hair, Diouf alleged that one of them hit him. In response, Diouf spat at the supporters, causing outrage among the Scottish fans. He was subsequently substituted and escorted to the changing rooms by police. Liverpool fined Diouf two weeks’ wages, donating £60,000 to a Celtic-approved charity. Diouf also faced a £5,000 fine at Glasgow Sheriff Court and received a two-match UEFA ban. The match ended in a 1-1 draw, but Celtic triumphed in the ‘Battle of Britain’ tie with a 2-0 victory at Anfield in the second leg, eventually reaching the final where they were defeated by Porto.