21st March 1992
On this day in 1992, Chelsea’s Vinnie Jones made headlines for his rapid booking during a First Division match against Sheffield United at Stamford Bridge. Jones was shown a yellow card just three seconds into the game for a foul on Dane Whitehouse. The incident became notable for its swiftness, with Jones later commenting on the situation, stating, “I must have been too high, too wild, too strong or too early, because, after three seconds, I could hardly have been too bloody late!” This match remains a memorable moment in football history for its unusual start.
21st March 2009
Fast forward to 2009, and another memorable event occurred involving Manchester United and their manager, Sir Alex Ferguson. On this day, Manchester United suffered a 2-0 defeat to Fulham in a Premier Division match at Craven Cottage. Known for his colourful post-match comments, Ferguson attributed the loss to the size of the dressing rooms at Fulham’s ground. He suggested that the Football Association should implement rules regarding the dimensions of dressing rooms and even implied that Fulham should face demotion due to their victory being influenced by the cramped conditions. This claim was particularly intriguing given that just two weeks earlier, Manchester United had secured a 4-0 win at the same venue in the FA Cup, with the dressing rooms unchanged in size.