On this day in 1955, Dennis Wilshaw of Wolverhampton Wanderers etched his name into the annals of English football history by becoming the only Englishman to score four goals against Scotland in a single match. This remarkable feat occurred during England’s emphatic 7-2 victory over Scotland at Wembley Stadium. Wilshaw’s performance was instrumental in securing a memorable win for England in this international fixture.
2nd April 1974
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The 2nd of April 1974 is remembered for an unprecedented event in the Football League. A Division 4 match between Scunthorpe United and Exeter City was scheduled to take place on this day. However, Exeter City, without obtaining permission from the Football League, called off the match due to an insufficient number of fit players to field a team. As a result, the Football League awarded the two points to Scunthorpe United and fined Exeter City. This incident marked the first time in Football League history that a match remained unplayed at the conclusion of a season.
2nd April 1982
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In a significant development for Chelsea Football Club, Ken Bates purchased the heavily indebted club for the nominal sum of £1 on 2nd April 1982. This transaction marked the beginning of a new era for Chelsea, as Bates took on the challenge of revitalising the club’s fortunes amidst financial difficulties.
2nd April 2005
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The Premier League witnessed a unique occurrence on 2nd April 2005 when Jermaine Pennant became the first player to participate in a Premier League match while wearing an electronic ankle tag. Pennant, who was on loan to Birmingham City from Arsenal at the time, was required to wear the tag following his release from prison after serving 31 days of a three-month sentence for drink driving, driving while disqualified, and driving without insurance. Referee Howard Webb permitted Pennant to play in the match against Tottenham Hotspur at St Andrew’s. However, the decision drew criticism from The Campaign Against Drink Driving, who expressed their serious disapproval.
José Mourinho’s remarkable unbeaten home league record as a manager came to an end on 2nd April 2011. His Real Madrid side suffered a 1-0 defeat to Sporting Gijón in the Primera Liga at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium. This loss marked the end of a nine-year streak during which Mourinho’s teams were unbeaten in 150 consecutive home league matches. The streak began after his previous home defeat on 23rd February 2002, when his Porto side lost 3-2 to Beira-Mar in the Portuguese League. During this period, Mourinho’s teams achieved 36 wins and 2 draws in his last 38 matches at Porto, 46 wins and 14 draws in 60 matches during his first spell at Chelsea, 29 wins and 9 draws in 38 matches at Inter Milan, and 14 consecutive wins in his first 14 home matches at Real Madrid.