On this day in 1931, a significant tradition in football was born following an international match between France and England in Paris. It was the seventh encounter between the two nations, with England having won all previous matches, often by large margins. However, on this occasion, France achieved a historic 5-2 victory. In celebration of their win, the French team requested to keep the England players’ shirts as mementoes. This request was granted, marking the beginning of the now-common practice of players exchanging shirts after matches.
14th May 1938
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The 14th of May 1938 is remembered as a controversial day in English football history. England was on a short end-of-season tour of Europe, with their first match against Germany in Berlin. At a time when Europe was in political turmoil, the British Government, following a policy of appeasement, instructed the England team to give the Nazi salute before the match. Despite strong objections from the players, they complied with the order, fearing repercussions on their international careers. In front of 110,000 spectators at the Olympic Stadium, the England team performed the salute during the German national anthem. England won the match 6-3, but it is the pre-match events that remain most notable.
14th May 1980
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Arsenal faced Valencia in the European Cup Winners’ Cup final on this day in 1980, marking the first European final to be decided by a penalty shoot-out. The match, held at the Heysel Stadium in Belgium, ended in a 0-0 draw after extra time. In the shoot-out, Arsenal’s Liam Brady and Graham Rix missed their penalties, allowing Valencia to win 5-4 and claim the trophy. This match was Arsenal’s 68th competitive fixture of the season, with the team eventually playing a record 70 matches.
14th May 1983
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Raddy Antic etched his name into Luton Town’s history on this day in 1983. In a crucial First Division match against Manchester City at Maine Road, the stakes were high, with the winner securing their place in the top flight and the loser facing relegation. A draw would see City stay up and Luton go down. Antic, coming on as a substitute in the final half-hour, scored the decisive goal with just four minutes remaining, ensuring Luton’s survival. The victory was celebrated with a memorable jig by Luton manager David Pleat. After his time at Luton, Antic pursued a successful managerial career in Spain, leading clubs such as Atletico Madrid, Real Madrid, and Barcelona.
Wimbledon achieved a remarkable feat on this day in 1988 by defeating Liverpool in the FA Cup final. Lawrie Sanchez scored the only goal of the match, preventing Liverpool from securing a League and FA Cup double. Wimbledon captain Dave Beasant made history by becoming the first goalkeeper to save a penalty in an FA Cup final at Wembley, denying John Aldridge.
14th May 2017
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Tottenham Hotspur played their final league match at White Hart Lane on this day in 2017, defeating Manchester United 2-1. This victory equalled a club record of 14 consecutive home league wins. Spurs were set to move to Wembley for the 2017/18 season as their historic ground was to be demolished to make way for a new stadium. The season also saw Harry Kane secure the Premier League Golden Boot for the second consecutive year, following impressive performances in away victories against Leicester and Hull. Spurs finished second in the league, their best finish since 1963, and notably ended