On this day, Everton played their first match at Goodison Park, marking a significant moment in the club’s history. The match was a friendly against Bolton Wanderers, which Everton won 4-2. This event came just a day after Liverpool had played their first match at Anfield. The following day, Everton played their first League game at Goodison Park, drawing 2-2 with Nottingham Forest.
2nd September 1893
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The Football League expanded to become a national competition on this day. London, and indeed the south of England, hosted its first Football League match. At the Manor Ground in Plumstead, Woolwich Arsenal drew 2-2 with Newcastle United in a Second Division match. This fixture was also Newcastle United’s debut in the Football League, witnessed by 10,000 fans.
2nd September 1908
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Bob Blanthorne made his debut for Newcastle United against Bradford City on this day. Unfortunately, his first-team appearance was cut short after just ten minutes due to a broken leg. This match turned out to be his only appearance for the club during his two and a half years there.
2nd September 1939
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Bournemouth achieved a remarkable 10-0 victory over Northampton Town in a Football League Third Division (South) fixture. However, this result was overshadowed by the declaration of war on Germany the following day, which led to the 1939/40 League matches being declared void and expunged from the record books. Various reasons were suggested for Northampton’s heavy defeat, including the unusual allowance of alcohol on the rail journey and the inevitability of war.
Watford staged one of the most memorable comebacks in League Cup history against Southampton. After losing 4-0 in the first leg, Watford, managed by Graham Taylor, overturned the deficit with a 7-1 victory at Vicarage Road, winning 7-5 on aggregate. Watford led 2-0 at half-time and were 5-1 up at the end of 90 minutes, forcing extra time. They scored two more goals to complete the remarkable turnaround.
2nd September 1981
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A League Cup First Round First Leg tie between Chester and Plymouth Argyle was abandoned at Chester’s Sealand Road. The match was halted after 78 minutes when Chester’s goalkeeper, Grenville Millington, collided with an upright, breaking the goalpost. The damage could not be repaired, necessitating a replay of the match a week later.
2nd September 1997
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Rio Ferdinand, then an 18-year-old West Ham United player, made headlines for the wrong reasons. Selected for England’s squad for a World Cup qualifier against Moldova, Ferdinand was expected to make his debut. However, after being charged with drunk driving following a night out, England manager Glenn Hoddle removed him from the squad, citing a failure to meet the standards expected of an England player. Ferdinand eventually made his England debut against Cameroon a few months later and went on to earn 81 caps.