Corner Flag
Corner Flag
11th September 1895
On this day, the football world was shaken by the theft of the first FA Cup trophy, affectionately known as the ‘little tin idol’. This iconic trophy, which had been crafted at a cost of £20, was stolen from the shop window of a Birmingham boot and shoe manufacturer named William Shillcock. At the time, the cup was in the possession of Aston Villa, the reigning Cup holders, who had lent it to Shillcock. Following the theft, the Football Association fined Aston Villa £25 to cover the cost of a replacement trophy. Despite efforts to recover the original, the ‘little tin idol’ was never found.
11th September 2001
The events of 11th September 2001 were overshadowed by the tragic terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center in New York. The global focus was on the unfolding disaster, and the world of football was no exception. In England, there was significant debate regarding the appropriate response from the football community. Some argued for the postponement of matches as a mark of respect, while others believed that continuing with scheduled games would demonstrate resilience against those who sought to disrupt society.
Despite the gravity of the situation, football matches in England proceeded as planned on the evening of 11th September. Two League matches took place: Wrexham faced Bury, and Plymouth played against Swansea. Additionally, 15 League Cup fixtures were held. All matches were preceded by a minute’s silence to honour the victims of the attacks. This gesture of respect was mirrored in the Champions League and UEFA Cup matches that were played on the same evening.
Among the Champions League fixtures, two involved English clubs. Arsenal suffered a 0-1 defeat away to Mallorca, while Liverpool, marking their return to Europe’s top competition since the Heysel disaster in 1985, drew 1-1 at Anfield against Boavista from Portugal. In response to the tragic events, UEFA decided to postpone the 51 Champions League and UEFA Cup matches that were scheduled for the following days, Wednesday 12th and Thursday 13th September. UEFA also promised compensation to all the away teams to cover their travel expenses.