On this day in 1925, five players made their debut for the England national football team in a match against Northern Ireland held in Belfast. The players were George Armitage, captain Claude Ashton, Billy Austin, Frank Hudspeth, and Sydney Puddefoot. The match ended in a 0-0 draw. Among these debutants, Sydney Puddefoot was the only player to earn a second cap for England, marking a unique distinction among his peers from that day.
24th October 1997
-----------------
Fast forward to 1997, Fulham Football Club made headlines with a significant financial move in the transfer market. On 24th October, Fulham, then owned by Mohamed Al-Fayed, broke their club record transfer fee by signing Paul Peschisolido from West Bromwich Albion for £1.1 million. This transfer was notable as it marked the first time a third-tier club had spent over a million pounds on a player. Just a week prior, Fulham had set their previous record by acquiring Ian Selley from Arsenal for £500,000, although Selley’s time at the club was marred by a broken leg, limiting him to just three league appearances.
In early December 1997, Fulham further shattered both their own and the divisional transfer records by purchasing Chris Coleman from Blackburn Rovers for £2.1 million. This ambitious spending was part of Al-Fayed’s vision to see Fulham in the Premier League within five years, a goal that was realised in 2001. Chris Coleman, after an injury curtailed his playing career, went on to manage the club, highlighting the long-term impact of these strategic acquisitions.
24th October 2004
-----------------
In 2004, a significant Premier League match took place at Old Trafford, where Manchester United defeated Arsenal 2-0. This match was particularly noteworthy as it marked Arsenal’s first league defeat since May 2003. During this period, Arsenal had set a remarkable record by going 49 league matches unbeaten, a streak that included the entirety of the 2003/04 season. The end of this unbeaten run was a pivotal moment in Premier League history, underscoring the competitive nature of the league and the fierce rivalry between Manchester United and Arsenal.