31st January 1953
On this day in 1953, a remarkable FA Cup upset unfolded at Old Trafford. League champions Manchester United faced Isthmian League side Walthamstow Avenue, with the home team heavily favoured to win. However, the non-league visitors defied expectations by securing a 1-1 draw in front of a crowd of 34,748. The replay took place the following Thursday at Highbury, attracting an impressive attendance of 49,119. Despite their valiant effort, Walthamstow Avenue’s dream run came to an end as Manchester United triumphed with a 5-2 victory.
31st January 2011
Transfer deadline day on 31st January 2011 was marked by a series of high-profile moves that captured the football world’s attention. The most notable transfer was Fernando Torres’s move from Liverpool to Chelsea for a reported fee of £50 million. Meanwhile, Liverpool bolstered their squad by signing Andy Carroll and Luis Suarez. The £22.8 million fee paid to Ajax for Suarez set a new record for Anfield, only to be surpassed hours later when Liverpool paid £35 million to Newcastle for Carroll. At the time, the transfer fees for Torres and Carroll were the highest for transfers between British clubs.
Among the trio, Luis Suarez emerged as the most successful at his new club. In contrast, Fernando Torres endured a challenging start at Chelsea, taking 732 minutes of play to score his first goal. Andy Carroll’s debut for Liverpool was delayed until March due to injury, and both players struggled to make a significant impact in the long term.