On this day in 1997, Arsenal’s Ian Wright etched his name into the club’s history books during a Premier League match against Bolton Wanderers. Wright entered the game with 177 goals for the Gunners, just one shy of Cliff Bastin’s long-standing record of 178 goals. In the 20th minute, Wright scored, believing he had surpassed Bastin’s record. He celebrated by revealing a T-shirt with the message ‘179 Just Done It’. However, his mathematics was slightly off, as his goal only equalled the record. Just five minutes later, Wright scored again, this time genuinely breaking the record. He went on to complete a hat-trick, bringing his total to 180 goals. Wright eventually increased his Arsenal tally to 185 goals across all competitions, a record that stood until Thierry Henry surpassed it in 2005.
13th September 2006
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In 2006, a piece of football history was sold at auction at Christie’s. The shirt worn by George Best when he scored six goals in Manchester United’s 8-2 FA Cup victory over Northampton in February 1970 fetched £24,000. The auction also featured shirts from other football legends. Bobby Moore’s shirt from his final Football League appearance for Fulham against Blackburn in May 1977, and Eric Cantona’s shirt from his last League match for Manchester United against West Ham in May 1997, each sold for £3,600. These items highlighted the enduring legacy and memorabilia value of football’s iconic figures.
13th September 2017
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In 2017, an unusual injury sidelined Spanish international Marco Asensio from Real Madrid’s first Champions League match of the 2017/18 season. Asensio had shaved his legs, but a dirty razor led to an infected hair follicle, resulting in a pimple that prevented him from pulling up his sock. This peculiar incident quickly became known worldwide, illustrating the sometimes unexpected nature of football injuries.