Search the Community

Rafa’s got his Dirk Kuyt 2006 - Dirk Kuyt signed from Feyenoord for £9m, with then Chairman David Moores having to lend the club the money for the transfer. He proved a willing worker, notching 71 times in 285 outings, including our consolation in the Champions League Final in Athens in 2007 and five derby strikes. He helped the club to claim the Carling Cup and reach the FA Cup Final in his final season before moving on to Fenerbahçe SK for €1m in June 2012. Rushie returns 1988 - Ian Rush re-signed for the reds from Juventus for a club record £2.8m, having only spent one season with the Turin giants. In his second spell at Anfield, he struck 139 times in 329 games, winning a further League title, two FA Cups, League Cup and FA Charity Shield this time around. Happy birthdays 1988 - Centre-half Jack Hobbs was born in Portsmouth, signing officially with the reds in a £750,000 deal from Lincoln City on his seventeenth birthday. He featured in the first team on five occasions but was sold to Leicester City in April 2009 having helped them to claim the League One title while on loan. 1965 - Former reserves striker John Durnin was born in Bootle. He failed to make the break-through at Anfield, making only two League Cup appearances and one in the Mercantile Credit Centenary Trophy before his departure to Oxford United for £225,000 in February 1989. His most recent appearance at Anfield came as he scored the only goal of the Replay 86 game in aid of the Marina Dalglish Appeal in May 2006. 1931 - Centre-half Dick White was born. He signed from his hometown club Sc***horpe United in November 1955 and was reds captain until the arrival of Ron Yeats, making 217 appearances, and won a Second Division title medal in his time at Anfield, scoring just once. He moved on to Doncaster Rovers in May 1962. 1935 - His sometime team-mate, Scottish inside-forward Jimmy Harrower, was born in Alva. He signed from Hibernian for £11,000 in January 1958 and bagged 22 goals in 105 reds games, moving on to Newcastle United in March 1961. On the same day, Northern Irish forward Sam English was born in Coleraine. He signed from Rangers for £8,000 in August 1933, netting 26 times in fifty games before joining Queen Of The South in July 1935. Wembley disappointment We have twice played in the FA Charity Shield at Wembley on this day. 1984 - Bruce Grobbelaar scored an own goal to hand the trophy to our neighbours from across Stanley Park, with new signing Paul Walsh making his reds debut. 1990 - John Barnes equalised from the spot in our 1-1 draw with Manchester United, with the trophy therefore being shared. Clayton Blackmore had netted for United on the stroke of half time. Double League debuts 2001 - Pegguy Arphexad and John Arne Riise both made their League debuts in our 2-1 defeat of West Ham United at Anfield, which came thanks to a Michael Owen brace. Robbie Fowler sat out the game in the Main Stand, following a training-ground bust-up with Assistant Manager Phil Thompson. Markus Babbel had to be withdrawn at half-time, as he was beginning to suffer the effects of Guillain-Barré syndrome, unbeknownst to us all. Paolo di Canio netted for the Hammers between Owen’s strikes. 2002 - Riise netted the only goal of the game as we kicked off our Premiership campaign at Aston Villa, with Peter Enckleman then saving a Michael Owen penalty. Younger’s start 1956 - Keeper Tommy Younger made his reds debut but could not prevent us losing 3-2 to Huddersfield Town at Anfield. Billy Liddell nabbed both our goals, with one coming from the spot. Future red Dave Hickson was amongst the scorers for the Terriers, with Ron Simpson and Willie Davie also on target. Reds on the move 2000 - Dominic Matteo was sold to Leeds United for £4m. He had scored twice in 155 appearances for the reds and quit Elland Road in July 2004 to rejoin Graeme Souness at Blackburn Rovers. 1997 - Peter Beardsley signed for Bolton Wanderers from Newcastle United for £450,000. He netted twice in 21 appearances for the Trotters, before moving on again to Fulham. 1999 - Robbie Keane joined Coventry City from Wolverhampton Wanderers for £6m, after twelve strikes in 34 outings for the Sky Blues. 2009 – Reserves centre-half Mikel San José re-joined Athletic de Bilbao on loan, signing on again permanently the following May after three goals in thirty outings that season. 2011 - Djimi Traoré joined Olympique de Marseille, playing twenty times in his one season there. On the same day, forward Nabil El Zhar was released by the reds after scoring just once in 32 first-team outings. 2014 – Portuguese centre-half Tiago Ilori joined Girondins de Bordeaux on loan, netting once in fifteen games for the French side. 2019 – Mario Balotelli signed for his hometown club Brescia, going on to score five times in nineteen outings that season. A losing start 2012 – Joe Allen made his reds bow as we lost 3-0 at West Bromwich Albion in our opening League game of the season. We fell behind to a Zoltán Gera wonder-goal just before half time, with Pepe Reina saving a Shane Long spot-kick on the hour mark with Daniel Agger dismissed for a foul on Long. However, the Baggies were awarded a second penalty when Martin Škrtel was also judged to have brought down Long in the box, which Peter Odemwingie converted. Future Blue Romelu Lukaku completed the scoring with the first of his five past us to date. Other League fixtures 1951 - We lost 2-0 to Portsmouth at Anfield, with full-back Steve Parr making his reds bow, their most recent win in L4. 1962 - Winger Kevin Lewis netted as Blackpool left Anfield having won 2-1 in another season opener, with a seventeen-year old Alan Ball debuting for the visitors. Ray Charnley struck the first of his eight goals against the reds, with Des Horne also on target. 1993 - We won 3-1 at Queens Park Rangers, with Steve Nicol, Nigel Clough and Ian Rush all on target. Ray Wilkins bagged the home side’s consolation. Irish friendlies 1979 - We beat a Football League Of Ireland side 2-0 at Dalymount Park, thanks to strikes from Alan Hansen and Terry McDermott. This game was arranged as construction work at Molineux meant that our opening League fixture scheduled for this day had to be postponed. 1986 - We beat an Irish International XI 2-1 in Cork, with Jan Mølby netting a penalty and Kevin MacDonald also on the scoresheet. Future red Ray Houghton scored for the Irish. The game was originally supposed to have taken place in 1985 as part of Cork’s 800th birthday celebrations but had to be re-arranged following the post-Heysel ban on where the reds could play in Europe. Nando on target 1999 - Fernando Morientes scored past his future clubmate Jerzy Dudek as Spain beat Poland 2-1 in a friendly in Warsaw. On the same day, Vegard Heggem won his eleventh cap as Norway beat Lithuania 1-0 in a friendly in Oslo. Øyvind Leonhardsen also played, winning his 62nd cap, and first as a Tottenham Hotspur player, just twelve days after leaving Anfield. Meanwhile, future reds Igor Bišcan and Bolo Zenden were both also in friendly action. 2007 – Future reds loanee Victor Moses scored for England Under-17’s as they drew 1-1 with North Korea in a World Championship Finals group game in South Korea. A good and bad day 2010 – Slovakian centre-half Martin Škrtel signed a new contract to tie him to the reds until 2014, although he later extended this. He notched eighteen goals in 320 games in total, including one in our Carling Cup win at Wembley in February 2012, moving on to Fenerbahçe SK for £5.5m in July 2016. On the same day, new signing Joe Cole was found guilty of speeding. Meanwhile, future red James Milner signed for Manchester City from Aston Villa for £26m plus Stephen Ireland, going on to score eighteen times in 201 outings, helping them to claim two League titles and FA Community Shield. More international friendlies 2004 - Michael Owen netted as he won his 61st England cap, and first as a Real Madrid player, as they beat Ukraine 3-0 at St. James’ Park, with Andriy Voronin making his first appearance while with Bayer 04 Leverkusen for the losing side. Jamie Carragher, Steven Gerrard, ex-red David James and future red Glen Johnson also featured. Fernando Morientes nabbed his final goal while with Real Madrid as Spain beat Venezuela 3-2 in Gran Canaria. Xabi Alonso won his last cap while with Real Sociedad in the first game managed by Luis Aragonés, with another future red Fernando Torres also featuring. Future red Jan Kromkamp made his senior international debut as the Netherlands drew 2-2 in Sweden. Djibril Cissé won his first cap as a reds player, and seventeenth in all, as France were held to a 1-1 draw by Bosnia-Herzegovina in Rennes. Also in action were Milan Baroš, Salif Diao, Jerzy Dudek, Steve Finnan, Stéphane Henchoz, Sami Hyypiä, John Arne Riise, future reds Yossi Benayoun, Christian Poulsen and Maxi Rodríguez and ex-red Jari Litmanen. Meanwhile, ex-reds Paul Jones and Gareth Roberts and future red Craig Bellamy all played in the first international meeting of Latvia and Wales that ended in a 2-0 win for the Welsh in Riga. 1998 – Future red Alex Manninger played for Austria Under-21’s in their 2-2 friendly draw with France in Amstetten. Youngsters starting out 1993 - Future red Sami Hyypiä played his first European game as Myllykosken Pallo-47 lost 3-1 at Valur in the European Cup Winners’ Cup. 2001 - Florent Sinama-Pongolle made his League debut for Le Havre AC in their goalless draw with Nîmes Olympique at the Stade des Costières. 2004 – Future reds reserves forward Ramon Calliste won his first cap for Wales Under-21’s as they were held to a goalless friendly draw in Latvia. Meanwhile, Raúl Meireles played in the Olympics Finals for Portugal as they lost 4-2 to Costa Rica in Heraklion, with two off his team-mates seeing red.

Wembley glory at last 1965 – This day finally brought the FA Cup to Anfield for the first time in our history. The game against Leeds United was goalless after ninety minutes, with full-back Gerry Byrne playing most of the match with a broken collar-bone. Roger Hunt opened the scoring in extra time, before Billy Bremner equalised for the Yorkshire side with one of his five goals past us. With five minutes remaining, “up popped the head of Ian St. John” to win the cup. 1980 - We played in the only FA Cup Semi-final to go to a third replay, which we unfortunately lost to Arsenal courtesy of a Brian Talbot goal at Highfield Road, one of his six strikes against the reds, who went on to lose the Final to Second Division West Ham United. 1996 - We also faced the Gunners, holding them to a goalless Premiership draw at Highbury. This was the first time since three substitutes were permitted for League games four years previously that we did not name a keeper on the bench, with Mark Kennedy, Ian Rush and Michael Thomas getting the nod. Luis and Mo the best 2014 - Luis Suárez was named as the Football Writers’ Association Footballer of the Year for a season in which he struck 31 times in total in 37 reds outings as we came close to claiming the League title. 2018 - Mohamed Salah won the same award, towards the end of a season in which he notched 44 times in 52 games, helping us to reach the UEFA Champions League Final in Kiev. On our way to Athens 2007 - Jamie Carragher played his ninetieth European game in our Champions League Semi-final second leg with Chelsea at Anfield, breaking Ian Callaghan’s club record. Daniel Agger converted a cleverly-worked free-kick to take the tie into extra time, following our single goal defeat in the first meeting. Dirk Kuyt had an effort ruled out for offside, and also hit the woodwork before Pepe Reina was the hero in a penalty shoot-out that we won 4-1, saving from both Geremi and Arjen Robben. Kuyt struck our decisive fourth spot-kick. This was the first time we had faced the same team in European competition in three consecutive seasons, as well as being the third round in a row in which Bolo Zenden had come up against a former employer, following ties with Barcelona and PSV Eindhoven. Striking legends in and out Two striking legends have joined us on this day. 1971 - Bill Shankly signed Kevin Keegan for £33,000 from Sc***horpe United. 1980 - Ian Rush arrived from Chester for a fee of £300,000, which remains their record sale. 1990 - Kenny Dalglish made his 515th and final appearance in our 1-0 home defeat of Derby County, thanks to a goal from Gary Gillespie, as we were awarded our eighteenth, and most recent, League title. He was aged 39 years 58 days, a post-war club record. This game had been postponed from February. 1972 - We also faced the Rams, losing a First Division fixture 1-0 at the Baseball Ground thanks to a goal from John McGovern. On the Case 1973 - Jimmy Case signed from South Liverpool for £500. He went on to net 46 times in 269 reds games, helping us to three European Cups, four League titles, UEFA Cup, UEFA Super Cup, League Cup and three FA Charity Shields. Gary Mac yet again 2001 - Gary McAllister scored for the fifth straight game in our 2-0 win at Bradford City as we headed towards the Champions League. Michael Owen nabbed the other goal in a game that was originally postponed the previous December. Most recently 2017 – Emre Can struck a spectacular goal, the only one of our trip to Watford. 2016 - We lost 3-1 at Swansea City, with left-back Brad Smith seeing red. André Ayew struck twice for the home side, with Jack Cork also on target, as Christian Benteke scored for the reds. 2012 – Brazilian left-back Fábio Aurélio played his 134th and last reds game as Fulham won for the first time at Anfield, so completing their first ever League double over us. A presentation was made to Brian Hall before the game, marking his retirement as Public Relations Manager, a post he had held since 1991. Martin Škrtel put through his own net as ex-reds reserve Alex Kačaniklić attempted to convert John Arne Riise’s cross for the only goal. 2011 - We beat Newcastle United 3-0 at Anfield. Maxi Rodríguez opened the scoring before Dirk Kuyt converted a penalty and Luis Suárez struck, with ex-Toon star Andy Carroll making a late cameo from the bench. Replay 86 2006 - The Replay 86 game was played at Anfield in front of 32,947 in aid of the Marina Dalglish Appeal. The two sides were representing the 1986 FA Cup Final teams, and the only goal came in the final minute, through former reds reserves striker John Durnin. Also against the Blues 1937 - Jack Balmer was on target as we were held to a 1-1 draw by Chelsea at Anfield in the final game of a League campaign that saw us finish in a disappointing eighteenth, just three points clear of relegation. Dickie Spence netted one of his six goals against the reds. On the same day, Bill Shankly was on the losing side at Wembley, as Preston North End lost 3-1 to Sunderland in the first FA Cup Final to be played in the month of May. Goals galore 1978 - King Kenny grabbed a hat-trick in our 4-0 defeat of Manchester City at Anfield, with Phil Neal adding a penalty. 1926 - Forward Tom Reid scored both goals on his reds debut in our 2-2 home draw with Sheffield United, with outside-right Cyril Oxley playing his 34th and final reds game as we finished the season in sixth place. Harry Johnson scored two of his seven goals past us. 1999 - Less happily, Jamie Carragher scored an own goal as we came from 2-0 behind at half time to beat Tottenham Hotspur 3-2 at Anfield in the League, having already scored an own goal in the reverse fixture that season! Paul Ince and Steve McManaman netted after Jamie Redknapp’s spot-kick. Spurs’ Mauricio Taricco was sent off just before the break while Stig Inge Bjørnebye played his 184th and final reds game as a late substitute, with the young Steven Gerrard instrumental in our comeback after coming off the bench at half time. Steffen Iversen had netted the other goal for the visitors. 1943 - Cyril Done struck for the fourth consecutive game, grabbing a brace as we beat Bolton Wanderers 4-0 in our Lancashire Cup Second Round second leg at Anfield, with Thomas Pearson and Jackie Campbell also on target. This game also counted towards the Wartime League. 1979 - We also faced the Trotters in a game originally postponed from three months earlier, when Ray Kennedy netted twice and David Johnson and Kenny Dalglish were also on the scoresheet in a 4-1 win in wintry conditions at Burnden Park, with the home side’s score coming from a Graeme Souness own goal. Bolton keeper Jim McDonagh said afterwards, “Liverpool are perfection. This team would have been good enough to win the 1978 World Cup!” Eleven in a row 1982 - We won 2-0 at home to Nottingham Forest, our eleventh successive League win - a joint club record with 2013/14, and tenth straight win in all competitions, a then club record. Craig Johnston bagged both goals. Bob off the mark 1948 – Left-half Bob Paisley struck the first of his twelve reds goals as ended the season in tenth by beating Wolverhampton Wanderers 2-1 at Anfield, with Jack Balmer also on target. Another trophy 1946 - We beat Everton 3-1 at Anfield to claim the Liverpool Senior Cup. Bill Jones and Harry Eastham netted for the reds, with the Blues’ Purvis putting through his own net. Jameo off 1993 - David James was dismissed at Norwich City on the hour mark with David Phillips netting the only goal of the game past Mike Hooper from the subsequent spot-kick, as he became the first substitute keeper to take the field for the reds in the Premier League, in his 73rd and final senior reds appearance. This was a vital result as we finished in sixth, three places and three points behind City who reached the UEFA Cup, which we failed to do. English reds 1964 - Roger Hunt scored in England’s 3-0 victory over ‘Young England’. 1997 - Michael Owen netted a brace for the Under-16’s as they beat Turkey 2-1 in a European Championships group game in Austria. 2012 – Ex-reds boss Roy Hodgson was appointed Manager of the senior England side. An English treble 1935 - Sam English scored a hat-trick as we beat Exeter City 3-1 in a testimonial match for former reds full-back Jimmy Gray at St. James Park. Scottish-born South African international Gray had only ever played one senior reds game, but turned out 221 times for the Grecians, helping them to finish runners up in the Third Division South in 1933. First and last caps 1985 - Michael Robinson won his first cap as a Queens Park Rangers player, and nineteenth in all, as Norway held the Republic of Ireland to a goalless draw in a World Cup qualifier in Dublin. His former clubmates Jim Beglin, Mark Lawrenson and Ronnie Whelan all also featured. Ex-red Avi Cohen and future reds John Barnes and Mark Wright all also won international caps that day. 1991 - Poland’s European Championships qualifying visit to Lansdowne Road also ended goalless. This was the twentieth meeting between the countries, with John Aldridge winning his final cap as a Real Sociedad player, and 39th in total. Ray Houghton, Steve Staunton and ex-reds reserve Kevin Sheedy also played. John Barnes, Steve Nicol, ex-red Jim Magilton and future reds Stig Inge Bjørnebye, Istvan Kozma, Øyvind Leonhardsen, Gary McAllister, Colin Pascoe, Karl-Heinz Riedle and Dean Saunders all also represented their countries on the same day. Moving on 1992 – Future reds centre-half Glenn Hysén signed for GAIS, having been released by the reds after three goals in 93 outings since signing from Fiorentina for £600,000 in June 1989. He helped us to our most recent title win in 1990, as well as the FA Charity Shield on his debut. St. Michael the Dad 2003 - Michael Owen became a father when his future bride Louise Bonsall gave birth to their daughter, Gemma Rose.

An Anfield farewell 1996 - Ian Rush played his final reds game at Anfield, with Stan Collymore scoring the only goal of the game against Middlesbrough. He was applauded onto the pitch by a ‘guard of honour’ from both teams. Heading to Istanbul 2005 - We held Chelsea to a goalless draw at Stamford Bridge in the first leg of our Champions League Semi-final. The evening was only slightly spoiled by Xabi Alonso’s unwarranted booking that would rule him out of the Anfield return. Steven Gerrard had an emergency dental operation on the morning of the game. FA Cup semi-finals We have twice played FA Cup Semi-finals on this day over the years. 1963 - We lost 1-0 to Leicester City at Hillsborough, with Mike Stringfellow heading in the winner, the first of his five goals against the reds, and Gordon Banks keeping the reds at bay. 1977 - We beat Everton 3-0 at Maine Road in a replay, to keep on course for the treble. Our goals came from a Phil Neal penalty, Jimmy Case and Ray Kennedy that day. Both sides also had strong penalty claims turned down. Title blow 2014 – We lost 2-0 to Chelsea at Anfield to deal our title chances a major blow. The visitors were time-wasting from the first minute as we felt the absence of the suspended Jordan Henderson. Steven Gerrard slipped at the end of the first half to allow Demba Ba a clear run on goal, and he slipped the ball past Simon Mignolet. We failed to break down the Blues’ blanket defence, with Willian nabbing a stoppage time second. Iago Aspas made his fifteenth and final reds appearance, from the bench. On the same day, Luis Suárez was named PFA Player of the Year for a season in which he struck 31 times in total in 37 reds outings. He was also included in the Team of the Year, alongside Steven Gerrard, Daniel Sturridge and future red Adam Lallana. This was Gerrard’s eighth and last appearance in this list, a record in the Premier League era. Happy birthdays 1990 - Defender Martin Kelly was born in Bolton. He made his senior bow as a sub in our Champions League win at PSV Eindhoven in December 2008, striking once in 62 reds games before joining Crystal Palace in August 2014 for a reported £2m. 1904 - Right-back Bob Done was born in Runcorn. He struck thirteen times in 155 reds games following his arrival from his hometown side in April 1926. He left for Reading for £150 in May 1935. 1959 – Academy Director Frank McParland was born in Liverpool. He started out in 1995 by assisting John Owens with the Under-14’s. When the Academy opened in 1999 he was handed a full-time role as head of the community coaching department. Gérard Houllier later gave him a scouting role before Rafael Benítez made him Joint Chief Scout, moving to Bolton Wanderers as General Manager in July 2007, although he only remained there three months. He returned to Melwood in May 2009, moving up to be Director of Academy and Player Development two years later. He left the club again in November 2013. The title disappears from view 2002 - Michael Owen made his 150th League appearance as we lost 1-0 at Tottenham Hotspur, thanks to a Gus Poyet goal. It was our first defeat in fifteen League games and made winning the title a near impossibility. This was also Jari Litmanen’s 43rd and final game in a reds shirt. Meanwhile, a Neil Mellor brace sent the Under-19’s into the Final of the National Play-offs, as we overcame Nottingham Forest 2-1, to set up a two-legged tie with Arsenal. These goals took the boy Mellor to 44 goals for the season. On the same day, future Anfield star Anthony Le Tallec was on target for Le Havre as the French outfit were promoted into the top division by beating Laval 4-1. Thumping the Geordies 2013 - Daniel Sturridge and Jordan Henderson struck twice each, with Daniel Agger and Fabio Borini also on target as we won 6-0 at Newcastle United, with Mathieu Debuchy sent off for the home side late on. In the best team 2008 - Steven Gerrard, Fernando Torres and ex-red David James were all named in the PFA Team of the Year. 2003 – Ex-reds keeper Brad Friedel was voted into the PFA Team of the Year, having kept fifteen clean sheets in the League for Blackburn Rovers. Going down 1895 - We lost a Test Match 1-0 to Bury at Ewood Park that relegated us after just one season in the top flight. Robert Neill made his reds bow in this game. He was possibly our shortest ever centre-half, standing at just five foot four inches. Also debuting were keeper John Whitehead and forward John Cleland, who played his only senior reds game while on loan from Edinburgh side St. Bernard’s, while outside-left John Drummond made his eighteenth and final appearance. Bury keeper Archie Montgomery was sent off late on for kicking out at Harry Bradshaw. 1896 - We lost another Test Match, going down 2-0 at West Bromwich Albion’s Stoney Lane ground. However, previous results were enough to ensure our promotion. Milestone games 1908 - We played our 500th League game, beating Bury 2-1 at Anfield in our final game of the season thanks to a Ronald Orr brace, with Billy Hibbert bagging one of his thirteen goals against the reds. We ended the season in eighth position. 1985 – Alan Hansen played his 400th reds game as we drew 0-0 at Ipswich Town. Sam’s last 1912 – Forward Sam Gilligan bagged his sixteenth and final reds goal in the second minute of our 1-0 top-flight victory at Oldham Athletic. Disaster in North London 1935 - Willie Evans scored a hat-trick for Tottenham Hotspur as they trounced us 5-1 at White Hart Lane. Berry Nieuwenhuys grabbed our consolation while forward Sam English played his fiftieth and final reds game. George Hunt struck one of his five goals past us, with Len Bolan also on the scoresheet. Bill yet again 1903 - Left-half Bill Goldie played his 174th and final reds game, actually his 129th consecutive reds appearance, and 119th straight game in the League, as we won 2-0 at Wolverhampton Wanderers in our last game of the season, thanks to goals from Sam Raybould and Jack Cox. Left-back John Glover played his 59th and last reds game. For Razor 1991 - A testimonial match for Ray Kennedy was staged at Highbury. A reds team beat Arsenal 3-1, with Jan Mølby, David Speedie and Peter Beardsley on the scoresheet. A treble for Jimmy 1931 - Left-half Jimmy McDougall grabbed a hat-trick as we were beaten 8-4 by Yeovil & Petters United at their Huish Park Stadium in a friendly, with Cyril Done nabbing our other goal. First and last times with the armband 1982 - Phil Thompson skippered England for the sixth and final time as they beat Wales 1-0 in the British International Championships in Cardiff. Joe Corrigan, ex-red Joey Jones, Terry McDermott, Phil Neal and Ian Rush all also featured. 1977 - Future red Kenny Dalglish captained Scotland for the first time as they beat Sweden 3-1 in a friendly at Hampden Park. Twice against the Blades and Hammers We have twice ended the season by playing Sheffield United in the top flight at Anfield on this day over the years. 1907 - We drew 2-2 with Sam Raybould and Billy McPherson on target in our final game of the season, as we finished fifteenth. Left-back Tom Rogers debuted in this game. 1914 - Tom Miller netted a brace as we won 2-1, just two days after losing our first ever FA Cup Final. 1957 - We beat West Ham United in a Second Division meeting, with Billy Liddell netting the only goal of the game from the spot in the final minute. 1974 - John Toshack struck at Upton Park as we drew a top-flight encounter 2-2, with Kevin Keegan on target at the death. Alec Lindsay had a penalty saved by Mervyn Day in the first half. Trevor Brooking and Frank Lampard both struck for the home side. International debut once more 1927 - Ex-red Billy Lacey represented his third different country, playing in the Republic of Ireland’s second ever senior international, as they lost 2-1 to Italy ‘B’ in Dublin. This followed eighteen caps he had won for Ireland and another eight for Northern Ireland. Beaten by Rovers We have twice lost to Blackburn Rovers on this day in history. 1929 - Birthday boy Bob Done converted a penalty as we lost a top-flight meeting 2-1 at Ewood Park. 1893 - We lost an Anfield friendly 1-0. Young England reds 2002 - Mark Smyth was on target as England Under-17’s beat Finland 3-2 in a European Championships game in Denmark. Clubmate David Raven was skipper and David Mannix also played. 1993 – Future reds Academy coach Mike Sheron bagged a brace as England Under-21’s beat the Netherlands 3-0 in a European Championships qualifier at Fratton Park. Rob Jones also featured. 1988 - Gary Ablett won his only Under-21’s cap as England drew 2-2 with France in the Semi-final of the European Championships at Highbury. Unfortunately, France won 6-4 on aggregate. Future red Michael Thomas also played. On the same day, Peter Beardsley, Gary Gillespie, Ray Houghton, Steve McMahon, Steve Nicol, ex-red Ian Rush and future reds Glenn Hysén, István Kozma and Dean Saunders all also played for their countries. Splashing about 1894 - Outside-left Hugh McQueen nearly died when he dived off a springboard at Southport baths where the team were training, as he could not swim! He made 61 reds appearances in total after signing from Leith Athletic in October 1892, bagging eighteen goals and helping us to the Lancashire League and Second Division titles in successive seasons before joining Derby County in July 1895. Potter for the Irish 2004 - Darren Potter made his debut for the Republic of Ireland’s Under-21’s as they drew 2-2 in a friendly in Poland. Ex-red Daniel Sjölund struck as the Finnish Under-21’s beat Bosnia & Herzegovina 3-1 away from home. Robbie Foy played for Scotland at the same level while Jimmy Ryan featured for the Irish Under-16’s on the same day, with future red Daniel Agger in action for Denmark Under-20’s. Other international highlights 1991 - Future red Nigel Clough netted the only goal of the game as England B beat Iceland in a friendly at Vicarage Road. Fellow future red Paul Stewart also featured. 2001 – Future red Anthony Le Tallec scored for France Under-16’s in their 5-0 thumping of Finland in the European Championships Finals in Grimsby. 2015 - Future red Kamil Grabara saved two penalties in a shoot-out as Poland Under-16’s beat Turkey 7-6 after their friendly ended 1-1 in Israel.