1995: Liverpool 1 Sheffield Wednesday 0
With the Premiership getting into its stride and the serious money starting to roll in, this opening week of the campaign sees a clutch of expensive signings making their debuts.
At Highbury, Dennis Bergkamp and David Platt take a bow at a cost of £12m between them, but its Ian Wrights 122nd goal in 180 appearances that equalises Nicky Barmbys opener to earn Arsenal a 1-1 draw with Middlesbrough.
Over at Stamford Bridge, Chelsea manager Glenn Hoddles new paring of Mark Hughes and Ruud Gullit fail to overcome Everton, who hold out for a 0-0, while at St James Park, £2.5m David Ginola helps Newcastle United to a 3-0 win over Coventry City.
But its £8.5m Stan Collymores debut for Liverpool against Sheffield Wednesday that captures most of the headlines. With Ian Rush in the side and Robbie Fowler on the bench, Collymore is under pressure to produce the goods and he shows his class early in the second half. Receiving the ball 25 yards out with his back to goal, he turns sharply to his right in a bid to shake off his marker, than back to his left, before curling a beautiful left-footed drive into the corner of the net.
It was a strike fit to win any game and manager Roy Evans says: "He wants to have his say on how we play. Thats his character. Hell learn to play our way, and well adapt a little for him.'
1978: Tottenham Hotspur 1 Aston Villa 4
This week, all eyes are on Tottenham Hotspur as they entertain Aston Villa at White Hart Lane with Argentine World Cup winners Ossie Ardiles and Ricky Villa making their home debuts.
Parking is impossible within a mile of the ground as 48,000 fans flock to see the two controversial purchases and there is an air of great expectation – but its Aston Villa who are destined to ruin what was to have been Spurs colourful return to the top table after a season in Division Two.
As the players run onto the pitch, they are greeted by showers of shredded paper, Buenos Aires-style, but Spurs seem to have an attack of the jitters. Tackles are reckless, and everything is done at break-neck speed – and it is Aston Villa who score first.
Following a mix-up from a corner, striker Allan Evans notches number one after 35 minutes. Three minutes into the second half, a Gordon Cowans pass reaches Dennis Mortimer who crosses for John Gregory to score a second. Spurs respond with a welter of shots and corners, and eventually Ardiles is brought down and Glenn Hoddle scores from the spot.
Inevitably, though, as Spurs press forward in search of an equaliser, gaps appear at the back and Brian Little makes no mistake following a botched Spurs free-kick. Five minutes later, following a John Gidman run and cross, Villa add a fourth and the partys over.
1961: AC Milan 3 Lanerossi Vicenza 0
Following the abolition of the maximum wage, its the first season when players can earn whatever their club wishes to pay them! Fulham and Englands Johnny Haynes becomes the first £100 a week player but the big story this week is in Italy where three expensive British exports - Denis Law and Joe Baker at Torino, and Jimmy Greaves at AC Milan – are set to make their debuts. Neither Law nor Baker score in a 2-0 defeat by Sampdoria. But could Greaves continue his habit of notching a goal on every debut?
In the days leading up to his first appearance for Milan, Greaves is at the centre of storm of controversy suggesting that he isnt happy in Italy and is trying to return to England. His threatened walk-out dominates the back pages but, by the end of the week, hes back in Milan, accompanied by PFA Chairman Jimmy Hill.
He tells reporters: "Ill try again and give it a go.' In an eventful match, Greaves has to forgo his familiar 'poaching role that brought him 41 goals in his last season with Chelsea, and he forages deep, fetching and carrying in a style that seems not to suit him. Under the headline, 'Can Greaves Survive? its reported that 'the frail frame that carries his genius was the target for every lashing boot, every grasping arm, every well-drilled skulduggery that Italian defenders could muster.
Zoppelletto of Vicenza even tries to drag him down in the penalty area when the ball is 50 yards away but, in the end, he scores from a penalty and Milan win 3-0. A happy ending – but the do
