1865
Arthur Wharton, regarded as the first black professional footballer, is born in Jamestown, Ghana.
Half Grenadian and half Scottish, Arthur moved in 1882 to England to train as a missionary, but quickly became bored with academic and religious life and left school to pursue a sporting career.
A talented athlete, he set a new world record for the 100-yard dash (10 seconds) at Stamford Bridge in 1886 which brought him to the attention of various professional football clubs.
He first signed as a semi-professional goalkeeper with
Preston North End in 1886, but turned fully pro in 1889 with
Rotherham United, before moving finally to
Sheffield United in 1894.
Arthur spent the last 15 years of his life in obscurity as a colliery haulage hand but his unmarked grave in Edlington has since been given a headstone, and his picture included in an exhibition of British Sporting Heroes at the National Portrait Gallery.
1969
Ray Crawford, ex-England and
Ipswich Town forward, is sacked by
Charlton Athletic for refusing to attend training at Bisham Abbey. He says he will now seek non-league or foreign football if no club can pay the £12,500 fee placed on his head.
1957
Billy Wright is selected to play for England against Ireland and thus wins his 87th cap, 34 of them in Home Internationals thus breaking the record set by Bob Crompton of
Blackburn Rovers. Jimmy Greaves is selected as a ‘reserve’.
1988
Dean Saunders joins
Derby County from Oxford United for £1m.
2003
Cesc Fabregas became
Arsenal’s youngest-ever player when he played in a 1-1 League Cup draw against Rotherham United.
Birthday Boys: Milan Baroš (1981) Erik Thorstvedt (1962) Alan Smith (1980) Obafemi Martins (1984)
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