FA Cup third round day is a key fixture of the post-Christmas football calendar. Held on the first weekend in January, the third round is where the big sides from the top two divisions enter the competition.
In the earlier preliminary rounds, plus the first and second rounds teams from all over the country have fought to get this far, in the hope of securing a money-spinning tie and having a chance of upsetting one of the heavyweights.
League form goes out of the window on third round weekend as teams from the lower leagues take on some of the country’s most decorated sides. This stage of the competition has become famous for throwing up its fair share of shocks down the years, with underdogs upsetting the odds. Here’s ten Football League sides who did just that….
10: Liverpool 1 Reading 2 2010
In January 2010, Championship strugglers Reading forced a 1-1 draw against Liverpool at the Madejski Stadium to earn a replay at Anfield 11 days later – where it was expected the home side would win.
However Reading had other ideas. Despite falling behind when Ryan Bertrand unluckily deflected Steven Gerrard’s cross into his own net a minute into first-half injury time, the Royals held their own against Rafa Benitez’s side. With 91 minutes on the clock, a throw in led to Reading striker Shane Long being fouled in the Liverpool penalty area, winning a dramatic late penalty for the visitors. Gylfi Sigurdsson stepped up, sent goalkeeper Cavalieri the wrong way to force extra-time.
Having saved themselves, Reading then took the lead with ten minutes of extra-time remaining. Brynjar Gunnarsson nutmegged Emiliano Insua down the right hand side and sent in a cross which Long met with a glancing header into the far corner in front of the Kop. Liverpool were unable to find an equaliser as Reading held on to win 2-1 as Anfield was left stunned.
9: Manchester United 0 Leeds United 1 2010
When League One Leeds United travelled to Old Trafford to face great rivals and reigning Premier League champions Manchester United in the 2010 third round, a rivalry was rekindled. The tie evoked memories of the beginning of the century when the two were challenging at the top of the Premiership, but was also a reminder of how far Leeds had fallen since.
At the time of this match Leeds were seeking promotion to the Championship, with Jermaine Beckford’s goals keeping them in the hunt. The striker would produce the one crucial moment against United, as his goal in front of the Stretford End gave Leeds a memorable victory and progress into the fourth round. An historic result too as it was the first time United were knocked out at this stage under the management of Sir Alex Ferguson.
8: Burnley 1 Liverpool 0 2005
This game was memorable not only for Burnley’s unexpected win, but the comical own goal which gave them their victory. Liverpool travelled to Turf Moor for this third round tie but failed to put in a meaningful performance, and were punished.
After a first-half in which Burnley were the better side, the Clarets took the lead six minutes after the break when Richard Chaplow rolled a low cross into the Liverpool penalty area from the left, and Reds full-back Djimi Traore thought he was Zinedine Zidane, with disastrous consequences. The defender tried to turn as he controlled the ball, only to complete a dragback on the spin which ended up with the ball rolling into the back of his own net. A ridiculous goal which gifted Burnley a place in the fourth round.
7: Bournemouth 2 Manchester United 0 1984
In January 1984 Manchester United entered the 1983/84 FA Cup third round as holders, having beaten Brighton and Hove Albion in the 1983 final. Their defence of the triphy began with what seemed a straightforward trip to Third Division Bournemouth. The Cherries were near the bottom of the league and United had lost just once on the road that season, with the likes of Bryan Robson, Arnold Muhren and Frank Stapleton in their team. Bournemouth’s manager was Harry Redknapp, three months into his first managerial position.
United failed to offer much during the game and went behind on the hour after goalkeeper Gary Bailey fumbled a cross. Milton Graham was on hand to score and send 16,000 fans at Dean Court into raptures. Four minutes later Ian Thompson added a second goal and sealed a well-deserved 2-0 win for Bournemouth.
6: Sunderland 1 Notts County 2 2010
When former Manchester United team-mates Paul Ince and Steve Bruce went head-to-head in the dugout in January 2010, it was the former who earned the bragging rights, as Ince’s League One strugglers Notts County secured a memorable 2-1 success over Sunderland at the Stadium of Light.
It was Notts who took the lead five minutes in when Craig Westcarr’s flick was fumbled into his own net by Black Cats goalkeeper Simon Mignolet and despite some efforts at goal in reply, Sunderland could not find a goal and fell further behind with fifteen minutes to go. County striker Lee Hughes saw his first effort saved by Mignolet but tucked in the rebound from an acute angle to make the game more comfortable for the visitors.
Darren Bent pulled a goal back from the penalty spot on 81 minutes, but it was not enough as Notts secured an impressive victory.
5: Everton 0 Oldham Athletic 1 2008
Four years ago Oldham Athletic from League One pulled off one of the shocks of that year’s FA Cup by beating Everton at Goodison Park. Everton were flying-high in the Premier League and Oldham were mid-table in the third tier but it was John Sheridan’s team who prevailed thanks to a stunning 25-yard strike from Gary McDonald seconds before half-time.
Everton pushed for an equaliser, Yakubu hitting the post deep into the second-half, but Oldham’s lead remained comfortable and their strong rearguard display saw them through to the fourth round at the expense of David Moyes’ side.
4: Swindon Town 2 Wigan Athletic 1 2012
Paolo Di Canio’s Swindon Town side gave us one of the shocks of this year’s third round, as they came from behind to beat Premier League Wigan Athletic at the County Ground.
Callum McManaman looked to be setting the visitors on course for victory when he tucked home the rebound after Ben Watson’s penalty kick came back out off the post, but the League Two hosts fought back. Five minutes before the break, Alan Connell glanced a header into the far corner of the net from Matt Ritchie’s right-wing cross to level matters going into half-time.
Swindon continued to hold their own against Roberto Martinez’s Latics and got their reward fifteen minutes from the end. A 25-yard shot from Ritchie deflected off the legs of striker Paul Benson and rolled into the back of the net with Wigan goalkeeper Ali Al-Habsi stranded. Swindon held on to defeat a side three leagues above them to the joy of the capacity crowd at the final whistle.
3: Stevenage 3 Newcastle United 1 2011
The 2011 third round draw pitted Stevenage against Newcastle United, rekindling memories of the time when the two met at the fourth round in 1998, where a goal from Giuliano Grazioli saw the non-league outfit secure a replay at St. James Park, which the Magpies won 2-1.
In 2011 Stevenage were playing their first season as a Football League club under the management of Graham Westley and were 13th in League Two as Alan Pardew’s Premier League Newcastle visited Broadhall Way. After a goalless first half the underdogs took the lead when Stacy Long’s strike deflected off Mike Williamson and sent Tim Krul the wrong way as it crossed the line. Newcastle fell further behind five minutes later when Michael Bostwick drilled a low shot in off the post to give the hosts a shock 2-0 lead.
Newcastle had midfielder Cheik Tiote sent off for a wild lunge on what would be an uncomfortable night for the visitors and despite Joey Barton’s outstanding 30-yard drive which halved the defecit two minutes into injury time, Stevenage extended their lead and sealed their place in the fourth round three minutes later, as Peter Winn clipped an effort over the advancing Krul after being played in by John Mousinho to send the home fans into raptures.
2: Shrewsbury Town 2 Everton 1 2003
In Jnauary 2003, Shrewsbury Town manager Kevin Ratcliffe, the most successful captain in Everton history, masterminded an FA Cup shock against his former club, knocking them out of the competition with victory at Gay Meadow. Shrewsbury, in the Third Division were 80 places below their opponents in the league standings but took the game to their more illustrious opponents, being denied on several occasions by Toffees goalkeeper Richard Wright.
However two goals from veteran striker Nigel Jemson either side of a Niclas Alexandersson equaliser – the second coming two minutes from time – sent the Shrews fans into delirium and humbled David Moyes’ Everton team which boasted the likes of Wayne Rooney and Tomas Radzinski in their ranks.
1: Wrexham 2 Arsenal 1 1992
At the Racecourse Ground in 1992, basement division Wrexham wrote themselves into FA Cup history with an unforgettable victory over George Graham’s Arsenal side. The Gunners were reigning league champions and expected to brush aside the Welsh outfit, bottom of the fourth division whilst Arsenal were near the top of the first.
Arsenal took the lead through a close-range finish from Alan Smith and looked to be going through, but with ten minutes to go 37-year-old Mickey Thomas, formerly of Manchester United and Chelsea, rolled back the years as he powered a superb 25-yard free kick past David Seaman to level the game.
With the crowd still in raptures after Thomas’ thunderbolt, the minnows from North Wales were not content with a draw as Steve Watkin squeezed an effort under Seaman’s dive to give Wrexham a 2-1 lead late on in the game. That’s how things stayed and at the final whistle, a pitch invasion ensued as the home supporters celebrated the most unlikely of FA Cup victories.
Written by Steven Toplis, We Are Going Up podcast member and blogger
As we are a few days into 2012, there’s no better time to reflect on the previous year in the Football League. 2011 served up some memorable moments, with unexpected promotions, great relegation escapes, controversies and goals aplenty.
A resurgent East Anglian outfit upset the odds to claim their second promotion in two seasons and top flight football returned to South Wales for the first time in nearly 30 years. A Premier League legend turned up in Wiltshire to begin his managerial career while two former England managers were hired and fired in the East Midlands.
Plenty more took place in 2011 and this week Toppo’s Top Ten takes a look back at some of the most memorable events of the past twelve months in the Football League.
10: Stevenage are promoted again
Stevenage were promoted to the Football League for the first time in their history in 2010 and made a decent start to life in League Two, hovering around mid-table for the first six months of the campaign. In January the club were sat in 18th place but went on a remarkable run of form in February and March, winning nine out of eleven games to propel themselves into the play-off spots. They may have come to the attention of many for their ‘timewasting’ tactics and the hard work put in by the team on the training field, but Graham Westley’s side were on the up.
They finished sixth and defeated Accrington Stanley 3-0 in the play-off semi-finals, to set up a meeting with Torquay United at Old Trafford in the final. Stevenage had the better of the first-half and made their dominance count four minutes from the break as John Mousinho rifled in a shot from the edge of the area after a fine run from midfield. The goal would prove to be the decider and Stevenage saw out the match to secure a famous double promotion into League One, emulating Exeter’s back-to-back promotions from the Conference into the third tier in 2008 and 2009.
9: Crystal Palace shock Manchester United
Having struggled at the wrong end of the Championship table early in 2011, Crystal Palace made a much better start to the 2011-12 season under manager Dougie Freedman, challenging for the play-offs and having a good run in the Carling Cup.
In the quarter-finals on November 30 they travelled to Old Trafford to face Manchester United, with the home side considered big favourites, despite Sir Alex Ferguson fielding some fringe players. After a dull first half, the game sparked into life when Palace midfielder Darren Ambrose thumped a brilliant 35-yard strike into the top corner at the Stretford End. United equalised thanks to Federico Macheda’s penalty but they could not find another goal, so the match went into extra-time.
Eight minutes into extra-time Palace won a free-kick which Ambrose swung into the penalty area, Glenn Murray escaped the attentions of his marker and nodded the ball into the back of Ben Amos’ net to restore Palace’s lead. The Londoners came under pressure in the closing stages of the game but defended resolutely to seal a last-four spot for the first time in ten years.
8: That Clarke-Di Canio bust-up
Former Sheffield Wednesday and West Ham United striker Paolo Di Canio was appointed manager of Swindon Town in May, not long after the club’s relegation into League Two had been confirmed. The Robins got off to an inconsistent start under the Italian, who was known for his short temper and hot-headed moments as a player. At the end of August we saw this side of Di Canio return as he had a furious bust-up with striker Leon Clarke on the touchline at the County Ground after losing to Southampton in the Carling Cup.
Clarke had an argument with one of the club’s fitness coaches before manager Di Canio stepped in. He asked the striker to leave the field but Clarke refused, Di Canio tugged at his shirt which seemed to wind the striker up more. Eventually the pair headed down the tunnel where the confrontation continued and became more heated with the two having to be pulled apart. Clarke had only joined Swindon from QPR 11 days later, and he was soon heading for the exit – farmed out to Chesterfield on loan.
7: Darren Ferguson returns to Peterborough
In January 2011, fourteen months after leaving the club by mutual consent, Darren Ferguson strolled back into London Road to become Peterborough United boss for a second time. He had just been sacked by Preston North End, who were bottom of the Championship – which was where Ferguson took Peterborough from League Two thanks to successive promotions in 2008 and 2009 during his first stint as manager.
Posh were in the play-off mix when he arrived and he eventually guided them into the end-of-season shootout for a place in the Championship. After overcoming MK Dons in the semi-finals they would face Huddersfield Town at Old Trafford on May 29, where Ferguson began his playing career and where his father Sir Alex, is a club legend. Huddersfield were considered favourites having just been pipped to automatic promotion by Southampton but the game was a tight affair until the late stages.
In the 78th minute Peterborough broke the deadlock when Tommy Rowe headed Grant McCann’s free-kick into the back of the net, before striker Craig Mackail-Smith’s 35th goal of a memorable season made it 2-0. Posh sealed the victory five minutes from the end thanks to a great free-kick from McCann to seal promotion back to the Championship and a remarkable comeback for manager Ferguson.
6: Huddersfield’s unbeaten run
In 2011 Huddersfield Town came close to securing a place in the Championship, being beaten to an automatic promotion spot in League One to Southampton, before losing the play-off final to Peterborough United. Lee Clark’s side were tipped to go one better in the 2011-12 season and pushed for the play-offs again from the start as they carried on a long unbeaten run from the previous season.
After losing in the league to Southampton on December 28th 2010, Huddersfield picked up 24 wins and 18 draws from their next 42 league games to equal Nottingham Forest’s Football League unbeaten streak of 42 matches. In their next game at home to Notts County on the 19th of November, Town would make history as they ran out 2-1 winners thanks to a brace from Jordan Rhodes and make it 43 unbeaten.
In this time they had lost matches in the FA Cup, Carling Cup and most notably, in the League One play-offs, so some felt the record should have been ended much sooner, however it was an impressive feat from the Terriers which came to an end with a 2-0 loss away to leaders Charlton Athletic in their next game.
5: Brighton move to their new home
Fourteen long years after leaving the Goldstone Ground and playing at the Withdean Stadium since 1999, Brighton and Hove Albion finally moved to a new stadium of their own, the impressive Falmer Stadium (named the AMEX Stadium due to sponsorship) which was in construction since 2008.
The move coincided with Gus Poyet’s side winning the League One title last season to be promoted to the Championship and the feel good factor was back amongst the Seagulls and their supporters. Their first competitive match at their new ground was a home league fixture against Doncaster Rovers and it would be a memorable afternoon for the home side. The teams took to the field amid a great atmosphere and the sell-out 20.219 crowd waving flags, but it was Doncaster who threatened to spoil Brighton’s afternoon as they took the lead through Billy Sharp.
Brighton tried to find a goal and finally equalised on 83 minutes as Will Buckley, a summer signing from Watford, hit a shot from the egde of the penalty area after Doncaster had failed to clear a free-kick. Injuries meant there were eight minutes of injury time and in the final minute, Buckley converted an excellent pass from Craig Noone to complete a brilliant turnaround and send the home fans into wild celebration.
4: Fans Reunited
Plymouth Argyle began the season in financial turmoil and had just suffered back-to-back relegations from the Championship into League Two. The club were £13 million in debt and placed in Administration. On the pitch the club’s fortunes continued to slide as the Pilgrims sat bottom of the whole Football League after nine games and manager Peter Reid was sacked.
A ‘fans reunited’ day was organised for Plymouth’s home match against Macclesfield Town on September 24th, led by Brighton and Hove Albion fans, hundreds of well-wishers pledged to descend on Home Park in their own teams’ shirts to support Plymouth’s plight. Albion themselves went through a similar situation in 1997 when they were evicted from the Goldstone Ground, docked points and nearly dropped out of the Football League.
Over 6,000 people attended Plymouth’s match with Macclesfield, with fans from clubs all over the country making the long trip South to be at the game. Argyle’s players responded and ran out 2-0 winners to pick up their first win of a difficult season. Two weeks later a second ‘fans reunited’ day was staged on an International weekend to encourage even more fans to support Plymouth, and the Home Park attendance swelled to over 8,000 as the Pilgrims drew 2-2 with Accrington Stanley.
3: Norwich City reach the Premier League
Norwich City’s rise into the Premier League is remarkable. Defeated 7-1 at Carrow Road by Paul Lambert’s Colchester United on the first day of the League One season in 2009, the club dismissed manager Bryan Gunn and appointed Lambert as the new boss. The Scot galvanised the team as they regained their form and went on to win the League One title later that season, immediately bouncing back into the Championship.
Norwich carried on their winning momentum into the second tier and the club were in and around the play-off spots for most of the season. Thanks to the goals of striker Grant Holt the Canaries were very much in the promotion shake-up and moved into the top two, maintaining consistent form in the process – not losing back-to-back matches all season.
On May 2nd the club went into their penultimate match of the campaign away at Portsmouth needing a win to guarantee promotion. The game was a scrappy affair with neither side fashioning many chances, however in the 50th minute they did find the net. David Fox curled a free-kick into the penalty area and Simeon Jackson met it with a close-range header to give the Canaries a priceless lead.
Norwich held on to secure the win and with it a second consecutive promotion into the Premier League as the players ran towards the travelling supporters to celebrate a remarkable triumph. The club became the first since Manchester City in 2000 to win back-to-back promotions into the top flight.
2: Brendan Rodgers takes Swansea City up
Having narrowly missed out on a Championship play-off place the season before, Swansea City appointed former Watford and Reading boss Brendan Rodgers as manager in the wake of Paolo Sousa’s departure for Leicester City. The Swans developed a reputation for playing attractive, attacking football and this would continue under Rodgers. He moved to bring Scott Sinclair to South Wales for £500,000 from former club Chelsea before the season began and he would be one of the club’s key players throughout the campaign.
After a slow start, Swansea picked up form and were soon in the play-off places, moving into the top two on occasion before falling away to allow Norwich to finish second. They eventually finished third to secure a play-off spot and face Nottingham Forest in the semi-finals. After a goalless first leg at the City Ground, Swansea won the return at the Liberty Stadium 3-1 to reach the Wembley final, where they would face Reading for a place in the Premier League.
On May 30 the two sets of fans descended on Wembley to witness what would be a pulsating encounter. Swansea took control of the first half as two goals from Scott Sinclair and a strike from Stephen Dobbie saw the Swans go into the half-time break 3-0 ahead. Reading looked out of it but they pulled a goal back when Joe Allen deflected a header into his own net four minutes after the restart, and eight minutes later the Royals got another when Matt Mills headed home from a corner to put Brian McDermott’s side right back in the contest.
Swansea had to see out Reading pressure as they pressed for an equaliser, being denied by the post and some last-ditch defending from Garry Monk, before they were awarded a penalty with ten minutes to go when Fabio Borini was brought down in the Reading penalty area. Sinclair stepped up and converted the spot-kick to complete his hat-trick and send Swansea on their way to promotion. At the final whistle they returned to the top flight after a 28 year absence and became the first Welsh team to reach the Premier League – quite a feat considering the club won promotion from League Two six years before.
1: Barnet’s great escape
On the final day of the 2010-11 League Two season Barnet and Lincoln City were locked in a battle to remain in the Football League. Lincoln were two points ahead of the Londoners with a home game against Aldershot, while Barnet faced Port Vale at Underhill. Barnet began the season with Mark Stimson as manager but he left with the club bottom at New Year and they turned to former boss Paul Fairclough as caretaker manager.
However after 15 points from a possible 48 the club were staring the Conference in the face and Fairclough left, with another former manager, Martin Allen returning as Bees’ manager on an eight game deal. He gave the side the lift they needed as they won two and drew one of his first three matches in charge, before he shocked everyone by agreeing to join managerless Notts County, just 19 days after his return to Underhill.
Giuliano Grazioli, a Barnet legend and assistant manager to Allen was placed in charge until the end of the season. After a win, a draw and two defeats from his first four games as boss, Barnet went into the final day of the season needing a victory whilst hoping Lincoln lost. Three minutes into the second half, Izale McLeod scored from the penalty spot to give Barnet the lead, but it would be meaningless unless Lincoln conceded against Aldershot.
Midway through the second-half at Sincil Bank Aldershot themselves won and converted a penalty to take the lead, with the news gradually filtering through at Underhill amid chants of “We are staying up!” from the Bees’ supporters. Fifteen minutes later Aldershot doubled their lead and the Barnet fans began cheering once more. Aldershot made it 3-0 with five minutes left, while at Underhill there were six minutes of injury time which only added to the tension, but Barnet held on to survive in the Football League, climb up to 22nd place in the table and condemn Lincoln to non-league football.
At the final whistle the Bees fans poured onto the pitch to celebrate with the players and coaching staff. Barnet had saved themselves by the skin of their teeth.
Written by Steven Toplis, We Are Going Up podcast member and blogger
Tweet Steven at @steven_toplis with your suggestions for Toppo’s Top Tens
For any footballer – strikers in particular – scoring a hat-trick is a special moment. Finding the back of the net three times in a game to take home the match ball is great and it’s even better when you add to that tally.
On Saturday Huddersfield Town frontman Jordan Rhodes scored four goals as his side drew 4-4 with Sheffield Wednesday, so this week Toppo’s Top Ten takes a look at players in the Football League who have achieved that feat and more, getting themselves a haul of goals.
10: Clyde Wijnhard
Dutch striker Clyde Wijnhard spent eight years playing in England, beginning at Leeds United in 1998 before moving to a host of lower league sides including Huddersfield Town, Preston North End, Oldham, Macclesfield, Darlington and Brentford, scoring goals on a regular basis.
He joined Oldham Athletic in the summer of 2002 and early in the 2002/03 season, scored four goals against a shellshocked Mansfield Town at Boundary Park. In an interview in the matchday programme Wijnhard said he would score goals and he came good on that promise, hitting a first half hat-trick before adding a fourth in the second period.
He got his first on ten minutes, chesting a Josh Low cross across the line, his second came eighteen minutes later from the penalty spot to restore Oldham’s lead following an equaliser from Stags’ Wayne Corden and he got his third on 36 minutes, capitalising on a mistake in the Mansfield defence.
Wijnhard, who joined Oldham on a free transfer, got his fourth twenty minutes from the end when he nodded Carlo Corazzin’s cross home before being subbed off to a great reception. Ian Dowie’s Latics added to their lead, making the final score 6-1 thanks to Corazzin and a penalty from Wayne Andrews.
9: Robert Earnshaw
In his first spell with Cardiff City between 1998 and 2004 Robert Earnshaw was prolific, scoring 105 goals in 205 appearances for the South Wales club. He also is the only player to have scored a hat-trick in the Premier League, Championship, League One, League Two, the League Cup, FA Cup and for Wales at International level.
One of his hat-tricks in the second tier came as Cardiff City hosted Gillingham in a Division One fixture at Ninian Park in September 2003. The Bluebirds scored two goals in three first half minutes through Peter Thorne and Earnshaw’s first of the afternoon, before the striker got his second on 35 minutes, finishing from close range after Gillingham had failed to clear a corner.
In first-half injury time Cardiff were awarded a penalty and Earnshaw stepped up to beat Gills’ goalkeeper Jason Brown and score his hat-trick. Half an hour into the second period, Earnshaw notched his fourth of the afternoon, firing home a rebound after the ball bounced back out off a post to score his ninth of the season and round off an impressive 5-0 victory.
8: Michael Chopra
In April 2003, Burnley and Watford shared eleven goals in an action-packed Division One fixture at Turf Moor where a young Michael Chopra netted four times for the visitors as they claimed a 7-4 victory.
Wayne Brown gave Watford the lead before Gareth Taylor equalised for the hosts, but Watford went back ahead not long after when Micah Hyde converted Gavin Mahon’s centre for 2-1 and Neil Cox made it three, heading home an Neal Ardley corner to give the visitors a two goal cushion. On 29 minutes Watford made it 4-1 as Chopra grabbed his first, beating the offside trap to score. Before the break Steve Davis and Gareth Taylor reduced the arrears to 4-3.
Watford scored their fifth of the night as Chopra, on loan from Newcastle United, raced onto Paolo Vernazza’s through ball and finished beyond Clarets goalkeeper Marlon Beresford, before Taylor claimed his hat-trick to make the score a remarkable 5-4 at half-time.
Chopra netted his third on 61 minutes as Ardley centred to present the striker with an easy tap-in, before scoring for the fourth time in the game during injury time as the Hornets broke quickly upfield, Jason Norville crossed from the left and the 19-year-old Chopra emphatically rifled the ball past Beresford to round off a memorable night for him and his team.
7: Steve Bull
Steve Bull was one of the most prolific marksmen outside of the top flight, spending most of his career with Wolverhampton Wanderers in the Third and Second Divisions between 1986 and 1999. He scored 306 goals for the West Midlanders in 475 appearances, including eighteen hat-tricks. He was even selected to play for England whilst still in the Third Division during the 1988/89 season.
One of his Wolves hat-tricks came on New Years’ Day in 1990, as his side travelled to St. James Park to face Newcastle in the Second Division. After a closely-fought first half, Bull took the game by the scruff of the neck, scoring four goals in the second half as his side cruised to a 4-1 success.
6: Brian Deane
In November 2004, veteran striker Brian Deane rolled back the years to hit four goals for Leeds United as they thrashed Queens Park Rangers 6-1 in a Championship fixture at Elland Road. Rangers were going well in the early stages of the 2004/05 season, sitting in the top half of the table and they got off to a good start in this game, Gareth Ainsworth putting them ahead with a drive two minutes in. However Leeds came back and equalised seven minutes later thanks to David Healy’s chipped finish.
Deane grabbed his first of the afternoon on thirteen minutes when he tapped in at the back post for 2-1 and Jermaine Wright made it 3-1 eleven minutes after, tapping in the rebound after Chris Day could only parry his shot. The goals kept coming in an entertaining first half, Deane making the score 4-1 after being set up by John Oster, before the former Sheffield United man got his hat-trick five minutes before the break, converting Gary Kelly’s cross to make it 5-1.
In the second half the goals were less forthcoming but Deane did score his fourth of the afternoon on 72 minutes after Danny Shittu’s poor defensive header fell to the striker, who made no mistake from close range to seal a fine victory for the hosts.
5: Kevin Phillips
Kevin Phillips enjoyed a prolific spell with Sunderland between 1997 and 2003, scoring 113 goals in 208 league games for the club in six years, which included winning promotion to the Premier League in 1999. The Black Cats cruised to the Division One title that season, with Phillips and Niall Quinn forging a successful partnership up front and it was Phillips who hit four against a struggling Bury side in April 1999 to clinch a spot in the top-flight.
Sunderland travelled to Gigg Lane and turned on the style, with 4,492 of their fans making up the crowd of 8,869. Phillips opened the scoring on ten minutes from the penalty spot, his 19th goal of the season before Bury equalised through a spectacular 20-yard strike from Darren Bullock. Niall Quinn restored Sunderland’s lead before Phillips got his second on the half hour mark, ramming home a rebound after Dean Kiely failed to hold Lee Clark’s shot.
The frontman completed his first treble of the season two minutes later when Allan Johnston’s corner fell to him in the box and he made no mistake, finishing beyond Kiely for 4-1. In the second half Nick Daws made the scores 4-2 twenty minutes after the restart with a powerful left-foot volley but it was Phillips who would have the final say, cutting in from the left and curling a shot into the top corner ten minutes from time to score his fourth of the night and kickstart Sunderland’s promotion party.
4: Micky Quinn
On the opening day of the 1989/90 Division Two season, big frontman Micky Quinn made his debut for Newcastle United and helped send 40,000 United supporters home happy on a hot August afternoon.
Leeds United were the visitors to St.James’ Park as Jim Smith’s Magpies faced Second Division football after relegation from the top flight two months before. Quinn joined the Magpies for £680,000 from Portsmouth, having hit 54 goals in 121 appearances for the South Coast club and soon got on the scoresheet for his new employers, along with fellow debutant John Gallagher.
Leeds did lead 2-1 but centre-forward Quinn put the game out of reach of Howard Wilkinson’s men, hitting four goals on his first appearance for the club. He went on to net 34 times in the league that season, making him the top scorer in all four divisions in England.
3: Wayne Andrews
Watford striker Wayne Andrews spent five years at Vicarage Road but failed to make a real breakthrough into the first team, moving to Peterborough United on loan in 1999, where he made an immediate impact. The Posh hosted Barnet at London Road in the Third Division and cruised to a 5-2 success with Andrews scoring four goals on his debut.
Ken Charlery gave the visitors the lead four minutes in but Peterborough equalised on 33 minutes thanks to Rob Sawyers’ own goal. Marlon King put Barnet back in front just a minute later and they kept the lead as the teams headed off the field at half-time. After the break, the hosts came storming back with Andrews leading the scoring.
He got his first of the afternoon on 53 minutes to equalise then grabbed his second a minute later to make it 3-2. Nine minutes after that he scored his hat-trick and rounded off a memorable debut ten minutes from the end as he scored his fourth to make the score 5-2 to Barry Fry’s side. He went on to make ten appearances for Peterborough, scoring just one more goal.
2: Jordan Rhodes
Jordan Rhodes is attracting interest from a whole host of clubs thanks to his excellent goalscoring form for Huddersfield Town and he added to his burgeoning reputation with a brilliant four goal salvo in a pulsating Yorkshire derby at the weekend. Town travelled to Hillsborough to face Sheffield Wednesday in a clash between two League One promotion hopefuls and the game did not disappoint.
Rhodes, whose father Andy is Wednesday’s goalkeeping coach, put Huddersfield ahead with an excellent rising header from Gary Roberts’ cross on 12 minutes and four minutes doubled the lead in a similar fashion, nodding home another good Roberts cross from the left to give Town a dream start.
The Owls equalised in the space of two minutes through Reda Johnson and Rob Jones, before two second half strikes from Ben Marshall and Chris O’Grady gave the hosts a 4-2 lead and looked to set them up for victory. However on 77 minutes Rhodes made the scores 4-3 and netted his hat-trick when he drilled a low shot past Steve Bywater.
It looked as if Gary Megson’s Wednesday would hold on for a crucial win, but in the 97th minute Rhodes latched onto a Peter Clarke pass, raced past the Owls defenders and produced a brilliant curling finish with the outside of his right foot from eighteen yards to score his fourth of the game and snatch a dramatic late draw for Town.
1: Giuliano Grazioli
Former striker Giuliano Grazioli is a firm favourite at Barnet, having scored the goals to help the club reach the Football League in 2005 and helped the Bees avoid the drop back into non-league last season, taking over as manager in April 2011 after the shock resignation of Martin Allen. However in September 1999, he was the main protagonist in dishing out a 9-1 thrashing to Barnet, as Peterborough United romped to victory in a Division Three match at Underhill.
Jimmy Quinn got things started for Posh, netting after sixteen mintues and Grazioli made it two ten minutes later. Mick Bodley scored an own goal two minutes later to make the scores 2-1, but Grazioli quickly restored Peterborough’s two goal cushion and Quinn scored his second four minutes before the break.
In the second half Peterborough continued to dominate and extended their lead further as Grazioli completed his hat-trick six minutes after the restart and then scored his fourth of the afternoon on 55 minutes. Dean Hooper and a young Matthew Etherington made the score 8-1 as the match entered injury time, but Grazioli found the back of the net once more in the closing stages to score his fifth goal of the game and complete a 9-1 success for Barry Fry’s side. It remains Peterborough United’s biggest league win to date and Barnet’s record league defeat.
Written by Steven Toplis, We Are Going up podcast member and blogger
Who’d be a goalkeeper? As the last line of defence, they are praised when they do their job well and make important saves, but if they make an mistake they are criticised heavily by fans and team-mates.
With no one behind them should things not go to plan, mistakes from goalkeepers ultimately lead to goals and the loss of their clean sheets. It is said that you have to be a bit mad to be a goalkeeper and this week Toppo’s Top Tens looks at some mad moments from ‘keepers throughout the Football League. Thanks to lapses in concentration or bad cases of butterfingers, the following goalkeepers were left embarrassed after costly howlers.
10: David Martin
MK Dons goalkeeper David Martin has been in fine form for the League One outfit as they currently occupy a play-off place, however earlier this season an unfortunate mistake from the Dons stopper saw his side lose away at Oldham Athletic.
With two minutes left until half-time at Boundary Park, Oldham defender Zander Diamond lofted a ball forward towards the Dons penalty area which Martin came out to collect. However beforte claiming the ball, he slipped allowing veteran frontman Shefki Kuqi to tap into an empty net from eight yards out. In the second half the Latics extended their lead and despite MK Dons pulling a goal back through Clinton Morrison late on, the home side claimed all three points.
9: Kevin Pressman
In October 2004 veteran Leicester City goalkeeper Kevin Pressman allowed his opposite number to score after a comical error. Leicester City and Preston North End were going head to head at the Walkers Stadium and North End goalkeeper Andy Lonergan launched a goal-kick up field, Foxes centre-back Matt Heath allowed the ball to bounce twenty yards from goal and as it looped high into the air, Pressman came rushing out of his goal, misjudged the bounce and fell backwards as the ball rolled into the back of his own net.
8: Darren Ward
Sixty seconds after Chris Bart-Williams had put Nottingham Forest 1-0 ahead against Manchester City in October 2001, Reds goalkeeper Darren Ward gifted City an equaliser in bizarre circumstances. Ward rolled the ball out to team-mate Riccardo Scimeca but Scimeca, with his back to goal, was unaware of Ward’s intentions.
Upon realising his error, Ward tried to reclaim the ball but slipped and failed to regain his ground, allowing City striker Shaun Goater to collect the ball and tap into an empty net in front of a stunned City Ground crowd. It was Goater’s 16th goal in 17 games and by far the easiest.
7: Bartosz Bialkowski
On Saturday, Southampton reserve goalkeeper Bartosz Bialkowski made his first league appearance for the club in two years, after first choice stopper Kelvin Davis was ruled out of the match against Blackpool. The 24-year-old Pole had a game to forget.
Looking shaky throughout, Bialkowski made two fumbling saves with his chest in the first half before making a huge error in the second. Blackpool midfielder Callum McManaman cut in from the left, ran at the Southampton defenders and hit a low shot from eighteen yards which should’ve resulted in an easy stop for Bialkowski. However the Saints ‘keeper failed to catch the ball as it trickled through his legs and rolled across the line. It summed up his unfortunate afternoon as Southampton fell 2-1 behind, although they did save themselves thanks to Rickie Lambert’s last-minute header.
6: Scott Loach
Last week, Championship strugglers Watford and Bristol City met at Vicarage Road, with both sides looking for the three points to move them further away from the drop zone. It was the Hornets who had the better of the first half as they went into a 2-0 lead thanks to an outstanding 30 yard strike from Carl Dickinson and Craig Beattie’s header. However before half-time City pulled a goal back through Marvin Elliott.
A minute into the second half, Watford defender Adrian Mariappa played a back pass to his goalkeeper Scott Loach who just needed to control it. However the England Under-21 stopper allowed the ball to go underneath his boot, where it rolled into the back of the net to complete Bristol City’s comeback and see them earn a 2-2 draw.
5: Barry Roche
In March 2004, rivals Derby County and Nottingham Forest met in a memorable East Midlands Derby at Pride Park, where victory would see bragging rights earned and a big three points for both sides as they battled relegation.
After Ian Taylor gave the Rams an early lead, striker Paul Peschisolido doubled it in an unexpected manner. Forest defender Wes Morgan sent a back-pass to goalkeeper Barry Roche who was about to clear it up field. However just before the ball reached him it struck a discarded coffee cup on the pitch and bobbled – Roche miscued his clearance, scooping it high into the air to the waiting Peschisolido – who put the ball into the empty net.
It was a bad day all round for Forest as another goal from Peschisolido and Marcus Tudgay saw them lose 4-2. The coffee cup incident has gone down in Derby folklore and the cup itself now sits in the club’s trophy cabinet.
4: Robert Green
When Robert Green crops up in goalkeeper blunders, it is that mistake against the USA in the 2010 World Cup which springs to mind. However seven years earlier whilst a Norwich City player, he made a comical error in a classic “he’s behind you!” moment.
Norwich were facing Nottingham Forest at the City Ground in a Division One fixture and half an hour in, after Forest were on the attack, Green caught a right-wing cross from Matthieu Louis-Jean. He held onto the ball as the players regained their positions and dropped it to the floor without realising Reds striker David Johnson was behind him. Johnson nipped in front of the goalkeeper and poked the ball into the net, setting Forest on their way to a 2-0 win and leaving Green embarrassed.
3: Mark Prudhoe
Goalkeeper Mark Prudhoe played for no fewer than seventeen different Football League clubs, enjoying his most successful spell with Darlington. However when playing for Stoke City in 1995, he managed to score a brilliant own goal.
Stoke were leading 1-0 away at Huddersfield Town through a goal from Mike Sheron. With seventeen minutes remaining, Kevin Keen played the ball back towards goalkeeper Prudhoe to clear. However Prudhoe took his eye off the ball and managed to slice the ball backwards into his own goal whilst under no pressure from opposition players – the gaffe saw his side drop two points.
2: Chris Weale
Leicester City goalkeeper Chris Weale helped gift Derby County a vital 1-0 victory two seasons ago in a closely fought East Midlands Derby at Pride Park. Leicester were on their way to a play-off finish in the Championship, while their hosts needed the three points to edge closer to safety.
Nineteen minutes in, Derby took a free-kick and played the ball into the final third, where they were chased down by Foxes defenders. As Derby lost control of the ball on the edge of the penalty area, City midfielder Andy King knocked it back towards Weale to relieve the pressure. However with a Derby player chasing him down, Weale allowed the ball to roll past his foot and into the back of the net, to the delight of the Rams supporters around the stadium.
1: Bryan Gunn
In April 1996, rivals Ipswich Town and Norwich City met in a First Division clash at Portman Road. It was the home side would prevailed that afternoon, thanks in no small part to a mistake by Canaries goalkeeper Bryan Gunn.
With ten minutes remaining and the score at 1-1, Norwich defender Robert Ullathorne passed the ball back to teammate Gunn for him to kick up field. Gunn raced forward to hoof it clear, but the ball bobbled off a divot on the pitch, bounced over his foot and raced across the line as the goalkeeper looked on helpless. The Ipswich fans enjoyed the moment as they secured a 2-1 success in the East Anglian derby.
Written by Steven Toplis, We Are Going Up podcast member and blogger
The League Cup has, in recent years, been written off by some observers as a second rate competition which creates unwanted congestion on an already hectic fixture calendar. However many Football League clubs have enjoyed successful runs in the competition, with some reaching the semi-finals, the final or even winning the cup itself on occasion.
It is no secret that many of the country’s biggest clubs use the League Cup as an opportunity to play the reserves or field their youngsters, which can lead to some unexpected results and allow lower ranked sides to reach the latter stages of the tournament.
Last week Dougie Freedman’s Crystal Palace upset the odds by defeating Manchester United 2-1 at Old Trafford to reach the semi-finals – where they will meet fellow Championship side Cardiff City after they beat Premier League Blackburn Rovers in the last eight. Since the League Cup’s inception in the 1960/61 season there have been plenty of other upsets and this week Toppo’s Top Ten looks at some of the most memorable….
10: Sheffield Wednesday 1 Manchester United 0 1991
Wembley has seen its fair share of cup final upsets down the years and the 1991 League Cup Final was no different. Manchester United went into the game as FA Cup holders and huge favourites as they faced Sheffield Wednesday, who would go on to win promotion from the Second Division that season.
Former United manager Ron Atkinson was the Owls’ manager, pitted against Alex Ferguson, the man who replaced him in the Old Trafford hotseat five years before. It would be Big Ron who would be smiling by the end of 90 minutes as a ferocious volley from midfielder John Sheridan settled the game. The second tier outfit pulled off a shock by beating United to claim the League Cup for the first time in their history.
9: Norwich City 0 Milton Keynes Dons 4 2011
Premier League new boys Norwich City crashed out of this season’s Carling Cup in the first round with a humiliating 4-0 home defeat to an MK Dons side two divisions below them. Canaries manager Paul Lambert made eleven changes for this match and his side fell behind on 21 minutes to a goal from former Norwich player Luke Chadwick. Striker Sam Baldock, in one of his final Dons appearances before his transfer to West Ham United, doubled the lead seven minutes later with a powerful strike having been played in by Stephen Gleeson.
In the second half Karl Robinson’s side extended their lead further as Chadwick combined with Dean Bowditch before netting his second of the game and substitute Daniel Powell capitalised on some poor home defending to make it four on 67 minutes. A memorable win at Carrow Road for MK Dons which is Lambert’s heaviest defeat during his two year tenure as Norwich boss.
8: Queens Park Rangers 3 West Bromwich Abion 2 1967
By 1967 the League Cup had been running for seven years but this year’s final was the first to be played at Wembley – up until then the final consisted of a two-legged affair with a match played at the home ground of each team. The first final underneath the Twin Towers proved to be a cracker, as First Division side West Bromwich Albion met Third Division Queens Park Rangers, playing at Wembley for the first time.
The favourites lived up to their pre-match billing as as they took a 2-0 lead into half-time thanks to former QPR winger Clive Clark’s brace. However the Hoops fought back in twenty second half minutes as Roger Morgan scored with a header to make it 2-1, then a great individual run and strike from Rodney Marsh equalised. Rangers eventually won 3-2 thanks to Mark Lazarus’ late goal and in doing so they became the first club from the third tier to win a major trophy.
7: Southend United 1 Manchester United 0 2006
Manchester United won the Carling Cup in the 2005/06 season and were looking to reach the quarter-finals the following campaign. In their way were Championship side Southend United and a capacity crowd packed into Roots Hall to witness this fourth round encounter.
Sir Alex Ferguson fielded a United side including ten internationals in the hope of avoiding an upset with the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney on the field for the whole 90 minutes, but they would end the night humbled. On 27 minutes Southend frontman Freddy Eastwood lined up a free-kick some distance from goal before running up and unleashing an unstoppable, bending drive which beat Tomas Kuszczak in the United goal to put Southend a goal up.
Despite United pouring forward in search of an equaliser, Southend goalkeeper Darryl Flahavan kept them at bay with a string of great saves while Eastwood threatened on the break at the other end. However the Premier League outfit could not find a way through and it was Southend who knocked out the holders, progressing to the last eight of the competition.
6: Chelsea 1 Burnley 1 (Burnley win 5-4 on penalties) 2008
In the 2008/09 season Championship side Burnley reached the semi-finals of the Carling Cup, where they were knocked out by top-flight Tottenham Hotspur over two legs. On their way to the last four, Burnley beat Premier League leaders Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in the Fourth Round in a dramatic penalty shootout.
Didier Drogba looked to set Chelsea on their way to the next round as expected when he finished expertly having been played in by Frank Lampard in the first half. However after the break Burnley fought their way back into the game and equalised through Ade Akinbiyi – sending the 6,000 travelling Clarets fans mad.
The game went into extra-time where Chelsea had a goal disallowed and missed several opportunities to win, but with no goal forthcoming the tie would be settled on penalties. After five-spot kicks each, both sides missed one and scored four before Michael Duff converted Burnley’s sixth. Jon Obi Mikel stepped up next for Chelsea and Clarets goalkeeper Brian Jensen made himself a hero, diving full length to his right to palm the effort away and send the second tier club into the next round.
5: Liverpool 1 Grimsby Town 2 2001
In the 2001/02 season, Division One side Grimsby Town pulled off a famous result at Anfield, knocking Worthington Cup holders Liverpool out of the competition in the third round. After a goalless 90 minutes, the match headed into extra-time and a David Beharall handball gave the hosts the chance to go in front from the penalty spot eleven minutes in. Gary McAllister slotted home the spot-kick, but in the second period of extra-time Grimsby hit back.
Centre-back Marlon Broomes volleyed a 113th minute equaliser in front of the travelling Grimsby support and, in amazing fashion it was the visitors who would take the lead late on. Liverpool were pushing for the winner but Town went up the other end where, from 35 yards out, Phil Jevons unleashed a piledriver which flew into the top corner of Chris Kirkland’s net. Jevons, a boyhood Liverpool fan, had joined the Mariners from Everton in pre-season and instantly became a hero at Blundell Park with an incredible 120th minute strike.
4: Arsenal 1 Walsall 2 1983
Fifty years before this 1983 Milk Cup fourth round tie, Walsall stunned Arsenal by beating them in the FA Cup and they would go on to do something similar at Highbury. At the time Arsenal were in trouble both on and off the pitch, with fans calling for manager Terry Neill to be sacked, however a home cup tie against Third Division Walsall should have provided some respite.
Things looked to be going to plan as Stewart Robson put the Gunners ahead just after the half hour, although Walsall were enjoying most of the play. The Saddlers got their reward fifteen minutes into the second half as Mark Rees netted after Ally Brown’s shot came out to him for the equaliser. Then with five minutes to go, the underdogs took the lead as David Preece’s left-wing cross was not dealt with by the Arsenal defence and the ball fell to Brown who slammed it high into the net to win the tie.
A great result for Walsall and their player-manager Alan Buckley as his side progressed to the quarter-finals. This result spelled the end of Neill’s tenure as Arsenal boss, paving the way for George Graham to take charge.
3: Liverpool 2 Northampton Town 2 (Northampton win 4-2 on penalties) 2010
In the third round of last season’s Carling Cup, Northampton Town pulled off arguably the shock of the tournament by knocking out Premier League Liverpool at Anfield. Reds boss Roy Hodgson made many changes to his side, picking mainly fringe players but they got off to a good start as Milan Jovanovic gave them the lead on nine minutes.
In the second half a Cobblers free-kick was knocked down to Billy McKay who rifled it into the roof of the net as the Town fans behind the goal celebrated wildly and that was how the scores remained after 90 minutes. Northampton, 17th in League Two and three divisions below their opponents, took the lead in extra-time when the ball broke to Michael Jacobs who stuck it into the top corner in front of the Kop. As the visitors sensed a famous victory, David Ngog equalised for Liverpool with four minutes left, to the relief of Hodgson and the Reds fans inside Anfield.
The match went to penalties and in the teaming rain, Town striker Stephen Guinan and Ngog missed their penalties before Nathan Eccleston hit Liverpool’s fifth against the crossbar to hand Northampton a chance of victory. Under great pressure, Abdul Osman stepped forward and sent Brad Jones the wrong way to clinch Town’s place in the fourth round – a great achievement from Ian Sampson’s side.
2: Manchester United 0 York City 3 1995
It is a great achievement for many sides to come away from Old Trafford with a win – for a fourth tier side to do it is quite remarkable, especially by the margin York City defeated Manchester United in the second round of the League Cup in 1995.
Alex Ferguson brought in some of his fringe players – including David Beckham, Paul Scholes and Phil Neville – alongside proven players like Ryan Giggs and Gary Pallister but they could not stop their visitors crusing to victory. Alan Little’s York took the lead through Paul Barnes’ deflected strike and in the second half Barnes doubled it from the penalty spot, before Tony Barras made it three from a header in front of a stunned Old Trafford crowd.
In the return leg United fielded a stronger lineup and levelled the tie – but conceded one goal to be knocked out 4-3 on aggregate in one of York’s greatest ever victories.
1: Swindon Town 3 Arsenal 1 1969
One of the greatest upsets in any English cup competition. The 1969 League Cup final pitted Third Division Swindon Town against First Division Arsenal, under the stewardship of Bertie Mee, who would lead them to the League and FA Cup double two years later. However Danny Williams’ Swindon were out to cause an upset in the showpiece match at Wembley.
It was the Robins who took a shock lead through Roger Smart after a mix-up in the Arsenal defence left goalkeeper Bob Wilson stranded, presenting Smart with an easy finish. Swindon held on until the 86th minute when goalkeeper Peter Downsborough failed to clear the ball and Bobby Gould punced to head home the equaliser and seemingly dash the underdog’s hopes of an upset. However in extra-time Swindon had the better of the play and regained the lead as Don Rogers netted after a corner was not cleared by the Gunners.
In the second period of extra-time Arsenal went forward in search of another equaliser but lost the ball and Swindon broke on the counter-attack. The ball was played through to Rogers who, in acres of space, carried the ball towards goal before cooly rounding Wilson to score and make it 3-1. Arsenal could not find a way back and it was Swindon who pulled off a famous victory, lifting major silverware for the first time in their history.
Written by Steven Toplis, We Are Going Up podcast member and blogger
Tweet Steven at @steven_toplis with your suggestions for Toppo’s Top Tens
Everyone loves a good comeback – except the team on the receiving end of one! They tend to be few and far between in football and that’s why they’re so special. When the chips are well and truly down and all seems lost, sometimes being several goals down can galvanise teams to achieve the impossible. Comebacks are a joy for the neutral and the team doing them, whilst they leave their opponents in a state of disbelief.
You’ll be hard-pressed to find something more enthralling and dramatic than a great turnaround on the football field and this week Toppo’s Top Ten looks at some of the most memorable from the Football League.
10: Watford 4 Bolton Wanderers 3 1993
Vicarage Road played host to one of the most unforgettable games in its history in October 1993, as Watford staged a remarkable comeback against Bolton in the old Endsleigh Division One.
The Hornets were lanugishing in the bottom half of the table while Bolton, under the management of Bruce Rioch and Colin Todd, were a side looking to secure promotion into the Premier League. For the first 71 minutes of the game the Trotters looked every inch promotion contenders, as they opened up a 3-0 lead with Watford not offering much and home fans beginning to stream out of the stadium.
However Glenn Roeder’s side got themselves a goal when striker Gary Porter netted with their first shot on target in the game – some pride salvaged at least. However two minutes later they were back in it, Porter scoring his second after bursting into the box, chesting down the ball and smashing it into the net. With around eight minutes to go, a flick-on saw Ken Charlerey pick up the ball and the midfielder let fly from 25 yards, his shot finding the bottom corner of the net and the turnaround was complete – or so Watford fans thought.
With a minute to go, Watford had a corner which was swung in towards the back post. With Bolton defenders attempting to head it clear it struck an arm and the referee awarded the hosts a penalty. Gary Porter stepped up, sent the goalkeeper the wrong way and thus sealed an amazing comeback for the Hornets as their fans went mad in celebration.
9: Sheffield United 4 Nottingham Forest 3 2003
The game which started Nottingham Forest’s love-affair with the play-offs. Having finished 6th in Division One during the 2002/03 season, Forest hosted 3rd placed Sheffield United in the semi-finals, the first leg at The City Ground ending 1-1. The Blades were favourites going into the Bramall Lane return a few days later and it would prove to be an incredible match.
The hosts fell behind when David Johnson gave Forest the lead on the night midway through the first half and on 58 minutes, the Reds doubled their lead when Andy Reid struck Mathieu Louis-Jean’s deep cross into the net at the back post – Forest, it seemed, were on their way to the Cardiff play-off final.
However United stirred themselves and got a goal back two minutes later when Michael Brown’s deflected free-kick crept over the line and Steve Kabba equalised not long after, volleying the ball high into the net after a flick-on fell to him. With the scores level at 2-2 the match entered extra-time where United went in front through Paul Peschisolido, before a Des Walker own-goal extended their lead further. Jon Olav-Hjelde pulled a last-minute consolation back for Forest but it was Neil Warnock’s side who would go on to face Wolves in the final, after a rollercoaster 120 minutes of football.
8: Southampton 3 Leeds United 4 2005
Four goals in a frantic final 20 minutes saw Leeds United complete an amazing comeback against Southampton in the Championship six years ago. Saints were in control on home turf as Marian Pahars and a double from midfielder Nigel Quashie put them 3-0 ahead at the break – and the score was still the same with 70 minutes on the clock.
Leeds manager Kevin Blackwell threw on striker David Healy and his introduction sparked a remarkable turnaround. Paul Butler’s looping header gave the Whites hope then six minutes later Robbie Blake tapped in to make the score 3-2 with thirteen minutes of normal time remaining.
On 84 minutes Healy’s attempted chip was handled by a Southampton defender in the box and a penalty awarded. Healy stepped up to rifle his spot-kick into the top corner and it seemed Leeds had salvaged a point. However Liam Miller converted a low cross from the right on the half-volley with four minutes left to set the seal on an incredible afternoon’s football. He and his teammates ran to celebrate in front of the travelling Leeds support behind the goal, who would struggle to forget what they’d just seen.
6: Oxford United 5 Portsmouth 5 1992
In a match against Portsmouth they looked well and truly out of, Oxford United pulled off an amazing recovery in the final five minutes to salvage a point. This Division One encounter got off to the best start possible for Pompey as Alan McLoughlin rose highest to power a header into the roof of the net and striker Guy Whittingham doubled the lead with a first-time volley not long after.
The visitors made it three from a corner as Kerry Evans diverted the ball into his own net, David Penney did pull a goal back for Oxford shortly afterwards, but Portsmouth restored their three goal advantage as Whittingham scored his second. Jim Magilton volleyed Oxford back into it before the break after what had been a shocking first 45 minutes from his side.
In the second half it was Portsmouth who extended their lead again as winger Mark Chamberlain rifled a shot into the roof of the net and at 5-2, the match looked over. With five minutes left on the clock, John Durnin ran onto a flick-on to score, but with home fans leaving the Manor Ground Chris Allen was brought down in the box and Oxford had a penalty. Magilton slotted his spot-kick into the bottom corner to make the score 5-4 but they were not finished and after another ball was hit into the Portsmouth area, a shot was parried where it fell to Allen, who headed home to make it 5-5.
5: Peterborough United 4 Cardiff City 4 2009
During the 2009/10 Championship campaign, Peterborough United and Cardiff played out arguably the league’s game of the season as eight goals were shared at London Road in an entertaining 4-4 draw.
Cardiff, gunning for Premier League promotion, displayed their credentials, going into a 4-0 lead with 36 minutes gone. Joe Ledley scored twice, Jay Bothroyd added a third and Peter Whittingham’s 25-yard free-kick made it four. For bottom-of-the-table Peterborough, a heavy defeat was on the cards as the Cambridgeshire side were battling to avoid relegation.
However in the second half they turned the game on its head. Boss Mark Cooper introduced two substitutes to bolster his midfield and one of them, Josh Simpson pulled a goal back for Posh on 51 minutes. Charlie Lee’s header made the game interesting before George Boyd’s 89th minute top corner effort meant Peterborough needed one goal to equalise with just minutes to go. Incredibly they did it, Simpson’s close range effort making it 4-4. An unlikely, but brilliant comeback.
4: Birmingham City 4 Swindon Town 6 1993
On their way to securing promotion to the Premier League in the 1992/93 season, Swindon Town pulled off an outstanding comeback at St. Andrews against Birmingham City. In the first 45 minutes the hosts established a 2-0 lead through Dean Peer and John Frain, before Shaun Taylor’s towering header halved the defecit going into the break.
Two minutes into the second half Paul Moulden rounded Swindon goalkeeper Fraser Digby and finished to make it 3-1 to Birmingham before Andy Saville struck a ferocious left-footed volley which flew into the top corner of the net to extend the Blues’ lead further.
On 60 minutes Craig Maskell fired a low finish beyond Blues ‘keeper Andy Gosney to give Swindon a glimmer of hope and five minutes later David Mitchell’s diving header made it 4-3. Mitchell then silenced the 18,000 crowd as the ball fell to him eight yards from goal and he made no mistake, equalising for the Robins with 14 minutes left. Maskell gave Swindon the lead for the first time in the game as he headed home a corner and on the stroke of injury time Mitchell completed his hat-trick, beating the last defender and goalkeeper to slot home an easy finish. What a turnaround from Glenn Hoddle’s side, who were 4-1 down with half an hour to go.
3: Port Vale 4 Queens Park Rangers 4 1997
In 1997 Queens Park Rangers pulled off an astonishing comeback to snatch a draw at Vale Park in Division One, leaving hosts Port Vale wondering how they’d managed to throw away a four goal lead.
In the first half Vale opened the scoring when Dean Glover steered Jan Jansson’s 24th minute corner into the net and they made it two eleven minutes later, the impressive Steve Guppy crossing to the far post where Lee Mills nodded home. Guppy set up Vale’s third when he laid off Tony Naylor’s pass into the path of Jansson, who smashed the ball under the stunned Tony Roberts in Rangers’ goal. Vale’s fourth came before half-time as Matthew Brazier headed Jansson’s corner into his own net.
After a nightmare first 45 minutes, QPR’s travelling support were probably wondering why they’d bothered to make the 200 mile trip north to Stoke-on-Trent, but they had something to cheer on the 66th minute, as Vale debutant Jermaine Holwyn comically nodded the ball into his own net trying to intercept a lofted pass from the right of the area. On 85 minutes, Andy Impey reduced Vale’s lead to two with an outstanding volley which flew in off the bar – then Port Vale went to pieces. Paul Murray chipped Rangers’ third following some great build-up play, then in injury time striker John Spencer rifled in the equaliser after Paul Musselwhite could only parry away Daniele Dichio’s effort. Unbelievable!
2: Leeds United 4 Preston North End 6 2010
When Leeds United hosted Preston North End at Elland Road in the Championship last season, few could’ve predicted the 90 minutes which lay ahead.
It was North End – struggling near the foot of the table under manager Darren Ferguson – who took the lead through Jon Parkin’s tap-in. Luciano Becchio’s header equalised for Leeds and it was another header which put the home side in front, Alex Bruce beating North End goalkeeper Andy Lonergan. Lloyd Sam set up Davide Somma to make the score 3-1 to the Whites on 27 minutes before Somma added a fourth. Parkin almost immediately pulled a goal back for Preston before the break, but Preston looked all over the place as the sides headed into the dressing rooms for half-time.
Keith Treacy made it 4-3 nine minutes after the break from a corner as the home defence began to come under pressure. United defender George McCartney brought down Paul Coutts in the box to give Preston a penalty, which captain Callum Davidson dispatched high into the net for the equaliser. Preston completed a great comeback with 25 minutes remaining as Parkin scored his third of the night, a low left-foot shot beating Shane Higgs in the Leeds goal, and with eleven to go Iain Hume made it 6-4 to the away side, heading in Billy Jones’ diagonal cross from the right to cap off an incredible victory for North End.
1: Cheltenham Town 5 Burton Albion 6 2010
A goal-fest from League Two when Burton Albion met Cheltenham Town at the Pirelli Stadium during the 2009/10 season. The game saw eleven goals, ended up 6-5 and included a stunning fightback from a Cheltenham side who didn’t know when they were beaten.
Burton were 2-0 ahead at half-time thanks to a brace from Shaun Harrad but Justin Richards and Medy Elito restored parity early on in the second period. Burton were soon 4-2 ahead after an own goal from Cheltenham’s Michael Townsend, who deflected Cleveland Taylor’s cross into his own net, before a close-range strike from Brewers’ marksman Steve Kabba. With six minutes remaining Cheltenham were back in the game, Michael Pook making it 4-3 from a free kick in the 84th minute, but a minute later Kabba netted his second to put Burton 5-3 ahead and seemingly on course for victory.
Pook got his second of the match in the 87th minute as his strike hit a Burton defender before going in, then Richards grabbed his second goal to make it 5-5. Mark Yates’ side had pulled off an incredible turnaround but they were not done yet, as with virtually the last kick of the game, Pook completed his hat-trick and the most unlikely of victories, his rising drive beating Brewers’ goalkeeper Artur Krysiak from 25 yards out deep into stoppage time.
Within the space of ten minutes Cheltenham had somehow turned a 5-3 defecit into a 6-5 win, leaving the Burton players, staff and supporters shell shocked.
Written by Steven Toplis, We Are Going up podcast member and blogger
Tweet Steven at @steven_toplis with your suggestions for Toppo’s Top Tens
Own goals are pretty much every footballer’s worst nightmare. There can be few lower feelings than when you’ve stuck one past your own goalkeeper – just ask Northampton Town’s Kelvin Langmead, who scored Shrewsbury Town’s final goal in their 7-2 crushing of the Cobblers at Sixfields on Saturday, when the ball clattered into him and went over the line.
Langmead is certainly not the first, and won’t be the last player to score an own-goal. Here are ten examples from the Football League, ranging from the sublime to the ridiculous, but all these goals highlight the anguish of scoring in the wrong net and gifting goals to the opposition.
10: Neil Ashton
The first legs of the 2009 League Two play-off semi finals yielded just one goal and it was a strange one from Shrewsbury Town’s Neil Ashton. In the 81st minute of the first-leg, it was the hosts who gifted a goal to Bury as a hopeful through-ball caused confusion in the Shrews’ backline, where left-back Ashton tried to play the ball back to his goalkeeper Luke Daniels. However he misjudged the backpass and lobbed his own ‘keeper from twenty yards out, to gift Bury a priceless one goal advantage.
However in the return at Gigg Lane Bury conceded an 88th minute leveller and with the scores level on aggregate after extra-time it was Shrewsbury who prevailed 4-3 in a penalty shootout.
9: Mark Hudson
More play-off drama, this time between Cardiff City and Leicester City. Cardiff won the first-leg of their 2010 Championship semi-final at the Walkers Stadium thanks to Peter Whittingham’s free-kick and made it 2-0 on aggregate early in the return through Michael Chopra.
However Matt Fryatt pulled a goal back for Leicester and they began to claw their way back into the tie – on 36 minutes they levelled it. Veteran striker Steve Howard got a flick onto Alex Bruce’s long free-kick forward and it hit Cardiff defender Mark Hudson, with the ball flying off him and nestling into the net with goalkeeper David Marshall wrongfooted.
Leicester went 3-2 ahead on aggregate through Andy King, before Whittingham levelled it for Cardiff and it was the hosts who went on to clinch a place at Wembley in the penalty shootout.
8: Mark Kennedy
When Cardiff City lost 6-0 at Preston North End in April 2009 it had a massive effect on their final league position. On the final day of the 2008/09 Championship season, they missed out on a play-off place on goal difference, with North End grabbing the final spot. Worse still, one of the six goals Dave Jones’ side conceded on that April afternoon at Deepdale came from one of their own players.
Preston were 3-0 up nine minutes into the second half and they made it four when a curling cross from the left was met by Bluebirds’ defender Kennedy who, in attempting to clear, stuck the ball into the bottom corner of his own net with a fine diving header. Shame it wasn’t at the other end.
7: Mark Prudhoe
In a career spanning 23 years, goalkeeper Mark Prudhoe played for no fewer than seventeen different Football League clubs, enjoying his most successful spell in the late 1980’s and early 1990’s with Darlington. However when playing for Stoke City in 1995, he scored a memorable own goal.
Stoke were a goal ahead in a fixture away to Huddersfield Town thanks to a Mike Sheron strike, when in the 73rd minute, Kevin Keen laid the ball back towards his goalkeeper to clear. However Prudhoe took his eye off the ball and managed to slice the ball backwards into his own goal whilst under no pressure. An amazing effort which saw his side drop two points at the Galpharm Stadium.
6: Ashley Williams
Swansea City’s emphasis on playing passing football from the back won them many admirers as they gained a place in the Premier League last season, however on one occasion it backfired spectacularly. Away to Derby County at Pride Park, goalkeeper Dorus De Vries played a goal kick short to Williams who played it back to his team-mate.
However Derby chased down the Swansea players in possession, eventually putting them under enough pressure to the point where Williams again played it back to De Vries. However the Swansea goalkeeper had wandered to the far side of his goal and was left scurrying back across it as Williams’ pass trickled over the line in the middle of the goal. Cue inquests amongst the Swansea players and widescale laughter from three sides of the stadium.
5: Robert Ullathorne
During a hotly-contested East Anglian derby between Ipswich Town and Norwich City at Portman Road in 1996, Norwich City pair Rob Ullathorne and Bryan Gunn combined to gift victory to their hosts.
With ten minutes left on the clock the score was 1-1, when Ullathorne rolled a soft pass back to goalkeeper Gunn. The Canaries stopper raced out of his area to belt the ball upfield, but it hit a divot on the cut-up pitch, bobbled over his foot and trickled over the line – as if in slow motion – whilst Gunn was left kicking thin air. Definately not the best thing to happen to you in a local derby….
4: Dale Bennett
A farcial own goal involving Watford team-mates Dale Bennett and Scott Loach helped Burnley on their way to a 3-1 win at Vicarage Road last season.
Seven minutes into the Championship encounter, Watford defender Bennett and his goalkeeper Loach both chased a long ball which had been hit forward from Burnley’s half. Loach came out of his area to deal with it, but his clearance smacked into the back of Bennett and flew into the back of the empty net from twenty yards out. A breakdown in communication saw the Hornets pair get in each other’s way, but gave us a quite bizarre goal.
3: Kelvin Langmead
With his side already losing 6-2 to Shrewsbury Town on Saturday, Northampton Town defender Kelvin Langmead scored the ultimate ‘rubbing salt in the wounds’ type of goal to round off a poor performance from the Cobblers.
In the sixth minute of injury time, poor defending allowed James Collins to race into acres of space and after entering the penalty area he slid the ball across the face of goal. Former Shrew Langmead was tracking back but the ball hit his leg and was rolling towards the net as he fell forwards. In a desperate moment he became goalkeeper as he tried to stop it going in, however in doing so he gave his former club a helping hand, palming the ball over the line.
2: Jamie Pollock
Former Manchester City defender Jamie Pollock scores a goal here with the kind of poise, control and composure the world’s finest footballers would be proud of, just in the wrong net. In the latter stages of the 1997/98 Division One season City and Queens Park Rangers met at Maine Road in a relegation six-pointer, and Pollock became a hero amongst Rangers fans for this effort which effectively consigned City to the third tier of English football.
Running onto a loose ball, Pollock flicked it up in the air over two players, before casually nodding it beyond his onrushing goalkeeper. Reminiscent of Paul Gascoigne at Euro 96, if you’re ever going to score an own goal, this is how to do it.
1: Chris Brass
Could any other own goal top this list? It’s not the most spectacular or crucial of own goals but it’s by far and away the funniest. During a League Two match against Darlington in 2006, Bury defender Chris Brass attempted to clear the ball out of his penalty area with an overhead clearance.
Unfortunately for the Shakers man his clearance went wrong, as the ball smashed off his face and into the net. To make things worse, he suffered a broken nose for his trouble. A famous own goal and worthy number one.
Written by Steven Toplis, We Are Going Up podcast member and blogger
Tweet Steven @steven_toplis with your suggestions for Toppo’s Top Tens
In football it is often said that players and managers should not return to their former clubs, for fear of an earlier successful spell being tainted if things went wrong. Bringing back a previously successful manager is usually something which appeases supporters – a romantic appointment if you will – which sometimes has been the wrong one. On the other hand, such a move has proven to be a masterstroke on occasion, with a manager being as good or better during their second stint in charge.
On Tuesday Nigel Pearson was appointed Leicester City manager for the second time, rejoining the club he led to the League One title in 2009 and the Championship play-off semi-finals a year later. He left the Foxes soon after to join Hull while his former club sacked replacement Paulo Sousa after a few games in charge, appointed former England boss Sven-Goran Eriksson and were taken over by wealthy Thai owners. With Eriksson shown the door three weeks ago Pearson makes a surprise return to the King Power Stadium – but will it be a good move?
Here are ten managers in the Football League who proved the phrase ‘never go back’ isn’t always right….
10: Andy Hessenthaler, Gillingham
Having spent four years playing for Gillingham, helping them into Division One in the process, 34-year-old midfielder Andy Hessenthaler became the club’s player-manager in 2000 when Peter Taylor – who steered the Gills to promotion from Division Two that summer – left for Leicester City.
In his first season in the new role Hessenthaler remained a key figure in the team as the club recorded their highest ever league finish of twelfth in the second tier, on one of the division’s smallest budgets. The following season Gillingham again enjoyed a comfortable mid-table position but in the 2003-04 campaign, they avoided relegation on goal difference. After the team continued to struggle in the newly-renamed Championship the following season, club owner Paul Scally relieved Hessenthaler of his managerial duties to bring in John Gorman, although the Kent club were to be relegated come the end of the season.
Hessenthaler, still regarded as a club legend, carried on playing with Gillingham but spent time on loan with Hull City before moving to Barnet in 2006 and winding down his career as a player, managing and playing for Dover Athletic between 2007 and 2010. In May that year, Hessenthaler stepped down and the following day returned to The Priestfield Stadium for a second shot as Gillingham boss. The club had just been relegated to League Two and Hessenthaler took the club to the brink of the play-offs last season as they finished eighth and they look set to challenge for the top seven again this time around, currently sitting ninth in the table.
9: Dario Gradi, Crewe Alexandra
To so many football fans, the name Dario Gradi is synonymous with Crewe Alexandra, the 70-year-old recently stepping down as manager having been in the Gresty Road hotseat for 24 years across two spells. His time with the club began in 1983 as he was appointed manager just after Fourth Division Alex had survived being voted out of the Football League. Throughout his time as manager, Gradi nutured some of the country’s best young players and future internationals in the form of David Platt, Danny Murphy, Geoff Thomas and Neil Lennon amongst many others – all of whom were sold onto higher division sides for good sums of money.
In 1989 Crewe were promoted into the Third Division and despite relegation two seasons later, Gradi took the club back up in 1994. Three years after that the club reached the second tier for the first time in their history via a play-off final win against Brentford, remaining in Division One for five seasons and finishing in their highest ever league position of eleventh, before being relegated on goal difference in 2002.
Gradi led the Alex to an immediate automatic promotion back into Division One the following season, throughout the time continuing to bring through talented youngsters such as Dean Ashton, and encouraging the team to play the attractive, attacking football he preferred.
Crewe were relegated from the Championship in 2007 and the following year, he relinquished managerial duties to Steve Holland whilst remaining at the club as Technical Director. When Holland left his post in 2008, Gradi stepped in as caretaker manager whilst a replacement was found. In 2009 he would turn out to be that replacement when appointed boss for the second time and despite the club dropping down into League Two, Gradi remained manager until 2011, returning to his position as Director of Football. After such long service to Crewe Alexandra, Gradi rightly goes down as one of the most influential figures in the club’s history and a great ambassador to English football.
8: Peter Jackson, Huddersfield Town
Having played for Huddersfield Town as a right winger, making over 100 appearances between 1990 and 1994, Peter Jackson cut his teeth in management when he returned to the club in 1997, replacing Brian Horton. In his first two seasons at the Galpharm Stadium he helped the club avoid relegation and steered them to a tenth place finish in Division One, before being controversially sacked by owner Barry Rubery in 1999, making way for the appointment of Steve Bruce.
Having spent four years away from football, Jackson was approached to become Town manager once more in 2003 and accepted, joining the club as they sat in the league’s basement division and came out of administration. In the 2003-04 season, Jackson took a young squad to fourth and the play-offs, where they beat Mansfield Town on penalties in the Millennium Stadium final to secure promotion into League One in his first season back in charge.
In 2004-05 the club finished ninth, falling a few places short of the play-offs but the season after they finished fourth, although a spot in the Championship was to elude them as they lost to Barnsley in the semi-finals 3-2 on aggregate. After some poor form in the 2006-07 campaign, Jackson had his contract cancelled by mutual consent but will always remain a fans’ favourite at the Galpharm.
7: Dave Bassett, Wimbledon
The story of Dave Bassett’s departure and return to Wimbledon in the mid-1980′s is an interesting one. He became manager of the club in January 1981 when they were ninth in the Fourth Division and after a great run of form in the second half of the season, took the Dons up to the Third. They struggled to adapt to the higher level and were relegated on goal difference, finishing 21st but Bassett guided the club straight back up in 1983 as Champions with 98 points.
The following season Wimbledon emerged as promotion contenders and completed back-to-back promotions with a 2nd place spot and Second Division football to look forward to the following campaign. However in June 1984 Bassett left Plough Lane to take up the vacant manager’s role at fellow London side Crystal Palace – but stayed there for just 72 hours. He changed his mind, refused to sign a contract at Selhurst Park and returned to Wimbledon, citing “unfinished business” as one of the factors.
The Dons finished a respectable 12th in their first season as a Second Division club and in 1985-86, they were among the frontrunners for promotion. On the final day of the season, a 1-1 draw away to Bradford City saw Wimbledon finish third and gain promotion into the top-flight for the first time in their history, a remarkable achievement considering they were a non-league side just nine years before. The Dons mixed it with some of the country’s biggest sides in their debut season in Division One, finishing sixth before Bassett left to join Watford in June 1987, bringing to an end an incredibly successful second spell as Wimbledon boss.
6: Steve Coppell, Crystal Palace
For a time, Steve Coppell seemed to turn up at Crystal Palace every few years. The former Manchester United winger had four spells with the Eagles as manager and Director of Football. Aged 28 years and 10 months old, Coppell became Palace boss in June 1984 having retired from playing due to injury the year before. With some astute lower league signings and budget buys of unwanted First Division players, Coppell took Palace up through the Second Division play-offs in 1989. They stayed in the top flight for four years, finishing third in 1991, reaching the FA Cup final in 1990 and becoming founder members of the Premier League in 1992. However they were relegated in May 1993 and Coppell resigned.
In 1995 he went back to Selhurst Park as Director of Football and under the management of Dave Bassett, the club lost the 1996 Division One play-off final to Leicester City. In October that year Coppell left to join Manchester City as manager, famously quitting after just six games and 33 days in the job, citing pressure in the role as the reason for his departure.
He soon returned to Palace as Chief Scout but after Dave Bassett’s resignation in February 1997, Coppell became the club’s manager for a second time. Within months he got the club promoted back into the Premier League as David Hopkin’s last minute strike against Sheffield United secured a 1-0 victory in the play-off final. Despite signing big name players in Tomas Brolin and Attilo Lombardo, Palace struggled and he resigned in 1998, becoming the club’s Director of Football once more following a takeover by Eagles fan Mark Goldberg.
Incredibly Coppell returned as Palace manager for a third time in January 1999 following Terry Venables’ resignation and saved the club from relegation to Division Two, steering the side to 14th and 15th placed finishes before being replaced by Alan Smith in 2000.
5: Brian Laws, Scunthorpe United
Brian Laws has enjoyed arguably the most successful period of his managerial career to date with Scunthorpe United. The former Sheffield Wednesday and Burnley boss became manager at Glanford Park in 1997 and immediately turned the Division Three club into promotion contenders. In 1999 they secured promotion, beating Leyton Orient 1-0 at Wembley thanks to Alex Calvo-Garcia’s winner.
The club remained in Division Two for one season before being relegated in 2000. In 2004, with the team struggling and new owners in charge, Laws was placed on gardening leave but three weeks later previous chairman Steve Wharton returned to the role and by mid-April, Laws was back at the helm. His second coming began well as he steered the club away from the threat of relegation and during the summer, brought in some experienced faces to complement the youthful nature of the side.
The following season Scunthorpe got off to a flyer, sitting top of League Two going into the festive period and they remained in the promotion spots, eventually finishing second behind Yeovil Town to secure promotion into League One. Laws’ side fared much better in the third tier, finishing 12th in the 2005-06 season, but it would be the following year which would prove a memorable one for Iron fans.
The club got off to a great start and sat top of League Two when Laws was offered the manager’s job at Sheffield Wednesday in November 2006. He accepted and handed over the reins to Scunthorpe physio Nigel Adkins, who carried on the job started by Laws, taking the club up as League One Champions in 2007 to play second tier football for the first time in 43 years.
4: Jimmy Sirrel, Notts County
Jimmy Sirrel is regarded as the best manager in Notts County history, the Scot guiding the club through one of their most successful periods in decades. Having began his managerial career at Brentford, Sirrel joined fellow Fourth Division side County in November 1969 – a club which had been rooted near the bottom of the league’s basement division for the previous few years.
The team became increasingly difficult to beat and in his first season in charge, Sirrel’s side finished seventh, a good campaign after seasons of financial hardship and struggles on the pitch. The following season the Magpies raced to the Fourth Division championship, not tasting defeat until September and they ended the campaign unbeaten at Meadow Lane. The year after Notts went close to a second successive promotion, missing out by three points but in 1972-1973 the Magpies embarked on an impressive run of form in the second half of the season, losing just twice to secure promotion to the Second Division.
Having taken the club up from the Fourth Division to the Second in four years, Sirrel was already a Notts legend but left in 1975 to take over at First Division strugglers Sheffield United. He could not save them from relegation and with the club struggling in the second tier in 1977 he left Bramall Lane. In October he returned to Notts County and saved them from relegation to Division Three that season. The next two years saw the club finish 6th and 17th but in the 1980-81 season they finished runners-up to secure promotion into the top flight, the first time Notts had been there since 1926.
Sirrel had completed the job he began in 1969, taking Notts County from the Fourth Division to the First in twelve seasons. The club finished in mid-table two years running before Sirrel became General Manager in 1983. However the club were relegated under new manager Larry Lloyd and again in 1985 as Sirrel was back in the hotseat, remaining there for two years before retiring – bringing to an end a remarkable 17 year association with the club.
3: Tony Pulis, Stoke City
Tony Pulis’ career as Stoke City manager began in 2002, having had spells in charge with Gillingham, Bournemouth and Bristol City. The club were struggling in Division One and looked as if they could be relegated just a year after promotion, but Pulis saved them on the final day of the season and guided them to mid-table safety the following campaign. However tensions rose between Pulis and the club’s chairman Gunnar Gislason and eventual disagreements with the Icelandic owners saw him dismissed in June 2005.
He took over at Championship outfit Plymouth Argyle and took the struggling side to mid-table safety before being approached by new Stoke chairman Peter Coates to take charge of the club again following the sacking of Jan Boskamp. Plymouth turned down any initial approach but in June 2006 Pulis accepted the offer and was back at the Britannia Stadium. In his first season back, Pulis’ side were on the fringe of the play-offs but finished eighth.
Club captain Danny Higginbotham was sold ahead of the 2007-08 season but Pulis took advantage of the loan market, bringing in the likes of Manchester United youngster Ryan Shawcross. On the last day of the season, Stoke were second as the final round of fixtures kicked off and a 0-0 home draw against Leicester City was enough to secure a place in the Premier League, the first time the club would compete in the top flight in 23 years. Pulis has continued to build the side gradually, taking The Potters to mid-table finishes and the 2011 FA Cup Final – where defeat to Champions League qualifiers Manchester City meant Stoke would be playing Europa League football in 2011-12.
2: Darren Ferguson, Peterborough United
The son of Sir Alex Ferguson, Darren Ferguson began his managerial career in 2007 at the age of 35, taking over at Peterborough United as player-manager. In his first season at London Road the club finished 10th in League Two and in his first full season of management he took Posh to second in the league and promotion, being named Manager of the Month in March 2008.
In his second full season as manager, Ferguson’s side adapted well to the higher level and finished second in League Two to secure back-to-back automatic promotions into the Championship. This success led to Ferguson being touted as one of the best young managers in the country and he was linked with a host of managerial vacancies in the summer of 2009, however he stayed at London Road as the club embarked on their first spell in the second tier in 15 years.
However the club struggled and Ferguson left with them sat bottom of the Championship table in January 2010, joining fellow Championship side Preston North End. The club finished 17th in Ferguson’s first campaign as boss, but the following year struggled and he was sacked in December 2010 with North End bottom of the table.
In January 2011 Ferguson was back at Peterborough United, patching up his relationship with chairman Darragh MacAnthony to become manager at London Road for the second time. The club had been relegated after Ferguson left and were in the race for the League One play-offs when he rejoined. After some good form and high-scoring victories over Oldham and Sheffield Wednesday, Posh finished fourth before beating MK Dons in the play-off semi-finals. In the final at Old Trafford they defeated Huddersfield Town 3-0 to regain their spot in the Championship and for Ferguson, secure his third promotion with the club in five years.
Peterborough ended the season as the highest goalscorers, netting 106 times and that goalscoring form has seen Posh fare better in the Championship second time around, sitting 11th with a 7-1 thrashing of Ipswich Town and a thrilling 4-3 home victory over Cardiff City the highlights.
1: Graham Taylor, Watford
Graham Taylor is a Watford club legend, having led the Hornets to unprecedented levels of success as manager and spent time as Chairman at Vicarage Road. At the age of 28 he became one of the youngest managers in the league when he was appointed Lincoln City boss in 1972 and in 1977, a year after leading the Imps to the Fourth Division championship, Taylor joined Watford as manager, brought in by the club’s new owner Elton John.
In his first season at the club, Taylor led Watford to promotion as Fourth Division champions, losing just five games and winning the league by eleven points. In the Third Division, he guided the club to a second consecutive promotion in 1978-79, the club missing out on the title by one point. In Division Two the Hornets found life tougher, finishing 18th in 1980 but improving to a 9th placed finish the year later. In 1981-82 Taylor and the club did even better, finishing runners up to secure promotion into the top flight for the first time in their history.
Under Taylor Watford had gone from the Fourth Division to the First in just five years and finished a remarkable second in their debut First Division season, before reaching the FA Cup Final in 1984. Taylor left Vicarage Road in 1987 to take over at Aston Villa, before a largely unsuccessful stint as England manager and a year spent as boss of Wolverhampton Wanderers.
In that time Watford had fallen into the third tier of the league and in Feburary 1996 Elton John, having just brought the club for a second time, appointed Taylor as General Manager. Just over a year later he appointed himself as manager, succeeding Kenny Jackett who was demoted to a coaching role at the club. In 1998 he guided the Hornets to the Division Two title at the first attempt and the following season they finished 6th, earning a place in the play-offs. After beating Birmingham City on penalties in the semi-finals, Watford beat Bolton Wanderers 2-0 at Wembley to reach the Premier League for the first time since its inception.
By taking the club back into the top flight via back-to-back promotions, Taylor brought back memories of the club’s rapid rise through the leagues under him less than twenty years before. Watford were relegated from the Premier League, but Taylor stayed on as manager for another season, finishing ninth in Division One in 2001 and becoming only the third man at the time to take charge of 1,000 English league games before retiring. He came out of retirement a year later to become manager at Aston Villa again but left in 2003. In 2009 Taylor returned to Watford for a third time, being appointed to the board as a non-executive director, before stepping in as interim chairman later in the year.
Written by Steven Toplis, We Are Going Up podcast member and blogger
Tweet Steven @steven_toplis with your suggestions for Toppo’s Top Tens
On Saturday Macclesfield Town’s Vinny Mukendi made headlines for all the wrong reasons as he was sent off just eleven seconds after coming on as a half-time substitute against Burton Albion. In doing so, Mukendi received one of the quickest red cards in Football League history.
However he is not the only footballer to receive his marching orders within a short space of entering the field. Whether it is someone starting a match or coming off the bench, there have been many who have had to walk back down the tunnel almost instantly, sending their manager’s plans into disarray.
Here are ten Football League players who took little time to see red….
10: Alan White
In April 2009, Brentford clinched the League Two title with a 3-1 win away at Darlington and were helped on their way thanks to a quickfire red card which saw the hosts reduced to ten men less than two minutes after kick-off.
Just a minute into the match at the Darlington Arena, Darlo defender Alan White went up for an aerial challenge with Damian Spencer and was shown a red card by referee Rob Shoebridge for elbowing the Brentford man. The defender protested his innocence, claiming he had his eyes on the ball but the red card stood and it later transpired that Spencer had suffered a fractured cheekbone having been stretchered off.
It was the fourth red card of White’s Quakers career and at just one minute and ten seconds in, it was by far and away the fastest.
9: Neil Harris
Neil Harris is a Millwall legend, the striker hitting over 130 goals for the London club in two spells between 1998 and 2011. However during his time with the club he also picked up one of the quickest red cards in their history, being sent off 67 seconds after coming on a substitute against Coventry City in April 2011.
The Lions travelled to the Ricoh Arena with hopes of still gaining a Championship play-off spot but suffered a 2-1 defeat with two Marlon King goals either side of Andros Townsend’s equaliser. The main talking point came after the half-time break. Manager Kenny Jackett made a change at half-time, bringing on Neil Harris for Jimmy Abdou. However the move backfired spectacularly as Harris was shown a straight red card within a minute of the restart by referee Roger East for an off-the-ball incident with Sky Blues midfielder Aron Gunnarsson, leaving his teammates with an uphill battle for the remaining 45 minutes.
8: Jamie Moralee
London-born former Crystal Palace, Watford, Millwall and Brighton striker Jamie Moralee had a fairly unremarkable playing career and now helps to run a business for football agents, representing the likes of Rio Ferdinand and Jermaine Jenas. However Moralee – nicknamed by some Brighton fans as the ‘Wandsworth Inzaghi’ for a habit of regularly being caught offside – is remembered for getting sent off within a minute of coming on as a substitute for them in the 1998-99 season.
In an away match at Scunthorpe United, Moralee came on as a substitute in the 89th minute and was sent off with injury time barely elapsed for throwing a punch at an opposition player. His brief cameo probably one of his most notable contributions in a Seagulls shirt, as he only netted four goals in 35 appearances for the Sussex outfit.
7: Patrick Suffo
When West Bromwich Albion travelled to Sheffield United for a First Division clash in 2002, few could have predicted what would follow. A bad tempered affair with horror tackles, a punch-up and a host of red cards saw players from both sides sent off, the match abandoned and the game dubbed ‘The Battle of Bramall Lane’
Sheffield United goalkeeper Simon Tracey was sent off after nine minutes after handling the ball outside the penalty area and West Brom went into a two goal lead through Scott Dobie and Derek McInnes.
The worst of the action came after Sheffield United manager brought on Patrick Suffo and Georges Santos in the 64th minute. Santos flew into a tackle with Andy Johnson and was sent off, which led to a 21 man brawl on the pitch where Suffo headbutted West Brom captain McInnes and was given his marching orders just two minutes after entering the field of play, the home side’s third red card.
6: Tresor Kandol
During the 2009/10 season, Leeds United striker Tresor Kandol made a handful of appearances for the Yorkshire side due to injuries and the form of Luciano Becchio and Jermaine Beckford leading the line. In late March 2010, with Leeds sitting second in League One and chasing a place in the Championship they travelled to Carrow Road to face the leaders, Norwich City.
The match was a tight affair and remained goalless until the 89th minute when Canaries striker Chris Martin nodded home Stephen Hughes’ cross for what proved to be the only goal of the game. In injury time Congalese frontman Kandol was sent on as a substitute by United manager Simon Grayson but was shown a red card within 20 seconds after grabbing Norwich’s Darel Russell by the throat, leaving his manager clearly unimpressed.
Kandol, having been sent off against Yeovil earlier in the season, was banned for four matches and subsequently released by Leeds at the end of the season after they clinched promotion.
5: Mark Smith
In March 1994, Crewe Alexandra goalkeeper Mark Smith became, at the time, the recipient of the fastest red card in Football League history. The Alex number one was dismissed after just 19 seconds in a Third Division match against Darlington for a professional foul. Talk about heading off for an early bath!
4: Georges Santos
Back to ‘The Battle of Bramall Lane’ and the second of Sheffield United’s three sendings off in what can be simply described as an afternoon of madness. Former West Brom, Tranmere, Grimsby and QPR defender Georges Santos was brought on alongside Patrick Suffo in the 64th minute by manager Neil Warnock, with his side already down to ten men and two goals behind.
Earlier in the season Santos suffered a fractured cheekbone and a seriously damaged eye socket in a clash with Albion midfielder Andy Johnson – who was then playing for Nottingham Forest. It was probably no surprise then that Santos’ first contribution to proceedings was to seek revenge and he flew in on Johnson with a two-footed tackle which saw the Frenchman receive a straight red card within a minute of coming on. The two teams then scuffled in the middle of the pitch where Suffo was red carded for his headbutt on Derek McInnes, leaving the Blades with just eight men and no substitutes left.
Not long after, United captain Keith Curle was lucky to not be sent off after appearing to throw punches at McInnes. In the 77th minute the Baggies extended their lead through Scott Dobie. Two minutes after that Blades midfielder Michael Brown limped off injured, followed four minutes later by teammate Rob Ullathorne, leaving Sheffield United with just six men on the field. Referee Eddie Wolstenholme abandoned the match with the score at 0-3, adhering to a rule stating matches should generally not continue if a team has less than seven players. The result was allowed to stand, United were fined £10,000 and Neil Warnock transfer listed both Santos and Suffo, the pair never playing for the club again.
3: Kevin Pressman
Another goalkeeper in the top ten this week and a Sheffield Wednesday legend, Kevin Pressman. In 2000, Pressman claimed Mark Smith’s unenviable record of being the fastest player to ever be sent off in Football League history.
There is nothing better than getting off to a good start at the beginning of a new season, but for Pressman and Wednesday it was the exact opposite. The Owls had just been relegated from the Premier League and kicked off their Division One campaign away to Wolverhampton Wanderers in a live televised match. From the kick-off at Molineux, Wolves’ Kevin Muscat played a through ball to striker Temuri Ketsbaia and Pressman raced out of his penalty area to narrow the angle, the ball struck him on the hand and referee Mark Halsey was left with no option but to send off the Owls goalkeeper after just 13 seconds, throwing his side’s plans out of the window early on.
After the match 32-year-old Pressman said he would appeal the sending off, claiming the ball had hit him in the chest. It was unsuccessful though, the rules stating there was only a right of appeal on mistaken identity, violent conduct and serious foul play. Nice try Kevin.
2: Vinny Mukendi
Macclesfield Town forward Vinny Mukendi became the latest player to join the unfortunate list of fast sendings off, as he lasted just 11 seconds on the pitch in his side’s 1-0 defeat at Burton Albion on Saturday.
Mukendi was brought on as a half-time substitute for Tony Diagne and as the ball was played upfield, he went in for an aerial challenge with Burton defender Ryan Austin. The 20-year-old striker was adjudged by referee Brendan Malone to have used his elbow on the Brewers man and was shown a straight red card, to the disbelief of his manager and teammates. Silkmen boss Gary Simpson has said the club will appeal the red card and Mukendi even gave his own account of events on Twitter, claiming “What happened wasn’t a foul. The manager and the players know I never touched him. The ref had a poor game, but that’s football.”
1: Walter Boyd
Having appeared three times for Jamaica at the 1998 World Cup in France, striker Walter Boyd joined Swansea City in 1999 arriving with some experience of playing at the highest level. He scored twice on his debut at the Vetch Field against Rotherham United in October that year and went on to net 10 goals in 43 appearances for the South Wales club. However he is remembered amongst Swans fans for a moment of madness away at Darlington in 2000.
Manager John Hollins sent the forward on as a substitute just as Swansea were about to take a free-kick. Before the set piece was taken though, Boyd became involved in a scuffle on the edge of the penalty area which ended up in him elbowing one of his opponents. Referee Clive Wilkes was left with no option but to give the Swansea man his marching orders before the game had even restarted, meaning that Boyd’s sending off was timed at zero seconds. Quite a feat it must be said.
Written by Steven Toplis, We Are Going Up podcast member and blogger
Tweet Steven at @steven_toplis with your suggestions for Toppo’s Top Tens
Linking in with the top ten from last month which paid homage to some of the oldest players to ever appear in the Football League, this week’s list looks at the opposite end of the scale – the youngest players to play across the three Football Leagues.
Derby County handed a debut to 15-year-old Mason Bennett against Middlesbrough a fortnight ago and it is common outside of the top flight to see young, promising players given an opportunity to impress. Many Football League clubs rely on their youth academies and centres of excellence to bring through the next generation of great footballers so players as young as sixteen have, in recent years, burst onto the first-team scene after impressive displays at youth level.
Here are ten players who live up to the old adage “If they’re good enough, they’re old enough!”
10: Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain
Southampton’s youth academy has been one of the most successful in the country over the past ten years, developing talents who have gone on to have an impact at the highest levels of the game, for example Gareth Bale and Theo Walcott. The latest young player to make an impression at St. Mary’s is winger Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain – who quickly drew comparisons with Walcott after making his Southampton debut .
Son of former England wideman Mark Chamberlain, Oxlade-Chamberlain joined Southampton’s academy at the age of seven and, after earning some rave reviews at youth level, made his Saints debut on March 2nd 2010, coming off the bench in a 5-0 win over Huddersfield Town to become the club’s second youngest appearance maker.
At the start of the 2010-11 season the pacy winger scored his first goal for the club in a 2-0 victory against AFC Bournemouth in the League Cup and signed his first professional contract, a three-year deal, just after his 17th birthday. He netted his first two league goals in a 4-0 win against Dagenham and Redbridge and continued to impress with his skillful wing play and made 36 appearances for Southampton, scoring nine times before joining Arsenal in August 2011 for a fee of £12 million, which could rise to £15 million after add-ons.
9: Jonjo Shelvey
Midfielder Jonjo Shelvey was on the books at Arsenal and West Ham United as a youngster before moving onto Charlton Athletic and it was with their Under-18′s where he made his breakthrough, scoring 14 goals in 23 appearances. This good form earned him a place in the Addicks’ first-team and made his bow in April 2008 against Barnsley, where he became the club’s youngest ever player at the age of 16 years 59 days – beating the record previously held by Paul Konchesky.
In January 2009 he also became the club’s youngest goalscorer when he netted against Norwich City in the FA Cup, 55 days before his seventeenth birthday. Despite interest from several Premier League clubs, Shelvey signed a professional contract with the League One side when he turned 17 and became a regular starter under Phil Parkinson, scoring his first league goal against Southampton in April 2009.
Shelvey has represented England at Under 16, 17, 19 and 21 levels and made 49 appearances for Charlton, scoring eight goals before moving to Liverpool in April 2010 for an initial £1.7 million fee. At Anfield Shelvey has played in the Premier League, League Cup and UEFA Europa League featuring mainly as a substitute and with competition for places high at the club currently, the midfielder has joined Blackpool on loan in the Championship to gain further first-team experience. He is certainly one to watch this season.
8: Jordan Ibe
Wycombe Wanderers forward Jordan Ibe has already made an impression at Adams Park with some standout displays at reserve and youth team level and has already made four League One appearances this season.
Ibe is just fifteen years old and has reportedly been interesting the likes of Manchester United and Chelsea. He made his professional Wanderers debut on August 9th this year in the club’s victory against Colchester United in the first round of the Carling Cup, coming on as an extra-time substitute at the age of 15 years and 244 days. In doing so he became the club’s youngest first-team player in three decades and in October became their youngest Football League player when he made a substitute appearance against Hartlepool United.
Manager Gary Waddock has spoken highly of the youngster, who came through the ranks at Wycombe and backs him to deal with the expectation from the club’s fans. He has netted once during his four league appearances, a goal against Sheffield Wednesday in a 2-1 defeat which was also Ibe’s first start for the club. Expect to see a lot more from Wycombe’s number 33 before the season’s close.
7: John Bostock
Crystal Palace is another club with a successful youth academy and tradition for giving their young players a chance in the first-team. Attacking midfielder John Bostock is one of their graduates and made his Eagles debut in October 2007 at the age of 15 years and 287 days, coming on a substitute in a 2-0 home loss to Watford, becoming the club’s youngest ever player in the process.
Bostock continued to impress and a month later became the youngest player to start a game for the club when he was named in the first eleven for a match against Cardiff City at Ninian Park in November 2007. During his time at Palace he captained England at Under-17 level and made five appearances for the South London side before moving North of the river to join Tottenham Hotspur in May 2008, the fee eventually decided by tribunal.
Bostock has made fleeting appearances for Spurs in the UEFA Cup where he became the youngest player to play for the club, but has struggled to make a breakthrough at White Hart Lane and in November 2009 he was loaned to Brentford for a month. He scored a brace on his debut against Millwall and played nine games for the League One side before joining newly-relegated Hull City on loan in the summer of 2010. He scored a thirty yard ‘wonderstrike’ on his debut against Swansea City at the KC Stadium on the opening day of the Championship season but struggled to make an impression afterwards, going back to Tottenham in December 2010 after eleven appearances for the Tigers.
6: Connor Wickham
Striker Connor Wickham is one of the brightest young talents in English football and much is expected of the eighteen year old. The former Reading youth player joined Ipswich Town’s youth academy in 2006 and made his debut for the Suffolk side aged 16 years and 11 days in April 2009, coming on as a substitute in a 3-1 loss against Doncaster Rovers at Portman Road, beating Jason Dozzell’s record as the club’s youngest ever player by 46 days.
Wickham scored his first two senior goals for Town in a League Cup first round victory against Shrewsbury Town in August 2009 and got his first league goal, the winning strike against Scunthorpe United in March 2010. Wickham attracted attention from top flight sides and was subject to a bid from Tottenham Hotspur, which Ipswich rejected.
The powerful frontman remained a big part of the first-team in the 2010-11 season and was voted the Football League’s Young Player of the Year as well as the Championship Apprentice of the Year in the 2011 Football League Awards. After 72 appearances and 15 goals for Ipswich Town, Wickham moved to Premier League Sunderland in June for a fee of £8 million, which could rise to £12 million over the course of his contract. The sum broke the club’s record for a transfer fee received and broke the transfer record for a Football League player moving to a Premier League club.
Wickham has played nine times for Sunderland, scoring once and is tipped to be a future England centre-forward.
5: Theo Walcott
Theo Walcott has become an England regular and made over 150 appearances for Arsenal, hard to believe the winger is still just 22. Walcott came to recognition as a youngster in Southampton’s academy with some impressive performances in the youth team and starred in their run to the FA Youth Cup final in the 2004-05 season. Two weeks after leaving school in the summer of 2005, Walcott joined the Saints first-team for a pre-season trip to Scotland and went on to become the youngest player to feature for Southampton, making his first-team debut against Wolverhampton Wanderers at 16 years and 143 days old.
Walcott made his first start for the club away to Leeds United in Ocotber 2005, scoring his first senior goal in the match. He netted again against Millwall four days later and in his full home debut against Stoke City the following Saturday. Walcott caught the eye with his blistering pace and eye for goal, quickly establishing himself as one of the country’s best prospects.
In January 2006 he transferred to Arsenal for a £5 million fee plus installments. Despite never playing for the Gunners Walcott was a surprise inclusion in Sven-Goran Eriksson’s England squad for the 2006 World Cup, where he did not feature. Since then he has become a regular starter for his club and has made 19 England appearances, scoring three times. Still at a young age, Walcott could go on to make the right-wing berth his own for Arsenal and England.
4: Ronnie Dix
Striker Ronnie Dix made his debut for Bristol Rovers at the age of 15 in 1928 and not long after became the youngest goalscorer in Football League history when he scored for Rovers in the Third Division South. Dix was 15 years and 180 days old when he netted in a 3-0 win over Norwich City, a record which still stands to this day. During four years with the club he made 100 appearances, scoring 33 goals.
Dix joined Blackburn Rovers in 1932 and then moved to Aston Villa a year later, scoring 30 times in 97 appearances in a four-year stint at Villa Park. He moved to Derby County in 1937 and while with the East Midlanders made his first, and only England appearance, scoring against Norway.
After spells with Tottenham Hotspur and Reading Dix retired from the professional game in 1949 but still holds that youngest goalscorer record.
3: Mason Bennett
Mason Bennett made Derby County history when he started their match away at Middlesbrough on October 22 as he became the youngest player to appear for the club aged 15 years and 99 days old.
Bennett came through the academy at Derby and showed huge potential, even playing for the club’s Under 16 side when fourteen years old and at the same age made his debut for the reserves against Sheffield Wednesday in October 2010. Bennett’s progress was quick and he was named in the Rams’ squad for their first round Carling Cup tie with Shrewsbury Town in August 2011, little under a month after his 15th birthday.
The striker was considered for a place in the squad for a Tuesday night league trip to Reading but was omitted due to having school the following morning! However he did make his debut days later as Derby travelled to Middlesbrough because it was during half-term, the Rams losing 2-0 but Bennett played for 78 minutes and very nearly broke Ronnie Dix’s record as the youngest goalscorer in Football League history, hitting the bar with a left-footed shot just inside the box.
Bennett has played for England at Under-15 and Under-16 levels and is expected to play a big role in Derby’s first team for years to come.
2: Matthew Etherington
Cornwall-born Matthew Etherington spent his youth career with Peterborough United and made his league debut aged 15 years and 262 days old. The pacy left-winger came through the ranks at Posh alongside other highly-rated youngsters including Simon Davies, Gareth Jelleyman and Mark Tyler and made an impression at London Road, playing 58 times for the club, scoring six goals.
Etherington left Posh alongside Simon Davies in 2000 to join Tottenham Hotspur in a deal which valued him at £500,000 but struggled to establish himself in the first-team and was loaned to Bradford City in 2001, where he made 13 appearances. In August 2003 he dropped down to the Championship to join West Ham United and he played a big role in getting the club promoted back to the top flight in 2005 then keeping them there.
After 195 games for the Hammers Etherington joined Stoke City in January 2009, where he has gone on to become a key player in Tony Pulis’ side.
1: Reuben Noble-Lazarus
Barnsley schoolboy Reuben Noble-Lazarus made history in September 2008 when he made his debut for Barnsley in a Championship encounter with Ipswich Town. At 15 years and 45 days old, Noble-Lazarus came off the bench to make his bow for the Tykes as they lost 3-0 but in doing so became the youngest player in Football League history, beating the record held by Bradford Park Avenue’s Albert Gedard and Wrexham’s Ken Roberts, who were both 15 years and 158 days old when they made their debuts in 1929 and 1951 respectively.
The weekend before his record-breaking appearance, Noble-Lazarus hit a hat-trick for the Barnsley Under-18 team – who he made his debut for at the age of twelve. He continued his development with the Barnsley youth academy as a striker or left-winger but was too young to be paid for his first-team bow against Ipswich – manager Simon Davey joked he would receive a ham sandwich and a piece of pizza for his efforts! Davey had wanted to play him earlier in the season in the League Cup but was prevented from doing so due to the competition’s rules, which prevent players under 15 taking part.
Less than 24 hours after the Ipswich match, Noble-Lazarus was back at school studying for his GCSE’s, but Barnsley made an agreement with the school to allow the player to train with the club for two days a week.
Still only 18 years of age, Noble-Lazarus has drifted in and out of the first team picture at Oakwell making twelve appearances and scoring once, against Millwall on the final day of the 2010-11 season. Here’s one of his best goals for Barnsley’s reserves….
Written by Steven Toplis, We Are Going Up podcast member and blogger
Tweet Steven at @steven_toplis with your suggestions for Toppo’s Top Tens
