On This Day in Football: 11th April

11th April 1936

On this day in 1936, Swansea Town faced a challenging Easter fixture list in the Second Division. After securing a 2-1 victory against Plymouth Argyle on Good Friday, 10th April, they travelled north to face Newcastle United on Easter Saturday. Unfortunately for Swansea, the match at St James’ Park ended in a 0-2 defeat.

11th April 1937

In an unusual turn of events, Charlton Athletic found themselves in Paris on 11th April 1937 to face the French national team. Originally scheduled to play Italy, France had to find new opponents when the Italians withdrew. Charlton, fresh from a 1-0 victory over Huddersfield Town at the Valley the previous day, stepped in and delivered a remarkable performance. The London club triumphed 5-2, with Don Welsh and George Tadman each scoring twice, and Harold Hobbis adding another goal to the tally.

11th April 1959

On 11th April 1959, Billy Wright of Wolverhampton Wanderers made history by becoming the first player in the world to earn 100 international caps. Wright achieved this milestone during England’s 1-0 victory over Scotland at Wembley Stadium. Over his illustrious career, he went on to win 105 caps and captained the national team on 90 occasions.

11th April 2015

In a rather unusual revelation, Cambridge United chairman Dave Doggett addressed an unexpected issue in his programme notes for the League 2 match against Accrington Stanley on 11th April 2015. Doggett highlighted concerns over “senior citizen violence,” noting that some fans in their 50s and 60s were attempting to relive the 1980s by engaging in fights with rival supporters. He expressed concern that many of these individuals were grandparents encouraging younger generations to join their gangs. Doggett assured fans that the club was working closely with the police to address the issue.

11th April 2017

The Champions League quarter-final first leg between Borussia Dortmund and Monaco, scheduled for 11th April 2017, was postponed due to a shocking attack on the Borussia Dortmund team bus. As the bus made its way to the Westfalenstadion, it was targeted by three roadside bombs. The attack resulted in injuries to player Marc Bartra and a policeman. Fortunately, the reinforced windows of the bus prevented further casualties. Initially suspected to be an act of Islamic terrorism, investigations later revealed a financial motive, with the perpetrator hoping to profit from a drop in the club’s share price. The match was rescheduled for the following evening, with Monaco securing a 3-2 victory.