On This Day in Football: 12th October

12th October 1912

On this day in 1912, Notts County’s legendary goalkeeper Albert Iremonger found himself at the centre of controversy during a First Division match against Tottenham Hotspur. The match, held at Tottenham, was abandoned by the referee due to fog with just eight minutes remaining. At the time of abandonment, Notts County were leading 3-1 and were on the brink of securing their first League win of the season. Iremonger, standing at an imposing 6ft 5in, was not pleased with the decision and made ‘offensive remarks’ to the referee, which resulted in a three-match ban. This ban marked the end of an extraordinary streak for Iremonger, who had been ever-present in the first team since 9th February 1907. Over the course of more than five years, he made 222 consecutive first-team appearances for Notts County, with 211 in the First Division and 11 in the FA Cup, a club record that still stands.

12th October 1977

Fast forward to 1977, and Scotland were celebrating a significant victory in their football history. On this day, Scotland defeated Wales 2-0 in a World Cup qualifier, securing their place in the 1978 World Cup finals in Argentina. This victory was particularly notable as Scotland were the only British nation to qualify for the tournament. The match was not without controversy, as it featured a hotly-disputed penalty and was played at Liverpool’s Anfield Stadium rather than in Wales. The Welsh FA had decided to stage the home match ‘abroad’ due to previous crowd problems at Cardiff’s Ninian Park. The choice of venue proved advantageous for Scotland, as the 50,850-strong crowd at Anfield included a significant number of the Tartan Army, making it feel like an away match for the Welsh team.

12th October 1996

In 1996, Aston Villa’s goalkeeper Mark Bosnich found himself embroiled in a scandal during a Premier League match against Tottenham Hotspur at White Hart Lane. Bosnich had previously clashed with Spurs’ Jurgen Klinsmann in January 1995, resulting in Klinsmann being knocked unconscious. During the October 1996 match, Spurs fans chanted Klinsmann’s name every time Bosnich touched the ball. In response, Bosnich made a Nazi salute directed at the home fans, which sparked immediate outrage due to Tottenham’s deep Jewish heritage. The incident was widely condemned by football fans, and Bosnich faced complaints from fans, leading to an interview with the police. The Football Association charged him with misconduct, resulting in a £1000 fine and a warning about his future conduct.