On This Day in Football: 27th September

27th September 2003

On this day, Wimbledon played their first ‘home’ League match at the National Hockey Stadium in Milton Keynes, following their controversial relocation from South London. The match ended in a 2-2 draw against Burnley. Despite the move, the club retained the name Wimbledon until the start of the 2004/05 season when they rebranded as MK Dons. This match marked a significant moment in the club’s history as they began a new chapter in a different city.

27th September 2016

England manager Sam Allardyce found himself at the centre of a media storm after a Daily Telegraph investigation revealed footage of him advising undercover reporters on how to circumvent FA rules regarding third-party ownership of footballers. The footage also captured Allardyce criticising his predecessor Roy Hodgson and the England players, as well as negotiating a £400,000 per year speaking engagement contract. By the end of the day, Allardyce had left his position as England manager by ‘mutual consent’, ending his tenure after just 67 days. Despite the controversy, Allardyce’s record stood at played one, won one, making him statistically the most successful England manager of all time.

27th September 2022

In a unique footballing story, Georgia Wilson made national headlines on the day she was born. Her father, Sean, was a Manchester United supporter, while her grandfather, Andy, supported Blackburn Rovers. To ensure Georgia ‘grew up properly’ and to mitigate the influence of Manchester United, Andy purchased a Blackburn Rovers season ticket for her on the day of her birth, making her the world’s youngest season ticket holder. This unusual gesture captured the attention of the national media. Interestingly, Andy was no stranger to setting records, as he held the world record for the furthest distance walked around a football pitch with a lawnmower in a 24-hour period.