On This Day in Football: 30th September

30th September 1961

On this day in 1961, Viv Nicholson and her husband became household names after winning a staggering £152,319 18s 8d on the Football Pools with a modest five shilling (25p) bet. This win, equivalent to over £3.5 million in today’s money, catapulted them into the media spotlight. However, the attention was not without its challenges. Within five years, Viv’s husband tragically died in a car accident, and she found herself nearly penniless. Her story of sudden wealth and subsequent hardship was later immortalised in both a book and a West End musical, both aptly titled “Spend, Spend, Spend”.

30th September 1998

As the 1990s progressed, Arsenal faced the reality that their historic Highbury stadium was no longer sufficient for their growing ambitions, particularly in European competitions. In 1997, the club made an unsuccessful attempt to purchase Wembley Stadium. However, for their inaugural Champions League campaign in the 1998/99 season, Arsenal temporarily relocated their home fixtures to Wembley due to UEFA’s reduction of Highbury’s capacity to around 35,000. On 30th September 1998, Arsenal played their first Champions League match at Wembley against Panathinaikos. Despite a 25-minute delay caused by traffic issues, a record Arsenal ‘home’ crowd of 73,455 witnessed a 2-1 victory over the Greek side. This attendance record was surpassed two months later when 73,707 fans attended the match against Lens. Despite the impressive crowds, Arsenal’s results at Wembley were less favourable, with a record of two wins, one draw, and three losses over two seasons, failing to progress to the knockout stages. Following these seasons, Wembley closed for redevelopment, and Arsenal announced plans to move to a new home at Ashburton Grove.

30th September 2006

Manchester City’s Joey Barton found himself in the headlines once again on 30th September 2006, following a controversial incident at Goodison Park. After a 1-1 Premier League draw against Everton, Barton bared his backside to the home fans, an act that led to a formal warning and a £2,000 fine. Barton’s antics were a frequent topic of discussion during his career, often overshadowing his on-field performances.