On This Day in Football: 9th June

9th June 1979

On this day in 1979, Kevin Keegan, the renowned footballer, ventured into the world of music with the release of his single “Head Over Heels in Love”. The B-side of this single was titled “Move On Down”. This was not Keegan’s first attempt at a music career; his earlier single “It Ain’t Easy” did not achieve commercial success when it was released in 1972. However, “Head Over Heels in Love” managed to climb to number 31 in the UK pop charts. The single found even greater success in Germany, where Keegan was playing for Hamburg at the time, reaching number 10 in the German charts. Despite this musical endeavour, Keegan returned to English football in 1980, releasing another single named “England”. By then, his aspirations for pop stardom had faded, much like other footballers who dabbled in music.

9th June 1993

On this day in 1993, the England national football team faced an unexpected defeat against the United States. The match took place at the Foxboro Stadium in Boston, where Paul Ince captained the England side for the first time. The game ended in a 2-0 loss for England, a result that was widely regarded as embarrassing. The British tabloid, The Sun, captured the sentiment with the headline “Yanks 2 Planks 0”. This match remains a notable moment in England’s football history, highlighting the unpredictable nature of international football competitions.