September 30 – Taylor Toils and Anything on the Box Tonight?

Manchester United’s quest to take over the world steps up another notch and Peter Taylor’s £5.5m punt on Ade Akinbiyi catches up with him.

1997 – Anything on the Box Tonight?

EVER get the feeling there’s too much football on television? No, neither do we. This is probably why the suits at Manchester United today in 1997 linked up with Granada and BSkyB to create MUTV, a channel where United fans would have all their televisual needs catered for. Read more here.

2001 – Taylor Toils

WHEN Peter Tayor spent the end of last season watching his Stevenage side’s Conference title challenge dropping off, was he wondering where it had all gone wrong? After all, this is the man that managed England – albeit for one game – and was the first to give David Beckham the captain’s armband.

Today in 2001 Taylor’s managerial career took it’s first real dive when he was sacked by Leicester City following a poor start to the season. Read the whole sorry story here.

With Ade being the latest striker to rock up at the Meadow, Peter Taylor must have given Sven a glowing recommendation.

September 29 – Spurs Throw it Away and Happy Birthday to Milan’s Odd Couple

Spurs find a new way to throw it away and it’s birthday cake time in Italy.

1936/1976 – Happy Birthday to Milan’s Odd Couple

FOOTBALL’S full of unlikely bed-fellows. Take Niall Quinn and Roy Keane living the Premiership dream on Wearside or Avram Grant and coaching qualifications. But have you heard the one about the President of Italy and the Chernobyl survivor-turned best striker in Europe? That’s right, today sees Milan President Silvio Berlusconi share a birthday with his former star player and the man he once considered ‘his son’ Andrei Shevchenko. Click here for the full story.

2001 – Spurs Throw it Away

Today in 2001 Spurs managed to grasp defeat from the jaws of victory when they threw a 3-0 half-time lead when they hosted Manchester United at White Hart Lane. Read how they did it here.

He was good, Chelsea fans, honest.

September 28 – Arsene About and Rooney’s Red Debut

Two of the Premiership’s leading lights make their bow today in the latest trawl through the OTFD vaults.

2004 – Rooney’s Red Debut

Following Wayne Rooney’s Euro 2004 exploits he was suddenly the hottest property in European football and Sir Alex Ferguson decided to whip out his cheque book and make Rooney his latest big-money signing, with Everton receiving £27m for their starlet. He would hit the ground running, so read all about his debut here.

1996 – Arsene About

OK so it’s a person, two words; first word, two syllables, first syllable: sounds like bum? Rear? Bottom? Arse? Yes!

Second syllable, sounds like: oh never mind. It’s Arsene Wenger, and it was on this day that cerebral old Arsene was appointed manager of the club which so nearly shares his name. Read the full story here.

After 13 years in the Premiership he still hasn’t got his celebration down.

September 27 – To Everton the Spoils and Make Your Mind Up Dave

A blood and guts scouse derby and one man does his best impression of an international footballer version of The Littlest Hobo.

1999 – Make Your Mind Up Dave!

OVER the years there have been numerous footballers that have played for national teams which might not have been their first choice; London-born Muzzy Izzet turning out for Turkey for instance, or more recently, Freddy Eastwood from Basildon in Essex scoring for Wales.

It was on this day that David Johnson, formerly of Ipswich and Nottingham Forest, was called up to the Wales squad in 1999, the third national squad he had been involved with. Read all about him here.

1999 – To Everton the Spoils

Until David Moyes came along and dragged Everton kicking and screaming to the upper reaches of the Premiership, life was a bit of a struggle for Toffees fans as the team battled relegation on a regular basis.

It was all a far cry from the club’s title and cup winning heydays in the mid 1980s, but in 1998 they had a new dawn, unfortunately it was a false one. Walter Smith, the fantastically successful former Glasgow Rangers manager took the reigns and rallied the team for a time.

Perhaps the highlight of his tenure occurred on this day in 1999 when his team took on Liverpool at Anfield. Read on here.

The last clash between the two, sans the infamous Tic-Tac advert.

September 26 – Pushy Paolo and Leeds Get Credit Crunched

Today’s targets in the OTFD crosshairs: referees and Leeds United. A crowd pleasing day at OTFD then…

1998 – Pushy Paolo

There are many instructions a manager might give his players before a game. “Keep it tight for the first 20 minutes or so lads,” or “keep an eye on their right winger,” or “just get balls into the box.” One thing he probably would not expect to have to say is, “Don’t, whatever you do, assault the ref.” Find out who wasn’t paying attention here.

2001 – Leeds Get Credit Crunched

WITH the credit crunch being talked about almost as much as the comedy going-ons at St James’ Park (and not the one in Exeter) we thought it was time to bring you the story of English football’s biggest financial meltdown of recent years.

Today in 2001 Leeds United took out a loan of £60m as the board, led by chairman Peter Ridsdale, ‘lived the dream’ in search of regular Champions League football. How did it all work out? You probably don’t need to click here to find out, but you might as well.

What’s funniest here? The push, Alcock’s blatant dive or the look on Winterburn’s face when he thinks Paolo might go for him next?

September 25 – Ian Wright Wright Wright and How Do You Solve a Problem Like Schmeichel?

Ian Wright makes his Gooners bow as Manchester United struggle to replace Wrighty’s old mate Schmeichel in goal.

1991 – Ian Wright Wright Wright

FOR the thousands of non-league footballers who ply their trade every week on cut-up mud baths that pass for pitches there is always the hope, however small, at the back of their minds that one day they might make it big.

For the vast majority of them this will always just be a dream, but every once in a while it does happen. Read all about it here.

1999 – How Do You Solve a Problem Like Schmeichel?

THE only downside of having the world’s best ‘keeper in your line up is that when he goes, you’re generally screwed. When Peter Schmeichel left Manchester United in 1999 Alex Ferguson liked the cut of Italian goalie Massimo Taibi’s jib, signing him for £4.4m.

Today in 1999 he was probably beginning to realise that this was a bum move, when he made one of the biggest howlers in Premier League history in United’s 3-3 draw with Southampton. Click here for the full story.

Still funny, ten years on.

September 24 – Arsenal Mint and Camp Nou Opens

A tale of two stadia today: Clyde Tyldesley’s favourite venue opens its turnstiles for the first time and the Arsenal money-men get excited about their new gaff in today’s round up from the OTFD history books.

2007 – Arsenal Mint

In amongst all the misery and doom and gloom of the pesky credit crunch, the very top end of football was immune and one club in particular were cock of the walk. Today in 2007 Arsenal announced their first set of financial results since they moved to their new stadium – and they weren’t ‘arf bad. Read more here.

1957 – Camp Nou Opens

IT’S seen countless cup finals, the world’s best players, a host of wonder goals and what Clyde Tyldesley will forever describe as ‘that wonderful night in Barcelona’ thirty times in every Champions League’s match he’ll ever commentate on. Today Barcelona’s Camp Nou stadium celebrates its anniversary. Click here for the whole story.

The Nou Camp Nou

September 23 – Blue Moon and The Reds Score a Hat-full

An incendiary Manc derby and a rampant Liverpool set the scene for today’s footy history round-up.

1989 – Blue Moon

WHETHER we are to believe some of the battle cries and hasty announcements coming from Manchester City’s new owners about paying a gazillion pounds for everyone from Cesc Fabregas to a job lot of Ronaldos, it seems things finally may be looking up for the Citizens who for years have had to play the part of perennial underdog to their nearest neighbours.

For years City fans have only the had the crumbs of derby wins over Man United to feed on, while the Red Devils feast at the table of trophies and titles.
Today in 1989 was one of the sweetest for the Maine Road faithful, when they well and truly stuffed their rivals in a derby match still talked about to this day. Read all about it here.

1986 – The Reds Score a Hat-full

THESE days whenever a big Premier League club is paired with a League 2 minnow in an early round of one of the cups, the manager of said Premier League team will spout off about the match not being a foregone conclusion, and that their lowly opponents must still be treated with respect.

It was on this day in 1986 that Liverpool ignored all that and got to double figures against a very pre-Mohammed Al Fayed Fulham side. Read more here.

The ’89 Manc derby didn’t get quite so gritty…

September 22 – Comeback Kids and Marseille Stripped of Ligue 1 Title

Dodgy going-ons across the channel and QPR get their comeback on in today’s round up.

1993- Marseille Stripped of Ligue 1 Title

MOST people agree that for world-class match-fixing, Italy’s the place to be. But on this day in 1993 Olympique Marseille showed that they were more than capable, as they had the Ligue Un title taken away in what was to be dubbed the “affaire VA-OM.” Click here to find out what happened.

1984 – Comeback Kids

WE’VE already brought you the tale of QPR’s comeback in the 1967 League Cup final where the deliciously named Mark Lazarus bagged the winner and today in 1984 they were at it again, bringing back an even bigger deficient against Newcastle United in what was one of the best games ever to be played on the R’s infamous plastic pitch. Read all about it here.

It was all looking so good…

September 21 – England Lose, a Habit is Born and Keown Gets Ruud

Arsenal players upsetting the establishment and an historic England loss. Business as usual then for today’s round up from the OTFD vaults…

1949 – England Lose, a Habit is Born

THE English have made something of a habit of inventing new sports, enjoying a short period of dominance, and then watching helplessly as other nations proceed to get much better at it than them. Today in 1949 was the day that very scenario happened with football. Find out what happened here.

2003 – Keown Gets Ruud

“I rang my wife after the game. She’s usually very supportive, but she said: ‘I think you’ve gone and done it now…’” Find out what the Arsenal centre-back was up to here.

Whoops.