September 16 – First Match and TV and Netbusters!

Football hits the small screen for the first time as the record for hardest ever shot gets shattered.

1937 – First Match on TV – Arsenal Can’t Lose!
ALREADY here at OTFD we have told you about the first showing of Match of the Day in 1964, and the launch of Sky Television’s coverage of the Premier League in 1992. But it was on this day way way back in 1937 that football had its first flirtation with TV that would eventually lead to the close marriage the beautiful game enjoys with the small screen today. Read the full story here.

1996 – Netbusters!
Although there is no official list of the hardest shots in football, the Guardian compiled an unofficial top ten last year which had some of the expected names on it. Beckham was on there twice with efforts clocked at 80.5mph and 97.9mph. Roberto Carlos, Alan Shearer and Matt Le Tissier were also there with their own netbusting shots.

Today in 1996 though one player eclipsed them all. Find out who here.

Contray to his nickname, Peter Lorimer doesn’t have the hardest shot.