15 September

1888: - Walter Tait became the first player to score a League hat-trick during the Football League game between Bolton Wanderers and Burnley. Burnley won 4-3.

1891: - John Heath of Wolverhampton Wanderers recorded the first goal from a penalty kick when he scored against Accrington Stanley. Penalties had been introduced that year following a proposal from the Irish Football Association.

1903: - 32 people met at Salão Grau restaurant and founded Grêmio Foot-Ball Porto Alegrense with Carlos Luiz Bohrer being elected their first president.

1923: - Jimmy Cringan made his debut for Birmingham City at inside-left at St Andrews. He would later make a fine reputation as a right-half.

1928: - Joe Smith of Stockport County and Tom Johnson of Manchester City both scored 5 goals for their club’s in their respective League matches. Smith scored 5 goals against Lincoln City in a Third Division North match while Johnson scored 5 goals against Everton in the First Division.

1944: - Santiago Bernabéu was elected as the President of Real Madrid unanimously. He held the post until he died on 2 June 1978 and during his presidency the club enjoyed a golden era.

1954: - Walsall signed professional forms with Tony Richards, who would become Walsall’s most prolific scorer before he was transferred to Port Vale in March 1963, having scored 184 League goals in 334 matches.

1964: - Stan Cullis was sacked by Wolverhampton Wanderers ending 30 years of service, as both a player and official.

1976: - Derby County became the first British side to scored 12 goals in a European match when they beat Finn Harps of Ireland 12-0 in a UEFA Cup tie.

1990: - Martin Hicks made his 536th senior appearance for Reading. His appearance against Cambridge United equalled the clubs’ record.

1993: - Goals from Efan Ekoku, Ian Crook and Jeremy Goss gave Norwich City a 3-0 victory over Vitesse Arnhem in the clubs’ first-ever European game.

2000: - Chelsea named Claudio Ranieri as their new manager, replacing Gianluca Vialli.

2004: - The Dutch striker Ruud van Nistelrooy became Manchester United’s top-scorer in Europe after he netted 2 goals in the clubs’ 2-2 draw with Olympique Lyonnais in the UEFA Champions League, bringing his tally to 30 goals.

2004: - Mark Hughes was appointed as the manager of Blackburn Rovers, after the former Manchester United player left his post as manager of Wales.

2004: - AS Roma’s UEFA Champions League match with Dynamo Kiev was abandoned at half-time after the referee Anders Frisk was struck by an object thrown from the crowd.

2006: - Helio Sousa was sacked as the manager of Vitoria Setubal, becoming the first managerial casualty of the 2006-2007 in Portugal.