History - On This Day

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30 April

Anniversaries

John O'Shea
Date of birth: 30 April 1981
National team: Republic of Ireland
Clubs: Manchester United FC, AFC Bournemouth (loan), R. Antwerp FC (loan)



A tremendously gifted Irish defender, John O'Shea possesses the confidence, ability and skill to rampage upfield. He signed professional forms with Manchester United in August 1998 aged 17, and made his debut the same season against Aston Villa FC in the English League Cup. Waterford-born O'Shea added to his experience with a spell on loan at second division Bournemouth in January 2000, then joined Belgian side Antwerp. He returned to Old Trafford to resume his United career in July 2001.

Since then the central defender, who often plays at left-back, has been a regular performer for Sir Alex Ferguson's side in both the Premiership and the UEFA Champions League. He first appeared for the Republic of Ireland against Croatia in August 2001, where he gave away a penalty shortly after coming on, and is now a regular international.

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1 May

Anniversaries

Aleksandr Hleb
Date of birth: 1 May 1981
National team: Belarus
Clubs: FC BATE Borisov, VfB Stuttgart, Arsenal FC



In German football, Aleksandr Hleb was called 'Zauberlehrling' - 'a magician in training' – because he was constantly learning new tricks from Stuttgart's brilliant midfield player Krassimir Balakov. A product of leading Belarussian side BATE, Hleb made his mark as the team became champions in 1999. This attracted the attention of Stuttgart, who paid €150,000 for him the next year after just 25 appearances.

He broke into the first team in 2001/02, and was named Belarussian Footballer of the Year in 2002. He was then an ever-present as Stuttgart finished second in the Bundesliga in 2002/03 to earn a place in the 2003/04 UEFA Champions League. He represented Stuttgart in the UEFA Cup in 2004/05 before moving to Arsenal for €15m in the summer of 2005, and taking the opportunity to impress in the UEFA Champions League in 2005/06.

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2 May

Anniversaries

Luis Suarez Miramontes
Date of birth: 2 May 1935
National team: Spain
Clubs: RC Deportivo La Coruna, FC Barcelona, FC Internazionale Milano, Sampdoria UC



Suarez, an inside-left of commanding influence, was born and brought up in La Coruña, and made an instant debut impact for Deportivo away against Barcelona. The Catalan fans gave him a standing ovation and Barcelona signed him immediately. Coach Helenio Herrera later took Suarez with him to Inter and it was around Suarez's organisational ability that Herrera built a team which dominated European and world club football in the mid-1960s.

Suarez was European Footballer of the Year in 1960. He won the Spanish league championship and cup on two occasions with Barcelona and captured three Serie A titles with Inter. He also won the 1964 UEFA European Championship with Spain and ended his career boasting two European Champion Clubs' Cup winners medals.


David Beckham
Date of birth: 2 May 1975
National team: England
Clubs: Manchester United FC, Real Madrid CF, LA Galaxy



Beckham joined Mancester United as a schoolboy and made a spectacular start in the first team, scoring a memorable goal from the halfway line against Wimbledon FC in 1996. His shooting prowess, pinpoint passing and commitment secured a place in the England side, though his 1998 FIFA World Cup ended in expulsion against Argentina. However, he recovered to score the goal which took his country to the finals four years later, by which time he was England captain.

Domestically, he helped United dominate English football and was a key part of the side that won the treble of league, FA Cup and UEFA Champions League in 1999. He joined Madrid in July 2003, and continually impressed in four seasons in Spain, before leaving for Major League Soccer and the LA Galaxy in 2007.

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3 May

Anniversaries

Robert 'Bob' Jonquet
Date of birth: 3 May 1925
National team: France
Clubs: Chatenay-Malabry, S.S. Voltaire, Stade de Reims Champagne, RC Strasbourg

Bob Jonquet, one of the greatest French central defenders, began his career in Paris with minor clubs Chatenay-Malabry and Voltaire before signing for Reims, with whom he would make his name, at 17. Cool under pressure, Jonquet first earned international attention with a resolute display as France drew 2-2 with England at Highbury in 1951, having first made his international debut in 1948. He collected 58 international caps in total.

His domestic achievements added up to five league titles and two French cups. He was centre-back for Reims, whom he also captained, in their European Champion Clubs' Cup final defeats against Real Madrid CF in 1955/56 and 1958/59 and also helped France finish third at the 1958 FIFA World Cup.

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4 May

Anniversaries

Jeno Buzanszky
Date of birth: 4 May 1925
National team: Hungary
Clubs: Dorogi FC



A one-club man, Buzanszky started and ended his career - at the age of 36 - with Dorogi. However, he will be best remembered for his contribution to the Magical Magyar team from 1950 to 1956. He played 49 times on the right side of the Hungarian defence, winning gold at the Olympic Games in 1952 and was a FIFA World Cup runner-up two years later.

Regarded as technically confident and tactically disciplined, he played in the legendary game at Wembley when Hungary defeated England 6-3 in 1953 and also appeared in the 1954 World Cup final, which was lost to West Germany. Following his retirement from football Buzanszky moved into sports administration, becoming leader of his region's football federation before being named vice-president of the Hungarian Football Federation.

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5 May

Anniversaries

Herve Revelli
Date of birth: 5 May 1946
National team: France
Clubs: AS Saint-Etienne, OGC Nice



A 30-times capped French international centre-forward, Revelli possessed a creditable scoring record despite playing in an unsuccessful period for Les Bleus. Noted as being a fierce competitor, he was excellent on the ball and clever in front of goal. He began his international career aged 20 directly after France's disappointing 1966 FIFA World Cup, and just as he was establishing himself in the St-Etienne first team. Playing in a France side which included his brother Patrick, Revelli recorded virtually a goal every other match for his country, hitting hat-tricks against Norway and a CONCACAF selection.

On the domestic front, Revelli won seven French league championships with St-Étienne, and was also a five-times winner of the French Cup. He appeared in the 1975/76 European Champion Clubs' Cup final for Les Stefanois, which they lost 1-0 against FC Bayern Munchen and was twice top scorer in France, scoring 31 goals during the 1966/67 and 28 in 1969/70.

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6 May

Anniversaries

Graeme Souness
Date of birth: 6 May 1953
National team: Scotland
Clubs: Tottenham Hotspur FC, Middlesbrough FC, Liverpool FC, UC Sampdoria, Rangers FC (as a player); Rangers, Liverpool FC, Galatasaray SK, Torino Calcio, SL Benfica, Southampton FC, Blackburn Rovers FC (as manager), Newcastle United FC (as a manager)



A three-times European Champion Clubs' Cup winner as part of a Liverpool side that dominated the European scene during the late 1970s and early 1980s, Souness was a tough-tackling midfield player. The Scot's career actually started in London with Tottenham and continued with Middlesbrough before he transferred to Anfield in January 1978 for 350,000 pounds [€520,000]. Played for five full seasons on Merseyside before moving on to Italian side Sampdoria. He returned to his native Scotland to play and then manage Rangers, guiding them to three league titles and four Scottish league cups.

Liverpool beckoned as manager, but he failed to enjoy the success he had as a player for the Reds, the 1991/92 FA Cup the only trophy during his time there, although that success came at a period when Souness underwent life-threatening heart surgery. Souness then moved abroad in 1994 for spells at Galatasaray, Torino and Benfica, before returning to England to manage Southampton, Blackburn and Newcastle. Souness represented Scotland at three successive World Cup finals, in a career that included 54 appearances and four goals for his country.

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7 May

Anniversaries

Norman Whiteside
Date of birth: 7 May 1965
National team: Northern Ireland
Clubs: Manchester United FC, Everton FC



Spotted as a talent in north Belfast by United's Northern Ireland scout, Bob Bishop, a man who helped to bring George Best and Sammy McIlroy to Manchester, Whiteside would go on to appear 272 times and score 67 goals for United over seven seasons. A tough-tackling midfield player with an eye for goal, Whiteside scored in two FA Cup final wins while at Old Trafford, including the only goal against Everton FC in extra time in 1985, at a stage when United had been reduced to ten men.

Whiteside would eventually assume a more defensive role in United's midfield, but knee trouble together with the arrival of Sir Alex Ferguson as manager resulted in his transfer to Everton in 1989. Unfortunately, the knee problems persisted and Whiteside retired after just one full season at Goodison Park to focus on gaining a degree in the treatment of sports injuries. At international level, Whiteside is best remembered for being the youngest player to appear in a FIFA World Cup finals, when aged 17 years and 41 days he played against Yugoslavia on 17 June 1982. In total, Whiteside played 38 times for his country, scoring nine goals.

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8 May

Anniversaries

Franco Baresi
Date of birth: 8 May 1960
National team: Italy
Clubs: AC Milan



Franco Baresi, who retired in 1997 after a one-club career, revolutionised the role of sweeper and was highly regarded worldwide. The Italian brought the ball up to launch, and join, attacks and helped drastically alter tactical theory in the home of catenaccio. He joined Milan in 1977 and made his Italy debut against Romania in 1982. A non-playing member of the Azzurri's FIFA World Cup-winning squad that same year, he missed a penalty in the shoot-out defeat against Brazil in the final of the 1994 edition. Suspension ruled him out of Milan's European Champion Clubs' Cup final win against FC Barcelona in 1994 but he led the Rossoneri to other triumphs in Serie A, the European Cup, the European/South American Cup and UEFA Super Cup.

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9 May

Anniversaries

Zdenek Nehoda
Date of birth: 9 May 1952
National team: Czechoslovakia
Clubs: VTJ Hulin, TJ Gottwaldov, FC Dukla Praha, Darmstadt 98, R. Standard de Liege, FC Grenoble



Nehoda, a skilled, mobile centre-forward was the first – and last – Czechoslovakian player to win anything close to a century of caps. He scored 31 goals in 90 internationals, with the peak of his career being the UEFA European Championship final victory against West Germany in Belgrade in 1976. Nehoda won three Czechoslovakian championships while at Dukla, was twice a domestic cup winner and was voted Footballer of the Year in 1978 and 1979. His international reputation earned him selection for a Europe XI against Italy in 1981.

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10 May

Anniversaries

Dennis Bergkamp
Date of birth: 10 May 1969
National team: Netherlands
Clubs: Wilskracht SNL, AFC Ajax, FC Internazionale Milano, Arsenal FC



Bergkamp, named after his father's football hero Denis Law, made his European club debut for Ajax away against Malmo FF having flown out on the day of the game because of school examinations. He won the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup with Ajax in 1987 and the UEFA Cup twice, in 1992 with Ajax and in 1994 with Inter. He was also a key member of the Dutch side at the 1994 and 1998 FIFA World Cups - where he scored the goal of the tournament against Argentina - and the 1992, 1996 and 2000 UEFA European Championships. After failing to settle in Italian football, Bergkamp joined Arsenal in 1995. He was inspirational in the league and FA Cup double-winning sides of 1997/98 and 2001/02 and the Premiership-winning 2003/04 squad. Bergkamp retired in 2006 and for 2008/09 has been offered a coaching role with Marco van Basten at Ajax.

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11 May

Anniversaries

Jackie Milburn
Date of birth: 11 May 1924 (died 1988)
National team: Netherlands
Clubs: Newcastle United FC (as a player), Linfield FC, Ipswich Town FC (as a manager)



Milburn originally signed for Newcastle following a trial match in which he scored six goals and remained with the Magpies for the whole of his playing career. Quick, athletic and able to find the target from the most acute angles, 'Wor Jackie' quickly became a hero on Tyneside, eventually scoring over 200 goals in eleven seasons. As well as registering more than a goal a game for the Magpies, Milburn was involved in three FA Cup successes in the 1950s for the St James' Park outfit and is remembered in particular for the two goals he scored in the first of those finals against Blackpool FC in 1951. He was also capped at international level for England, scoring ten goals in 13 appearances. Milburn retired from playing in 1957 and would later manage Linfield and Ipswich before moving into sports journalism. He died in 1988.

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12 May

Anniversaries

Alan Ball
Date of birth: 12 May 1945 (died 24 April 2007)
National team: England
Clubs: Blackpool FC, Everton FC, Arsenal FC, Southampton FC (as a player); Stoke City FC, Manchester City FC, Southampton, Portsmouth FC, Exeter City FC, Blackpool (as a manager)



Ball, son of a former professional player and manager of the same name, was one of the hardest-working heroes of England's 1966 FIFA World Cup triumph. Ball made his name with Blackpool, collected a league championship medal with Everton in 1970 then later moved to Arsenal for what was then their record fee of €313,000. Ball also had a spell at Southampton before returning to Blackpool as player-manager. He went on to manage Stoke, Manchester City, Southampton and Portsmouth, among others. He died of a heart attack at the age of 61.

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13 May

Anniversaries

Robert Spehar
Date of birth: 12 May 1970
National team: Croatia
Clubs: NK Osijek (twice), NK Dinamo Zagreb, Club Brugge KV, AS Monaco FC, Hellas-Verona FC, Sporting, Galatasaray AS, R. Standard de Liege, AC Omonia

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14 May

Anniversaries

Hakan Unsal
Date of birth: 14 May 1973
National team: Turkey
Clubs: Karabukspor, Galatasaray SK (twice), Blackburn Rovers FC, Rizespor



A pacy left-sided defensive midfield player, Hakan Unsal rose to prominence with Karabukspor in the 1993/94 season to earn a move to Galatasaray. There he won three domestic titles and three Turkish Cups and came on as a substitute in the UEFA Cup final in 2000 in time to celebrate his side's defeat of Arsenal FC. Real Madrid CF were then beaten in the UEFA Super Cup. A move to England to play for Blackburn in 2001/02 proved to be a disappointment and he returned to the Ali Sami Yen barely six months after leaving the club on a free transfer.

Hakan broke into the national team in August 1996 against Belgium after previously turning out regularly for the Under-21 side. After a spell out injured, he impressed in the UEFA EURO 2000™ qualifying play-off defeat of the Republic of Ireland and played twice in the final tournament. He experienced an eventful FIFA World Cup in Korea/Japan, picking up two yellow cards and a red one in his four matches.