Hi all, welcome to All Football's On This Day! Let's find out what happened today (January 27th) in football history. If you have more stories and news that happened on this day in history, please post them in the comment area and share them with AFers!
On This Day in 2013 - Perfect Hat-Trick=Left Footed+Right Footed+Header
On 27 January 2013, Cristiano Ronaldo scored a perfect hat-trick in an 10-minute span as Real Madrid beat Getafe 4-0.
The defending champions, Real Madrid started the day in third, chasing Atletico Madrid and Barcelona for the league title. They had additional incentive to win in order to avenge their away loss to Getafe from August. Still, despite a handful of early chances, it took until the 54th minute for Real Madrid to take the lead with Sergio Ramos bundling the ball home after a goalmouth scramble.
Eight minutes later, Ronaldo doubled the lead with a left-footed shot that beat a defender and the keeper to the far post; the 300th goal of his club career. Then, in the 65th minute, he scored with a header to push the margin to 3-0. Finally, he added a 72nd-minute penalty, scored with his right foot to complete the perfect hat-trick.
Madrid went on to take 42 of 51 available points over the remainder of the season but finished as runners-up to Barcelona.
On This Day in 2006 - Robbie Fowler Returned Home
Never rejoin a former club - that is the mindset that is drummed into footballers.
Some, though, ignore that advice. The likes of Robbie Keane, Mark Hughes and Teddy Sheringham to name but three all returned to a familiar haunt during their respective careers.
Another player who made a similar jump 13 years ago today was Robbie Fowler, who headed back to where it had all started for him.
At the age of 18 back in 1993, the striker scored on his Liverpool debut during a League Cup tie against Fulham. From that moment on, the frontman never looked back as he went on to score the Premier League's fastest ever hat-trick against Arsenal, as well as winning the Coca-Cola Cup in 1995.
It wouldn't be until 2001 that he won another trophy - three in fact - as the Reds lifted the FA Cup, the League Cup and the UEFA Cup. However, for parts of that campaign, manager Gerard Houllier often preferred Michael Owen and Emile Heskey in attack, which limited Fowler's starting opportunities.
A row with assistant manager Phil Thompson at the start of the next season all but sealed the centre-forward's fate and in November 2001, he was sold to Leeds United for £11m. Injuries hampered his time at Elland Road, just as they did during his three-season spell at Manchester City, all of which made his Anfield return after a five-year absence all the more surprising.
Then Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez justified the decision by saying: "He's got a wealth of experience and gives us more attacking options. He's different to the other strikers we have. We have signed a player with so much passion for this football club and I think he will act as an example to every player here in how much he loves Liverpool.
"I'm not sure I've ever seen a player quite so happy to be joining a club before. He hasn't been signed because he loves the club. He's been signed because he's one of the best goalscorers ever to play in the Premiership and he can score goals for us right now.
"We have signed a player with a passion and a heart for this club that no amount of money can buy. We are close to a very high level right now but with Robbie we can go even higher."
Meanwhile, Fowler himself added: "Since I have left, deep down I have always wanted to come back and it has been a long time but I'm glad to say I'm back now. Leaving was probably one of my biggest regrets I have had in football. I'm chuffed to bits. I mean, I can't really believe it's happened again so I'm ecstatic to be honest."
His second stint would last for 18 months, in which Fowler scored 12 goals, taking his overall tally in a red shirt up to 183 in the process. As his career entered its autumn, he later played for Cardiff City, Blackburn Rovers, North Queensland Fury, Perth Glory and Muangthong United.
On This Day in 2011 - Surely The Loss Was Punishment Enough
On 27 January 2011, the Premier League fined Blackpool £25,000 for fielding a weakened team against Aston Villa earlier that season.
The match in question was played on 10 November. Blackpool, playing in their first top-flight season since 1971, had risen to 11th in the table after a win over West Brom and a draw with Everton over the previous week. With upcoming games against West Ham and Wolves, who occupied the table's last two spots, Blackpool manager Ian Holloway (pictured) made ten changes to his side for the Villa match, resting key players.
Holloway acknowledged that the line-up was not his strongest, but defended his decision, saying "We've got four games in twelve days and the lads I've played every week are struggling to keep up the level." Even with the changes, Blackpool nearly got a result, but fell 3-2 (they then got a win and a draw in their next two games).
Afterward, the Premier League accused Blackpool of deliberately fielding a weakened side in contravention of league rules. An offended Holloway threatened to resign in the league levied any fine against his team.
Nevertheless, on 27 January, the Premier League announced its decision to fine the club £25,000. Blackpool chairman Karl Oyston labeled the decision "unjust" and said they would appeal, but they ultimately decided against it. Holloway remained with the club, who finished the season in nineteenth and were relegated.
