International Football History and Statistics

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On this day in football history

1905 Billy Meredith, brilliant Manchester City and Wales outside-right, suspended by the FA for 32 months for allegedly offering a bribe to Alec Leake of Aston Villa. At the subsequent inquiry Leake told the commission that he thought the offer was a joke. Meredith played for both Manchester clubs during a career which spanned 1894 to 1924 and appeared in 669 League games and scored over 200 goals. He won FA Cup medals with both City and United and two League Championship ones with the latter. For Wales he played in 48 full and 2 Victory internationals. Bearing in mind that in his day there were only 3 internationals each season. He died in 1958 at the age of 81.

1951 Derek Grierson, Queens Park's amateur international inside forward joined Rangers as a professional. He had three seasons with the amateur club and won six Scottish caps and finished his first season with the Light Blues as top scorer with 23 goals in 30 League matches. He was never able to repeat that success and dropped out of the Ibrox first team, eventually moving to Falkirk where he won a Scottish Cup winners' medal at the end of his first season, 1957. Signed for Arbroath in 1959, Forfar Athletic in 1960 and Cowdenbeath in 1961. His record in the Scottish League 1949-61; 111 goals in 245 matches.

1955 Death of Reg Freeman, manager of Sheffield United. He had held the position for two years following a long spell as manager of Rotherham United. Was a fine left back in his playing days and began his senior career with Oldham Athletic in 1919, moving to Middlesbrough in the summer of 1923 and Rotherham in September 1930. When his playing ended in 1934 he had appeared in 390 League matches.