Anniversary
John Cushley
Date of birth: 21 January 1943
Clubs: Glasgow Celtic, West Ham United, Dunfermline Athletic, Dumbarton
Signed as a replacement for popular centre back Ken Brown from Glasgow Celtic in 1967, Cushley made his debut for West Ham United in the 3-2 home loss to Sheffield Wednesday on 19 August that year. Popular with his team-mates, who nicknamed him 'Wilbur', the Scot went on to make a total of 46 league and cup matches for the Hammers.
Cushley would play his final game for West Ham in the goalless home draw with Ipswich Town at the Boleyn Ground on 14 March 1970 before returning to his native Scotland and Dunfermline later that same month. Born in Hamilton, the defender would move on to Dumbarton in 1972 before ending his playing career six years later.
A talented linguist, Cushley also worked as a teacher during his time with the Hammers, having graduated with a modern languages degree from the University of Glasgow. After later becoming an education officer at Celtic, Cushley died at his home in the Lanarkshire town of Bothwell on 24 March 2008.
Classic Match
Wolverton FC 3-4 Thames Ironworks
Southern League Second Division
21 January 1899
On 21 January 1899, Thames Ironworks FC travelled to Buckinghamshire to take on Wolverton FC for the only time in their history.
Neither the historic railway town of Wolverton - which was subsumed during the development of Milton Keynes in the 1960s - nor its old football club - formed in 1887 and whose Wolverton Park stadium was home to the first covered stand in world football eleven years later - have survived. The club ceased to exist in 1992. More famously, of course, the Thames Ironworks became West Ham United in 1895.
Like the Ironworks, Wolverton was a works team made up almost entirely of players who spent their days toiling at the town's railway works - a fact illustrated when the club changed its name to Wolverton London and North Western Railway the following season.
Back to January 1899 and the pair were battling it out for the Southern League Second Division title. Wolverton and Thames Ironworks met in what was the visitors' 13th match of the 22-game season. The result was a seven-goal rollercoaster that would thrill the 200 spectators who saw the game.
Patrick Leonard would score twice and both Charles Dove and Simon Chisholm once each as the Ironworks secured a 4-3 victory. The success was the team's sixth of a 16-game winning streak to end the season nine points clear of second-placed Wolverton. Chairman Arnold Hills' team would end their campaign with a 3-1 Second Division 'decider' win over Cowes - the South West section champions - and promotion to the First Division for the 1899/1900 season.