21 January 1997 - Shilton Finally Stops

On 21 January 1997, goalkeeper Peter Shilton played in his last match, setting the current League record of 1,005 appearances.

Shilton, who set the England cap record at 125 seven years earlier, started his club career in 1966 with Leicester City, where he soon ousted England's World Cup-winning keeper Gordon Banks. He went on to make 286 appearances for Leicester before leaving for Stoke City in 1974. There, he added another 110 appearances to his total, then moved on to Nottingham Forest (202), Southampton (188), and Derby County (175).

By the time he left Derby in 1992, his career was in decline, but he made another 34 appearances in three seasons for Plymouth Argyle. Between 1994 and 1996, he spent brief periods with Wimbledon, Bolton Wanderers, West Ham, and Coventry, but played in only a single League match for the lot of them.

In 1996, he joined Leyton Orient, where he made his last nine appearances. The final one was a Division Three contest at home against Wigan, but it wasn't a storybook ending for the 47-year old Shilton. The hosts took a first half lead with a goal from Scott McGleish (33'), but surrendered late strikes to Ian Kilford (62') and Graeme Jones (77') to lose 1-2.

2 December 1997 - Rovers Get Lynched

On 2 December 1997, Wigan Athletic and Bristol Rovers matched an English record by receiving a total of five red cards--four of them in the first half.

The two teams met in a Second Division contest at Wigan's Springfield Park, where a crowd of 2,738 watched the newly-promoted Latics take an early lead against second-place Bristol City with a 20th-minute goal from midfielder Ian Kilford.

But the real excitement started in first-half stoppage time, as referee Kevin Lynch (pictured) issued a second yellow card to Rovers defender David Pritchard. As the remaining players jockeyed for position in front of the Bristol goal for the ensuing free kick, a fight broke out, resulting in three more ejections--for Wigan striker Graeme Jones and Bristol's Jason Perry and Andy Tillson.

The day's final red card came in the 71st minute, as Rovers midfielder Josh Low received a second yellow. Wigan took advantage of their 10-to-7 man advantage and got two goals from winger David Lowe (78', 85').

That last ejection matched the record of 5 set by Chesterfield and Plymouth Argyle just the previous February (with 2 and 3, respectively). It remains a joint record, happening once more in a 2002 match between Exeter City (3) and Cambridge (2).

21 January 1997 - Shilton Finally Stops

On 21 January 1997, goalkeeper Peter Shilton played in his last match, setting the current League record of 1,005 appearances.

Shilton, who set the England cap record at 125 seven years earlier, started his club career in 1966 with Leicester City, where he soon ousted England's World Cup-winning keeper Gordon Banks. He went on to make 286 appearances for Leicester before leaving for Stoke City in 1974. There, he added another 110 appearances to his total, then moved on to Nottingham Forest (202), Southampton (188), and Derby County (175).

By the time he left Derby in 1992, his career was in decline, but he made another 34 appearances in three seasons for Plymouth Argyle. Between 1994 and 1996, he spent brief periods with Wimbledon, Bolton Wanderers, West Ham, and Coventry, but played in only a single League match for the lot of them.

In 1996, he joined Leyton Orient, where he made his last nine appearances. The final one was a Division Three contest at home against Wigan, but it wasn't a storybook ending for the 47-year old Shilton. The hosts took a first half lead with a goal from Scott McGleish (33'), but surrendered late strikes to Ian Kilford (62') and Graeme Jones (77') to lose 1-2.

2 December 1997 - Rovers Get Lynched

On 2 December 1997, Wigan Athletic and Bristol Rovers matched an English record by receiving a total of five red cards--four of them in the first half.

The two teams met in a Second Division contest at Wigan's Springfield Park, where a crowd of 2,738 watched the newly-promoted Latics take an early lead against second-place Bristol City with a 20th-minute goal from midfielder Ian Kilford.

But the real excitement started in first-half stoppage time, as referee Kevin Lynch (pictured) issued a second yellow card to Rovers defender David Pritchard. As the remaining players jockeyed for position in front of the Bristol goal for the ensuing free kick, a fight broke out, resulting in three more ejections--for Wigan striker Graeme Jones and Bristol's Jason Perry and Andy Tillson.

The day's final red card came in the 71st minute, as Rovers midfielder Josh Low received a second yellow. Wigan took advantage of their 10-to-7 man advantage and got two goals from winger David Lowe (78', 85').

That last ejection matched the record of 5 set by Chesterfield and Plymouth Argyle just the previous February (with 2 and 3, respectively). It remains a joint record, happening once more in a 2002 match between Exeter City (3) and Cambridge (2).