21 July 1960 - Trevor Fords The North Sea

On 21 July 1960, striker Trevor Ford returned to Great Britain after serving a three-year ban related to an illegal payment scheme.

A Welsh international considered by many to be one of the greatest forwards of his era, Ford once set a British transfer record for his position when Sunderland paid £30,000 to sign him from Aston Villa in 1950. He justified the expense by scoring 67 times in 108 league appearances. After three and a half seasons, he moved to Cardiff for a club-record £29,500.

After retiring in 1956, he published his autobiography, I Lead the Attack, in which he claimed to have been involved in an illegal payment scheme while at Sunderland. The Football League pressed him for details and his refusal to provide any information led them to ban him from the league.

He came out of retirement in 1957, but had to go overseas due to the ban. He signed with PSV Eindhoven and stayed there until the Football League lifted the ban in 1960. Upon his return, he signed with Division Three side Newport County, though he made only eight appearances and scored only three goals before ending his league career after the season.

5 October 1946 - Shackleton Unbound

On 5 October 1946, Newcastle beat Newport County 13-0, setting a record margin for both teams.

The match, in the ninth week of the Second Division season, was the Newcastle debut of forward Len Shackleton, who had signed four days earlier from Bradford Park Avenue for the substantial fee of £13,000 (just £1,500 under the record at the time). Shackleton had scored 171 goals in 217 league appearances for Bradford and Newcastle were counting on him to provide a spark to their offense.

His first contribution to the scoreline, however, was not a goal, but an assist, as he set up center forward Charlie Wayman's opening goal after just five minutes. Wayman netted a first-half hat-trick, but was outdone by Shackleton, who had four by the break as Newcastle led 7-0. Wayman eventually got a fourth, while Shackleton finished with six en route to the final score of 13-0. It matched the scoreline set by Stockport County against Halifax in 1936 and remains a joint English league record (though far short of the 26-0 thrashing delivered to Hyde United by Preston North End in the first round of the FA Cup in October 1887).

Despite his scoring prowess, Shackleton, an inveterate prankster, ran afoul of Newcastle's management and the club sold him to Sunderland in February 1948 for the then-record fee of £20,500. He remained there until an ankle injury forced his retirement in 1957.

21 July 1960 - Trevor Fords The North Sea

On 21 July 1960, striker Trevor Ford returned to Great Britain after serving a three-year ban related to an illegal payment scheme.

A Welsh international considered by many to be one of the greatest forwards of his era, Ford once set a British transfer record for his position when Sunderland paid £30,000 to sign him from Aston Villa in 1950. He justified the expense by scoring 67 times in 108 league appearances. After three and a half seasons, he moved to Cardiff for a club-record £29,500.

After retiring in 1956, he published his autobiography, I Lead the Attack, in which he claimed to have been involved in an illegal payment scheme while at Sunderland. The Football League pressed him for details and his refusal to provide any information led them to ban him from the league.

He came out of retirement in 1957, but had to go overseas due to the ban. He signed with PSV Eindhoven and stayed there until the Football League lifted the ban in 1960. Upon his return, he signed with Division Three side Newport County, though he made only eight appearances and scored only three goals before ending his league career after the season.

21 July 1960 - Trevor Fords The North Sea

On 21 July 1960, striker Trevor Ford returned to Great Britain after serving a three-year ban related to an illegal payment scheme.

A Welsh international considered by many to be one of the greatest forwards of his era, Ford once set a British transfer record for his position when Sunderland paid £30,000 to sign him from Aston Villa in 1950. He justified the expense by scoring 67 times in 108 league appearances. After three and a half seasons, he moved to Cardiff for a club-record £29,500.

After retiring in 1956, he published his autobiography, I Lead the Attack, in which he claimed to have been involved in an illegal payment scheme while at Sunderland. The Football League pressed him for details and his refusal to provide any information led them to ban him from the league.

He came out of retirement in 1957, but had to go overseas due to the ban. He signed with PSV Eindhoven and stayed there until the Football League lifted the ban in 1960. Upon his return, he signed with Division Three side Newport County, though he made only eight appearances and scored only three goals before ending his league career after the season.

5 October 1946 - Shackleton Unbound

On 5 October 1946, Newcastle beat Newport County 13-0, setting a record margin for both teams.

The match, in the ninth week of the Second Division season, was the Newcastle debut of forward Len Shackleton, who had signed four days earlier from Bradford Park Avenue for the substantial fee of £13,000 (just £1,500 under the record at the time). Shackleton had scored 171 goals in 217 league appearances for Bradford and Newcastle were counting on him to provide a spark to their offense.

His first contribution to the scoreline, however, was not a goal, but an assist, as he set up center forward Charlie Wayman's opening goal after just five minutes. Wayman netted a first-half hat-trick, but was outdone by Shackleton, who had four by the break as Newcastle led 7-0. Wayman eventually got a fourth, while Shackleton finished with six en route to the final score of 13-0. It matched the scoreline set by Stockport County against Halifax in 1936 and remains a joint English league record (though far short of the 26-0 thrashing delivered to Hyde United by Preston North End in the first round of the FA Cup in October 1887).

Despite his scoring prowess, Shackleton, an inveterate prankster, ran afoul of Newcastle's management and the club sold him to Sunderland in February 1948 for the then-record fee of £20,500. He remained there until an ankle injury forced his retirement in 1957.