OWN GOALS

The first League own-goal was scored  just 20 minutes after the first Football League matches kicked off on Saturday September 8th 1888. Aston Villa defender Cox put past his own goalkeeper at Wolverhampton Wanderers'  Dudley Road ground before Wolves gained a share of the points with an equaliser shortly before half time.

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A player scoring for both sides is rare but on Saturday September 25th 1976 it happened twice in the Second Division. Colin Franks of Sheffield United scored both goals in the 1-1 draw between Sheffield United and Blackburn and Plymouth's Paul Mariner did the same in the 1-1 draw between Plymouth Argyle and Bolton. 

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Two players have gone better (or is that worse) than Franks and Mariner by scoring twice for both sides in the same Football League match. 

On Saturday 6th October 1923 in the Division 2 fixture between Oldham Athletic and Manchester United Oldham's Samuel Wynne became the first to score two for each side in Manchester United's 3-2 victory. His goals for Oldham were from a free kick and a penalty.

On Saturday March 20th 1976 Aston Villa's Chris Nicholl equalled that record. He scored all four goals in the First Division match between Leicester City and Aston Villa. 

Sadly Sam Wynne has another entry in the history books. Having moved from Oldham to Bury for a club record fee of £2,500 in December 1926 he was playing for his new club at Sheffield United in a First Division fixture on Saturday April 30th 1927 when he collapsed when about to take a free kick and died of pneumonia in the dressing rooms. The match was abandoned and when replayed the following Thursday (May 5th) the £680 gate receipts from the 15,000 crowd was donated to Sam Wynne's family.

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A remarkable First Division match at White Hart Lane on Saturday 5th October1974. Mike England and John Pratt of Spurs each scored own goals to give Burnley a 2-0 half-time lead. The same two players scored a goal apiece in the second half - this time for their own side. Burnley got a winner from Leighton James but even that one took a deflection off Mike England on its way past Jennings - almost another own goal and what would have been a unique hat-trick for the Welshman.

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The quickest own-goal in Football League history was recorded on Monday January 3rd 1977. Visiting Cambridge United kicked off at Torquay United in a Fourth Division fixture, Ian Seddon hit a high ball into the Torquay penalty area which was headed in past his own 'keeper by Gulls defender Pat Kruse - after just six seconds! Amazingly Torquay scored another own-goal later in the match so in fact scored all four goals in the 2-2 draw.

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Chelsea had a unique own-goal in their favour on their way to their first ever Football League title in 1954/55. Against Leicester City at Stamford Bridge on Saturday December 18th 1954 City defenders Jack Froggatt and Stan Milburn each struck the ball at exactly the same time to send it past the Leicester 'keeper to record a 'shared own goal' in Chelsea's 3-1 victory.

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Middlesbrough defender Robert Stuart holds the League record for most own-goals in a season with 5 in the 1934/35 First Division campaign. Ironically he made a total of 247 League appearances for Teesside club but only managed 2 goals at the right end!

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Three og's have been conceded by a club in League match on four occasions. 

Vince Kenny, Noman Curtis and Eddie Gannon of Sheffield Wednesday each scored own-goals in Wednesday's 5-4 First Division defeat against WBA at Hillsborough on Friday December 26th 1952. 

Another Christmas present was given by Rochdale's Danny Murphy, Kenny Boyle and George Underwood who each scored in their own net in a 7-2 defeat at Carlisle United in a Division 3 North match on Saturday December 25th 1954. To cap a disastrous Christmas Underwood broke his leg in the return fixture played at Spotland two days later.

Sunderland players scored three own goals in just seven minutes when losing 3-1 at home to Charlton Athletic in the Premiership on Saturday 1st February 2003. The Sunderland villains were Stephen Wright and Michael Proctor who scored twice.

On Saturday 6th February 2010 at Old Trafford Portsmouth's Anthony Vanden Borre, Richard Hughes and Marc Wilson each scored own goals in their 5-0 Premier League defeat by Manchester United.

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Three players have scored for each side in an FA Cup Final. Charlton Athletic's Bert Turner was the first in 1946 with an own goal and one at the right end against Derby County. Manchester City's Tommy Hutchison did the same against Spurs in 1981 as did Tottenham's Gary Mabbutt against Coventry City in 1987. All three finished up with runners-up medals.

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The most tragic own-goal was scored by Colombia's Andreas Escobar in a 1994 World Cup finals group match against hosts USA at the Rose Bowl, Pasadena. His own-goal helped USA to a 2-1 victory and condemned Colombia to bottom place in the group and elimination from the competition. A few days later, on his return to Colombia he was shot dead, the reason is uncertain but possibly on the orders of someone who had lost heavily on betting at USA '94.