Soccer Firsts of the Year 2000

Saturday 4^th January 2000 saw the first Football League Matches of the new Millennium. Here are details of the Firsts that happened on that day and some other facts and figures that may be of interest:

First Premiership goal: 2 minutes, Branko Strupar for Derby v Watford, 3pm Kick Off.

First Division One goal: 72 seconds, Bryan Hughes for Birmingham v Huddersfield, 3pm Kick Off.

First Division Two goal: 20 minutes, Nicky Southall for Gillingham v Reading, 1pm Kick Off.

First Division Three goal: 2 minutes Darren Freeman for Brighton v Exeter, Noon Kick Off.

First Own goal: 38 minutes Gareth Roberts, Tranmere v Fulham, 3pm Kick Off.

First Penalty: 90 minutes, Martin Williams for Reading v Gillingham, 1pm Kick Off.

First Yellow Card: 12 minutes, Darren Carr for Brighton v Exeter, Noon Kick Off.

First 2nd Yellow Card: 83 minutes, Jason Kavanagh for Cambridge v Bristol Rovers, 3pm Kick Off.

First Red Card: 45 minutes, Paul Ritchie for Bolton v Walsall, Handball, 3pm Kick Off.

Overall Statistics for Sat 4^th January 2000

Total Matches: 42. (Homes 19, Aways 12, Draws 11)

Highest Attendance: 40,027 (Leeds v Aston Villa)

Lowest Attendance: 2,876 (Mansfield Town v Torquay)

Goals Scored: 116 (Prem 18, Div1 27, Div2 27, Div3 44)

Fastest goal: 1 minute 12 seconds (B. Hughes, Birmingham v Huddersfield)

Highest Aggregate Score: 7 (Mansfield 4 Torquay 3)

Sendings Off: Paul Ritchie (Bolton) 45 minutes v Walsall, Kevin Muscat (Wolves) 60 minutes v Blackburn, Jason Kavanagh (Cambridge United) 83 minutes v Bristol Rovers, Gareth Roberts (Tranmere Rovers) 88 minutes v Fulham, John Durnin (Carlisle) 89 minutes v Chester.