Sport

On This Day - Feb 1 2011: Chelsea signed Fernando Torres from Liverpool for a British record transfer fee of £50million

In moving to Chelsea, Fernando Torres became the sixth most expensive footballer in history. He made his Chelsea debut on February 6, 2011 in a 1-0 defeat to Liverpool at Stamford Bridge<br />&nbsp;
In moving to Chelsea, Fernando Torres became the sixth most expensive footballer in history. He made his Chelsea debut on February 6, 2011 in a 1-0 defeat to Liverpool at Stamford Bridge
  In moving to Chelsea, Fernando Torres became the sixth most expensive footballer in history. He made his Chelsea debut on February 6, 2011 in a 1-0 defeat to Liverpool at Stamford Bridge
 
By PA and Sean O'Neill

ON THIS DAY

1919: Jackie Robinson, who went on to become the first black player in Major League Baseball, was born. He died in 1972.

1965: Jock Stein was appointed manager of Celtic. He went on to become the club's most successful boss and in 1967 guided them to Britain's first victory in the European Cup.

1994: Roy Evans was named Liverpool manager, succeeding Graeme Souness.

1999: England manager Glenn Hoddle was called in by the Football Association to explain his comments about people with disabilities after he was quoted in The Times as saying: "Some people have been born like that for a reason. What you sow you have to reap." He was sacked two days later.

2003: Leeds defender Jonathan Woodgate completed a £9million move to Newcastle.

2005: Tottenham bought Nottingham Forest duo Michael Dawson and Andy Reid for a combined fee of £8million. Manchester City striker Nicolas Anelka moved to Turkish club Fenerbahce while Celtic signed Newcastle outcast Craig Bellamy on loan.

2007: Dubai International Capital pulled out of a proposed takeover bid for Liverpool. The announcement followed the failure of the club's board to formally accept DIC's bid in the wake of a second offer from American George Gillett.

2010: Andy Murray lost 6-3 6-4 7-6 (13/11) to Roger Federer in the Australian Open final. It was his second grand slam final appearance, having lost to Federer in three sets at the 2008 US Open final.

2011: Chelsea signed Fernando Torres from Liverpool for a British record transfer fee of £50million, while the Reds completed the signings of Andy Carroll from Newcastle for a club-record £35million and Luis Suarez from Ajax for £22.8million.

2013: David Beckham joined French Ligue 1 side Paris St Germain on a five-month deal, while Manchester City sold striker Mario Balotelli to AC Milan.

2016: Manchester City announced that Pep Guardiola would succeed Manuel Pellegrini as manager of the club at the end of the season.

BIRTHDAYS

Maurice Shanahan (GAA) - Waterford hurler and All-star recipient in 2015, born 1990.

Luther Blissett (soccer) - former Watford and England striker, born 1958.

Robert Lee (soccer) - former Newcastle and England midfielder, born 1966.

Gabriel Batistuta (soccer) - former Fiorentina striker who was Argentina's record goalscorer until overtaken by Lionel Messi, born 1969.

Christian Ziege (soccer) - former Liverpool, Tottenham and Germany defender, born 1972.

Kevin Kilbane (soccer) - former Everton, Sunderland and Republic of Ireland midfielder, born 1977.

Graeme Smith (cricket) - former South Africa captain and opening batsman, born 1981.

Gavin Henson (rugby union) - Bristol's Welsh utility back, born 1982.

Shoaib Malik (cricket) - Pakistan all-rounder and former captain, born 1982.

Darren Fletcher (soccer) - West Brom and Scotland midfielder, born 1984.

Costel Pantilimon (soccer) - Watford and Romania goalkeeper, born 1987.

Giuseppe Rossi (soccer) - Fiorentina and Italy striker, currently on loan at Celta Vigo, formerly with Manchester United, born 1987.

Ronda Rousey (MMA) - Former UFC bantamweight champion who won a bronze medal in judo at the 2008 Olympics, born 1987.

Dan Gosling (soccer) - Bournemouth's former Everton and Newcastle midfielder, born 1990.

QUICK QUIZ BLITZ

1 Poland striker Emmanuel Olisadebe, Argentina midfielder Andres D'Alessandro and Serbia winger Ognjen Koroman joined which English side during the January transfer window in 2006?

2 Who is the highest player in the men's official world golf ranking not to have won a major championship?

3 Name the Antrim hurling joint managers who guided the team in the 2007 and 2008 championships?

4 Tom Brady is set to feature in his seventh Super Bowl on Sunday - but how many times has the New England Patriots' quarterback been on the winning side in his first six?

5 Prior to Sutton and Lincoln reaching the last 16 this season, who were the last non-league side to reach the fifth round of the FA Cup?

(See quiz answers at bottom)

SPORT ON TV

Today (Wednesday, February 1)

GAA: Laochra Gael, a profile of Cora Staunton - one of the greatest ever players to grace the women's game - TG4 2100.

SOCCER: Premier League, West Ham v Manchester City - BT Sport 1 1900; Scottish Premiership, Hearts v Rangers - BT Sport 2 1915; Championship, Newcastle v QPR - Sky Sports 1 1930; Coppa Italia, Roma v Cesena - Sky Sports 5 1955; Serie A, Pescara v Fiorentina - eir Sport 1 1940; African Nations Cup, Burkina Faso v Egypt - Eurosport 2 1845.

CRICKET: Third Twenty20, India v England - Sky Sports 2 1300; Second one-day international, South Africa v Sri Lanka - Sky Sports 4 1125; Second one-day international, New Zealand v Australia - Sky Sports 2 0100 (Thu).

TENNIS: WTA, St Petersburg Ladies' Trophy - BT Sport 2 0800 and 1530; Taiwan Open - BT Sport 2 0500.

GOLF: European Tour, Dubai Desert Classic - Sky Sports 4 0400 (Thu).

CYCLING: Tour of Dubai - Eurosport 2 0930; Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana - Eurosport 2 1400.

SNOOKER: German Masters - Eurosport 1 1245 and 1845.

BASKETBALL: NBA, Cleveland Cavaliers v Minnesota Timberwolves - BT Sport 0000 (Thu).

Tomorrow (Thursday, February 2)

GAA: Off the Ball, an off beat look at recent football developments - eir Sport 1 1900.

SOCCER: Championship, Huddersfield v Brighton - Sky Sports 1 1930; African Nations Cup, Cameroon v Ghana - Eurosport 2 1845.

CRICKET: Second one-day international, New Zealand v Australia - Sky Sports 2 0100.

TENNIS: WTA, St Petersburg Ladies' Trophy - BT Sport 1 0800 and 1530; Taiwan Open - BT Sport 2 0300.

GOLF: European Tour, Dubai Desert Classic - Sky Sports 4 0400 and 1130; PGA Tour, Waste Management Phoenix Open - Sky Sports 4 2000.

CYCLING: Tour of Dubai - Eurosport 2 0930; Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana - Eurosport 2 1400.

SNOOKER: German Masters - Eurosport 1 0900, 1345 and 1845.

DARTS: Premier League - Sky Sports 2 1900.

WINTER SPORTS: Winter Universiade - Eurosport 2 0700 and 1130.

BASKETBALL: NBA, Houston Rockets v Atlanta Hawks - BT Sport 1 0100 (Fri); Los Angeles Clippers v Golden State Warriors - BT Sport 1 0330 (Fri).

QUICK QUIZ BLITZ answers: 1 Portsmouth; 2 Hideki Matsuyama (fifth); 3 Terence McNaughton and Dominic McKinley; 4 Four; 5 Luton (2012-13).).

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