7 June 1970 - Banks Denies Pelé

On 7 June 1970, England keeper Gordon Banks made one of the most memorable saves in football history, stopping a shot from Pelé in the 1970 World Cup Finals.

Cup holders England met Brazil that day in their second match of the group stage. With the match scoreless in the 10th minute, Brazilian right winger Jairzinho collected the ball near the touchline just inside the English half. He sped past left back Terry Cooper and raced toward the box. Just before running out of bounds, he lobbed a long cross to Pelé who was waiting near the far post. Describing the save later, Banks said "Halfway across, I was sure the ball was too high for anyone to reach, but then I saw Pelé. He seemed to climb higher and higher until he got the ball on his forehead, putting everything behind it."

As Pelé forcefully headed the ball down, Banks sprinted across the goal and stretched out with a diving lunge. The ball bounced just in front of the goal line and Banks got his hand on the rebound, sending the ball up and over. According to Pelé, "He came from nowhere. I headed it perfectly towards one corner of the net while Banks was at the other corner. I was already shouting GOOOL!!! when Banks, like a salmon leaping up a falls, threw himself in the air and managed to tip the ball so it slid over the crossbar. It was an impossible play."

Brazil went on to win the match 1-0 with a goal from Jairzinho in the 59th minute, but it is fondly remembered in England for that save.

6 June 1955 - The Golden Boy Gets Banned

On 6 June 1955, the English Football Association banned forward Wilf Mannion for life.

Mannion, nicknamed "the Golden Boy" due to his blonde hair, was born in Middlesbrough and joined Middlesbrough F.C. in 1936 at the age of 18. He went on the become one of the club's greatest players, making 368 appearances and scoring 110 goals for Boro before moving to Hull City in 1954.

He was capped 26 times for England between 1946 and 1951, scoring 11 goals for the national team, including three in his national team debut (a 7-2 win against Northern Ireland) and two in England's 6-1 win in the 1947 "Match of the Century" against a Rest of the World XI.

Mannion's football career was interrupted by World War II, in which he spent six years with the British Army's Green Howards regiment. He served in Europe and the Middle East and was one of the servicemen evacuated at Dunkirk.

Throughout his career, Mannion was frustrated by the league's wage structure, which set a maximum salary of £10 per week. In 1954, Mannion gave a series of newspaper interviews claiming that several players were receiving illegal payments. The F.A. challenged him to provide evidence, but he refused. As a result, he received a lifetime ban from League football.

The F.A. lifted the ban in 1957, but Mannion, who had been playing with non-League side Cambridge United, decided to stay there until his retirement in 1959.

Mannion died on 14 April 200 at the age of 81.

5 June 2005 - A Starlet Is Born

On 5 June 2005, England beat Finland 3-2 in their opening match of the group stages of the 2005 UEFA Women's European Championship at the City of Manchester Stadium before a crowd of 29,092.

England took an early lead when Finnish defender Sanna Valkonen put the ball into her own net. They then doubled their lead in the 40th minute with a header from striker Amanda Barr. Finland staged a late rally in the second half, however, with an 80th-minute goal from striker Merte Pederson and an 88th-minute equalizer from midfielder Cathrine Paaske Sørenson.

The match appeared to be a certain draw when 17 year old English striker Karen Carney chipped the keeper from 15 yards out in the 91st minute to claim the win. She became an instant star in England, with her style of play drawing favorable comparisons to Wayne Rooney. She also drew attention for the string of expletives that she shouted after scoring the game-winner, for which she was later reprimanded by her mother.

Carney, who started her professional career with Birmingham L.F.C. in 2001, moved to Arsenal L.F.C., where she played from 2006-2009. She currently plays for the Chicago Red Stars in the United States' Womens Professional Soccer league.