NOW AND THEN

NOW AND THEN

Small potatoes

On 7 October 1986 the British transfer record was the pounds 3.2m Juventus paid Liverpool for Ian Rush 16 months earlier. The domestic record was the pounds 1.75m Manchester United paid West Brom for Bryan Robson five years earlier. That figure was surpassed when Peter Beardsley joined Liverpool from Newcastle in July 1987. The Rush record lasted until July 1989 when Chris Waddle joined Marseille from Tottenham for pounds 4.25m.

Big potatoes

The TV deal in operation in 1986 was a joint one for pounds 6.2m with the BBC and ITV. It involved each showing seven live league games per season. The current deal is worth pounds 305m over five years, but the deal signed in the summer by Sky and the BBC for the Premiership alone is for pounds 670m for five years from next season.

It is now...

In October 1986, Peter Shilton and Gary Lineker played together in England's 3-0 win over Northern Ireland in the European Championship qualifying campaign. October 1996, and Gary Lineker and Peter Shilton appear together on the quiz show, They Think It's All Over

Parting is such sweet sorrow

In October 1986, Manchester United draw 1-1 at home with Manchester City, a result that leaves both in the bottom four of the First Division. In November Alex Ferguson was appointed manager at Old Trafford and has since won three championships. City have not done so well...

So many old farts

In October 1986, the International Rugby Board met to ponder the "moral minefield" of the amateur status of the game. Ten years later the amateur game is at an end.

Black magic runner

In 1986 the British Athlete of the Year was a 20 year-old Roger Black. Ten years later Black is still Britain's premier 400m runner and takes Olympic silver in Atlanta.

Only in America

In 1986 the world's highest paid sportsman was the boxer Michael Spinks who earned pounds 2.5m. Second was the basketball player Magic Johnson who made pounds 1.6m, while baseball's Jim Rice earned pounds 1.5m. In 1996 Michael Jordan earned pounds 28m, Mike Tyson pounds 25.8m and American footballer Deion Sanders pounds 14.5m.

Dropped in the ****

In 1986 Glenn Hoddle is dropped for the first time in 12 years at Tottenham. In 1996 he is appointed England coach.