2nd April 2005 is a date that most Newcastle United fans will remember well, as much as they'd like to try and forget the 3-0 loss to Aston Villa.
Playing at St James' Park, Graeme Souness' side went down to David O'Leary's team in a game that saw them concede two penalties and finish the match with just eight men.
The match is rightly remembered for the moment eight minutes from full time, with Newcastle already three goals down, when teammates Lee Bowyer And Kieron Dyer started fighting each other on the pitch.
Souness laid the blame at Bowyer's feet in the aftermath, saying, "I've been assured by Kieron that he didn't throw any punches and that he was on the receiving end. That's the route we will be going down. 'Lee's actions are indefensible. He's guilty - as the pictures show - of throwing more than one punch and will have to accept any punishment coming his way. We feel Kieron has an argument."
Advert
And the Newcastle boss was clearly shocked at the incident, "It would be the end if it happened again. It's something we can't accept.
"It's a first for me. I have never witnessed that before. Harsh words between players occur in every game, but it's very unusual for it to lead to what happened today. 'There are always arguments on the training pitch when players stand up to each other, but that's as far as it goes. This is something completely new to me."
However the fight wasn't the only ridiculous moment and actually over shadows one of the Premier League's funniest moments.
Advert
The first red card came just nine minutes earlier when a Villa break led to a virtual open goal for Darius Vassell, with only defender Steven Taylor blocking his path.
Vassell's shot was destined for the net but Taylor handled the ball only to try and pretend it hit him on the chest. The referee didn't fall for it and he was sent off.
It truly is one of the league's forgotten gems of a game, merely for two incredible moments, the likes of which are so rarely seen.
Featured Image Credit:Topics:ย Football News, Aston Villa, Premier League, Graeme Souness, Newcastle United
