Philip Cornwall looks back in anger at England's 1993 World Cup match in Poland, and football events from this week in days gone by.

1993
England travel to Poland for the first match of their World Cup double header. Graham Taylor proclaims the camp a gloom free zone. When asked if England could lose their two matches with the Poles and Norwegians, Graham says he must banish such negative thoughts from his mind and not think about losing these games. So you're saying losing is unthinkable, Graham, says John Sadler of the Sun. Taylor says yes, and the papers report this as the manager saying it is unthinkable that England will lose, rather than that the team needs to think positively.
With Les Ferdinand injured, Teddy Sheringham is picked for the first time against Poland. Paul Gascoigne has to wear a mask that makes him look like the Phantom of the Opera to protect his broken cheekbone. The game does not start well for Taylor. To a background of fights between Polish hooligans and riot police, the home team take the lead after 34 minutes. Just when England seem to be on the point of having to face up to defeat, Ian Wright comes on and scores his first goal for England to snatch a 1-1 draw. In other matches, the Republic of Ireland beat Albania 2-1, and Northern Ireland beat Lithuania 1-0.
Other news: In the courts, Terry Venables wins the first round of his battle against Alan Sugar, and is reinstated until a full hearing can be arranged… Rangers win the Scottish FA Cup Final against Aberdeen… Marseille win the European Cup, beating Milan 1-0 in Munich… York beat Crewe on penalties in the Third Division play-offs… West Brom beat port Vale 3-0 in Division Two… and Glenn Hoddle's Swindon win a thrilling Division One game 4-3 against Leicester.

1988
The play-offs reach a conclusion and it's an ugly one. Middlesbrough win the first leg of their tie with Chelsea 2-0, so the Blues' 1-0 win in the return is no good and the fans are angry. Unaccountably, the stewards allow the Chelsea fans on to the pitch, mounted police struggle to contain the situation, and there are 102 arrests. Swansea are promoted to Division Three by beating Torquay 5-4 on aggregate. Bristol City lose 3-1 at home to Walsall, but win 2-0 away. Away goals don't count, so a play-off play-off is needed, which Walsall win 4-0.
Only 26,000 people turn up at Wembley to watch England's Rous Cup game with Colombia, which ends in a 1-1 draw. Glenn Hoddle picks up his 50th cap, Gary Lineker scores his 25th international goal. Lineker bags another as England win 1-0 in Switzerland, a game accompanied by no crowd trouble a big relief after the scenes at England v Scotland which have provoked Sports Minister Colin Moynihan to call for the game to be banned.
Other news: PSV Eindhoven win the European Cup by beating Benfica on penalties… Three times as many people watch the Sherpa Van Trophy Final at Wembley than the England v Colombia match Wolves beat Burnley 2-0 in a game between two Fourth Division teams… and Manchester City's Paul Stewart gets a four-game ban for the start of next season for reaching 50 disciplinary points.