Le Saux batters Batty

PREMIER LEAGUE champions Blackburn endured a miserable time in Europe. And when they arrived in Moscow in cold November, their Champions League chances were slim. They were doomed after losing 3-0 to Spartak Moscow. But the game will be remembered for the onfield fight between team-mates David Batty and Graeme Le Saux. They collided, Batty unleashed a torrent of abuse and Le Saux threw a punch before Tim Sherwood separated the angry duo (left). In his autobiography Left Field: A Footballer Apart, Le Saux wrote: “It is a myth that he was hurling a stream of homophobic abuse. “His face was contorted with anger, as if he was going to rip my head off. I swung at him.”

IT wasn’t just the quote of the season, it may well be the quote of the Premier League’s 25 years.

Pundit Alan Hansen (right) delivered it on the opening day of the season after Manchester United lost 3-1 at Aston Villa.

He said: “You can’t win anything with kids. The trick of winning championships is

Michael Jackson performs his Christmas No.1 Earth Song at the Brits in 1996 – the night Jarvis Cocker invaded the stage

having strength in depth. They haven’t got it.” At the end of the season, the former Liverpool star was eating humble pie. The Class of 92 had emerged to play crucial roles in United’s Double. And Paul Scholes, David Beckham, Nicky Butt and the Neville brothers were key players as United won six titles over the next eight seasons.

FRANK BRUNO finally became world heavyweight champion, at the fourth attempt on September 2, 1995.

He outpointed WBC champion Oliver McCall over 12 rounds.

But, sadly, big Frank’s reign did not last long. He had to face Mike Tyson in his first defence. Tyson beat Bruno (right) on a stoppage in round three in what turned out to be his last bout as a professional, due to an eye injury.