\n<\/p>\n
The two sides went into the game struggling at the wrong end of Division One, with Blackburn in 20th place and only outside the relegation zone on goal average, and Blackpool only one point and two places better off.<\/p>\n
The home side had won just one of their previous eight league matches while Rovers’ form had improved with two wins from three before the trip to Bloomfield Road.<\/p>\n
The Tangerines included future England World Cup winner Alan Ball in their side while Blackburn had Mike England, a Wales international defender who would go on to make almost 400 appearances for Tottenham and manage his country for eight years.<\/p>\n
A crowd of 20,851 saw Neil Turner give Blackpool the lead only for George Jones to equalise before half-time.<\/p>\n
The home side took control in the second period, with goals from Bobby Waddell and top scorer Ray Charnley, with Ball adding a fourth.<\/p>\n
England then wrote himself into the history books by getting Blackburn’s second of the afternoon – and the final goal to be scored in the Football League in England on Christmas Day.<\/p>\n
The two sides were once again due to play the return fixture at Ewood Park on Boxing Day but it was postponed because of a frozen pitch.<\/p>\n
Blackpool eventually pulled themselves away from trouble to finish in 13th place but Rovers had a disastrous run in the new year, winning only three of their remaining 20 matches to drop to the bottom of the division and suffer relegation to the second tier.<\/p>\n
That match in 1965 was the last we would hear of football on Christmas Day until 1983, when Brentford attempted to play their Third Division match with Wimbledon at 11am.<\/p>\n
“I see it as a tremendous opportunity for the family to enjoy a fresh-air Christmas morning,” said Brentford chairman Martin Lange at the time.<\/p>\n
Supporters did not agree and, with many complaining, the game was brought forward to Christmas Eve with promotion-bound Wimbledon winning 4-3.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n