To celebrate his First Team debut this season – and to make everyone feel incredibly old – we’ve explored what was going on in the world when Harvey Elliott was born on Friday 4th April 2003.
The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown was released and went on to become a literary phenomenon. It would have been the best selling book of 2003, but was beaten by Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, which came out two months later.
Make Luv by Room 5 feat. Cheatham had gone straight into the charts at number one, where it would stay for four weeks. It features some iconic lyrics, and tells the story of a man who likes to party. A similar theme was prevalent in the States, with 50 Cent’s breakthrough song In da Club top of the charts.
The Recruit, starring Al Pacino and Colin Farrell, was the most popular film in UK cinemas. Spy thrillers were apparently the rage at this time, as it was soon usurped by another espionage classic – Johnny English.
It was reported in the news that Saddam Hussein had been killed, but on April 4th video footage appeared to suggest otherwise. Five days later his statue in Firdos Square was toppled by the United States Marines, symbolising the end of the Battle of Baghdad. Hussein was captured by US forces at the end of the year.
England had just beaten Turkey 2-0 in a Euro 2004 qualifier at the Stadium of Light thanks to Darius Vassell's opener and David Beckham's late penalty. Seven months later Beckham slipped and missed a spot-kick in the bad-tempered reverse fixture in Istanbul, but a goalless draw was enough to send the Three Lions to Portugal.
Fulham were sitting 13th in the Premier League having most recently been beaten 3-0 by eventual champions Manchester United. Ruud van Nistelrooy hit a hat-trick at Old Trafford that day, but one suspects Sylvain Legwinski is still nursing a black eye following the elbow he received at the start of the Dutchman’s superb solo second.
2003 also saw a number of television shows air for the last time: The Office, Cold Feet, 999, Blind Date, Get Your Own Back, Wish You Were Here..?, Crossroads, SMTV Live, Smack The Pony, and Fifteen to One.