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We look back on sporting moments that happened on this week in history - including Chelsea's signing of Gianfranco Zola.

1996 - Chelsea sign Gianfranco Zola - November 8

When we asked back in July who you the readers thought was the greatest Chelsea player of all-time, Gianfranco Zola romped away with the prize thanks to 49 per cent of the vote.

The Italian, who signed on this week back in 1996, combined whole-hearted effort with spectacular flair and creativity. Eighty goals in 312 games does not tell the story of his brilliance. Just watch the footage of his backheel volley against Norwich, or the scooped through-ball for Gus Poyet to slam in against Sunderland on the opening day of the 1999/00 season. Pure magic!

And who was the man who sold him to Chelsea? The then Parma coach Carlo Ancelotti who could not find a role for Zola in the team. Wonder what ever happened to him?

1996- Steve Coppell quits as Manchester City boss - November 8

After two spells as Crystal Palace boss Steve Coppell finally decided to try his luck at a "big club" when he took over Manchester City in 1996. He lasted just six games and 33 days.

On the same day that Zola signed for Chelsea, Coppell resigned from City citing the pressure of the job as his reason for leaving. His reign remains the shortest ever for a City boss. Within a few months he was back in the dugout at Palace.

1991 - Magic Johnson announces he has HIV- November 7

LA Lakers legend Magic Johnson stunned the world of sport on this week back in 1991 when he announced that he was retiring with immediate effect as he had just found out he was HIV positive.

Johnson discovered his condition when he failed a compulsory HIV test conducted by Lakers team doctor Michael Mellma while trying to obtain life insurance.

However, his announcement helped to highlight the disease and debunk some ignorant misconceptions about how it could be contracted. Public support would rally around Johnson and he would play in the All-Star game later that year.

He would then become a member of the USA 'Dream Team' at the Barcelona Olympics the following year, before making a full comeback in the 1992-93 season. Johnson remains a prominent activist for HIV prevention and safer sex.

1990: Seles and Sabatini go to five sets - November 11

Those who argue against women receiving equal prize money to men in tennis often cite the fact that the women do not play five-set matches.

That was not always the case though as between 19841998 the final of the WTA Championships was a best-of-five-sets match.

It was not until 1990 that a match went the distance though, with Monica Seles beating Gabriela Sabatini 6-4 5-7 3-6 6-4 6-2 in New York.

It was the first five-set match in a major women's event since the 1901 US Championship doubles final. Steffi Graf would go on to win five-set finals in 1995 and 1996 before the final reverted back to best-of-three in 1999.

1985 - Garry Kasparov becomes youngest world chess champion - November 9

Chess? A sport? Well, it's close enough and the genius of Garry Kasparov deserves to be celebrated. The Azerbaijan-born Russian became the youngest world champion aged just 22 on this week back in 1985 when he defeated Anatoly Karpov. He remained world champion until 2000 when he was finally beaten by one of his students, Vladimir Kramnik, in a 16-game series in London.

Of course you might also consider IBM's Deep Blue computer to have been the unofficial champion for a while, as 'it' beat Kasparov 3.5-2.5 in a highly-publicised match back in 1997.

1980 - Jimmy White becomes youngest world amateur snooker champion - November 9

On this week back in 1980, people were speculating about just how many World Snooker Championships 18-year-old phenomenon Jimmy White would win. Turns out it was to be none.

White's talent was never in doubt but he became the nation's most loveable loser as he crashed to defeat in six world championship finals.

Despite almost losing his professional status as he plummeted from grace, White is back on the rise - although that elusive world crown still looks beyond his reach.

Eurosport