1949–50 British Home Championship

1949–50 British Home Championship was one of the most significant competitions of the British Home Championship football tournament. This year saw the competition doubling up as Group 1 in the qualifying rounds for the 1950 FIFA World Cup. It was the first time that either England, Wales, Scotland or Ireland (IFA) had entered a World Cup competition.[1][2][3] It was also a significant moment in the history of Irish football as it was the last time that the (Northern) Irish Football Association entered a team featuring players born in both Northern Ireland and what is now the Republic of Ireland.[4]

Both England and Scotland began well, the Scots beating Ireland 8–2 at Windsor Park while England beat Wales 4–1 in Cardiff. Both teams continued their dominance in the second round of matches, Scotland beating Wales 2–0 whilst Ireland were again heavily defeated, this time losing 9–2 to England. In the final round of games Ireland and Wales gained some consolation points with a goalless draw while − England took first place by beating Scotland 1–0 in a hard-fought game in Glasgow.[5][6]

World Cup qualifying

FIFA offered two places at the 1950 FIFA World Cup to the winners and runners up of the competition. However Scotland insisted they would only enter if they won the championship outright and even though they finished second, the Scottish FA declined the opportunity to enter a team in the World Cup finals for the first time. FIFA subsequently offered their place to both France, the runners-up in Group 3 and Ireland (FAI),[7] the runners-up in Group 5. However both teams also declined the invitation. Despite winning the championship, England failed to impress at the World Cup. After defeating Chile 2–0 they then lost 1–0 to both the United States and Spain and failed to qualify for the second stage.[8]

Last all-Ireland team

Until 1950 there were, in effect, two Ireland teams, chosen by two rival associations. Both associations, the Belfast-based IFA and the Dublin-based FAI claimed jurisdiction over the whole of Ireland and selected players from the whole island. As a result, several notable Irish players from this era played for both teams.

The game between the IFA XI and Wales at the Racecourse Ground, Wrexham on 8 March 1950 marked the end of an era in Irish football history. The result was irrelevant, as both teams had lost their previous games and had nothing to play for but pride. However, the 0–0 draw saw the IFA XI field an all-Ireland team for the last time. The team included four players - Tom Aherne, Reg Ryan, Davy Walsh and the captain, Con Martin - who were born in what is now the Republic of Ireland. Since this game was also a qualifier for the 1950 FIFA World Cup, the situation led to controversy. All four players had previously played for the FAI XI in their qualifiers. Both Martin and Walsh had even scored for the FAI XI. As a result, the four players actually played for two different associations in the same FIFA World Cup tournament.

FIFA intervened, after complaints from the FAI, and subsequently restricted players' eligibility based on the political border. In 1953 FIFA ruled neither team could be referred to as Ireland, decreeing that the FAI team be officially designated as the Republic of Ireland, while the IFA team was to become Northern Ireland. The IFA objected and in 1954 were permitted to continue using the name Ireland in the British Home Championship. This practice was discontinued in the late 1970s.[9]

Table

Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
 England (C) 3 3 0 0 14 3 +11 6
 Scotland (C) 3 2 0 1 10 3 +7 4
 Wales 3 0 1 2 1 6 5 1
 Ireland 3 0 1 2 4 17 13 1
Source:
Rules for classification: 1) points. The points system worked as follows: 2 points for a win and 1 point for a draw.
(C) Champion.

Results

Ireland 2–8 Scotland
Smyth  50', 60' Report  2', 70', 88' Morris
 5', 31' (pen.) Waddell
 23' Steel
 24' Reilly
 80' Mason
Attendance: 50,000
Referee: Reginald E. Mortimer (England)

Wales 1–4 England
Griffiths  80' Report  22' Mortensen
 29', 34', 66' Milburn

Scotland 2–0 Wales
McPhail  25'
Linwood  78'
Report
Attendance: 73,782
Referee: Samuel Edgar Law (England)

England 9–2 Ireland
Rowley  5', 47', 55', 58'
Froggatt  28'
Pearson  31', 75'
Mortensen  35', 50'
Report  52' Smyth
 85' Brennan
Referee: B M Griffiths (Wales)

Wales 0–0 Ireland
Referee: A Ellis (England)

Scotland 0–1 England
Report  63' Bentley
Attendance: 133,991
Referee: Reginald J. Leafe (England)

Team squads

 England

Head coach: Walter Winterbottom

Pos. Player DoB Games
played
Goals Minutes
played
Sub off Sub on Club
DFJohn Aston3 September 19213027000909090 Manchester United
FWRoy Bentley17 May 192411900090 Chelsea F.C.
MFJimmy Dickinson25 April 192520180009090 Portsmouth F.C.
FWTom Finney5 April 19223027000909090/2[11] Preston North End
DFNeil Franklin24 January 19223027000909090 Stoke City
FWJack Froggatt17 November 192211900090 Portsmouth F.C.
FWJohnny Hancocks30 April 191910900090 Wolverhampton Wanderers
FWBobby Langton8 September 191810900090 Bolton Wanderers
FWWilf Mannion16 May 191810900090 Middlesbrough F.C.
FWJackie Milburn11 May 192413900090 Newcastle United
FWStan Mortensen26 May 19213327000909090 Blackpool F.C.
DFBert Mozley21 September 192320180009090 Derby County
FWStan Pearson15 January 191912900090 Manchester United
DFAlf Ramsey22 January 192010900090/2[11] Tottenham Hotspur
FWJack Rowley7 October 192014900090 Manchester United
FWLen Shackleton3 May 192210900090 Sunderland A.F.C.
GKBernard Streten14 January 192110900090/2[11] Luton Town
MFWillie Watson7 March 192010900090 Sunderland A.F.C.
GKBert Williams31 January 192020180009090 Wolverhampton Wanderers
MFBilly Wright6 February 19243027000909090 Wolverhampton Wanderers

 Scotland

Head coach: none, SFA Selection Committee

Pos. Player DoB Games
played
Goals Minutes
played
Sub off Sub on Club
MFGeorge Aitken28 May 192520180009090 East Fife
FWWillie Bauld24 January 192810900090 Heart of Midlothian
GKJimmy Cowan16 June 19263027000909090/2[11] Greenock Morton
DFSammy Cox13 April 19243027000909090 Rangers
MFBobby Evans16 July 192720180009090 Celtic
MFAlex Forbes21 January 192510900090 Arsenal F.C.
FWBilly Liddell10 January 192220180009090 Liverpool F.C.
FWAlec Linwood13 March 192011900090 Clyde
FWJimmy Mason18 June 191911900090 Third Lanark
MFIan McColl7 June 192710900090 Rangers
FWJohn McPhail27 December 192311900090 Celtic
FWWillie Moir19 April 192210900090 Bolton Wanderers
FWHenry Morris17 December 191913900090 East Fife
FWLawrie Reilly28 October 192821180009090 Hibernian
FWBilly Steel1 May 19233127000909090 Derby County
FWWilliam Waddell7 March 192122180009090 Rangers
MFWillie Woodburn8 August 19193027000909090 Rangers
DFGeorge Young27 October 19223027000909090 Rangers

 Ireland (IFA)

Head coach: none, managed by a committee

Pos. Player DoB Games
played
Goals Minutes
played
Sub off Sub on Club
DFTom Aherne26 January 191910900090/2[11] Luton Town
MFDanny Blanchflower10 February 192620180009090/2[11] Barnsley
DF/MFGerry Bowler8 June 19193027000909090/2[11] Hull City
FWBobby Brennan14 March 19253127000909090 Birmingham City
FWDavy Cochrane14 August 192020180009090/2[11] Leeds United
FWEddie Crossan17 November 192510900090/2[11] Blackburn Rovers
MFRay Ferris22 September 192010900090 Birmingham City
DFJim Feeney23 June 192110900090/2[11] Swansea Town
GKHugh Kelly17 August 1919201800090 Fulham
GKPat Kelly9 April 191810900090/2[11] Barnsley
FWJimmy McCabe17 September 191810900090/2[11] Leeds United
FWJohnny McKenna6 June 19263027000909090 Huddersfield Town
DFAlf McMichael1 October 192720180009090 Newcastle United
DFCon Martin20 March 192310900090 Aston Villa
MFReg Ryan30 October 192510900090 West Bromwich Albion
FWSammy Smyth25 February 19253327000909090 Wolverhampton Wanderers
FWCharlie Tully11 July 192410900090 Celtic
MFJackie Vernon26 September 19183027000909090 West Bromwich Albion
FWDavy Walsh28 April 192310900090 West Bromwich Albion

See also

References

  1. www.rsssf.com
  2. The World Encyclopedia of Football (2004): Tom Macdonald
  3. Guy Oliver (1992). The Guinness Record of World Soccer. Guinness. ISBN 0-85112-954-4.
  4. The Boys In Green - The FAI International Story (1997): Sean Ryan
  5. Official Blundering Leads To Scottish Defeat, The Glasgow Herald, 17 April 1950
  6. Scots May Yet Take Part In World Cup Series | Strong Pressure On Selectors To Change Decision, The Scotsman, 17 April 1950, via London Hearts Supports Club
  7. www.independent.ie
  8. The World Cup - The Complete History (2002): Terry Crouch
  9. The Boys in Green - The FAI International Story (1997): Sean Ryan
  10. Matches refereed by John Mowatt
  11. The number indicates the league the team played in that year.
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