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Ireland national football team (1882–1950)

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This article deals with the Irish Football Association team up to 1950, when it last picked players from outside Northern Ireland. The current IFA team, which sometimes played as Ireland, is described in Northern Ireland national football team

Ireland
1950
Shirt badge/Association crest
AssociationIrish Football Association
Most capsElisha Scott (31)
Top scorerBilly Gillespie (12)
Joe Bambrick (12)
First colours
First international
Ireland Ireland 0 — 13  England
(Belfast, February 18 1882)
Biggest win
Ireland Ireland 7 — 0  Wales
(Belfast, February 1 1930)
Biggest defeat
Ireland Ireland 0 — 13  England
(Belfast, February 18 1882)

The Ireland national football team represented Ireland at association football, it was organised by the Irish FA, and is the fourth oldest international team in the world. It mainly played in the British Home Championship against England, Scotland and Wales. Though often vying with Wales to avoid the wooden spoon, Ireland did win the Championship in 1914, and shared it with England and Scotland in 1903.

After the partition of Ireland in the 1920s, although the IFA's administration of club football was restricted to Northern Ireland, the IFA national team continued to select players from the whole of Ireland until 1950, and did not adopt the name "Northern Ireland" until 1954 in FIFA competition, and later still in the British Home Championship. The IFA's modern Northern Ireland national football team is recognised as the successor to the original Ireland national team. During this era a separate international team, organised by the separate Football Association of Ireland, had briefly fielded a team called Ireland, and this team now represents the Republic of Ireland.

History

1800s

On February 18 1882, two years after the founding of the Irish FA, Ireland made their international debut against England, losing 13–0 in a friendly played at Bloomfield Park in Belfast, becoming the fourth international side ever to take the field.[3] This result remains the record win for England and the record defeat for an Ireland team. The Irish line-up that day included Samuel Johnston, who at the age of 15 years and 153 days became the youngest international debutant, a record still held today.[4] On February 25 1882 Ireland played their second international against Wales at the Racecourse Ground, Wrexham and an equaliser from Johnston became Ireland’s first ever goal, although Ireland went on to lose 7–1, the goal also saw Johnston became the youngest ever international goalscorer.

In 1884 Ireland competed in the inaugural British Home Championship and lost all three games.[5] Ireland did not win their first game until March 13 1887, a 4–1 win over Wales in Belfast.[6] Between their debut and this game, they had a run of 14 defeats and 1 draw, the longest run without a win in the 1800s.[7] Despite the end of this run, heavy defeats continued to blight Ireland’s record. Including March 3 1888 when they lost 11–0 to Wales, and on February 23 1901 when they lost 11–0 to Scotland. These losses, together with the initial loss to England still constitute the record wins held by each of the other home nation teams.

However where some brighter moments, on February 7 1891 an Ireland team featuring Jack Reynolds and four-goal hero Olphert Stanfield defeated Wales 7–2, providing Ireland with their second win. Reynolds international performances attracted the interest of West Bromwich Albion who signed him in March 1891, however it was later discovered that Reynolds was actually English. On March 3 1894 at the Solitude Ground in Belfast, after thirteen attempts Ireland finally avoided defeat to England, the team that included Fred Spiksley and Reynolds, who had since switched allegiances, Ireland gained a 2–2 draw. Goals from Stanfield and W.K. Gibson inspired Ireland to come back from 2–0 down to gain a 2–2 draw.

Lacking the strength in depth enjoyed by England and Scotland, Irish internationals of this era started younger and their careers lasted longer then their English or Scottish contemporaries. As a result Ireland fielded both the youngest and oldest national teams during the 1800sCite error: A <ref> tag is missing the closing </ref> (see the help page).[8]. Both Olphert Stanfield and W.K. Gibson were only 17 when they made their debuts. Another 17 year-old debutant was future Worcestershire cricketer, George Gaukrodger. In Johnston, Gibson and Gaukrodger, Ireland also had three of the four youngest goalscorers in the 1800sCite error: A <ref> tag is missing the closing </ref> (see the help page).

British champions

Ireland v Wales during 1914 British Home Championship
Back(l-r): Val Harris, Fred McKee, Davy Rollo, Patrick O'Connoll
Front(l-r): EH Seymour, Sam Young, Billy Gillespie, Alex Craig, Bill Lacey, Louis Bookman, Bill McConnell

Ireland’s greatest success on the football field came when they won the 1914 British Home Championship. However the foundations for that success had been laid over a decade earlier when Ireland had pioneered the use of national team coaches. The first time in the history of modern football that a national team had a coach was on February 20 1897 when Billy Crone was in charge of the Ireland team that lost 6–0 to England,Cite error: A <ref> tag is missing the closing </ref> (see the help page). The change in policy produced dividends as Ireland won 1–0. Three weeks later, on March 25 one of these four players, Archie Goodall, aged 34 years and 279 days, became the oldest player to score at international level during the 1800s when he scored in a 9–1 defeat to Scotland.

Goodall remained a regular at centre-half for Ireland until he was almost 40. On March 28 1903, aged of 38 years and 283 days, he scored the opening goal in a 2–0 win against Wales and became the oldest goalscorer in Ireland’s history. The goal also helped an Ireland team, that also included Jack Kirwan, Billy Scott, Billy McCracken and Robert Milne, clinch a share in the 1903 British Home Championship. Until then the competition had been monopolised by England and Scotland. However in 1903, before goal difference was applied, Ireland forced a three way share. Despite losing their opening game 4–0 to England, the Irish then beat Scotland for the first time with a 2–0 win at Celtic Park.

On February 15 1913, with a team captained by Val Harris and including Billy Scott and two-goal hero Billy Gillespie, Ireland beat England for the first time with a 2–1 win at Windsor Park.[9] In 1914 Ireland went a stage further and won the championship outright. Harris and Gillespie were joined in the squad by among others, Patrick O’Connell and Bill Lacey. Gillespie scored twice as Ireland beat Wales 2–1 away, Ireland then beat England 3–0 at Ayresome Park, Middlesbrough with Lacey grabbing two of the goals. They clinched the title following a 1–1 home draw with Scotland in what would be their last match until the end of the First World War.

Irish FA v FA of Ireland

In 1920 Ireland was partitioned into Northern Ireland and Southern Ireland. In 1922, Southern Ireland gained independence as the Irish Free State, later to become Republic of Ireland. Amid these political upheavals, a rival football association, the Football Association of Ireland, emerged in Dublin in 1921 and organised a separate league and later a national team. In 1923, during a period when the home nations had dis-affiliated from the governing body,[10] the FAI was recognised by FIFA as the governing body of the Irish Free State on the condition that it changed its name to the Football Association of the Irish Free State.[11] At the same time, the IFA continued to organise its national team on an all-Ireland basis, regularly calling up Free State players.[12][13]During this era at least one Northerner, Harry Chatton, also played for Irish Free State and from 1936, the FAI began to organise their own all - Ireland team.[14][15] Both teams now competed as Ireland and during this era at least 39 dual internationals were selected to represent both teams.[16] In an era when national teams played only a few games a year, it was rare for professional players to turn down an opportunity to play at international level. Between 1928 and 1946 the IFA were not affiliated to FIFA and the two Ireland teams co-existed, never competing in the same competition.[17]

Billy Gillespie held the international scoring record for sixty years

Inter-war years

Following the end of hostilities, the British home championship resumed in October 1919, opening with Ireland taking on England at Windsor park. The championship winning team had since broken up, and in their first game, Ireland fielded eight debutants, and despite only losing one game in the first post war competition, they finished the tournament with in last place.

Ireland never refound the form of their 1914 winning season, and only managed two second places in the following twenty years. However they did have a number of excellent match performance including beating England 2–1 at Windsor Park on October 10 1923 with a team featuring Tom Farquharson, Sam Irving, Bobby Irvine and Billy Gillespie. During the 1920s, Billy Gillepie set the Irish FAs record of twelve goals in an international career, of which seven of these came at the expence of England, a record that stood until 1992, when Colin Clarke managed to better it by one.[18]

Throughout Ireland's formative years they exclusively played against England, Scotland and Wales, both in friendlies and in the British Home Championship. However in the 1920s there were occasions when Ireland played other teams, including France, Norway and South Africa, for various reasons, such as the amount of amateur players involved, the status of these internationals has been disputed.[19]

On October 10 1927 Gillespie and Irving were joined by Elisha Scott as they defeated England 2–0 at Windsor Park, in the following match a defeat by Wales in Belfast put the championship beyond reach, however in February 25 1928 an inspired goalkeeping performance from Scott helped Ireland defeat Scotland 1–0, their first win against the Scots in eighteen years, gaining the side their best season finish since 1914.

Blue plaque noting six goal hero Bambrick's home in Belfast

On February 2 1930 Ireland beat Wales 7–0 with Joe Bambrick, playing at his home club ground scoring six of the seven goals. This remains the teams record win to this day, and Bambricks six goals was the highest tally by any player in a single match in the history of the competition, and remains unequaled to this very day.[20]

However Ireland spent the remainder of the decade in the bottom half of the table, only managing to avoid last place on three occasions. Following war breaking out in Europe, the British home championship was again suspended with Ireland finishing the 1939 competition where they had spent most of the last two decades, at the bottom of the table, having lost all their games.

End of an era

During the Second World War all home internationals were suspended, however, during this period Ireland played an unofficial match against a combined services eleven, which was effectively a Great Britain side containing Matt Busby, Stanley Matthews, Tommy Lawton and Stan Mortensen.[21][22] The game was a high scoring affair with Ireland losing 8–4, with all four Ireland goals coming from the future manager Peter Doherty. The performance of Doherty was such that the match commentator,Maurice Edelston, stated "He was almost a one-man team - and if Ireland had two Dohertys that day, I shudder to think what might have happened".[23]

In 1946, when the Home Nations resumed official internationals, the IFA-FAI split was highlighted as England played both teams in the same week. The English FA requested each association to select only players from its jurisdiction, "quoting the International Federation rule to that effect".[24] The FAI complied, but not the IFA, and two players from the 7–2 defeat in Belfast on September 28 played again in the 1–0 defeat in Dublin on September 30. On November 27, seven players born in the 26 counties, including Johnny Carey, Peter Farrell and Con Martin, played in the IFA side's 0–0 draw with Scotland. The draw helped the team finish as runners-up in the 1947 British Home Championship. From then until the 1949-50 season the IFA regularly selected five to seven players born in the Free State and were rewarded with some respectable results, including a 2–0 win against Scotland on October 4 1947 and a 2–2 draw with England at Goodison Park on November 5 1947.

Ireland, along with the other Home Nations, rejoined FIFA in order to compete in the World Cup, the British home championship were used as the qualifying group. Ireland hosted the first ever world cup qualifier in which a home nation side competed, losing 8–2 to Scotland in Belfast, and eventually finishing bottom of the group only managing to take a point away to Wales. During the match against Wales at the Racecourse Ground, Wrexham, the IFA fielded 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 the Irish Free State, and all four of whom had previously played for the FAI international team in their qualifiers and as a result had played for two different associations in the same FIFA World Cup tournament.

The FAI took steps to prevent players from what was now the Republic of Ireland turning out for the IFA's Ireland team. All UK-based players from the Republic were pressured to sign an undertaking not to play for the IFA. Jackie Carey was the last to comply, in April 1950.[25] Rule 35(b) of the FAI articles provided that players based in the Republic would be denied clearance certificates for transfers abroad unless they gave a similar undertaking.[26] The IFA complained to FIFA; in April 1951, FIFA replied that the FAI rule 35(b) was contrary to its regulations, but also that the IFA team could not select "citizens of Eire".[27] An exception was for British Home Championship games,[26] as a 1923 IFAB agreement at Liverpool prevented FIFA intervention in relations between the four Home Nations.[28] However, the exception would only apply "if the F.A. of Ireland do not object",[27] and was never availed of.

IFA and FAI teams both continued to compete as Ireland. At FIFA's 1953 congress, its Rule 3 was amended so that an international team must use "that title ... recognised politically and geographically of the countries or territories".[28] The FAI initially claimed Rule 3 gave them the right to the name Ireland[29] (see names of the Irish state), but FIFA subsequently 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.[30][31] The IFA objected and in 1954 was permitted to continue using the name Ireland in Home Internationals,[32] based on the 1923 agreement. This practice was discontinued in the late 1970s.[33]

Home grounds

Up until 1899 Ireland played all their home internationals in Belfast, with their first international being played at Bloomfield Park. Subsequent home games during the 1880s were played at Ballynafeigh Park, also known as the Ulster Cricket Ground. During the 1890s the Solitude Ground, the home stadium of Cliftonville, hosted 11 home internationals. In the early 1900s occasional internationals were also played at Grosvenor Park, the then home of Distillery, and the Balmoral Showgrounds.

On March 17 1900, Saint Patrick's Day, Ireland played their first game in Dublin, losing 2-0 at Lansdowne Road to England.[34] On March 26 1904 Ireland played their first game at Dalymount Park, a 1-1 draw with Scotland. Between 1904 and 1913 Dalymount hosted at least one Irish international in the years when Ireland had more than one home match. The other games were played at Windsor Park, completed in 1905. After the partition of Ireland, all subsequent home internationals were played in Belfast, mainly at Windsor Park but occasionally at Celtic Park the home of Belfast Celtic

Team colours and emblems

Usual
Away to Scotland
Early Ireland colours

From the beginning Ireland wore a variety of colours, including green, white, and blue. However blue emerged as the established colour from before the First World War until September 1931. The choice of blue has been credited to an early example of Linfield influence within the IFA. However blue has been a national colour of Ireland since the Norman era and has been used by several other Irish sports teams, including Dublin GAA, Leinster Rugby and Dublin City.[35][36] In 1931 the shirts were changed to green, the colour still worn by the modern Northern Ireland team. The official reason given for the change was to avoid a clash with Scotland, who also wore blue.[37]

Ireland's initial logo was a stylised Celtic cross with a harp in the centre, which in a modern form is used by the current team, however this had been replaced in the 1930s until the 1950s with a Shamrock badge. This change occurred at a time when the IFA was competing with the FAI to have the true Ireland team, and at this time the shamrock was also being worn by the FA of Ireland's international side.

Honours

Up to 1950

World Cup record

During the preparations for the 1928 Olympic Football Tournament, FIFA ruled that all its member associations must provide "broken-time" payments to cover the expenses of players from their country who participated. In response to what they considered to be unacceptable interference, the football associations of Scotland, England, Ireland and Wales held a meeting at which they agreed to resign from FIFA.[38] As a result, Ireland did not compete in the three interwar World Cup competitions.

  • 1930 - Did not enter
  • 1934 - Did not enter
  • 1938 - Did not enter
  • 1950 - Did not qualify

Selected former players

File:Ireland-Linfield Mural.jpg
A public mural in Belfast depicting Linfield's contribution to the Ireland football team, featuring Tommy Dickson, Joe Bambrick and Elisha Scott

see also Category:Pre-1950 IFA international footballers

Former coaches

Ireland were managed by a committee, and did not appoint a manager until October 1951,[39]. At least three coaches were appointed, on a match by match basis, they were Billy Crone(1897), Hugh McAteer (1898, 1899, 1914) and Robert Torrans (1900).

See also

References

  1. ^ "Ireland matches, ratings and points exchanged". World ELO ratings. Retrieved 2008-01-24.
  2. ^ The official Elo ratings pages combine the pre—1923 IFA team's results with the post—1923 FAI team. The lowest ranking for the pre—1923 team is 37th. ("World Football Elo Ratings: Ireland". Retrieved 2008-02-25.) The "new" Northern Ireland team is introduced to the Elo ranking in 1923, with an initial points total higher than the FAI team inherits from the "old" IFA team: 1600 as opposed to 1522. The lowest rank the IFA team subsequently attains, based on this, is 41st, ("World Football Elo Ratings: Northern Ireland". Retrieved 2008-01-25.
  3. ^ "Football Triv - Part of the YourRhymes.com Group - Club & Country". Retrieved 4-18-2008. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  4. ^ Hayes, Dean (2005). Jean Brown (ed.). Northern Ireland: International Football Facts. Appletree. p. 25. ISBN 0862818745.
  5. ^ "British Home Championship 1884-1899". Retrieved 2008-04-18]. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  6. ^ "The beginnings - 1800s to 1921". Retrieved 2008-04-19]. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  7. ^ "Background on the world records and short biographies of their holders (1872-1900)". Retrieved 2008-04-19]. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  8. ^ "Information on world records and short biographies of the record holders (1901-1910)". Retrieved 2008-04-19]. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  9. ^ "NIFG » Blog Archive » Bill McConnell". Retrieved 2008-04-19]. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  10. ^ Dunning, Eric (1993). Jean Brown (ed.). The Sports Process: A Comparative and Developmental Approach. Human Kinetics. p. 130. {{cite book}}: Text "ISBN 0880116242" ignored (help) Google books
  11. ^ Byrne, Peter (1996). Football Association of Ireland: 75 years. Dublin: Sportsworld. p. 22. ISBN 1-900110-06-7.
  12. ^ Byrne, Peter (1996). Football Association of Ireland: 75 years. Dublin: Sportsworld. p. 59. ISBN 1-900110-06-7.
  13. ^ Ryan, Sean (1997). The Boys in Green: the FAI international story. Edinburgh: Mainstream Publishing. p. 31. ISBN 1-85158-939-2.
  14. ^ Byrne, Peter (1996). Football Association of Ireland: 75 years. Dublin: Sportsworld. p. 45. ISBN 1-900110-06-7.
  15. ^ Ryan, Sean (1997). The Boys in Green: the FAI international story. Edinburgh: Mainstream Publishing. p. 34. ISBN 1-85158-939-2.
  16. ^ "Dual Internationalists". Northern Ireland Footballing Greats. 23 October 2006. Retrieved 2008-01-23.
  17. ^ Fulton, Gareth (2005). "Northern Catholic fans of Republic of Ireland soccer". In Alan Bairner (ed.). Sport and the Irish: Histories, Identities, Issues. Dublin: UCD Press. p. 145. ISBN 1-904558-33-X.
  18. ^ "Irish Football Association, Northern Ireland - Squad Profiles - Legends of the Game - Billie Gillespie". Retrieved 2008-04-19]. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  19. ^ "Disputed Internationals". Northern Ireland's Footballing Greats. Retrieved 2008-01-23.
  20. ^ Hayes, Dean (2006), (1st ed.), Belfast: Apple tree press limited, p. 245, ISBN 13:97 0 86281 874 6 {{citation}}: Check |isbn= value: invalid character (help); Missing or empty |title= (help)
  21. ^ "Disputed Internationals". Northern Ireland's Footballing Greats. Retrieved 2008-01-23.
  22. ^ "England - War-Time/Victory Internationals - Details". www.rsssf.com. Retrieved 2008-01-23.
  23. ^ Hayes, Dean (2005). Northern Ireland's Greats: 100 Top football heroes. Belfast: Appletree Press Ltd. p. 61. ISBN 0-86281-979-2.
  24. ^ McSweeney, P.D. (1946-09-27). "I.F.A. May Give England A Hard Game Tomorrow". The Irish Times. p. p.2. {{cite news}}: |page= has extra text (help); Check date values in: |date= (help)
  25. ^ "Carey to play only for FAI". The Irish Times. 1950-04-14. p. 2. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  26. ^ a b "FAI Policy may have to be Reverted". The Irish Times. 1950-10-20. p. 2. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  27. ^ a b "What F.I.F.A. Really Said". The Irish Times. 1951-04-26. p. 3. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  28. ^ a b Brodie, Malcolm (2005). The IFA 125 years...the history. Edenderry print limited. p. 108. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help) "Politics of Irish Soccer". The Irish Times. 1953-11-25. p. 3. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  29. ^ "Two "Irelands" Recognised". The Irish Times. 1953-11-16. p. 3. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  30. ^ Byrne, Peter (1996). Football Association of Ireland: 75 years. Dublin: Sportsworld. p. 68. ISBN 1-900110-06-7.
  31. ^ "FAI History 1930's -1950's". Football Association of Ireland. Retrieved 2008-01-23.
  32. ^ Ryan, Sean (1997). The Boys in Green: the FAI international story. Edinburgh: Mainstream Publishing. p. 70. ISBN 1-85158-939-2.
  33. ^ Fulton, Gareth (2005). "Northern Catholic fans of Republic of Ireland soccer". In Alan Bairner (ed.). Sport and the Irish: Histories, Identities, Issues. Dublin: UCD Press. p. 146. ISBN 1-904558-33-X.
  34. ^ Hayes, Dean (2005). Jean Brown (ed.). Northern Ireland: International Football Facts. Appletree. p. 156. ISBN 0862818745.
  35. ^ "When we wore blue". ourweecountry.co.uk. Retrieved 2008-01-23.
  36. ^ Brodie, Malcolm (2005). The IFA 125 years...the history. Edenderry print limited. p. 108. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help) (IFA info)
  37. ^ Hayes, Dean (2005). Jean Brown (ed.). Northern Ireland: International Football Facts. Appletree. p. 6. ISBN 0862818745.
  38. ^ "British Society of Sports History". FIFA. 1999-08-19. Archived from the original on 2005-09-04. Retrieved 2007-05-31. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  39. ^ Hayes, Dean (2005). Northern Ireland's Greats: 100 Top football heroes. Belfast: Appletree Press Ltd. p. 61. ISBN 0-86281-979-2.

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