1887–88 British Home Championship

The 1887-88 British Home Championship was the fifth edition of the annual international football tournament played between the British Home Nations. It was the first edition of the tournament in which Scotland did not at least share in the trophy and was also notable for a record flood of goals, 46 in six games, 26 of them conceded by Ireland, who suffered a disastrous competition.

England began the tournament in the same vein as they finished it, winning the opening match 5–1 against Wales at the Alexandra Recreation Ground in Crewe. Wales responded to this, and to their shock defeat by Ireland the year previously with an 11–0 thrashing of the visiting Irish, a Welsh record scoreline which remains standing after nearly 120 years. Any hopes of a recovery for the Welsh were however dashed in their final game when Scotland administered a 5–1 beating in Edinburgh.

England returned to the fray and gained revenge for their narrow defeat in the deciding match of the previous year when they in turn thrashed Scotland 5–0 in London, leaving only the weak Irish in between them and the trophy. Before this however, Ireland received another massive defeat at the hands of Scotland, who beat them 2–10 in Belfast to take second place. In the final game, England needed only a draw to secure the title but managed a win by five goals to one to take their first undisputed championship.

Table

Team	Pts	Pld	W	L	GF	GA	GD
England	6	3	3	0	15	2	+13
Scotland	4	3	2	1	15	8	+7
Wales	2	3	1	2	13	10	+3
Ireland	0	3	0	3	3	26	−23

The points system worked as follows:

2 points for a win
1 point for a draw

Results

4 February 1888

England	5 – 1	Wales
Fred Dewhurst 2 George Woodhall Tinsley Lindley Johnny Goodall		Jack Doughty

Alexandra Recreation Ground, Crewe

3 March 1888

Wales	11–0	Ireland
Jack Doughty 4 Roger Doughty 2 Gwynne Howell 2 Job Wilding 2 William Pryce-Jones

Racecourse Ground, Wrexham

10 March 1888

Scotland	5 – 1	Wales
William Paul 6' Neil Munro 30' Alexander Latta 33', 75' Willie Groves 65'		41' Jack Doughty

Hibernian Park, Edinburgh

Attendance: 8,000

Referee: John Charles Clegg (England)

17 March 1888

Scotland	0 – 5	England
		32' Tinsley Lindley 34' Dennis Hodgetts 40', 49' Fred Dewhurst 43' Johnny Goodall

Hampden Park, Glasgow

Attendance: 10,000

Referee: John Sinclair (Ireland)

24 March 1888

Ireland	2 – 10	Scotland
William Dalton 18', 24'		5' Geordie Dewar 8', 33', 40', 45' William Dickson 15' Thomas Breckenridge 30' Ralph Aitken 53' Neil McCallum 77' (o.g.) Robert Wilson 83' Allan Stewart

Oldpark Avenue, Belfast

Attendance: 5,000

Referee: Robert Parlane (Scotland)

7 April 1888

Ireland	1 – 5	England
William Crone		Albert Allen 3 Fred Dewhurst Tinsley Lindley

Ulster Cricket Ground, Belfast

References

Guy Oliver (1992). The Guinness Record of World Soccer. Guinness. ISBN 0-85112-954-4.

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