1949–50 British Home Championship
Tournament details | |
---|---|
Host country | United Kingdom |
Dates | 1 October 1949 – 15 April 1950 |
Teams | 4 |
Final positions | |
Champions | ![]() |
Runners-up | ![]() |
Tournament statistics | |
Matches played | 6 |
Goals scored | 29 (4.83 per match) |
Top scorer(s) | ![]() |
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
[edit]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
[edit]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
[edit]Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
![]() |
3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 3 | +11 | 6 |
![]() |
3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 10 | 3 | +7 | 4 |
![]() |
3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 6 | −5 | 1 |
![]() |
3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 17 | −13 | 1 |
Rules for classification: 1) points. The points system worked as follows: 2 points for a win and 1 point for a draw.
(C) Champions
Results
[edit]Ireland ![]() | 2–8 | ![]() |
---|---|---|
Smyth ![]() |
Report | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
England ![]() | 9–2 | ![]() |
---|---|---|
Rowley ![]() Froggatt ![]() Pearson ![]() Mortensen ![]() |
Report | ![]() ![]() |
Team squads
[edit]Head coach: Walter Winterbottom
Pos. | Player | DoB | Games played |
Goals | Minutes played |
Sub off | Sub on | ![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
Club |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
DF | John Aston | 3 September 1921 | 3 | 0 | 270 | 0 | 0 | 90 | 90 | 90 | ![]() |
FW | Roy Bentley | 17 May 1924 | 1 | 1 | 90 | 0 | 0 | – | – | 90 | ![]() |
MF | Jimmy Dickinson | 25 April 1925 | 2 | 0 | 180 | 0 | 0 | 90 | – | 90 | ![]() |
FW | Tom Finney | 5 April 1922 | 3 | 0 | 270 | 0 | 0 | 90 | 90 | 90 | ![]() |
DF | Neil Franklin | 24 January 1922 | 3 | 0 | 270 | 0 | 0 | 90 | 90 | 90 | ![]() |
FW | Jack Froggatt | 17 November 1922 | 1 | 1 | 90 | 0 | 0 | – | 90 | – | ![]() |
FW | Johnny Hancocks | 30 April 1919 | 1 | 0 | 90 | 0 | 0 | 90 | – | – | ![]() |
FW | Bobby Langton | 8 September 1918 | 1 | 0 | 90 | 0 | 0 | – | – | 90 | ![]() |
FW | Wilf Mannion | 16 May 1918 | 1 | 0 | 90 | 0 | 0 | – | – | 90 | ![]() |
FW | Jackie Milburn | 11 May 1924 | 1 | 3 | 90 | 0 | 0 | 90 | – | – | ![]() |
FW | Stan Mortensen | 26 May 1921 | 3 | 3 | 270 | 0 | 0 | 90 | 90 | 90 | ![]() |
DF | Bert Mozley | 21 September 1923 | 2 | 0 | 180 | 0 | 0 | 90 | 90 | – | ![]() |
FW | Stan Pearson | 15 January 1919 | 1 | 2 | 90 | 0 | 0 | – | 90 | – | ![]() |
DF | Alf Ramsey | 22 January 1920 | 1 | 0 | 90 | 0 | 0 | – | – | 90 | ![]() |
FW | Jack Rowley | 7 October 1920 | 1 | 4 | 90 | 0 | 0 | – | 90 | – | ![]() |
FW | Len Shackleton | 3 May 1922 | 1 | 0 | 90 | 0 | 0 | 90 | – | – | ![]() |
GK | Bernard Streten | 14 January 1921 | 1 | 0 | 90 | 0 | 0 | – | 90 | – | ![]() |
MF | Willie Watson | 7 March 1920 | 1 | 0 | 90 | 0 | 0 | – | 90 | – | ![]() |
GK | Bert Williams | 31 January 1920 | 2 | 0 | 180 | 0 | 0 | 90 | – | 90 | ![]() |
MF | Billy Wright | 6 February 1924 | 3 | 0 | 270 | 0 | 0 | 90 | 90 | 90 | ![]() |
Head coach: none, SFA Selection Committee
Pos. | Player | DoB | Games played |
Goals | Minutes played |
Sub off | Sub on | ![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
Club |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
MF | George Aitken | 28 May 1925 | 2 | 0 | 180 | 0 | 0 | 90 | 90 | – | ![]() |
FW | Willie Bauld | 24 January 1928 | 1 | 0 | 90 | 0 | 0 | – | – | 90 | ![]() |
GK | Jimmy Cowan | 16 June 1926 | 3 | 0 | 270 | 0 | 0 | 90 | 90 | 90 | ![]() |
DF | Sammy Cox | 13 April 1924 | 3 | 0 | 270 | 0 | 0 | 90 | 90 | 90 | ![]() |
MF | Bobby Evans | 16 July 1927 | 2 | 0 | 180 | 0 | 0 | 90 | 90 | – | ![]() |
MF | Alex Forbes | 21 January 1925 | 1 | 0 | 90 | 0 | 0 | – | – | 90 | ![]() |
FW | Billy Liddell | 10 January 1922 | 2 | 0 | 180 | 0 | 0 | – | 90 | 90 | ![]() |
FW | Alec Linwood | 13 March 1920 | 1 | 1 | 90 | 0 | 0 | – | 90 | – | ![]() |
FW | Jimmy Mason | 18 June 1919 | 1 | 1 | 90 | 0 | 0 | 90 | – | – | ![]() |
MF | Ian McColl | 7 June 1927 | 1 | 0 | 90 | 0 | 0 | – | – | 90 | ![]() |
FW | John McPhail | 27 December 1923 | 1 | 1 | 90 | 0 | 0 | – | 90 | – | ![]() |
FW | Willie Moir | 19 April 1922 | 1 | 0 | 90 | 0 | 0 | – | – | 90 | ![]() |
FW | Henry Morris | 17 December 1919 | 1 | 3 | 90 | 0 | 0 | 90 | – | – | ![]() |
FW | Lawrie Reilly | 28 October 1928 | 2 | 1 | 180 | 0 | 0 | 90 | 90 | – | ![]() |
FW | Billy Steel | 1 May 1923 | 3 | 1 | 270 | 0 | 0 | 90 | 90 | 90 | ![]() |
FW | William Waddell | 7 March 1921 | 2 | 2 | 180 | 0 | 0 | 90 | – | 90 | ![]() |
MF | Willie Woodburn | 8 August 1919 | 3 | 0 | 270 | 0 | 0 | 90 | 90 | 90 | ![]() |
DF | George Young | 27 October 1922 | 3 | 0 | 270 | 0 | 0 | 90 | 90 | 90 | ![]() |
Head coach: none, managed by a committee
Pos. | Player | DoB | Games played |
Goals | Minutes played |
Sub off | Sub on | ![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
Club |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
DF | Tom Aherne | 26 January 1919 | 1 | 0 | 90 | 0 | 0 | – | – | 90 | ![]() |
MF | Danny Blanchflower | 10 February 1926 | 2 | 0 | 180 | 0 | 0 | 90 | – | 90 | ![]() |
DF/MF | Gerry Bowler | 8 June 1919 | 3 | 0 | 270 | 0 | 0 | 90 | 90 | 90 | ![]() |
FW | Bobby Brennan | 14 March 1925 | 3 | 1 | 270 | 0 | 0 | 90 | 90 | 90 | ![]() |
FW | Davy Cochrane | 14 August 1920 | 2 | 0 | 180 | 0 | 0 | 90 | 90 | – | ![]() |
FW | Eddie Crossan | 17 November 1925 | 1 | 0 | 90 | 0 | 0 | 90 | – | – | ![]() |
MF | Ray Ferris | 22 September 1920 | 1 | 0 | 90 | 0 | 0 | 90 | – | – | ![]() |
DF | Jim Feeney | 23 June 1921 | 1 | 0 | 90 | 0 | 0 | – | 90 | – | ![]() |
GK | Hugh Kelly | 17 August 1919 | 2 | 0 | 180 | 0 | 0 | – | – | 90 | ![]() |
GK | Pat Kelly | 9 April 1918 | 1 | 0 | 90 | 0 | 0 | 90 | – | – | ![]() |
FW | Jimmy McCabe | 17 September 1918 | 1 | 0 | 90 | 0 | 0 | – | 90 | – | ![]() |
FW | Johnny McKenna | 6 June 1926 | 3 | 0 | 270 | 0 | 0 | 90 | 90 | 90 | ![]() |
DF | Alf McMichael | 1 October 1927 | 2 | 0 | 180 | 0 | 0 | 90 | 90 | – | ![]() |
DF | Con Martin | 20 March 1923 | 1 | 0 | 90 | 0 | 0 | – | – | 90 | ![]() |
MF | Reg Ryan | 30 October 1925 | 1 | 0 | 90 | 0 | 0 | – | – | 90 | ![]() |
FW | Sammy Smyth | 25 February 1925 | 3 | 3 | 270 | 0 | 0 | 90 | 90 | 90 | ![]() |
FW | Charlie Tully | 11 July 1924 | 1 | 0 | 90 | 0 | 0 | – | 90 | – | ![]() |
MF | Jackie Vernon | 26 September 1918 | 3 | 0 | 270 | 0 | 0 | 90 | 90 | 90 | ![]() |
FW | Davy Walsh | 28 April 1923 | 1 | 0 | 90 | 0 | 0 | – | – | 90 | ![]() |
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ rsssf.org
- ^ The World Encyclopedia of Football (2004): Tom Macdonald
- ^ Guy Oliver (1992). The Guinness Record of World Soccer. Guinness. ISBN 0-85112-954-4.
- ^ The Boys In Green - The FAI International Story (1997): Sean Ryan
- ^ Official Blundering Leads To Scottish Defeat, The Glasgow Herald, 17 April 1950
- ^ 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
- ^ www.independent.ie
- ^ The World Cup - The Complete History (2002): Terry Crouch
- ^ The Boys in Green - The FAI International Story (1997): Sean Ryan
- ^ Matches refereed by John Mowatt
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l The number indicates the league the team played in that year.
- 1949 in British sport
- 1949–50 in Welsh football
- 1950 in British sport
- 1949–50 in English football
- 1949–50 in Scottish football
- 1949–50 in Irish association football
- British Home Championships
- 1950 FIFA World Cup qualification (European groups)
- Ireland national football team (1882–1950)
- 1949–50 in Northern Ireland association football
- England at the 1950 FIFA World Cup