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Season 1870-71
1	Saturday, 17 December 1870 - The South 1 The North 0 [0-0] Surrey Cricket Ground, Kennington (tbc)	Crake⁸⁷
	The South: Alex Morten, C.Stephenson, E.Lubbock, A.Bakerᶜ, Walpole Vidal, W.Crake, Charley Chenery, Monty Betts, Frederick Chappell, A.Nash, A.Howard. (R.Franks and R.Walker were replaced by Chappell and Nash) The North: J.Kirkpatrick, J.Whelan, Q.Hogg, C.Rotheraᶜ, Charlie Alcock, T.Hooman, Harwood Greenhalgh, G.Holden, E.Gibney, A.Kinnaird, W.Rawlinson. (C.Nepean was replaced by Rawlinson)
	This was not, actually, a trial match, as such, but it was one of the earliest representative association football matches, coming just four weeks after the second unofficial international between England and a 'Scottish' team, on the same ground ('The Oval'). It was just a logical step to split the country into two sections to face off against each other, though it would be another ten years before the fixture would take off as an annual trial match. The game was the suggestion of Charles Alcock, the secretary of the Football Association, who had organised the unofficial internationals and was keen to further the FA's influence in the north. Alcock, himself, had been born in Sunderland and was in the North's team, along with the future Lord Kinnaird, who was to play for Scotland against England in the second official international, at The Oval in 1873. The North's goalkeeper, James Kirkpatrick, who had helped to recruit players to face England in the unofficial games, played under the pseudonym of 'A.Scott'. Next unofficial international: v. Scotland (25 February 1871 at Kennington) 1-1  Baker, Betts, Crake, Lubbock, Stephenson, Vidal and Walker from The South, plus Alcock and Hooman from The North, played for England. Hogg, Kinnaird, Kirkpatrick and Nepean from The North, plus Chappell from The South, played for 'Scotland'.

Season 1877-78
2	Wednesday, 20 February 1878 - Probables 3 Improbables 3 [2-1] Surrey Cricket Ground, Kennington (tbc)	Heron, Sedgwick, Wace Hunter, Thompson, Maynard
	Probables: Conrad Warner, Edgar Field, C.Leeds, Norman Bailey, Beaumont Jarrett, Charlie Bambridge, H.Sedgwick, T.Tyndale, Henry Wace, Hubert Heronᶜ, Percy Fairclough, John George Wylie. Improbables: C.Hart ͨ, F.Hotham, C.Fox, D.Wylie, A.Ramsey, Jack Hunter, M.Wylie, H.Jarrett, F.Watkins, D.Stransham, C.Lloyd-Jones, H.Bevington, T.Thompson, John Maynard.
	The first official trial match interestingly pitted a team of twelve 'Probables' against fourteen 'Improbables', though the report in 'Bell's Life in London' describes the play as eleven against fifteen. It is, therefore, reasonable to assume that one player switched sides to 'even up the teams' in terms of their respective qualities. Next international: v. Scotland (2 March 1878 at Glasgow) 2-7  Bailey, Fairclough, Heron, Jarrett, Wace, Warner and Wylie from the Probables, plus Hunter from the Improbables, played for England.

Season 1878-79
-	Saturday, 4/25 January 1879 - The North vs. The South Bramall Lane, Sheffield	match cancelled twice due to severe frost.
	The North: H.Moss, E.Gathers, C.Luntley, William Clegg, Jack Hunter, Arthur Cursham, Harry Cursham, A.Woodcock, W.Hargreaves, F.Tomlinson, Heathcote Sorby. The South: Reginald Birkett, Lindsay Bury, Alfred Stratford, Norman Bailey, Beaumont Jarrett, Charlie Bambridge, T.Britten, J.Lowis, W.Page, Edward Parry, Herbert Whitfeld.
	A plan to stage another meeting between north and south was scuppered by the weather and, with three other trial matches scheduled before the game with Scotland, it was decided not to rearrange it. Next international: v. Scotland (1 March 1879 at Kennington) postponed due to frozen pitch Luntley from The North, plus Bailey, Bambridge, Birkett and Bury from The South, had been selected to play for England (Harry Cursham was a reserve).
3	Wednesday, 12 February 1879 - Probables 0 The Rest 0 [0-0] Surrey Cricket Ground, Kennington (tbc)
	Probables: H.Moss, F.Tuck, Ted Luntley, Norman Bailey, Alfred Stratford, J.Lowis, Heathcote Sorby, Arthur Cursham, Sam Widdowson, Harry Cursham, Conrad Warner. The Rest: J.Davis, Harwood Greenhalgh, F.Smith, E.Ellis, Harold Morse, J.Blackett, B.Grieve, G.Prall, John Maynard, F.Ware, A.Wilson.
	The 'Improbables' were given the more encouraging name of 'The Rest' for the second official trial match and acquitted themselves very well in preventing their more experienced opponents from scoring. Next international: v. Scotland (1 March 1879 at Kennington) postponed due to frozen pitch Bailey, Luntley and Widdowson from The Probables, plus Morse from the Rest, had been selected to play for England (Harry Cursham and Tuck were reserves).
4	Wednesday, 19 February 1879 - Whites 0 Stripes 3 [0-2] Surrey Cricket Ground, Kennington (tbc)	Gavett, Bastard, Wild
	Whites: Conrad Warnerᶜ, J.Fox, Harold Morse, E.Ellis, Percy Fairclough, G.Poraill, Charlie Bambridge, J.Barnard, Henry Wace, A.Lloyd-Jones. Stripes: Albemarle Swepstone, J.Morgan, T.Stafford, C.Broadhurst, V.Westonᶜ, W.Wild, T.Gavett, H.Ince, S.Scott, Segar Bastard, John Maynard.
	With no concept of either team being superior, the teams were split arbitrarily. Next international: v. Scotland (1 March 1879 at Kennington) postponed due to frozen pitch Bambridge and Morse from the Whites, had been selected to play for England.
5	Wednesday, 26 February 1879 - Whites 4 Stripes 7 [2-4] Surrey Cricket Ground, Kennington (tbc)	Woodcock (2), Bury, Widdowson A.Bambridge (2), Hedley (3), Bastard (2)
	Whites: Conrad Warner ͨ, Lindsay Bury, Alfred Stratford, Norman Bailey, Sam Widdowson, T.Britten, A.Woodcock, Arthur Goodyer, Billy Mosforth, Pelham von Donop. Stripes: Albemarle Swepstone, F.Tuck, J.Morgan, James Prinsep, Arthur Bambridge, R.Hedley, F.Earp, Charlie Bambridge, Segar Bastard.
	Only 18 players turned up. The Whites had the extra man on a snow-covered pitch, when Mosforth arrived late, but they were well beaten. Next internationals: v. Scotland (1 March 1879 at Kennington) postponed due to frozen pitch Bailey, Bury, Mosforth and Widdowson from the Whites, plus Charlie Bambridge and Hedley from the Stripes, had been selected to play for England (Earp, Prinsep and Tuck were reserves). v. Scotland (5 April 1879 at Kennington) 5-4 Bailey, Goodyer and Mosforth from the Whites, plus Charlie Bambridge from the Stripes, played for England (Bury and Hedley were reserves).

Season 1879-80
6	Saturday, 6 March 1880 - The South 0 The North 0 [0-0] Surrey Cricket Ground, Kennington (1,300)
	The South: Albemarle Swepstone, Lindsay Bury, Edgar Field, James Prinsep, V.Weston, Edward Parry, Charles Wollastonᶜ, Henry Wace, H.Massey, H.Lindsay, Charlie Bambridge. (Norman Bailey and Segar Bastard were replaced by Massey and Weston) The North: John Sands, W.Moss, William Brindle, Jack Hunter ͨ, Ted Luntley, J.Ewbank, Tom Marshall, Heathcote Sorby, J.Turner, Billy Mosforth, F.Earp. (Harry Cursham and Sam Widdowson were replaced by Earp and Sorby)
	A tight, evenly-matched contest of quality, on a sunny day, in front of a large crowd, finally established the annual coming together of the best of north and south as the ideal trial match for upcoming internationals. Two pre-trial matches were held, two weeks earlier, in order to select the northern team. The Reds beat the Blues, 8-2 in Sheffield, and a different team of Reds won 4-3 in Nottingham, three days later, against a team labelled 'Nondescripts', who, despite their name, impressed enough to supply three players for selection for The North. Next international: v. Scotland (13 March 1880 at Glasgow) 4-5 Bailey, Bambridge, Bastard, Swepstone and Wollaston from The South, plus Brindle, Hunter, Luntley, Mosforth and Widdowson from The North, played for England (Marshall was a reserve).

Season 1880-81
-	Saturday, 22 January 1881 - The North vs. The South Bramall Lane, Sheffield	match postponed due to severe frost
	For the second time in three years, the staging of this fixture in the north fell foul of the wintry conditions. This time, however, it was rearranged for four weeks later.
7	Saturday, 19 February 1881 - The North 1 The South 2 [0-0] Bramall Lane, Sheffield (10,000)	Brown C.Bambridge, Heygate
	The North: A.Sorby, T.Gibson, R.Gregory, Jack Hunterᶜ, T.Fletcher, F.Marsden, Tom Marshall, Tot Rostron, J.McLaughlin, Billy Mosforth, Jimmy Brown. (E.Buttery was replaced by Gregory) The South: Albemarle Swepstone, Claud Wilson, A.Kennedy, E.Topham, Arthur Bambridge, Charlie Bambridge, L.Keyser, H.Barnett, J.Barnard, R.Heygate, W.Cunliffe.
	The fixture finally kicked off in Sheffield at the third attempt, in front of a big crowd who had earlier watched Notts County defeat Sheffield 4-2 on the same ground. In the trial match it was the visitors who were the stronger team, though it took them until the second half to break down the home resistance. Next international: v. Wales (26 February 1881 at Blackburn) 0-1 Brown, Hunter, Marshall, Mosforth and Rostron from The North, plus Arthur Bambridge from The South, played for England.
8	Saturday, 5 March 1881 - Birmingham 4 England 5 [2-1] Aston Lower Cricket Ground, Birmingham (5,000)	James, Ward, Johnson, Tait Hargreaves (2), Macauley (3)
	Birmingham: E.Ray, C.Dorrance, T.Bryan, Alf Jones, Alf Harvey, A. Growcutt, A.James, A.Ward, George Tait, J.Reeves, Edward Johnson. England: Albemarle Swepstone, Edgar Field, Claud Wilson, S.Law, E.Topham, Jimmy Brown, John Hargreaves, Reg Macauley, R.Whitehead, George Holden. (L.Keyser did not play)
	Seven days before the big game against Scotland, an England team arrived with only ten men, to face a Birmingham (and District) side that had three full internationals in their ranks, but England still beat them. Next international: v. Scotland (12 March 1881 at Kennington) 1-6 Field, Hargreaves, Holden, Macauley and Wilson from England, played for England (Brown and Swepstone were reserves).

Season 1881-82
9	Saturday, 28 January 1882 - The South 3 The North 1 [1-0] Surrey Cricket Ground, Kennington (1,500)	Lafone, Bailey, Page Mosforth
	The South: Albemarle Swepstone, Arthur Bambridge, E.Colvin, Norman Baileyᶜ, Robert King, W.Anderson, Horace Barnet, W.Page, Harry Goodhart, H.Lafone, Charlie Bambridge. The North: A.Mallinson, Alf Dobson, W.Beardshaw, Jack Hunterᶜ, Alf Jones, W.Harrison, S.Poulton, W.Yates, R.Lunnon, Edward Johnson, Billy Mosforth.
	The North had to make several changes to their line-up (including Poulton, and a southern-based player, Lunnon), but the makeshift eleven still managed to hold their opponents until the last 15 minutes, when The South scored twice to settle the contest. Sir Elliot Colvin never won a full cap, but he was knighted in 1911 for services to government in India. Next international: v. Ireland (18 February 1882 at Belfast) 13-0 Charlie Bambridge, Barnet and King from The South, plus Dobson from The North, played for England (Arthur Bambridge, Mallinson, Mosforth and Page were reserves).
10	Saturday, 4 March 1882 - Improbables 4 Probables 4 [1-3] Pikes Lane, Bolton (tbc)	Cunliffe (3), Hamer Page, Parry, Wilson, Gilbertson
	Improbables: T.Wilson, S.Warburton, J.Hindle, P.Chippendale, T.Gibson, W.Lomax, A.Matthews, Joe Beverley, J.Cunliffe, E.Jones, J.Hamer. Probables: Albemarle Swepstone, Alf Dobson, J.Devlin, Norman Baileyᶜ, Arthur Bambridge, Edward Parry, E.Wilson, Arthur Brown, W.Page, J.Howard-McLean, F.Gilbertson. (E.Colvin was replaced by Devlin)
	With the Improbables selected entirely from Lancashire clubs, they enjoyed home advantage, and a second-half comeback brought them parity with their more illustrious opponents, who had 'borrowed' Scotsman, John Devlin from the host club, Bolton Wanderers to make up the numbers. Next international: v. Scotland (11 March 1882 at Glasgow) 1-5 Bailey, Brown, Parry and Swepstone from the Probables, played for England (Page and Wilson were reserves).

Season 1882-83
11	Monday, 15 January 1883 - The North 0 The South 4 [0-1] Aston Lower Cricket Ground, Birmingham (6,000)	Bambridge⁴⁴, Cobbold⁷⁵, Leete⁸⁰, Goodhart⁸⁸
	The North: J.Matthews, Harry Moore, H.Wilkinsonᶜ, H.Chapman, Jack Hudson, Tot Rostron, George Holden, Jimmy Brown, Harry Cursham, Billy Mosforth, John Hargreaves. (T.Hacking was replaced by Matthews) The South: Albemarle Swepstone, Percy de Paravicini, J.Vintcent, Norman Baileyᶜ, H.Nicholls, Arthur Bambridge, Arthur Dunn, Harry Goodhart, N.Leete, Nevill Cobbold, Horace Barnet. (Charlie Bambridge, Robert King and Clement Mitchell were replaced by Barnet, Leete and Vintcent)
	A decent crowd saw The South notch a third successive victory in the fixture, with The North having to recruit a goalkeeper from the host club, Aston Unity. Next international: v. Wales (3 February 1883 at Kennington) 5-0 Cursham from The North, plus Bailey, Arthur Bambridge, Charlie Bambridge, de Paravicini, Goodhart, Mitchell and Swepstone from The South, played for England.

Season 1883-84
12	Saturday, 26 January 1884 - The South 4 The North 2 [2-1] Surrey Cricket Ground, Kennington (2,000)	K.Wilson, A.Bambridge (3) Brown, Cursham
	The South: Billy Rose, Percy de Paravicini, Arthur Walters, Norman Baileyᶜ, Charles Wilson, Cecil Holden-White, Arthur Bambridge, Clem Mitchell, K.Wilson, Charlie Bambridge, Nevill Cobbold. (Arthur Dunn was replaced by Holden-White) The North: Bob Roberts, Joe Beverley, Alf Dobson, Jack Hudson, Stuart Macrae, E.Jessop, Billy Gunn, Edward Johnson, T.Cawley, Harry Curshamᶜ, Jimmy Brown. (Arthur Brown and George Holden were replaced by Cawley and Jessop)
	Fierce wind and rain kept the crowd low, but the weather did not stop The South from registering their fourth win in a row. Next international: v. Ireland (23 February 1884 at Belfast) 8-1 Bailey, Arthur Bambridge, Charlie Bambridge, Dunn and Rose from The South, plus Beverley, Cursham, Dobson, Holden, Johnson and Macrae from The North, played for England (Cobbold, de Paravicini, Mitchell and Kenneth Wilson were in the original selection).

Season 1884-85
13	Saturday, 31 January 1885 - The North 2 The South 1 [1-1] Derbyshire County Cricket Ground, Derby (3,000)	Brown, Dewhurst Cobbold
	The North: Herby Arthur, A.Latham, Jimmy Ward, W.Hughes, Jimmy Forrest, Joe Lofthouse, Oliver Whateley, Jimmy Brown, T.Cawley, E.Davis, Fred Dewhurst. The South: Billy Rose, Percy de Paravicini, Percy Walters, Norman Baileyᶜ, Andrew Amos, Cecil Holden-White, R.Lunnon, F.Ingram, T.Pellatt, Nevill Cobbold, E.Evelyn. (M.Rendall was replaced by Rose)
	The North finally recorded their first success. Next international: v. Ireland (28 February 1885 at Manchester) 8-1 Arthur, Brown, Forrest and Lofthouse from The North, plus Bailey, Cobbold and Walters from The South, played for England.

Season 1885-86
14	Saturday, 16 January 1886 - Players 0 Gentlemen 1 [0-1] Deepdale, Preston (5,000)	Cobbold¹⁸
	Players: Billy Rose, Dickie Baugh, Alf Jones, Jimmy Forrest, Tot Rostron, George Shutt, J.Costley, H.Fecitt, Arthur Brown, J.Mackereth, Kenny Davenport. (T.Green, Billy Gunn, J.Keenan, Harry Moore and Bob Roberts were replaced by Baugh, Brown, Mackereth, Rose and Shutt) Gentlemen: T.Strother, Arthur Walters, Percy Walters, Norman Bailey ͨ, Ralph Squire, Andrew Amos, Ben Spilsbury, Cecil Holden-White, Jimmy Brown, Nevill Cobbold, Fred Dewhurst. (Charlie Bambridge, George Brann,  Harry Cursham, Tinsley Lindley and Albemarle Swepstone were replaced by Amos, Brown, Spilsbury, Strother and Holden-White)
	Following the Football Association's acceptance of professionalism in July 1885, the intriguing prospect arose of a team of professional 'Players' facing the 'Gentlemen' amateurs, as had been contested at cricket since 1806. With only Englishmen selected, it would have been, effectively, another trial match between north and south, if it were not for the fact that the 'Gentlemen' included two amateurs (Brown and Dewhurst) that were based at Lancashire clubs. However, the historic contest was devalued somewhat, with ten withdrawals being made before the game. Next international: v. Ireland (13 March 1886 at Belfast) 6-1 Baugh, Rose and Shutt from the Players, plus Dewhurst, Lindley, Spilsbury, Squire and Percy Walters from the Gentlemen, played for England (Bailey was in the original selection).
15	Saturday, 30 January 1886 - The South 3 The North 0 [0-0] Surrey Cricket Ground, Kennington (1,500)	Brann, Cobbold, Squire
	The South: Albemarle Swepstone, Arthur Walters, Percy Walters, Norman Baileyᶜ, Andrew Amos, Ralph Squire, George Brann, Cecil Holden-White, R.Guy, Nevill Cobbold, Charlie Bambridge. The North: Billy Rose, Bob Howarth, Dickie Baugh, George Haworth, George Shutt, Jimmy Forrest, Billy Gunn, B.Robinson, Tinsley Lindley, Teddy Leighton, Fred Dewhurst. (Reserves: Herby Arthur, C.Caborn, L.Wright, A.Ward, A.White, Charlie Shelton, S.Thomson, Kenny Davenport, John Brodie, J.Costley and H.Fecitt)
	In the regular trial match, The North were so keen to put out a strong line-up against their opponents that they named a complete team of reserves, but The South, ultimately, gained their revenge for the previous year's reversal with three goals in the last 25 minutes in a game played on a very wet surface. Next international: v. Ireland (13 March 1886 at Belfast) 6-1 Squire and Percy Walters from The South, plus Baugh, Dewhurst, Leighton, Lindley, Rose and Shutt from The North, played for England (Bailey was in the original selection).
16	Saturday, 20 March 1886 - Gentlemen 1 Players 2 [1-0] Surrey Cricket Ground, Kennington (8,000)	Cobbold Thomson, Costley
	Gentlemen: Albemarle Swepstone, Arthur Walters, Percy Walters, Ralph Squire, Norman Baileyᶜ, Andrew Amos, George Brann, Fred Dewhurst, Tinsley Lindley, Nevill Cobbold, Charlie Bambridge. Players: Bob Roberts, F.Suterᶜ, N. Ross, J.Graham, George Shutt, D.Russell, John Goodall, Jem Bayliss, S.Thomson, G.Drummond, J.Costley.
	The return fixture between amateurs and professionals was held at 'The Oval' as part of a charity festival in aid of London's hospitals. It was attended by the Prince of Wales and was preceded by a rugby match in which a London team defeated a combined London Scottish and Welsh side. The Gentlemen were all well-known internationals, apart from Brann, who would make his England debut, seven days later, and they looked like they would triumph again after Cobbold, once more, gave them the lead. The Players only had one survivor from the game at Preston, two months earlier (James Costley), but they introduced six Scots and were captained by Fergus Suter, the first recognised professional. More than half of the team were from Preston North End, and their familiarity told in the second half. Next international: v. Scotland (27 March 1886 at Glasgow) 1-1 Bailey, Bambridge, Brann, Cobbold, Lindley, Squire, Arthur Walters and Percy Walters from the Gentlemen, played for England (Dewhurst was in the original selection).

Season 1886-87
17	Saturday, 18 December 1886 - Players 3 Gentlemen 2 [0-1] County Cricket Ground, Stoke-on-Trent (5,000)	Drummond, Davenport, Goodall Sayer, Dewhurst
	Players: J.Trainer, Tommy Clare, N. Ross, George Haworth, D.Russell, J.Graham, Joe Lofthouse, Kenny Davenport, S.Thomson, G.Drummond, John Goodall. Gentlemen: Herby Arthur, Percy Walters, Arthur Walters, F.Lingard, Norman Baileyᶜ, Andrew Amos, Jimmy Sayer, Fred Dewhurst, K.Wilson, Charlie Bambridge, Nevill Cobbold.
	With the Players fielding five Scots and a Welsh goalkeeper, they came from behind twice to record a second successive victory in their third meeting of 1886. Whether it was the realisation that the English 'Gentlemen' could no longer compete with the best British professionals is unclear, but it was felt that a club match between Corinthians and Preston North End would be a more appropriate test of the two classes of competitors and these teams were invited instead to compete at 'The Oval', three months later, in The Queen's Golden Jubilee Festival (they drew 1-1, though Preston included an amateur, Fred Dewhurst, in their side). The sequence of representative games was shelved, but it would not be the last time that select teams of amateurs and professionals would face off against each other. Next international: v. Ireland (5 February 1887 at Sheffield) 7-0 Haworth from the Players, plus Arthur, Bambridge, Cobbold, Dewhurst, Lindley and Sayer from the Gentlemen, played for England (Amos, Davenport, Goodall and Lofthouse were reserves).
18	Saturday, 22 January 1887 - The North 4 The South 2 [2-2] Aston Lower Cricket Ground, Birmingham (1,000)	Green¹, Shaw⁴⁰, Cooper⁶⁰, Sayer⁸⁷ Guy¹⁵, Cobbold⁴³
	The North: Bob Roberts, Tommy Clare, A.Wardle, George Haworth, Charlie Shelton, Jimmy Forrestᶜ, Jimmy Sayer, C.Shaw, Tinsley Lindley, T.Green, L.Cooper. (Fred Dewhurst was replaced by Cooper) The South: Billy Moon, Arthur Walters, Percy Walters, Ralph Squire, Norman Baileyᶜ, Andrew Amos, George Cotterill, Arthur Dunn, R.Guy, Nevill Cobbold, Charlie Bambridge.
	The home team were denied the services of players from Aston Villa and Preston North End, due to rearranged FA Cup ties and the side was more representative of the Midlands, with only two players based in Lancashire (Forrest and Haworth). Yet, their strength in depth was still too much for an experienced southern team. Next international: v. Ireland (5 February 1887 at Sheffield) 7-0 Dewhurst, Forrest, Haworth, Lindley and Sayer from The North, plus Bambridge and Cobbold from The South, played for England (Amos, Shelton, Squire and Wardle were reserves).

Season 1887-88
19	Saturday, 14 January 1888 - The South 1 The North 3 [0-1] Surrey Cricket Ground, Kennington (3,000)	Ainger Lindley (2), Hodgetts
	The South: Billy Moon, R.Ingram, F.Ingram, Frank Saunders, Cecil Holden-White, Ralph Squireᶜ, W.Ainger, Thelwell Pike, Arthur Dunn, G.Wilson, John Veitch. (Charlie Bambridge, Nevill Cobbold, R.Guy and Arthur Walters were replaced by Dunn, R.Ingram, F.Marchant and Veitch, and Marchant was then replaced by Wilson) The North: L.Cooper, G.Miller, L.Wright, A.Ward, Charlie Shelton, Harry Allen, G.Bakewell, Jackie Pearson, Tinsley Lindleyᶜ, R.Macbeth, Denny Hodgetts. (Herby Arthur and T.Pearson were replaced by Cooper and Macbeth)
	With interest declining in the annual meeting between north and south, it took until December for a date to be agreed for the latest fixture. Several players pulled out and The North's continuing recent authority was confirmed when they confidently inflicted on The South their first home defeat. Next international: v. Wales (4 February 1888 at Crewe) 5-1 Saunders, Moon and Holden-White from The South, plus Allen, Hodgetts and Lindley from The North, played for England (Arthur, Dunn and Shelton were reserves, and Cobbold and Walters were in the original selection).

Season 1888-89
20	Saturday, 19 January 1889 - The North 1 The South 2 [1-2] Newcastle Road Ground, Sunderland (9,000)	Burton Wreford-Brown, Brann
	The North: Bill Rowley, B.Robinson, G.Millar, W.Rose, Charlie Perry, Arthur Lowder, T.Daft, Frank Burton, Jack Brodieᶜ, W.Locker, Jack Devey. The South: Billy Moon, Percy Waltersᶜ, Arthur Walters, Cecil Holden-White, Charlie Wreford-Brown, Henry Hammond, George Brann, W.Ainger, Edmund Currey, H.Walters, G.Wilson. (George Cotterill and Tinsley Lindley were replaced by H.Walters and Wreford-Brown)
	Although the formation of the Football League had provided weekly competitive action for the players of the north and Midlands, this game was scheduled on a date when every league club was playing elsewhere. Consequently, The North put out a side with no full internationals and suffered a first home defeat since 1883, inadvertently giving The South fresh encouragement to continue with the annual fixture. Next international: v. Wales (23 February 1889 at Stoke) 4-1 Lowder from The North, plus Moon, Arthur Walters and Percy Walters from The South, played for England (Lindley was in the original selection).

Season 1889-90
21	Monday, 13 January 1890 - The South 3 The North 1 [1-0] Surrey Cricket Ground, Kennington (4,000)	Lindley³⁵, Currey⁷⁰, Rowley OG⁸⁵ Bassett
	The South: Billy Moon, Arthur Walters, Percy Walters, Cecil Holden-White, Charlie Wreford-Brown, F.Ingram, Rupert Sandilands, Edmund Currey, Tinsley Lindley, George Cotterill, John Veitch. (Henry Hammond was replaced by Andrew Amos, who was then replaced by Ingram) The North: Bill Rowley, Sam Widdowson, J.Oliver, G.Waller, Charlie Perry, Johnny Holt, Billy Bassett, A.Shaw, Jack Southworth, Edgar Chadwick, Bill Townley. (Jimmy Forrest, John Goodall, George Haworth, Bob Howarth and Charlie Mason were replaced by F.Coulton, Oliver, Perry, Shaw and Waller, and Coulton was then replaced by Widdowson. Other reserves were A.Brown, Jack Devey, Albert Smith, Nat Walton, J.Warner and Davie Weir)
	A second successive victory for The South after a spate of withdrawals led The North to recruit 38-year-old, Sam Widdowson as a late replacement, despite there having been eleven reserves originally named. It was also the first time that the fixture had been scheduled on a Monday, to avoid clashing with Football League games. Next internationals (15 March 1890): v. Ireland (at Belfast) 9-1 Forrest, Mason, Perry, Townley and Walton from The North, played for England (Veitch was in the original selection). v. Wales (at Wrexham) 3-1 Currey, Lindley, Moon, Arthur Walters and Percy Walters from The South, plus Bassett and Holt from The North, played for England (Cotterill was in the original selection). Widdowson was an umpire. Chadwick, Devey, Rowley and Weir were reserves for both games.
22	Monday, 24 March 1890 - Whites 2 Blues 2 [2-1] Gregory Ground, Nottingham (2,500)	Geary, Walton Wood, Plackett
	Whites: Billy Moon, Arthur Walters, Percy Walters, Henry Hammond, Harry Allen, Alf Shelton, Billy Bassett, Edmund Currey, Fred Geary, Nat Walton, H.Pike. (Jimmy Forrest and William Townley were replaced by Pike and Shelton) Blues: Bob Roberts, Teddy Brayshaw, J.Oliver, Davie Weir, Charlie Perry, Cecil Holden-White, George Brann, George Cotterill, Tinsley Lindley, Harry Wood, L.Plackett. (Harry Daft, Johnny Holt and Alf Shelton were replaced by Perry, Plackett and Holden-White, and Shelton was switched to the Whites)
	With the big game against Scotland looming, the Football Association decided to organise a second trial match, without the partisanship of pitting north against south. The teams were split nominally into two, with only the colour of their shirts distinguishing their allegiance, though England's traditional back line of goalkeeper, Billy Moon, and the Walters brothers, was kept together for the Whites. The division of teams proved a success, late withdrawals did not weaken either team significantly as players could move from one team to the other to maintain an equal balance and the game ended in an entertaining draw. Next international: v. Scotland (5 April 1890 at Glasgow) 1-1 Allen, Bassett, Currey, Moon, Shelton, Arthur Walters and Percy Walters from the Whites, plus Daft, Lindley and Wood from the Blues, played for England (Cotterill, Forrest, Hammond, Oliver, Perry, Roberts and Townley were reserves).

Season 1890-91
23	Monday, 12 January 1891 - The North 3 The South 0 [3-0] Town Ground, Nottingham (4,000)	Geary (2), Chadwick
	The North: George Toone, M.Earp, Alf Underwood, Jack Barton, Albert Smith, Alf Shelton, A.Brown, John Goodallᶜ, Fred Geary, Edgar Chadwick, Billy Townley. (Johnny Holt was replaced by Smith. George Haworth was also a reserve) The South: Leonard Wilkinson, F.Ingram, W.Wells, E.Shaw, Norman Winckworth, Anthony Hossack, George Brann, George Cotterill, Arthur Henfrey, H.Offer, Rupert Sandilands.
	Fred Geary, who had been knocked unconscious in the last trial match to be played at Nottingham, returned to, once again, score the opening goal in a comfortable victory for the home team. The new ground was the first to include goal nets. Next internationals (7 March 1891): v. Ireland (at Wolverhampton) 6-1 Underwood from The North, plus Cotterill and Henfrey from The South, played for England. v. Wales (at Sunderland) 4-1 Chadwick, Goodall, Holt, Shelton and Smith from The North, plus Brann from The South, played for England (Barton was in the original selection).

24	Tuesday, 24 March 1891 - Whites 4 Stripes 2 [1-2] Wellington Road Ground, Handsworth (tbc)	Goodall, Geary (3) Sandilands, Geary
	Whites: Billy Moon, Bob Holmes, Bob Howarth, Alf Shelton, Johnny Holt, Albert Smith, Alf Milward, Edgar Chadwick, Jack Devey (Fred Geary⁴⁶), Charlie Athersmith, John Goodall. (Jack Barton, George Brann, and Jack Southworth were replaced by Athersmith, Joe Lofthouse and Smith, and Lofthouse was then replaced by Devey) Stripes: Billy Rose, Joe Marsden, Alf Underwood, Norman Winckworth, Charlie Perry, Jimmy Forrest, Harry Wood, Rupert Sandilands, Tinsley Lindley, Fred Geary (Jack Devey⁴⁶), Billy Bassett. (J.Tattersall was replaced by Forrest)
	Another trial match saw Fred Geary taking centre stage again. With the 21 other players all going on to play for England, Geary put the Stripes 2-1 up at the interval, and then swapped places with Jack Devey of the Whites, before promptly undoing his own damage and scoring a second-half hat-trick to win the game for the Whites. For the first time, all eleven players for the next England match were selected from the trial match.(with thanks to Phil Martin for discovering this match). Next international: v. Scotland (4 April 1891 at Blackburn) 2-1 Chadwick, Goodall, Holmes, Holt, Howarth, Milward, Moon, Shelton and Smith from the Whites, plus Bassett and Geary from the Stripes, played for England (Devey, Forrest, Lofthouse, Marsden, Perry, Rose, Underwood and Wood were reserves).

Season 1891-92
25	Monday, 29 February 1892 - Whites 4 Stripes 2 [2-1] Wellington Road Ground, Handsworth (4,000)	Athersmith. Burton, Devey, Shaw Sandilands, Walkerdine
	Whites: George Toone, Bob Holmes, Harry Lilley, Albert Smith, G.Burton, Michael Whitham, Joe Schofield, A.Shaw, Jack Devey, Jackie Pearson, Charlie Athersmith. Stripes: Bill Rowley, Tommy Clare, Alf Underwood, Anthony Hossack, Norman Winckworth, George Kinsey, H.Walkerdine, Cunliffe Gosling, Arthur Henfrey, Rupert Sandilands, Denny Hodgetts.
	The shift of power in the football world to the north and Midlands, brought an end to the annual fixture with The South (for now), but a game between prospective internationals was still held. There were only five players from the south and they all appeared in the Stripes team. Three of the Whites' goals were scored by local Aston Villa players. Next internationals (5 March 1892): v. Ireland (at Belfast) 2-0 Athersmith, Devey, Pearson and Whitham from the Whites, plus Clare, Hodgetts, Rowley and Underwood from the Stripes, played for England. v. Wales (at Wrexham) 2-0 Lilley, Schofield and Toone from the Whites, plus Gosling, Henfrey, Hossack, Kinsey, Sandilands and Winckworth from the Stripes, played for England (Holmes was in the original selection).

Season 1892-93
26	Wednesday, 22 March 1893 - Professionals 2 Amateurs 2 [1-1] Derbyshire County Cricket Ground, Derby (2,000)	Chatt, Wood G.Smith (2)
	Professionals: John Sutcliffe, Tommy Clare, Bob Holmes, Ernest Needham, Bob Chatt, Jack Reynolds, Billy Bassett, Jimmy Whitehead, John Goodallᶜ, Harry Wood, Joe Schofield. (Johnny Holt and Bob Howarth were replaced by Chatt and Clare) Amateurs: Leslie Gay, Hugh Harrison, Fred Pelly, Albert Smith, Arthur Topham, Norman Winckworth, Robert Topham, Cunliffe Gosling, Gilbert Smith, Tinsley Lindley, Rupert Sandilands. (George Cotterill and Walter Gilliat were replaced by Lindley and Gilbert Smith)
	England had fielded an amateur team against Ireland, the previous month, and then a professional team against Wales in the week before this trial. After a gap of seven years, the 'Gentlemen' and 'Players' were re-united under their more correct class names and a surprisingly close game saw the Amateurs twice take the lead. All 22 players went on to represent England. Next international: v. Scotland (1 April 1893 at Richmond) 5-2 Bassett, Holmes, Holt and Reynolds from the Professionals, plus Cotterill, Gay, Gosling and Harrison from the Amateurs, played for England (Goodall and Howarth were in the original selection).

Season 1893-94
27	Thursday, 15 March 1894 - Whites 2 Stripes 1 [0-1] Athletic Association Ground, Richmond (tbc)	Southworth (2) Smith
	Whites: Leslie Gay, Jimmy Crabtree, Fred Pelly, Jack Reynolds, Johnny Holt, Jimmy Turner, Billy Bassett, Jimmy Whitehead, Jack Southworth, Denny Hodgetts, Fred Spiksley. (Cunliffe Gosling, Bob Holmes, Ernest Needham and Robert Topham were replaced by Bassett, Pelly, Turner and Whitehead, and Topham was switched to the Stripes) Stripes: Billy Moon, M.Earp, Vaughan Lodge, George Kinsey, Norman Cooper, Arthur Topham, Robert Topham, George Cotterill, Gilbert Smith, Edgar Chadwick, H.Bentley. (Billy Bassett, Fred Pelly, Jimmy Turner, Jimmy Whitehead and Charles Wreford-Brown were replaced by Cotterill, T.Eady, Earp, Kinsey and Robert Topham, Eady was then replaced by Cooper, and Bassett, Pelly, Turner and Whitehead were switched to the Whites)
	This time, England had put out a professional team against Ireland and an amateur team against Wales, but when it came to the trial for the Scotland match, the players were rearranged into the two nominal sides, even from the line-ups that had been announced three days earlier, though there was a feeling that the 'Whites' were, in fact, 'probables' when, that evening, at a meeting of the Football Association council in London, nine of the 'Whites' side were selected to face Scotland. Next international: v. Scotland (7 April 1894 at Glasgow) 2-2 Bassett, Gay, Holt, Needham, Pelly, Reynolds and Spiksley from the Whites, plus Chadwick and Smith from the Stripes, played for England (Crabtree, Gosling, Southworth and Turner were in the original selection).

Season 1894-95
28	Thursday, 28 March 1895 - Professionals 7 Amateurs 0 [3-0] Trentbridge Cricket Ground, Nottingham (1,500)	Smith, Bloomer (3), Chadwick, Bassett (2)
	Professionals: John Sutcliffe, Jimmy Crabtree, A.Scott, Jack Reynolds, Johnny Holt, Ernest Needham, Billy Bassett, Steve Bloomer, John Goodallᶜ, Edgar Chadwick, Steve Smith. (Billy Williams was replaced by Scott) Amateurs: George Raikes, Vaughan Lodge, Bill Oakley, Arthur Henfrey, F.Ingram, E.Buzzard, Gerard Dewhurst, Cunliffe Goslingᶜ, Gilbert Smith, Rupert Sandilands, F.Street. (Arthur Topham and Charles Wreford-Brown were replaced by Buzzard and Ingram)
	England again fielded a professional team against Ireland, whilst an amateur team only managed a draw against a Welsh side that included seven professionals, but the Football Association persisted with the notion that amateurs were a match for the professionals. This trial match would be a sobering experience for them. The 'Professionals' included a late replacement from Nottingham Forest, in Scotsman, Adam Scott. Next international: v. Scotland (6 April 1895 at Liverpool) 3-0 Bassett, Bloomer, Crabtree, Goodall, Holt, Needham, Reynolds, Smith and Sutcliffe from the Professionals, plus Gosling and Lodge from the Amateurs, played for England.

Season 1895-96
29	Wednesday, 25 March 1896 - Amateurs 2 Professionals 2 [1-0] Essex County Cricket Ground, Leyton (9,000)	Crabtree OG, Cotterill Finnerhan, Goodall
	Amateurs: George Raikes, Vaughan Lodge, Bill Oakley, Arthur Henfrey, Charlie Wreford-Brown, Bernard Middleditch, Hugh Stanbrough, George Cotterill, Gilbert Smithᶜ, J.Gettins, Cuthbert James Burnup. Professionals: John Sutcliffe, Jimmy Crabtree, Billy Williams, Ernest Needham, Tommy Crawshaw, George Kinsey, Billy Bassett, P.Finnerhan, Jack Devey, John Goodallᶜ, Fred Spiksley. (Steve Bloomer was replaced by Finnerhan)
	The Football Association abandoned their policy of playing one amateur team and one professional team against Ireland and Wales, but a team of 'gentlemen' amateurs gave a very good account of themselves against the Professionals back in London, helped by a determined and organised defence and an early lead given to them via an own goal. Wreford-Brown, who was now a member of the FA Council, played under a pseudonym of 'R.E.Ford'. Next international: v. Scotland (4 April 1896 at Glasgow) 1-2 Burnup, Henfrey, Lodge, Oakley, Raikes and Smith from the Amateurs, plus Bassett, Crabtree, Crawshaw and Goodall from the Professionals, played for England (Bloomer and Needham were in the original selection).

Season 1896-97
30	Monday, 15 March 1897 - Amateurs 1 Professionals 3 [1-1] Recreation Ground, Queen's Club (3,000)	Wreford-Brown Milward, Bloomer, Athersmith
	Amateurs: W.Campbell, Vaughan Lodge, Bill Oakley, Bernard Middleditch, Charlie Wreford-Brown, F.Ingram, Robert Topham, Cunliffe Gosling, Gilbert Smithᶜ, H.Collier, Cuthbert James Burnup. Professionals: Willie Foulke, Howard Spencer, Billy Williams, Frank Forman, Tommy Crawshaw, J.Stevenson, Charlie Athersmith, Steve Bloomer, J.Farrell, H.Fletcher, Alf Milward. (Jimmy Crabtree, Jack Devey and Johnny Holt were replaced by Crawshaw, Farrell and Stevenson)
	Though weakened, once again, by late replacements, the Professionals (including Scotsman, Jimmy Stevenson) clinched victory with two goals in the last 15 minutes as the fixture was staged in London for the second year in succession. A wet surface and heavy showers did not make the game pleasant viewing, but the proceeds all went to the Indian Famine Relief Fund. Next international: v. Wales (29 March 1897 at Sheffield) 4-0 Oakley and Smith from the Amateurs, plus Athersmith, Bloomer, Crawshaw, Foulke, Milward and Spencer from the Professionals, played for England (Crabtree and Gosling were in the original selection).

Season 1898-99
31	Wednesday, 1 February 1899 - The South 1 The North 3 [1-1] Sports Arena, Crystal Palace (7,500)	Smith⁴³ Bloomer³, Settle⁵,⁸⁵
	The South: Jack Robinson, G.Barker, Bill Oakley, Bernard Middleditch, S.Briggs, F.Cautley, G.Vassall, Jack Calvey, Gilbert Smithᶜ, Geoffrey Wilson, Harry Bradshaw. The North: Jack Hillman, T.Prescott, Billy Williams, Frank Forman, Ernest Needham, Tom Booth, Charlie Athersmith, Steve Bloomer, G.Johnson, Jimmy Settle, W.Place. (Jimmy Crabtree was replaced by Booth)
	Following a season without any trial matches, it was felt that the time was right to revive an old favourite for the first time in eight years. The increase in professional players in the Southern League suggested that they might be able to challenge the northern supremacy, alongside some of the best amateurs of the south, but at the Crystal Palace, a closely-contested duel ended in victory for The North. Next international: v. Ireland (18 February 1899 at Sunderland) 13-2 Smith from The South, plus Athersmith, Bloomer, Crabtree, Forman, Hillman, Needham, Settle and Williams from The North, played for England (Vassall was in the original selection).

Season 1899-1900
32	Wednesday, 7 March 1900 - The South 4 The North 4 [3-3] Sports Arena, Crystal Palace (6,000)	Chadwick, Wilson, Cunliffe (2) Hedley (2), Bloomer, Oakley OG
	The South: Jack Robinson, Bill Oakley, P.Durber, Bernard Middleditch, Arthur Chadwick, T.Morris, Archie Turner, Danny Cunliffe, Gilbert Smithᶜ, Geoffrey Wilson, Bertie Corbett. (Tip Foster was replaced by Cunliffe) The North: F.Thompson, W.Layton, Jimmy Crabtree, Harry Johnson, W.Bull, R.Norris, A.Goddard, Steve Bloomer, George Hedley, Charlie Sagar, J.Turner. (Ernest Needham was replaced by Norris)
	The Mansion House War Fund for those that had suffered from the war effort in the Transvaal received the proceeds from a fascinating eight-goal thriller. Next international: v. Ireland (17 March 1900 at Dublin) 2-0 Cunliffe, Oakley, Robinson, Smith and Turner from The South, plus Crabtree, Johnson, Needham and Sagar from The North, played for England.

Season 1900-01
33	Monday, 25 February 1901 - The South 3 The North 3 [3-0] Sports Arena, Crystal Palace (4,000)	Banks⁴,¹⁷, Foster³⁷ Cox⁶⁰, Bull⁶², Bloomer⁸¹
	The South: Jack Robinson, Charlie Fry, Bill Oakleyᶜ, Billy Jones, A.Hitch, H.Vickers, W.Richards, Tip Foster, R.Blaker, Herbert Banks, Bertie Corbett. (Arthur Chadwick, Gilbert Smith and Archie Turner were replaced by Blaker, Hitch and Richards) The North: Matt Kingsley, Billy Balmer, Bob Crompton, Sam Wolstenholme, Tommy Crawshaw, Ernest Needhamᶜ, F.Johnson, Steve Bloomer, George Hedley, W.Bull, Jack Cox. (A.Evans, G.Johnson and Charlie Sagar were replaced by Bull, Crompton and Hedley)
	A spate of withdrawals ended with The South having to recruit Bury's Billy Richards to their ranks, but they stormed into a commanding lead before The North's quality became evident in the second half. Next international: v. Ireland (9 March 1901 at Southampton) 2-0 Banks, Foster, Fry, Jones, Oakley, Robinson and Turner from The South, plus Cox, Crawshaw, Hedley and Needham from The North, played for England.

Season 1901-02
34	Monday, 24 February 1902 - The South 0 The North 2 [0-1] Sports Arena, Crystal Palace (5,000)	Blackburn⁸, Hogg⁵²
	The South: Jack Robinson, F.Stokes, J.Jackson, Billy Jones, Herbert Smith, Bert Lee, Hugh Stanbrough, Tip Fosterᶜ, E.Booker, C.Ryder, Bertie Corbett. (Arthur Chadwick, Charlie Fry, Gilbert Smith and J.Turner were replaced by Booker, Corbett, Jackson and Smith) The North: Billy George, Bob Crompton, Alex Leake, Albert Wilkes, Billy Bannister, Walter Abbott, Billy Hogg, C.Simmons, Billy Beats, W.Wooldridge, Fred Blackburn. (Steve Bloomer, Jimmy Crabtree, Bert Lipsham, Ernest Needham and Jimmy Settle were replaced by Abbott, Blackburn, Leake, Simmons and Wooldridge)
	A fourth successive visit to the Crystal Palace for The North, once again, brought no success for The South, in a match in which nine of the original selections were unavailable for various reasons, including upcoming FA Cup replays. The winning side even went down to ten men early in the second half when Chippy Simmons went off injured. The South fielded a Scottish full-back, in Woolwich Arsenal's Jimmy Jackson. Next international: v. Wales (3 March 1902 at Wrexham) 0-0 Foster from The South, plus Abbott, Bloomer, Crabtree, Crompton, George, Hogg, Lipsham, Needham and Wilkes from The North, played for England (Chadwick was a late replacement, but withdrew).

Season 1902-03
35	Monday, 26 January 1903 - The South 1 The North 2 [1-0] White Hart Lane, Tottenham (11,000)	Woodward Sagar, Raybould
	The South: G.Clawley, F.Stokes, Herbert Smith, T.Morris, E.Watts, Kelly Houlker, J.Craggs, Danny Cunliffe, Vivian Woodward, T.Barlow, Bertie Corbettᶜ. (Tip Foster and George Molyneux were replaced by Barlow and Smith) The North: Harry Linacre, Howard Spencerᶜ, James Iremonger, Ben Warren, Bernard Wilkinson, R.Jackson, A.Goddard, Billy Garraty, S.Raybould, Charlie Sagar, B.Rankin.
	Moving the fixture to a club ground and including three Tottenham players in The South line-up ensured a larger crowd, but the hosts could not sustain their half-time lead. Next international: v. Ireland (14 February 1903 at Wolverhampton) 4-0 Molyneux and Woodward from The South, plus Spencer from The North, played for England (Houlker was a reserve, Garraty was in the original selection).

Season 1903-04
36	Monday, 25 January 1904 - The South 0 The North 4 [0-3] Manor Ground, Plumstead (18,000)	Davis, Settle, Brawn, Bache
	The South: A.Cartlidge, G.Stevenson, George Molyneux, Bert Lee, P.Sands, Bob Hawkes, A.Durrant, Tim Coleman, Vivian Woodwardᶜ, F.Harrison, W.Linward. The North: Tom Baddeley, Bob Cromptonᶜ, Herbert Burgess, Harry Ruddlesdin, Tommy Crawshaw, Alex Leake, Billy Brawn, Alf Common, Jimmy Settle, Joe Bache, George Davis.
	The same formula was applied in choosing a London club ground for the fixture, with three players selected from that club (Woolwich Arsenal) and it produced a bumper crowd, the biggest ever for a trial match. Unfortunately for the home support, however, their team was outplayed in all departments as The North notched up a third successive victory, and all in London. Next international: v. Wales (29 February 1904 at Wrexham) 2-2 Lee from The South, plus Bache, Baddeley, Brawn, Burgess, Common, Crawshaw, Crompton, Davis and Ruddlesdin from The North, played for England.

Season 1904-05
37	Monday, 13 February 1905 - The South 1 The North 3 [0-1] Ashton Gate, Bedminster (7,500)	Walton Parkinson (2), Wilcox
	The South: A.Cartlidge, W.Bull, G.Stevenson, Billy Jones, G.Parsonage, P.Chambers, J.Walton, Vivian Woodward, G.Harris, Stanley Harrisᶜ, E.Ward. (J.Brearley and Herbert Smith were replaced by Bull and Chambers. Other reserve was E.Bluff)  The North: Tim Williamson, J.Groves, F.Stokes, Sam Wolstenholme, Charlie Roberts, Alex Leake, Dicky Bond, Steve Bloomerᶜ, Jack Parkinson, F.Wilcox, Frank Booth. (Arthur Brown was replaced by Parkinson. Reserves were Arthur Bridgett and Bernard Wilkinson)
	Four weeks before the trial, a preliminary trial match was staged between the Professionals of the South and the Amateurs of the South at White Hart Lane, in an effort to pick the best possible southern-based players from both classes to face The North. The good form of the Corinthians had given the Football Association renewed hope that the amateur game could still be a match for the professionals. It ended 1-1 and eight players (three of them amateurs) earned their place in The South's line-up against The North, as Bristol City hosted the fixture for the first time, but only Stanley Harris from the pre-trial impressed enough to win a full cap. It was a fourth successive away win for The North. Next international: v. Ireland (25 February 1905 at Middlesbrough) 1-1 Stanley Harris and Woodward from The South, plus Bloomer, Bond, Booth, Leake, Roberts, Williamson and Wolstenholme from The North, played for England (Bluff and Bridgett (replacing Brearley) were reserves).

Season 1905-06
38	Monday, 22 January 1906 - The North 0 The South 2 [0-0] Elland Road, Leeds (7,000)	Day, Woodward
	The North: A.Robinson, Bob Cromptonᶜ, T.Rodway, Ben Warren, Colin Veitch, J.Bradley, Dicky Bond, Alf Common, Arthur Brown, Joe Bache, Bert Gosnell. (Reserves: E.Bluff and Harry Makepeace) The South: Jimmy Ashcroft, A.Cross, T.Riley, A.Collins, W.Bull, Kelly Houlker, G.Vassall, Sammy Day, Vivian Woodward, Stanley Harrisᶜ, Gordon Wright. (Herbert Smith was replaced by Riley. Reserves were P.Chambers and P.Farnfield)
	Another preliminary trial match was held, two weeks before the trial, and this time the Professionals of the South beat the Amateurs by a goal to nil at Craven Cottage. Though the amateurs failed to score, the selectors came up with the strategy of fielding the entire amateur forward line, with the majority of the back line and half-backs professional, when it came to combining the teams to face The North. It was a spectacular success. After four successive home defeats, The South travelled north and recorded their first victory since 1890. Next international: v. Ireland (17 February 1906 at Belfast) 5-0 Bond, Brown, Crompton, Gosnell, Veitch and Warren from The North, plus Ashcroft, Day, Harris, Houlker and Smith from The South, played for England (Bull and Common were reserves, Woodward was in the original selection).

Season 1906-07
39	Monday, 3 December 1906 - Professionals 4 Amateurs 2 [3-0] Owlerton Stadium, Sheffield (8,000)	Stewart²¹, Brown⁴⁰,⁴², Rutherford⁶² Hassett⁶⁵, Hardman⁷⁰
	Professionals: A.Robinson, W.Layton, F.Stokes, Ben Warren, Billy Wedlock, A.Collins, Jock Rutherford, Tim Coleman, Arthur Brown, Jimmy Stewart, Bert Lipsham. (Harry Makepeace and Colin Veitch were replaced by Collins and Wedlock. Reserves were Arthur Bridgett and Jack Carr) Amateurs: E.Proud, Watty Corbett, W.Timmis, Bob Hawkes, Kenneth Hunt, G.Hassett, J.Raine, Sammy Day, Vivian Woodward, Stanley Harrisᶜ, Harold Hardman. (W.Cleminson was replaced by Hawkes. Reserves were F.Milnes (replacing H.Milton) and V.Simpson)
	With England's new amateur team making its debut in the previous month, beating France 15-0 in Paris, the Football Association, once more, after a gap of ten seasons, pitted the best amateurs against a professional select side in, what was primarily, an amateur international trial. Next amateur international: v. Ireland (15 December 1906 at Dublin) 2-1 Corbett, Day, Hardman, Hassett, Hawkes, Hunt, Raine and Woodward from the Amateurs, played for England (Harris and Simpson were in the original selection). Next full international: v. Ireland (16 February 1907 at Liverpool) 1-0 Carr, Coleman, Rutherford, Warren and Wedlock from the Professionals, plus Hardman and Hawkes from the Amateurs, played for England (Veitch was a reserve).
40	Monday, 28 January 1907 - The South 1 The North 4 [1-2] Stamford Bridge, Fulham (13,065)	Hilsdon Rutherford (2), Wall, Jones
	The South: Jimmy Ashcroft, A.Cross, Herbert Smithᶜ, A.Collins, Billy Wedlock, Bob Hawkes, Charlie Wallace, Tim Coleman, George Hilsdon, D.Ross, F.Threlfall. (Vivian Woodward was replaced by Hilsdon. Reserves were W.Bull and F.Wheatcroft) The North: Sam Hardy, Bob Cromptonᶜ, Jack Carr, Ben Warren, Colin Veitch, J.Bradley, Jock Rutherford, V.Simpson, W.Jones, Arthur Bridgett, George Wall. (Jimmy Stewart and D.Stokes were replaced by Bridgett and Rutherford. Other reserve was Tom Brittleton)
	Normal service was resumed as The North recorded their fifth successive away win, following their surprise defeat of the previous year. Next international: v. Ireland (16 February 1907 at Liverpool) 1-0 Coleman, Hawkes, Hilsdon and Wedlock from The South, plus Carr, Crompton, Hardy, Rutherford and Warren from The North, played for England (Veitch was a reserve).

Season 1907-08
41	Monday, 27 January 1908 - The North 4 The South 4 [0-2] Hyde Road, Manchester (10,000)	Rutherford, Wood, Bradshaw, Brown Hilsdon (4)
	The North: Harry Maskrey, R.Holden, T.Rodway, R.Duckworth, W.Bottomley, W.Bartlett, Jock Rutherford, Frank Bradshaw, Arthur Brown, J.Wood, George Wall. (Reserves were Jesse Pennington and Irvine Thornley) The South: G.Kitchen, J.McEwen, Joe Cottle, Andy Ducat, Billy Wedlock, Evelyn Lintott, Fred Pentland, Vivian Woodwardᶜ, George Hilsdon, Jimmy Windridge, F.Mouncher. (Reserves were A.Collins and George Woodger)
	The amateur team now had their own separate trial match in which The South usually beat The North. In the professional game, the opposite was invariably true, though on this occasion, Chelsea's George Hilsdon, nicknamed the 'Gatling Gun' for his quick shooting, fired The South into a 4-1 lead, with half an hour left. The North, perhaps encouraged by the prospect of a £10 fee to be awarded for all professionals playing for the England team, somehow clawed their way back and forced a draw, though six of them were never capped. Next international: v. Ireland (15 February 1908 at Belfast) 3-1 Maskrey, Pennington, Rutherford and Wall from The North, plus Hilsdon, Lintott, Wedlock, Windridge and Woodward from The South, played for England (Ducat was a reserve).

Season 1908-09
42	Monday, 25 January 1909 - The South 0 The North 0 [0-0] Craven Cottage, Fulham (12,000)
	The South: H.Lock, E.Charlton, Joe Cottle, Ben Warren, Billy Wedlock, Kenneth Hunt, Arthur Berry, Vivian Woodwardᶜ, George Hilsdon, Jimmy Windridge, H.Middlemiss. (Reserves were Andy Ducat and George Woodger) The North: Sam Hardy, Bob Cromptonᶜ, T.Rodway, Tom Brittleton, Charlie Roberts, Evelyn Lintott, Jack Sharp, George Holley, Bert Freeman, Frank Bradshaw, Arthur Bridgett. (Reserves were Harold Halse and Colin Veitch)
	Quality football was difficult on a frosty pitch in foggy conditions where visibility was poor, but the proceeds from the game were donated to the Lord Mayor's Fund for those suffering from the recent earthquake in Italy that had killed over 75,000 people, the most destructive ever to hit Europe. Next international: v. Ireland (13 February 1909 at Bradford) 4-0 Berry, Cottle, Hilsdon, Warren, Wedlock, Windridge and Woodward from The South, plus Bridgett, Crompton, Hardy and Lintott from The North, played for England (Veitch was a reserve).

Season 1909-10
-	Monday, 24 January 1910 - Whites vs. Stripes Anfield, Liverpool	match postponed due to severe frost
	For the first time in 16 years, the FA chose to use nominal teams for the international trial, but the pitch was in a poor state and the game was put back a week.
43	Monday, 31 January 1910 - Whites 1 Stripes 1 [0-1] Anfield, Liverpool (12,000)	Owen Parkinson
	Whites: Sam Hardy, Bert Morley, Jesse Penningtonᶜ, Andy Ducat, Billy Wedlock, Billy Bradshaw, J.Curtis, Harold Fleming, Bert Freeman, A.Owen, E.Williams. (George Holley and Albert Shepherd were replaced by Freeman and Owen) Stripes: J.Lievesley, H.Collyer, Arthur Cowell, Tom Brittleton, Tommy Boyle, George Richards, Charlie Wallace, Vivian Woodwardᶜ, Jack Parkinson, Joe Bache, Bert Hall. (Other reserves for either team were W.Dudley and J.Harrop)
	With the pitch a combination of ice, slush and sand, the players struggled to put on a show. Harold Fleming's penalty, after an hour's play, was hit so weakly that Joe Lievesley stopped it with his foot, but Syd Owen rescued a draw for the Whites with the last kick of the game. Next international: v. Ireland (12 February 1910 at Belfast) 1-1 Bradshaw, Ducat, Fleming, Hardy, Morley and Wedlock from the Whites, plus Bache, Cowell, Hall and Woodward from the Stripes, played for England (Boyle was a reserve).

Season 1910-11
44	Monday, 23 January 1911 - Whites 4 Stripes 1 [1-0] White Hart Lane, Tottenham (8,000)	Fleming (3), Shepherd Emberton
	Whites: Tim Williamson, W.Troughear, Jesse Penningtonᶜ, Ben Warren, Billy Wedlock, A.Trueman, R.Jefferson, Harold Fleming, Albert Shepherd, Joe Bache, Robert Evans (Tim Coleman⁴⁸). Stripes: A.Iremonger ͨ, F.Blackman, T.Whitson, F.Emberton, C.Buckley (J.Harrop⁴⁸), Albert Sturgess, Jock Simpson, J.Walters, Harry Hampton, Jimmy Stewart, George Wall.
	Issues of nationality were the focus when the selections for this trial match were announced. Millwall's James Jeffrey had to be dropped from the Stripes when the FA discovered that he was Scottish. He was immediately replaced by Tony Whitson. Meanwhile, Robert Evans was selected for the Whites despite having already won ten caps for Wales, including four times against England. Much to the consternation of the FA of Wales, who had selected him to play against Ireland in Belfast five days after the trial match, the Football Association discovered that Evans had been born in Chester and was three weeks old when his Welsh parents moved him over the border into Wales. Purely because of his birthplace, the FA, as was their right, claimed him as one of their own. He was carried off injured in the trial, but went on to score on his England debut and made four appearances for them. Although the Whites were convincing winners, with Harold Fleming making up for his penalty miss of the previous year, Jock Simpson (born in England of Scottish parents) was the man of the match, creating numerous opportunities for the Stripes that were simply not taken. He had been impressing for Falkirk in the Scottish First Division, but signed for Blackburn Rovers after the game. Next international: v. Ireland (11 February 1911 at Belfast) 2-1 Evans, Fleming, Pennington, Shepherd, Warren, Wedlock and Williamson from the Whites, plus Simpson and Sturgess from the Stripes, played for England.

Season 1911-12
45	Monday, 22 January 1912 - Whites 1 Stripes 0 [1-0] Ewood Park, Blackburn (12,000)	Jefferis
	Whites: Tim Williamson, Bob Cromptonᶜ, Jesse Pennington (Arthur Cowell⁴⁶), Tom Brittleton, Billy Wedlock, George Richards, Jock Simpson, Frank Jefferis, Billy Hibbert, A.Bown, I.Sharpe. (Harold Fleming and Bert Freeman were replaced by Hibbert and Jefferis)  Stripes: Sam Hardy, Eph Longworthᶜ, G.Stacey, R.Duckworth, Charlie Roberts, Billy Bradshaw, Jackie Mordue, George Holley, T.Browell, Frank Bradshaw, H.Middlemiss. (Billy Hibbert, Frank Jefferis and F.Womack were replaced by Browell, Duckworth and Holley, and Hibbert and Jefferis were switched to the Whites) (Other reserve for either team was Tommy Boyle)
	The sides were shuffled slightly before the game, due to the missing firepower of the two injured strikers, Fleming and Freeman, but one of their replacements, Frank Jefferis transferred from the Stripes and became the Whites' matchwinner. Next international: v. Ireland (10 February 1912 at Dublin) 6-1 Brittleton, Crompton, Fleming, Freeman, Pennington, Simpson and Wedlock from the Whites, plus Billy Bradshaw, Hardy, Holley and Mordue from the Stripes, played for England (Jefferis and Williamson were in the original selection).

Season 1912-13
46	Monday, 25 November 1912 - The South 2 England 1 [1-1] White Hart Lane, Tottenham (10,000)	Shea, Woodward Stephenson
	The South: R.Brebner, T.Burn, Arthur Knight, W.Booth, W.Silto, Kenneth Hunt, Charlie Wallace, Danny Shea, H.Pearce, Vivian Woodwardᶜ, H.Middlemiss. England: Tim Williamson, Bob Cromptonᶜ, Jesse Pennington, A.Walmsley, Billy Wedlock, George Utley, Jock Simpson, Charlie Buchan, Harry Hampton, Clem Stephenson, Joe Bache.
	After three years of Whites versus Stripes, with the Whites usually containing selectors' favourites, the Football Association decided to follow the Rugby Football Union's lead and play two trial matches, with The North and South separately taking on the England team. In this first clash, The South were boosted by the addition of the entire back line of the Great Britain Olympic team that had won gold in Stockholm, three months earlier, together with captain, Vivian Woodward, whose winning goal gave The South their first victory at 'home' (i.e. in the south) for 22 years, against a strong England team.
47	Monday, 20 January 1913 - The North 5 England 0 [3-0] Hyde Road, Manchester (15,000)	Utley, Smith, Crompton OG, Mordue, Buchan
	The North: Ernie Scattergood, Dickie Downs, Bob Benson, Frank Cuggy, Tommy Boyle, George Utley, Jackie Mordue, Charlie Buchan, George Elliott, Joe Smith, Billy Hibbert. (Frank Hudspeth, Charlie Roberts and George Wall were replaced by Benson, Boyle and Hibbert, and Hudspeth and Roberts were switched to England) England: Tim Williamson, Bob Cromptonᶜ, Frank Hudspeth, W.Booth, Charlie Roberts, Kenneth Hunt, Fanny Walden, Vivian Woodward, Bert Freeman, Clem Stephenson, Joe Bache. (Jesse Pennington and Billy Wedlock were replaced by Hudspeth and Roberts) (Other reserve for either team was J.Worrall)
	It appeared that The North would be severely weakened when they had to concede Hudspeth and Roberts, due to injuries in the selected England team, but inspired by the Sunderland left-wing pairing of Buchan and Mordue, England were embarrassingly outplayed, causing major rethinks for the selection committee. (Hunt and Woodward played for England in the second trial after playing for The South in the first, whilst Buchan and Utley played for The North in the second trial after playing for England in the first). Next international: v. Ireland (15 February 1913 at Belfast) 1-2 Benson, Boyle, Buchan, Cuggy, Elliott, Mordue, Smith, Utley and Wall from The North, plus Crompton and Williamson from England, played for England (Booth from The South was a reserve, Pennington was in the original selection).

Season 1913-14
48	FA Charity Shield
	Monday, 6 October 1913 - Professionals 7 Amateurs 2 [4-0] The Den, New Cross (12,000)	Holley (2), Fleming, Hampton (4 (1 pen)) Barlow, Farnfield
	Professionals: Sam Hardy, Bob Cromptonᶜ, F.Womack, Frank Cuggy, Joe McCall, Billy Watson, Fanny Walden, Harold Fleming, Harry Hampton, George Holley, Joe Hodkinson. (Tom Brittleton, Jesse Pennington and Jock Simpson were replaced by Cuggy, Walden and Womack. Reserves were George Elliott and J.Wilson) Amateurs: R.Brebner, T.Burn, Arthur Knight, G.How, E.Peacock, J.Dines, I.Sharpe, R.Healey, Vivian Woodwardᶜ, H.Farnfield, G.Barlow. (Kenneth Hunt was replaced by Peacock. Reserves were G.Edmonds and D.McWhirter)
	In the Football Association's Golden Jubilee year, it was decided to use the Charity Shield to revive a meeting between professionals and amateurs, rather than invite the League Champions, Sunderland to face the Southern League Champions, Plymouth Argyle, as was customary, due to the unsportsmanlike behaviours seen in Sunderland's FA Cup Final defeat against Aston Villa. It was, effectively, a clash between the FA's two national teams, but the intention to play the same England team that had defeated Scotland, six months earlier, to win the British Championship, was scuppered when three players had to withdraw. However, the difference between the classes was painfully evident as the Professionals scored almost at will. Eight days later, the worst mining disaster in British history killed 440 men at Senghenydd, near Caerphilly, and the FA donated the proceeds from the Charity Shield to the disaster fund. Next amateur international: v. Ireland (8 November 1913 at Belfast) 2-0 Barlow, Brebner, Burn, Dines, Farnfield, Knight, Peacock and Woodward played for England (Sharpe was in the original selection).
49	Monday, 24 November 1913 - The South 1 England 3 [0-1] Craven Cottage, Fulham (12,000)	McFadden McCall (2), Hampton
	The South: J.Webster, T.Burn, F.Womack, Kenneth Hunt, T.Hanney, Arthur Grimsdell, Charlie Wallace, Harold Halse, Vivian Woodward ͨ, R.McFadden, H.Middlemiss. (H.Pearce was replaced by Halse) England: Sam Hardy, Bob Cromptonᶜ, Jesse Pennington, Frank Cuggy, Joe McCall, George Utley, A.Jephcott, Harold Fleming, Harry Hampton, George Holley, Joe Hodkinson. (Fanny Walden and Billy Watson were replaced by Jephcott and Utley)
	A disappointing game, by all accounts, as a strong England team made amends for the previous year's defeat. For the second year in succession, Aston Villa's Charlie Wallace played for The South, with Birmingham's Frank Womack also appearing. Players from the Midlands had historically represented The North. Wallace also played for The North, two months later, whilst still playing for Villa, but that was as a late replacement.
50	Wednesday, 21 January 1914 - The North 3 England 4 [1-2] Roker Park Ground, Sunderland (18,853)	Elliott, Shea (2) Holley, Fleming, Woodward, Mosscrop
	The North: R.Beale, Frank Hudspeth, J.English, Frank Cuggy, Frank Buckley, A.Whalley, Charlie Wallace, Danny Shea, George Elliott, Eddie Latheron, Harry Martin. (Jock Simpson was replaced by A.Donaldson, who was then replaced by Wallace) England: Sam Hardy, Bob Crompton, Jesse Pennington, Tom Brittleton, Joe McCall (Tommy Boyle⁴⁶), Billy Watson, Fanny Walden, Harold Fleming, Vivian Woodwardᶜ, George Holley, Eddie Mosscrop.
	A fast, flowing game saw England redeem themselves after the previous year's debacle, in the last international trial match before the war, but England's defence allied to The North's attack did not work in the first full international of the season. Alex Donaldson was removed from selection when it was discovered that he was Scottish. (Woodward played for England in the second trial after playing for The South in the first, whilst Cuggy played for The North in the second trial after playing for England in the first). Next international: v. Ireland (14 February 1914 at Middlesbrough) 0-3 Buckley, Cuggy, Elliott, Latheron, Martin, Shea and Wallace from The North, plus Crompton, Hardy, Pennington and Watson from England, played for England (Brittleton and Holley were reserves).

Season 1918-19
51	Monday, 14 April 1919 - The South 1 The North 4 [1-2] Stamford Bridge, Fulham (8,000)	Chipperfield Smith, Cock, Hanney OG, Shea
	The South: Ted Hufton, Tommy Clay, Jack Harrow, T.Hanney, Max Woosnamᶜ, Arthur Grimsdell, H.Ford, H.White, Syd Puddefoot, J.Chipperfield, F.Penn. (Andy Ducat was replaced by Hanney) The North: Sam Hardy, Eph Longworthᶜ, F.Duckworth, T.Fleetwood, Joe McCall, A.Grenyer, Bobby Turnbull, Danny Shea, Jack Cock, Joe Smith, Harry Martin. (Reserves were Jimmy Bagshaw and E.Gault)
	As the world began to recover from the Great War, there was only time for one trial match and it was a revival of the meetings last seen ten years earlier. There were several familiar faces from before the war and it was a familiar outcome in torrential rain with the pitch in poor condition. Next victory international: v. Scotland (26 April 1919 at Liverpool) 2-2 Grimsdell and Puddefoot from The South, plus Duckworth, Fleetwood, Hardy, Longworth, Martin, McCall, Shea, Smith and Turnbull from The North, played for England.

Season 1919-20
52	Monday, 9 February 1920 - The South 1 England 2 [0-1] The Hawthorns, West Bromwich (15,000)	Sloley Morris, Cock
	The South: A.Reynolds, J.Elvey, Arthur Knight, Bert Smith, Frank Barson, Percy Barton, J.Crisp, Bert Bliss, Syd Puddefoot, R.Sloley, A.Davies. (Reserves were W.Ball, S.Richardson and Clem Stephenson) England: Sam Hardy, Dickie Downs, Jesse Pennington, Andy Ducat, Joe McCall, Arthur Grimsdell, J.Sheldon, Charlie Buchan, Jack Cock, Fred Morris, Alf Quantrill.
	The Football Association reverted back to their pre-war policy of playing separate trial matches against The North and South, with the difference that the Irish game was brought forward to October, as the FA had requested not to have to make Irish Sea crossings in February when the weather was usually worse. They had used two victory internationals against Wales to decide on their team for the Ireland game. The choice of venue for this trial proved that the Birmingham area was now considered to be part of 'The South', but England triumphed with an 87th minute winner.
53	Wednesday, 25 February 1920 - The North 3 England 5 [2-3] St. James' Park, Newcastle upon Tyne (30,000)	Crossley, Fazackerley (pen), Elliott Morris, Buchan (2), Grimsdell (pen), Cock
	The North: James Mitchell, B.Hobson, Fred Bullock, B.Fletcher, Tom Wilson, Frank Barson, Sam Chedgzoy, S.Fazackerley, George Elliott, C.Crossley, Harry Martin. England: Sam Hardy, J.Elvey, Jesse Penningtonᶜ, Andy Ducat, Joe McCall, Arthur Grimsdell, Bobby Turnbull, Charlie Buchan, Jack Cock, Fred Morris, Alf Quantrill.
	A high-scoring game in front of a huge crowd, but England were always a step ahead of their opponents. Like his Aston Villa team mate, Charlie Wallace, had done in 1914, Frank Barson played for both The South and The North in successive trial games. (Elvey played for England in the second trial after playing for The South in the first). Next international: v. Wales (15 March 1920 at Highbury) 1-2 Barson, Chedgzoy and Elliott from The North, plus Buchan, Ducat, Grimsdell, Hardy, Pennington and Quantrill from England, played for England (Smith and Stephenson from The South were reserves).

 

Season 1920-21
54	Monday, 7 February 1921 - The South 1 England 1 [0-0] White Hart Lane, Tottenham (23,000)	Dominy⁷¹ J.Smith⁶⁶
	The South: Bert Coleman, Jack Fort, A.Hutchins, Alf Baker, J.Wren, Percy Barton, A.Jephcott, A.Dominy, Ernie Simms, Bert Bliss, Jimmy Dimmock. (Bert Smith was switched to England and replaced by Baker. Other reserve was B.Bateman) England: Harold Gough, Tommy Smart, C.Jones, Bert Smith, Joe McCallᶜ, Arthur Grimsdell, Sam Chedgzoy, Bob Kelly, Charlie Buchan, Joe Smith, G.Seymour. (Andy Ducat was replaced by Bert Smith. Reserves were Harry Chambers and George Wilson)
	A record crowd for a trial match played in the south, but an unremarkable game.
55	Monday, 28 February 1921 - The North 6 England 1 [1-1] Turf Moor, Burnley (35,153)	Urwin, Buchan (3), Bromilow (pen), Kirton Dimmock
	The North: Jack Mew, Warney Cresswell, Jack Silcock, Jack Bamber, George Wilson, Tom Bromilow, Sam Chedgzoy, Billy Kirton, Charlie Buchanᶜ, Harry Chambers, Tommy Urwin. (Gough and George Harrison were replaced by Mew and Urwin, and Gough was switched to England)  England: Harold Gough, Jack Fort, C.Jones, Andy Ducat, Joe McCallᶜ, Arthur Grimsdell, W.Nesbitt, Bob Kelly, Billy Walker, Joe Smith, Jimmy Dimmock. (Bert Coleman and Tommy Smart were replaced by Fort and Jack Mew, who was then switched to The North and replaced by Gough)
	The national team were overwhelmed by Charlie Buchan's control of the ball as he achieved the rare feat of scoring a hat-trick against England and The North drew comparisons with their 5-0 victory in the 1913 trial match. The Football League were so impressed that they selected nine of the team to play against the Scottish League a couple of weeks later (they won 1-0 with Buchan scoring the only goal). (Dimmock and Fort played for England in the second trial after playing for The South in the first, whilst Buchan and Chedgzoy played for The North in the second trial after playing for England in the first). Next international: v. Wales (14 March 1921 at Cardiff) 0-0 Bamber, Bromilow, Buchan, Chambers, Chedgzoy, Cresswell, Silcock and Wilson from The North, plus Coleman and Kelly from England, played for England (Sims from The South, and Urwin were reserves, Dimmock was in the original selection).

Season 1921-22
56	Monday, 6 February 1922 - The North 1 England 0 [1-0] Valley Parade, Bradford (9,000)	Creek⁴⁰
	The North: Teddy Davison, Warney Cresswell, Harry Jones, S.Richardson, Max Woosnamᶜ, Tom Bromilow, G.Donkin, Billy Kirton, Norman Creek, Harry Chambers, Billy Smith. (Joe Smith was switched to England and replaced by Cresswell) England: Jerry Dawson, Joe Smith, Tommy Lucas, Frank Moss, George Wilson, Arthur Grimsdell ͨ, Sam Chedgzoy, Bob Kelly, Frank Roberts, Billy Walker, George Harrison. (Tommy Clay was replaced by Smith)
	The order of trial matches was reversed, but a poor crowd due to the game clashing with the home club's FA Cup replay at Sheffield, saw The North record a second successive victory on an icy pitch. Norman Creek appeared to deflect Billy Smith's shot into the net for the only goal of the game which would be the last between the teams.
57	Wednesday, 22 February 1922 - The South 3 England 1 [2-1] Craven Cottage, Fulham (21,000)	Hegan (2), Rawlings Chambers
	The South: Bert Coleman, Jack Harrow, Fred Titmuss, Bert Smith, A.Campbell, F.Spillerᶜ, Fanny Walden, Jimmy Seed, Bill Rawlings, D.Cock, Jackie Hegan. (Alf Baker, Jack Fort, A.Hutchins and Syd Puddefoot were replaced by Harrow, Rawlings, Smith and Titmuss, and Baker was switched to England) England: Jerry Dawson, Tommy Clay, Tommy Lucas, Harry Pantling, George Wilson, Arthur Grimsdellᶜ, Sam Chedgzoy, Bob Kelly, Tommy Roberts, Harry Chambers, George Harrison. (Frank Moss, Billy Smith and Billy Walker were replaced by Baker, Chambers and Harrison, and then Baker was replaced by Pantling)
	A third successive trial-match defeat for 'England' gave The South their first victory for ten years. (Chambers played for England in the second trial after playing for The North in the first). Next international: v. Wales (13 March 1922 at Liverpool) 1-0 Bromilow, Davison and Woosnam from The North, plus Rawlings, Smith, Titmuss and Walden from The South, and Clay, Kelly, Smith and Walker from England, played for England (Chambers was a reserve, Hegan and Moss were in the original selection).
58	Wednesday, 8 March 1922 - Whites 1 Reds 1 [1-1] Old Trafford, Manchester (tbc)	Chambers⁴⁵ Mercer²¹
	Whites: Jack Mew, Tommy Lucas, R.Freeman, Jack Bamber, Max Woosnamᶜ, Tom Bromilow, Jackie Carr, J.Spaven, Harry Chambers, Clem Stephenson, Billy Smith. (J.Gill, W.Grimshaw, S.Richardson and Billy Walker were replaced by Bamber, Carr, Spaven and Stephenson) Reds: Ted Taylor, Dickie Downs, Sam Wadsworth (Jack Silcock⁴⁶), Joe Peacock, Tom Wilsonᶜ, Tommy Meehan, David Mercer, Bob Kelly, T.Browell, H.Barnes, F.Hopkin.  (Frank Moss, Frank Osborne, Tommy Smart, Fanny Walden and R.Woodhouse were replaced by Barnes, Browell, Downs, Mercer and Peacock)
	The Football League arranged a trial match as a memorial to the former Manchester United manager, Jack Robson, with proceeds going to his widow and children, but as every player was English, it also served as an additional trial match for the upcoming full international. Next international: v. Wales (13 March 1922 at Liverpool) 1-0 Bromilow, Smith, Walker and Woosnam from the Whites, plus Kelly and Walden from the Reds, played for England (Chambers and Wilson were reserves, Moss was in the original selection). Next league international: v. Scottish League (18 March 1922 at Glasgow) 3-0 Bromilow, Chambers, Grimshaw, Lucas and Smith from the Whites, plus Barnes, Kelly, Wadsworth and Wilson from the Reds, played for the Football League (Moss was in the original selection).

Season 1922-23
59	Monday, 12 February 1923 - The South 0 England 1 [0-0] The Den, New Cross (22,500)	Titmuss OG⁷⁵
	The South: J.Lansdale, Tommy Clay, Fred Titmuss, H.Wilding, Jack Hill, Arthur Grimsdellᶜ, Fanny Walden, Jimmy Seed, Vic Watson, Frank Hartley, Jackie Hegan. (Frank Osborne was replaced by Walden) England: Ted Taylor, Eph Longworth, Sam Wadsworth, Tommy Magee, George Wilsonᶜ, Tom Bromilow, Jackie Carr, Charlie Buchan, J.Broad, Harry Chambers, F,Hopkin. (C.Wilson was replaced by Broad)
	England's first victory in a trial match for three years was a little fortuitous as Fred Titmuss's back pass was misjudged by his goalkeeper. This was the last meeting between the teams.
-	Monday, 19 February 1923 - The North vs. England Elland Road, Leeds	match cancelled due to snow
	The North: H.Pearson, Bill Ashurst, Sam Wadsworth, Fred Kean, George Wilsonᶜ, Tom Bromilow, Sam Chedgzoy, Bob Kelly, C.Wilson, Harry Chambers, F.Hopkin. (Eph Longworth was switched to England and replaced by Ashurst. Reserves were David Jack and Tom Wilson) England: Ted Taylor, Eph Longworth, Fred Titmuss, Tommy Magee, Jack Hill, Arthur Grimsdellᶜ, Jackie Carr, Jimmy Seed, Vic Watson, Frank Hartley. Jackie Hegan. (Tommy Clay was replaced by Longworth)
	England were denied the chance to stop The North completing a hat-trick of victories against them, by six inches of snow. When the teams were first announced, the Football Association had mainly rearranged the sides from the first trial, with eight of The South's team being 'promoted' to the England team, and seven of the England team 'demoted' to The North. (Grimsdell, Hartley, Hegan, Hill, Seed, Titmuss and Watson were selected for England in the second trial after playing for The South in the first, whilst Bromilow, Chambers, Hopkin, Wadsworth and George Wilson were selected for The North in the second trial after playing for England in the first). Next international: v. Wales (5 March 1923 at Cardiff) 2-2 Grimsdell, Seed, Titmuss and Watson from The South, plus Carr, Chambers, Longworth, Magee, Taylor and George Wilson from England, played for England (Hartley was a reserve).

Season 1923-24
60	FA Charity Shield
	Monday, 8 October 1923 - Professionals 2 Amateurs 0 [0-0] Stamford Bridge, Fulham (12,000)	Bradford, Chambers
	Professionals: Ted Taylor, Warney Cresswell, Sam Wadsworth, Sid Bishop, George Wilsonᶜ, Tommy Meehan, Frank Osborne, David Jack, Joe Bradford, Harry Chambers, Fred Tunstall. Amateurs: Bert Coleman, F.Twine, Alfred Bowerᶜ, Basil Patchitt, George Armitage, Fred Ewer, Jackie Hegan, Stan Earle, F.Macey, Graham Doggart, Len Barry. (Claude Ashton and Max Woosnam were replaced by Armitage and Ewer)
	Ten years after their first Charity Shield meeting, the Professionals and Amateurs clashed again, but this time with both national teams facing upcoming internationals with Ireland. It was a closer game and the Amateurs fielded nine players that would go on to win full international caps, as well as amateur (but not Patchitt, who had already captained the full England team and never represented his country at amateur level). Next international: v. Ireland (20 October 1923 at Belfast) 1-2 Bradford, Chambers, Meehan, Taylor, Tunstall, Wadsworth and Wilson from the Professionals, plus Bower and Hegan from the Amateurs, played for England (Bishop and Jack were reserves). Next amateur international: v. Ireland (10 November 1923 at Crystal Palace) 3-0 Armitage, Ashton, Barry, Bower, Doggart, Earle, Ewer, Hegan, Macey and Twine played for England.
61	Monday, 21 January 1924 - The North 5 The South 1 [4-0] Elland Road, Leeds (6,000)	Stephenson, Jack (2), Bradford, Seymour Haines
	The North: Ronnie Sewell, Warney Cresswell, Sam Wadsworth, Fred Kean, Jimmy Seddon, Percy Barton, Sam Chedgzoyᶜ, David Jack, Joe Bradford, Clem Stephenson, G.Seymour. The South: Howard Baker, Tom Parker, Alfred Bower, Bert Smith, Claude Ashtonᶜ, Tommy Meehan, J.Paterson, Stan Earle, W.Haines, A.Elkes, Jackie Hegan.
	Another change of approach by the Football Association as they briefly re-introduced the duels between north and south in the belief that The South could now seriously challenge The North at the ground where they last beat them, in 1906. On this occasion, they were wrong.
62	Monday, 11 February 1924 - England 1 The Rest 0 [1-0] White Hart Lane, Tottenham (12,600)	Moss³⁰
	England: Ted Taylor, Tommy Smart, Sam Wadsworth, Frank Moss, George Wilsonᶜ, Percy Barton, W.Grimshaw, David Jack, Joe Bradford, Clem Stephenson, Fred Tunstall. (Billy Butler, Warney Cresswell and G.Seymour were replaced by Grimshaw, Smart and Tunstall) The Rest: Ronnie Sewell, Tommy Lucas, Tommy Mort, Fred Kean, Tom Wilson, Tommy Meehan, S.Hoar, A.Elkes, Tommy Roberts, Harry Chambers, Owen Williams. (W.Grimshaw, Bob Kelly, Tommy Smart and Fred Tunstall were replaced by Elkes, Hoar, Lucas and Williams, and Grimshaw, Smart and Tunstall were switched to England. Other reserves were Tom Bromilow and Jack Harrow)
	The success of The North team in the previous trial match had prompted the selectors to choose seven of the team that had beaten The South, with two injured (Chedgzoy and Seddon), and the captain and goalkeeper restored. Illness and an FA Cup replay denied them Cresswell and Seymour, with Chedgzoy's replacement, Butler, also injured, proving once again that the timing of these trial matches on a Monday was not ideal. Another injury was sustained by Frank Moss, who, after scoring the only goal, went off with a twisted knee, five minutes into the second half. (Barton, Bradford, Jack, Stephenson and Wadsworth played for England in the second trial after playing for The North in the first, whilst Sewell played for The Rest in the second trial after playing for the North in the first, and Elkes and Meehan played for The Rest in the second trial after playing for The South in the first). Next international: v. Wales (3 March 1924 at Blackburn) 1-2 Barton, Jack, Smart, Stephenson, Tunstall and Wilson from England, plus Kean and Sewell from The North, and Mort and Roberts from The Rest, played for England (Bromilow and Chambers were reserves, Wadsworth was in the original selection).

Season 1924-25
63	FA Charity Shield
	Monday, 6 October 1924 - Professionals 3 Amateurs 1 [0-0] Arsenal Stadium, Highbury (10,000)	Walker (2), Buchan Kail
	Professionals: Ted Taylor, Alf Baker, Sam Wadsworth, Frank Mossᶜ, Harry Healless, George Green, J.Spencer, Charlie Buchan, Harry Bedford, Billy Walker, Fred Tunstall. Amateurs: Fred Mitchell, E.Spencer, Alfred Bower, Albert Barrett, Claude Ashton ͨ, Fred Ewer, R.Jenkins, Edgar Kail, Viv Gibbins, Frank Hartley, Jackie Hegan.
	An intensive and close game that was only decided in the last ten minutes by the Professionals' superior fitness. Next amateur international: v. South Africa (11 October 1924 at Southampton) 3-2 The same team played for England. Next international: v. Ireland (22 October 1924 at Liverpool) 3-1 Bedford, Healless, Tunstall, Wadsworth and Walker from the Professionals, plus Mitchell from the Amateurs, played for England (Hartley was a reserve, Taylor was in the original selection, Ewer was an original reserve).
64	Monday, 19 January 1925 - The South 3 The North 1 [2-1] Stamford Bridge, Fulham (7,199)	Seed⁶, Osborne⁴⁰,⁵³ Chandler⁴⁵
	The South: J.Whatley, Tom Parker, Alfred Bowerᶜ, J.Hannah, Jack Townrow, Len Graham, Frank Osborne, Jimmy Seed, Tommy Cook, A.Elkes, Jackie Hegan. (Claude Ashton, W.Henderson, S.Hoar, Edgar Kail and Vic Watson were replaced by Cook, Hannah, Osborne, Parker and Seed) The North: Harry Hardy, Tommy Lucas, J.Jones, Tommy Magee, Jimmy Seddon, George Green, Tommy Urwin, Joe Carter, A.Chandler, Billy Walker, Arthur Dorrell. (Reserves: David Jack and H.Thoms)
	The South's first home win against The North for 35 years was the last ever meeting between the teams. It was not a fiercely-contested game, but victory came with a convincing performance, despite their having to make five changes from the original selection.
65	Monday, 9 February 1925 - England 2 The Rest 2 [2-1] Maine Road, Manchester (tbc) Abandoned after 63 minutes due to waterlogged pitch	Walker, Cook Roberts (2)
	England: Albert McInroy, Bill Ashurst, Alfred Bowerᶜ, Jack Hill, Jack Townrow, Len Graham, Bob Kelly, Jimmy Seed, Tommy Cook, Billy Walker, Arthur Dorrell. (Frank Osborne was replaced by Kelly) The Rest: Dick Pym, Tom Parker, A.Finney, J.Hannah, George Wilsonᶜ, George Green, Billy Butler, Frank Roberts, G.James, A.Hawes, G.Seymour. (Bob Kelly was switched to England and replaced by S.Hoar, who was then replaced by Butler. Reserves were J.Whitehouse and Tom Wilson)
	A knee injury causing Billy Walker to be carried off the field seemed to be the final straw in appalling conditions and the game was rightly abandoned. (Bower, Cook, Graham, Seed and Townrow played for England in the second trial after playing for The South in the first, and Dorrell and Walker played for England in the second trial after playing for The North in the first, whilst Hannah and Parker played for The Rest in the second trial after playing for the South in the first, and Green played for The Rest in the second trial after playing for The North in the first). Next international: v. Wales (28 February 1925 at Swansea) 2-1 Ashurst, Bower, Cook, Dorrell, Graham, Hill, Kelly and Walker from England, plus Pym and Roberts from The Rest, played for England (Carter from The North, and Townrow were reserves).

Season 1925-26
66	Wednesday, 30 September 1925 - Birmingham FA 2 FA XI 3 [2-0] St Andrew's, Birmingham (8,000)	Walker (2) Watson, Dillimore, Jones OG
	Birmingham: J.Best, E.Watson, J.Jones, S.Richardson, A.Talbot, Percy Barton, T.Glidden, T.Bowen, Joe Bradford, Billy Walkerᶜ, Arthur Dorrell. FA XI: Ted Taylor, Tommy Clay, Sam Wadsworth, Fred Kean, H.Thoms, Arthur Grimsdellᶜ, Joe Spence, Stan Earle, Vic Watson, J.Dillimore, L.Murphy. (Frank Barson, Harry Chambers and Frank Roberts were replaced by Dillimore, Earle and Thoms. Other reserves were Jack Butler and Harry Storer)
	A strong FA team found themselves two goals down at half-time in the Birmingham County FA Golden Jubilee match to a home team inspired by Aston Villa's Billy Walker, a man very familiar to the England selectors, having already won twelve caps, scored seven goals and captained his country in their last international. They eventually overcame their hosts (who came from five different clubs) in the second half, though. Next international: v. Ireland (24 October 1925 at Belfast) 0-0 Dorrell and Walker from Birmingham, plus Kean from the FA, played for England (Earle was a reserve, Wadsworth was in the original selection).
67	FA Charity Shield
	Monday, 5 October 1925 - Professionals 1 Amateurs 6 [0-2] White Hart Lane, Tottenham (5,000)	Hannaford Ashton (4), Macey (2)
	Professionals: Harry Hardy, S.Charlton, C.Poynton, J.Hamilton, Charlie Spencerᶜ, Len Graham, C.Hannaford, J.Walsh, Ernie Simms, A.Elkes, G.Seymour. (H.Batten was replaced by Seymour) Amateurs: Howard Baker, F.Twine, E.Gates, W.Caesar, George Armitage, Billy Bryant, R.Morgan, Edgar Kail, Claude Ashtonᶜ, F.Macey, W.Bellamy. (Alfred Bower was replaced by Gates)
	An amateur representative side had only ever beaten a professional select in their very first meeting in 1886, but they lifted the Shield for the first time with an astonishing annihilation of their opponents. They were not facing as strong a professional line-up as for the two previous meetings, however, as the side was restricted to the squad that had toured Australia in the close season, though they had played together many times and four of them had full international caps. The Amateurs lost their captain to injury before the game and the first half was a close contest, but it was the Amateurs who used the new offside law to better effect. Ernie Simms was a limping passenger after twenty minutes and didn't appear for the second half which was two minutes old when Baker saved a penalty from Stan Seymour. The match was over as a contest from this point, with the Amateurs scoring four more goals before their opponents could manage a single consolation. Next international: v. Ireland (24 October 1925 at Belfast) 0-0 Armitage, Ashton and Baker from the Amateurs, played for England. Next amateur international: v. Ireland (7 November 1925 at Maidstone) 6-4 Armitage, Ashton, Baker, Bellamy, Bower, Bryant, Caesar, Kail, Macey and Twine played for England.
68	Monday, 18 January 1926 - England 0 The Rest 1 [0-0] The Den, New Cross (14,400)	Bullock⁸⁵
	England: Ted Taylor, Warney Cresswell, E.England, Alf Baker, Jack Butler, George Green, T.Glidden, Bob Kelly, Frank Osborne, Billy Walkerᶜ, Len Barry. (Harry Bedford was replaced by Osborne) The Rest: Dick Pym, Tommy Smart, Tommy Mort, Billy Bryant, Jack Hill, Len Graham, Dicky York, Joe Carter, Norman Bullock, A.Elkes, Jackie Heganᶜ. (Frank Osborne and Syd Puddefoot were replaced by Bullock and Carter, and Osborne was switched to England. Other reserves were Alfred Bower and Maurice Webster, with Bower then replaced by M.Forster)
	On a snow-covered pitch, it was Bury's Norman Bullock, a late addition to the team, who settled the game in its closing stages, earning for himself a place in the England team for the next trial.
69	Wednesday, 10 February 1926 - England 3 The Rest 4 [1-1] St. James' Park, Newcastle upon Tyne (15,000)	Walker (2), Bullock Brain, Urwin, Johnson (2)
	England: Ted Taylor, Warney Cresswell, A.Keeping, Alf Baker, Jack Hill, George Green, Dicky York, Bob Kelly, Norman Bullock, Billy Walkerᶜ, Arthur Dorrell. (Tommy Mort was replaced by Keeping) The Rest: Dick Pym, Tom Parker, Sam Wadsworth, Willis Edwards, Tom Wilsonᶜ, Len Graham, Tommy Urwin, Joe Carter, J.Brain, Tommy Johnson, Jimmy Dimmock. (H.Johnson, A.Keeping and Tommy Smart were replaced by Harry Bedford, Parker and Wadsworth, and Keeping was switched to England. Bedford was then replaced by Brain. Other reserves were W.Adams, T.Curry and Syd Puddefoot)
	A covering of snow again prevented flowing football, but there were plenty of thrills with England twice leading before Tommy Johnson's two late goals settled matters in The Rest's favour. With the fixtures between north and south teams no longer played, a more simple system saw two consecutive games between England and The Rest become the new preferred option. (Bullock, Hill and York played for England in the second trial after playing for The Rest in the first). Next international: v. Wales (1 March 1926 at Selhurst) 1-3 Bullock, Cresswell, Green, Kelly and Walker from England, plus Dimmock, Edwards, Pym, Urwin and Wadsworth from The Rest, played for England (Graham and Osborne were reserves).

Season 1926-27
70	FA Charity Shield
	Wednesday, 6 October 1926 - Professionals 3 Amateurs 6 [2-2] Maine Road, Manchester (1,500)	Rawlings (2), Tunstall Kail, Minter (2), Macey (2), Keeping OG
	Professionals: T.Gale, G.Clifford, A.Keeping, Tommy Magee, J.Waugh, G.Harkus, W.Harris, David Jack, Bill Rawlings, Joe Smithᶜ, Fred Tunstall. (Reserve: Owen Williams) Amateurs: A.Russell, F.Twine, E.Gates, A.Cartlidge, Billy Bryant, Fred Ewer, C.Tarr, Edgar Kailᶜ, W.Minter, F.Macey, W.Bellamy. (R.Fairbrother and R.Jenkins were replaced by Cartlidge and Tarr. Other reserve was T.Parker, who was replaced by S.Beswick)
	The Amateurs retained the Shield with another six-goal beating and this time gave the Professionals a two-goal start. Once again, it was the Amateurs that finished much the stronger side, now against a team with five full internationals, four of whom were in the forward line. As in the previous year, the Professionals were restricted to the members of a touring squad that had spent their close season playing together, this time in Canada. Though it was an entertaining contest, the attendance was very poor and the Amateurs were denied the chance to go for the hat-trick, a year later, when the FA decided to invite club sides again. Next amateur international: v. Ireland (6 November 1926 at Belfast) 3-0 Bellamy, Cartlidge, Gates, Kail, Macey and Twine played for England.
71	Monday, 15 November 1926 - Staffordshire FA 4 FA XI 6 [nk] Molineux, Wolverhampton (tbc)	Briggs (2), Dorrell, Davies Dean (2), G.Brown (2), Kean, Kelly
	Staffordshire: H.Wait, R.Baugh, H.Shaw, Tommy Magee, J.Mitton, R.Dale, J.Lowe, H.Davies, G.Briggs, Billy Walkerᶜ, Arthur Dorrell. FA XI: Jack Brown, Roy Goodall, Sam Wadsworthᶜ, Willis Edwards, Fred Kean, George Green, Joe Spence, George Brown, Bill Dean, Bob Kelly, Jimmy Ruffell.
	For the Staffordshire FA's Golden Jubilee match the home selection leaned heavily on the same 'big four' clubs that had provided all but one of the players for the Birmingham FA's jubilee match in the previous year and they also were captained by Aston Villa's Billy Walker. In the FA side, a nineteen-year-old 'Dixie' Dean served notice of his phenomenal goalscoring abilities that would light up the first division over the coming years. Next international: v. Wales (12 February 1927 at Wrexham) 3-3 Walker from Staffordshire, plus George Brown, Jack Brown, Dean, Edwards and Green from the FA, played for England.
72	Monday, 17 January 1927 - England 7 The Rest 3 [0-2] Stamford Bridge, Fulham (11,473)	G.Brown, Dean (4), Walker (2) Camsell, Kail, Rigby
	England: Jack Brown, Roy Goodall, Sam Wadsworthᶜ, Willis Edwards, Fred Kean, George Green, Billy Pease, George Brown, Bill Dean, Billy Walker, Jimmy Ruffell. (Joe Spence was replaced by Pease) The Rest: Dick Pym, Tom Parker, George Waterfield, A.Lowdell, Jimmy Seddonᶜ, Len Graham, Joe Hulme, Edgar Kail, George Camsell, Arthur Rigby, Louis Page. (Billy Pease and Jimmy Seed were replaced by Hulme and Rigby, and Pease was switched to England. Other reserves were Tommy Magee and C.Poynton)
	The Rest appeared to have the game won after almost an hour's play when they were three goals ahead, but then, all of a sudden, England scored three goals in as many minutes and proceeded to clinically run away with the game, themselves. England's selection was almost the same as had played at Wolverhampton, two months earlier, with Walker being added, but then Spence was required for an FA Cup second replay, so a second change was made.
73	Monday, 7 February 1927 - England 2 The Rest 3 [1-1] Burnden Park, Bolton (14,000)	Camsell (2) Chandler, Rigby, Cross
	England: Jack Brown, Alfred Bower, George Waterfield, Willis Edwards, Jimmy Seddon, George Green, Joe Spence, George Brown, George Camsell, Billy Walkerᶜ, Louis Page. (Bill Dean and Roy Goodall were replaced by Bower and Camsell) The Rest: Dick Pym, M.Forster, H.Cope, Harry Nuttall, Fred Kean, Fred Ewerᶜ, Billy Pease, B.Cross, A.Chandler, Arthur Rigby, Jimmy Ruffell. (Alfred Bower and George Camsell were switched to England and replaced by Chandler and Forster. Other reserves were Jackie Carr and A.Elkes)
	A much closer game with The Rest securing a third win in four games against England, though the selectors seemed quite happy with their England team line-up. (Camsell, Page, Seddon and Waterfield played for England in the second trial after playing for The Rest in the first, whilst Kean, Pease and Ruffell played for The Rest in the second trial after playing for England in the first). Next international: v. Wales (12 February 1927 at Wrexham) 3-3 Bower, George Brown, Jack Brown, Dean, Edwards, Green, Page, Seddon, Walker and Waterfield from England, plus Pease from The Rest, played for England (Nuttall and Rigby were reserves).

Season 1927-28
74	Monday, 23 January 1928 - England 5 The Rest 1 [2-1] The Hawthorns, West Bromwich (10,355)	Hulme, Dean (3), Finch OG Stephenson
	England: Jack Brown, Roy Goodall, Reg Osborne, Willis Edwards, Fred Keanᶜ, Sid Bishop, Joe Hulme, Bob Kelly, Bill Dean, Jackie Carr, Billy Smith. The Rest: Ted Hufton, E.Finch, J.Oakes, J.Knight, A.Chadder, Harry Storer, Jack Bruton, Edgar Kailᶜ, George Camsell, George Stephenson, Fred Tunstall. (Alfred Bower, Billy Bryant and Frank Osborne were replaced by Camsell, Chadder and Finch. Other reserves were Ernie Hine and Dan Tremelling)
	The players had to perform on a muddy field with hardly any grass visible. This did not stop Dean from adding to his season's tally of forty goals in all competitions for Everton. It was his fifth hat-trick, and there were over three months still to play in the season.
75	Wednesday, 8 February 1928 - England 8 The Rest 3 [2-1] Ayresome Park, Middlesbrough (18,431)	Dean (5), Smith, Hulme (2) Tunstall (pen), Camsell, Hine
	England: Jack Brown, Roy Goodall, Reg Osborne, Willis Edwards, Fred Keanᶜ, Sid Bishop, Joe Hulme, Bob Kelly, Bill Dean, Jackie Carr, Billy Smith. The Rest: Ted Hufton, E.Finch, Jack Silcock, A.Andrews, Vince Matthews (George Green), Harry Storer, Jack Bruton, Ernie Hine, George Camsell, George Stephenson, Fred Tunstall. (M.Forster, Harry Healless and Jack Townrow were replaced by George Armitage, Finch and A.Lowdell, and then Armitage and Lowdell were replaced by Andrews and Matthews. Other reserve was Jack Ball)
	For the first time ever, an England trial team was unchanged and they were the first to score eight goals, though a large part was due to the incredible goal machine that was Bill Dean, who had now scored fourteen goals in just four trial matches. He went on to set an all-time record of sixty top-flight goals that no one has come anywhere near to challenging since, giving him a grand total of 71 goals for club and country in all competitions in the 1927-28 season. Despite the success of the trial selection, only six of the team played in the next international, where they were humiliated by their biggest rivals. Next international: v. Scotland (31 March 1928 at Wembley) 1-5 Dean, Edwards, Goodall, Hulme, Kelly and Smith from England, plus Healless and Hufton from The Rest, played for England (Bishop was in the original selection).

Season 1928-29
76	Wednesday, 10 October 1928 - Lancashire FA 6 FA XI 5 [3-2] Burnden Park, Bolton (8,000)	Johnson (3), Dean (2), Jack Hine, Bradford (2), Crooks, Wainscoat
	Lancashire: Jack Hacking, J.Jackson, Herbert Jones, Fred Kean ͨ, Jack Hill, Austen Campbell, Jack Bruton, David Jack, Bill Dean, Tommy Johnson, Louis Page. FA XI: Dan Tremelling, Tom Cooper, Ernie Blenkinsop, Willis Edwards, Vince Matthews (Harry Storer⁴⁶), Sid Bishopᶜ, Sammy Crooks, Ernie Hine, Vic Watson (Russell Wainscoat⁴⁶), Joe Bradford, Jimmy Ruffell.
	It was the Lancashire FA's turn to host a Golden Jubilee celebration for the fiftieth anniversary of its formation, and two strong sides took part in an eleven-goal thriller. Next international: v. Ireland (22 October 1928 at Liverpool) 2-1 Campbell, Dean and Hacking from Lancashire, plus Blenkinsop, Bradford, Cooper, Edwards, Hine and Ruffell from the FA, played for England (Kean was a reserve, Bishop was in the original selection).
77	Monday, 4 February 1929 - England 4 The Rest 3 [2-1] Hillsborough, Sheffield (17,400)	Watson (2), Ruffell, Hine Brown, Chandler, Bruton
	England: Jack Hacking, Tom Cooper, Ernie Blenkinsop, Willis Edwardsᶜ, Ernie Hart, Austen Campbell, Joe Hulme, Ernie Hine, Vic Watson, Russell Wainscoat, Jimmy Ruffell. (Bill Dean was replaced by Watson) The Rest: Ted Hufton, J.Jackson, E.England, Fred Kean, A.Chadder ͨ, J.Naylor, Jack Bruton, George Brown, A.Chandler, Harold Miller, Fred Tunstall. (D.Morris was replaced by Vic Watson, who was then switched to England and replaced by Gordon Hodgson, who was then replaced by Chandler)
	With the annual fixture against Wales now being played in November, the trial matches were moved nearer to the Scotland game which was in April. England had scored 29 goals in their last six trials against 'The Rest', but they were still struggling against the Scots.
78	Monday, 11 March 1929 - England 1 The Rest 2 [0-2] White Hart Lane, Tottenham (16,000)	Watson⁷⁸ Hodgson¹⁰, Page³⁰
	England: Jack Hacking, J.Jackson, Ernie Blenkinsop, Willis Edwardsᶜ, Ernie Hart, Austen Campbell, Joe Hulme, Ernie Hine, Vic Watson, Billy Walker, Jimmy Ruffell. (George Brown was replaced by Hine) The Rest: Harry Hibbs, Tommy Smart, H.Shaw, Fred Keanᶜ, Jack Townrow, Billy Marsden, Sammy Crooks, J.Landells, Gordon Hodgson, W.Price, Louis Page. (Ernie Hine and Jimmy Seddon were replaced by Landells and Townrow, and Hines was switched to England. Other reserves were Joe Carter, G.Collin and Harry Storer)
	With only two changes to the England team (though Hines kept his place only because of Brown's injury), 'The Rest' were, generally, the better team, yet none of their line-up appeared at Hampden. (Jackson played for England in the second trial after playing for The Rest in the first). Next international: v. Scotland (13 April 1929 at Glasgow) 0-1 Blenkinsop, Brown, Cooper, Dean, Edwards, Hacking, Ruffell and Wainscoat from England, plus Seddon from The Rest, played for England (Campbell was a reserve).

Season 1929-30
79	FA Charity Shield
	Monday, 7 October 1929 - Professionals 3 Amateurs 0 [1-0] The Den, New Cross (6,000)	Seed, Chandler, Pease
	Professionals: Ben Olney, W.Thompson, A.Keeping, L.Armitage, Ernie Hart, Bert Barrett, Billy Pease, Jimmy Seedᶜ, A.Chandler, H.Davies, J.Williams. (Harry Hibbs was replaced by Olney. Other reserves were A.Harrison and J.Landells) Amateurs: Howard Baker, F.Gregory, E.Gates, C.Glenister, A.Chadder ͨ, J.Knight, F.Sherman, Edgar Kail, R.Dellow, Graham Doggart, Jackie Hegan. (Reserves were H.Coates and Fred Ewer)
	The Football Association had one last stab at pitting professionals against amateurs to reward the professional squad that had toured South Africa and Southern Rhodesia in the close season. It had a smattering of England internationals and avenged the hammerings that the Professionals had endured in the two previous Charity Shield meetings. Next international: v. Ireland (19 October 1929 at Belfast) 3-0 Barrett and Hart from the Professionals, played for England (Kail from the Amateurs was a reserve). Next amateur international: v. Ireland (16 November 1929 at Crystal Palace) 7-2 Coates, Ewer, Gates, Gregory and Kail, played for England (Chadder was in the original selection).
80	Wednesday, 12 March 1930 - England 1 The Rest 6 [0-2] Anfield, Liverpool (12,000)	Tunstall Jack (3), Marsden, Johnson, Strange
	England: Harry Hibbs, Tom Cooper, Ernie Blenkinsop, Willis Edwardsᶜ, Tom Wilson, Austen Campbell, Hugh Adcock, Ernie Hine, George Camsell, George Stephenson, Fred Tunstall. The Rest: Jack Brown, Roy Goodall, Eddie Hapgood, Alf Strange, Maurice Webster, Billy Marsden, Sammy Crooks, David Jackᶜ, Joe Bradford, Tommy Johnson, Eric Brook.
	This fixture was now only being played once per season. Unusually, both sides were as originally selected, but England were outplayed by 'The Rest'. Arsenal's David Jack was the star, with George Camsell shooting wide from a late England penalty. It was, however, a blessing in disguise for the selectors as they finally managed to put together a team to beat Scotland convincingly, despite using two members of the defence that had conceded six goals. Next international: v. Scotland (5 April 1930 at Wembley) 5-2 Blenkinsop and Hibbs from England, plus Bradford, Crooks, Goodall, Jack, Marsden, Strange and Webster from The Rest, played for England.

Season 1930-31
81	Wednesday, 4 March 1931 - England 3 The Rest 2 [3-2] Arsenal Stadium, Highbury (14,282)	Dean (3) Burgess (2)
	England: Hugh Turner, Roy Goodallᶜ, Ernie Blenkinsop, Alf Strange, A.Talbot, Austen Campbell, Sammy Crooks, Gordon Hodgson, Bill Dean, Tommy Johnson, Eric Houghton. (Harry Hibbs was replaced by Turner) The Rest: C.Spiers, Tom Cooperᶜ, W.Roughton, Len Oliver, Sam Cowan, Joe Tate, Jack Bruton, Jack Smith, Jimmy Hampson, Harry Burgess, Cliff Bastin. (Joe Bradford, Tommy Graham, H.Shaw and Hugh Turner were replaced by Burgess, Cowan, Roughton and Spiers, and Turner was switched to England. Other reserve was Sid Bishop, whilst Eddie Hapgood was an original reserve)
	A lively first half, with 'The Rest' taking a two-goal lead in the first ten minutes and threatening to complete a hat-trick of victories, but the unstoppable Bill Dean brought his total from six trial matches to an incredible nineteen goals and England came back to win. Multiple changes to the line-ups were necessary due to three FA Cup sixth-round replays being played on the same day. Next international: v. Scotland (28 March 1931 at Glasgow) 0-2 Blenkinsop, Campbell, Crooks, Dean, Goodall, Hibbs, Hodgson and Strange from England, plus Burgess from The Rest, played for England (Oliver and Smith were reserves).

Season 1931-32
82	Monday, 28 September 1931 - Sheffield 1 FA XI 0 [0-0] Hillsborough, Sheffield (10,000)	Burgess
	Sheffield: Jack Brown, P.Thorpe, Ernie Blenkinsopᶜ, Alf Strange, T.Davison, George Green, M.Hooper, Harry Burgess, J.Dunne, B.Oxley, Fred Tunstall. FA XI: Harry Hibbs, J.Jennings, W.Roughton, Tommy Mageeᶜ, Peter O'Dowd, Austen Campbell, Tommy Urwin, Jack Smith, J.Cookson, Ernie Hine, Len Barry. (S.Alexander and Ray Bowden were replaced by Cookson and Urwin. Other reserves were Len Oliver and George Shaw)
	With both Sheffield sides riding high in the first division, they put out a combined eleven from both Wednesday and United to defeat an FA side selected from the squad that had toured Canada in the close season. The game was played in aid of the Billy Marsden Trust Fund. Marsden had played for Wednesday and his career had come to an end following a spinal injury picked up playing for England against Germany in Berlin, the previous year. Next international: v. Ireland (17 October 1931 at Belfast) 6-2 Blenkinsop and Strange from Sheffield, plus Campbell, Hibbs, Hine and Smith from the FA, played for England.
83	Wednesday, 16 March 1932 - England 1 The Rest 4 [0-2] Leeds Road, Huddersfield (8,444)	Bastin Barclay, Waring (2), Hulme
	England: Harry Hibbs (Hugh Turner⁴⁶), Roy Goodallᶜ, Ernie Blenkinsop, Alf Strange, Peter O'Dowd, Austen Campbell, Sammy Crooks, Jack Smith, Bill Dean, Tommy Johnson, Cliff Bastin. The Rest: Harold Pearson, George Shawᶜ, Eddie Hapgood, Lewis Stoker, Alf Young, Sam Weaver, Joe Hulme, Bobby Barclay, Tom Waring, Fred Tilson, Eric Houghton. (R.Hollingworth was replaced by Young. Other reserves were Joe Beresford and H.Shaw)
	For once, 'Dixie' Dean was unable to find the net in a trial match, being closely marked by Alf Young, playing on his home ground. It was 'Pongo' Waring who proved the most deadly in front of goal, whilst goalkeeper, Harry Hibbs was taken to hospital at half-time with concussion. England's solitary goal came three minutes from the end. Next international: v. Scotland (9 April 1932 at Wembley) 3-0 Blenkinsop, Crooks, Johnson, O'Dowd and Strange from England, plus Barclay, Houghton, Pearson, George Shaw, Waring and Weaver from The Rest, played for England (Stoker was a reserve).

Season 1932-33
84	Wednesday, 22 March 1933 - England 1 The Rest 5 [0-4] Fratton Park, Portsmouth (15,103)	Bastin Hulme (2), Pickering, Hunt (2)
	England: Ted Sagar, Tom Cooper, Ernie Blenkinsopᶜ, Cliff Britton, Jack Barker, Eric Keen, Sammy Crooks, Tom Grosvenor, E.Coleman, Raich Carter, Cliff Bastin. The Rest: Frank Moss, George Male, Eddie Hapgood, Alf Strange, Tommy White, Wilf Copping, Joe Hulme, Ronnie Starling, George Hunt, Jack Pickering, Johnny Arnold. (Albert Geldard was replaced by Hulme. Other reserves were H.Hammond, G.Milburn and Lewis Stoker)
	The teams wore numbered shirts as England were, once again, humbled by a better team. After 25 minutes, Ted Sagar left the field to receive treatment to a cut over the eye and his temporary deputy, Blenkinsop conceded the fourth goal before Sagar returned for the second half. England could not find a way past the goalkeeper and full-backs of Arsenal until, as in the previous year, it was down to Bastin to provide the consolation once 'The Rest' had finished scoring. Yet, none of the Arsenal defenders were selected for the Scotland game. Next international: v. Scotland (1 April 1933 at Glasgow) 1-2 Blenkinsop and Cooper from England, plus Arnold, Hulme, Hunt, Pickering, Starling and Strange from The Rest, played for England (Stoker was a reserve).

Season 1933-34
85	Wednesday, 21 March 1934 - England 1 The Rest 7 [0-3] Roker Park, Sunderland (13,500)	Willingham Gurney (2), Carter (4), Brook
	England: H.Morton, Roy Goodallᶜ, W.Roughton, Ken Willingham, Jimmy Allen, Wilf Copping, Fred Worrall, Joe Beresford, J.Milsom, Ray Westwood, Cliff Bastin. (George Camsell and Harry Hibbs were replaced by Milsom and Morton) The Rest: J.Nicholls, Tom Cooperᶜ, Eddie Hapgood, Lewis Stoker, Ernie Hart, Sam Weaver, Stanley Matthews, Raich Carter, Bobby Gurney, Billy Furness, Eric Brook. (J.Milsom and H.Morton were switched to England and replaced by Gurney and Nicholls. Other reserves were Jack Barker, J.Milburn and Ronnie Starling)
	With the players again numbered, 'The Rest' completed a hat-trick of victories and it was their fifth trial-match success in six years against England. Each of the three wins was easier than the last with England being completely outplayed on this occasion which saw an interesting first glimpse of a 19-year-old Stan Matthews impressing on the right wing and Raich Carter was particularly prolific in front of goal. Eddie Hapgood had played in each of the last four victories for 'The Rest'. Next international: v. Scotland (14 April 1934 at Wembley) 3-0 Bastin and Copping from England, plus Brook, Carter, Cooper, Hapgood, Hart and Stoker from The Rest, played for England (Beresford was a reserve).

Season 1934-35
86	Wednesday, 27 March 1935 - England 2 The Rest 2 [2-1] The Hawthorns, West Bromwich (12,846)	Drake (2) Gurney, Brook (pen)
	England: Ted Sagar, George Male, Eddie Hapgoodᶜ, Cliff Britton, Jack Barker, Jackie Bray, Albert Geldard, Raich Carter, Ted Drake, Ray Westwood, Cliff Bastin. (Wilf Copping and Harry Hibbs were replaced by Bray and Sagar) The Rest: Frank Swift, F.Channell, Sam Barkas, Tommy Gardner, W.Millershipᶜ, Walter Alsford, Sammy Crooks, George Eastham, Bobby Gurney, Teddy Sandford, Eric Brook. (Jackie Bray and Ted Sagar were switched to England and replaced by Alsford and Swift. Other reserves were G.Beeson, Jimmy Cunliffe and H.Goslin)
	England managed to avoid defeat for the first time in four years, impressing the selectors enough for them to use almost the same side against Scotland, but not a great decision, in hindsight. This was, not only, an international trial, but also a trial for a game of two referees, one in each half of the field. However, it was also a game with no controversial incidents, so the officials were not given a strong test. A further trial dispensed with linesmen, but the system was not popular with referees and was never implemented. Next international: v. Scotland (6 April 1935 at Glasgow) 0-2 Barker, Bastin, Britton, Geldard, Hapgood, Hibbs, Male and Westwood from England, plus Alsford, Brook and Gurney from The Rest, played for England (Carter and Gardner were reserves, Bray was in the original selection).

Season 1935-36
87	Wednesday, 25 March 1936 - Probables 3 Possibles 0 [0-0] Old Trafford, Manchester (10,000)	Richardson ⁵⁹,⁶⁷,⁸⁴
	Probables: Harry Holdcroft, W.Rochford, Sam Barkas, Ken Willingham, Alf Youngᶜ, J.Cockcroft, Stanley Matthews, Raich Carter, Billy Richardson, A.Dawes, Harold Hobbis. (Ralph Birkett and Ray Westwood were replaced by Dawes and Matthews, and Birkett was switched to the Possibles) Possibles: J.Kirby, J.Griffiths, R.Stuart, Lewis Stokerᶜ, G.Vose, Sep Smith, Ralph Birkett, George Eastham, T.Cheetham, Len Goulden, Arthur Cunliffe. (Ted Catlin, A.Dawes and Fred Worrall were replaced by Birkett, Goulden and Stuart, and Dawes was switched to the Probables)
	England were originally due to face 'The Rest', as per usual, but the Football Association then decided to change their approach. None of the 22 players selected could assume that they were first choices and none of the team that had lost at home to Wales in the previous month, were selected. 'Ginger' Richardson caught the eye with a second-half hat-trick, but it wasn't enough, and nor were his 43 goals scored during the 1935-36 season, to earn him a place at Wembley. The Manchester Guardian, sensing that the match would have little or no bearing on the upcoming international and that the selectors already knew their preferred line-up, re-named it as the "Mainly Improbables" versus the "Very Unlikelies". They were spot on in their assessment, as England would have been unchanged against Scotland, but for three injuries, and even then, their replacements were not participants in the trial match, prompting the Guardian to proclaim that it must have been "the FA's little jest!". Next international: v. Scotland (4 April 1936 at Wembley) 1-1 Dawes and Willingham from the Probables were reserves.

Season 1936-37
88	Wednesday, 17 March 1937 - Probables 2 Possibles 0 [1-0] Turf Moor, Burnley (6,024)	Tilson, Bowden
	Probables: Vic Woodley, George Maleᶜ, Ted Catlin, Cliff Britton, Alf Young, Jackie Bray, Alf Kirchen, Ray Bowden, Fred Tilson, Ray Westwood, Eric Brook. (Freddie Steele was replaced by Tilson) Possibles: George Tweedy, Leslie Compton, Sam Barkasᶜ, J.Jobling, Stan Cullis, Don Welsh, Stanley Matthews, Jackie Robinson, J.Clayton, Len Goulden, Joe Johnson. (Joe Payne and Bert Sproston were replaced by Clayton and Compton. Other reserves were Tommy Gardner, T.Inns and Jimmy Richardson)
	The players wore large numbers on their backs and this proved very popular, but the match, with no competitive meaning, in front of a small crowd, was losing its relevance in the football calendar and the players were treating it like a friendly, as a consequence. Next international: v. Scotland (17 April 1937 at Glasgow) 1-3 Bray, Britton, Male, Steele, Woodley and Young from the Probables, plus Barkas, Johnson and Matthews from the Possibles, played for England (Bowden and Welsh were reserves).

Season 1937-38
89	Wednesday, 13 October 1937 - Probables 1 Possibles 1 [1-0] Goodison Park, Liverpool (7,000)	Brook⁴² Richardson⁶⁰
	Probables: Vic Woodley, Bert Sproston, Sam Barkas, Ken Willingham, Alf Youngᶜ, Jackie Bray, Albert Geldard, Willie Hall, Bobby Gurney, Len Goulden, Eric Brook. (Ray Bowden was switched to the Possibles and replaced by Hall) Possibles: S.Bartram, Leslie Compton, R.Stuart, Jack Crayston, Stan Cullisᶜ, Wilf Copping, Alf Kirchen, Billy Scott, Billy Richardson, Ray Bowden, Jackie Morton. (Eric Stephenson was replaced by Jimmy Richardson, who was then replaced by Bowden. Other reserves were J.Gorman and Sep Smith)
	With the players again "enormously numbered", in the third successive trial match to be played in Lancashire, this was to be the last of these annual fixtures, although a live second-half commentary was broadcast on the radio. It had been switched to the beginning of the international season, but the Football League's victory against the Irish League, a week earlier, had seemingly provided the selectors with all that they needed to know, rendering the official trial, once again, barely relevant. Indeed, they left their seats, ten minutes before the end, and announced their international selection just fifteen minutes after the final whistle. Next international: v. Ireland (23 October 1937 at Belfast) 5-1 Barkas, Brook, Geldard, Goulden, Hall, Sproston and Woodley from the Probables, plus Copping, Crayston and Cullis from the Possibles, played for England (Scott and Smith were reserves, Young was in the original selection).

 

Season 1939-40
90	Saturday, 20 January 1940 - England 4 The Army 3 [3-3] Selhurst Park, Croydon (10,057)	Martin (2), Broome, Matthews Fagan, Welsh (2)
	England: S.Bartram, G.Bacuzzi, Eddie Hapgoodᶜ, Jack Crayston, B.Harper, Wilf Copping, Stanley Matthews, J.Martin, Frank Broome, Len Goulden, Leslie Smith. (Ken Willingham was replaced by Copping) The Army: A.Riley, Bert Sproston, A.Beattie, H.Goslin, Stan Cullisᶜ, Joe Mercer, Albert Geldard, M.Edelston, W.Fagan, Don Welsh, D.Compton.
	The football authorities were quick to react to the declaration of war in September 1939 and suspended all competitions, mindful of the criticism that they had received for playing a full league season in 1914-15, but with little actual combat occurring in the first eight months (what became known as the 'Phoney War'), football resumed with revised wartime regional leagues. Hundreds of players had joined the Army and were only allowed to play football when their service commitments would allow, but the Football Association arranged a number of representative games in aid of the Red Cross Fund and there were two initial meetings between FA select teams and the Army, at Aldershot and Reading in the autumn. By the beginning of 1940, and with two wartime internationals already played, they had enough available strength to stage what was, effectively, a wartime trial match. It was the first representative match to be held in London during the war. There was a live second-half commentary on the radio and there were no crowd restrictions, but the attendance was disappointing. It was an entertaining spectacle, however, with Jackie Martin giving England a two-goal lead in the first ten minutes, before the Army came back to lead 3-2, five minutes before the interval, but just two minutes after half-time, Matthews scored the winner for England. The Army included a South African goalkeeper and two Scots (Beattie and Fagan). Next wartime international: v. Wales (13 April 1940 at Wembley) 0-1 Bacuzzi, Bartram, Copping, Goulden, Hapgood, Matthews and Willingham from England, plus Compton and Cullis from the Army, played for England (Mercer was in the original selection). All of the England team played for England in wartime internationals, as did all of the English players in the Army team, with the exception of Geldard, who was a full international. Harry Goslin was killed in action in Italy in December 1943.

 

Season 1943-44
91	Saturday, 29 April 1944 - England 3 Combined Services 1 [1-0] Stamford Bridge, Fulham (30,627)	Hagan (2), Rowley (pen) Kurz
	England: Ted Ditchburn, Leslie Compton, F.Taylor, Cliff Britton, Stan Cullisᶜ, Joe Mercer, W.Elliott, Jimmy Hagan, Tommy Lawton, Jack Rowley, Leslie Smith. Combined Services: Frank Swift, Laurie Scott, E.Westwood, A.Macaulay, J.Oakes, M.Busbyᶜ, F.Kurz, J.Martin, Ted Drake, Raich Carter, W.Strauss. (A.Driver was replaced by Kurz)
	The Football Association continued to arrange international and representative games throughout the war in aid of war charities, but England only played against Scotland and Wales, with other selections badged as 'FA XI' or 'The Army in England' and consisting of various strengths according to the conditions of the time. Towards the end of the 1943-44 season, England beat Scotland, 3-2 at Hampden and, a week later, staged a trial match for the selectors to choose their team for the following week's final match of the season. It was held in aid of service charities and all 22 players were in either the Army or the Royal Air Force. Nine of the England team were from the Army and they made four changes from the previous week (Britton, Ditchburn, Elliott and Rowley coming into the side, with Carter and Swift moving to the Combined Services, and Matthews and Soo left out). There were three Scots in the Combined Services team (Busby, Macaulay and Strauss). Next wartime international: v. Wales (6 May 1944 at Cardiff) 2-0 Britton, Compton, Cullis, Ditchburn, Elliott, Lawton, Mercer, Rowley and Smith from England, plus Carter and Scott from the Combined Services, played for England (Hagan was a reserve). All of the England team, plus Carter, Oakes, Scott and Swift from the Combined Services, played for England in wartime internationals (though Drake was a full international).

 

Season 1945-46
92	Saturday, 6 April 1946 - FA XI 3 Army Physical Training Corps 5 [1-3] Empire Stadium, Wembley (35,000)	Shackleton²⁸, Stubbins⁵², Elliott⁸³ Lawton³¹, Welsh³⁵,⁷⁸, Wardle⁴⁰, Compton⁵⁰
	FA XI: Bert Williams, Laurie Scott, George Hardwickᶜ, F.Soo, Neil Franklin, F.Mitchell, W.Elliott, Jesse Pye, A.Stubbins, Len Shackleton, Leslie Smith. (Stanley Matthews and Billy Wright were replaced by Elliott and R.Williams, who was then replaced by Soo, and Wright was switched to the Army PT Corps) Army PT Corps: Gil Merrick, A.Beattie, R.Cater, Billy Wright, G.Smith, Joe Mercerᶜ, G.Wardle, Don Welsh, Tommy Lawton, Jimmy Hagan, D.Compton. (Stan Cullis, W.Elliott, Bert Sproston and Frank Swift were replaced by A.Allen, Cater, Wardle and Wright. Allen was then replaced by Merrick, and Elliott was switched to the FA XI)
	In the first peacetime season, things were not quite back to normal as players were still in the armed forces and the leagues were still played on a regional basis. A British International Victory Championship was held and a week prior to the deciding match, the grand setting of Wembley Stadium was used for a trial match. Sadly, a spate of withdrawals due to injuries and club commitments at the business end of the season, devalued the game somewhat and the attendance was poor, though it was an entertaining game. Nevertheless, as a trial it was fairly irrelevant. The following week's team line-up was announced at half-time. The Army team included Preston North End's Scottish international, Andy Beattie, no stranger to wartime representative matches, but his last game for his country had been four years earlier. Next victory international: v. Scotland (13 April 1946 at Glasgow) 0-1 Elliott, Franklin, Hardwick, Scott and Shackleton from the FA, plus Compton, Hagan, Lawton, Mercer, Swift and Wright from the Army PT Corps, played for England (Soo and Stubbins were reserves, Matthews was in the original selection). All of the players selected for the FA XI (with the exception of Reg Williams) played for England either in wartime, victory, charity or full internationals, as did all of the English players selected for the Army PT Corps, except Allen, Cater and Wardle.

 

Season 1946-47
93	Wednesday, 18 September 1946 - FA XI 2 Combined XI 2 [1-0] City Ground, Nottingham (18,700)	Stubbins²⁶, Mannion⁸⁵ Shackleton⁵¹, Edwards⁵⁶
	FA XI: Frank Swift, Laurie Scott, George Hardwickᶜ, Billy Wright, Stan Cullis, E.Forrest, Tom Finney, Wilf Mannion, A.Stubbins, Raich Carter, Jimmy Mullen. (W.Johnson, Tommy Lawton and Stanley Matthews were replaced by Finney, Forrest and Stubbins) Combined XI: R.Middleton, R.McCall, R.Cater, W.Baxter, L.Leuty, T.Blenkinsopp, Johnny Hancocks, Len Shackleton, G.Edwards, Jack Rowley, T.Johnston. (R.Brown, Tom Finney, E.Forrest and Eddie Shimwell were replaced by Blenkinsopp, Cater, Hancocks and Shackleton, and Finney and Forrest were switched to the FA XI)
	Proceeds from this evening match went to ex-England international, Willie Hall, who scored five goals in half an hour against Ireland in 1938, but had had his right leg amputated below the knee, due to thrombosis. He would lose his other lower leg in the following year. The Combined team was selected by Nottingham Forest manager and former England international, Billy Walker and was comprised mostly of players from Midlands clubs, with Scotsman, Tom Johnston, one of three players from the second-division host club (Brown would have been a fourth). Hall was from Newark-on-Trent and began his career at Notts County. England were ten days away from their first full international for seven years. Next international: v. Ireland (28 September 1946 at Belfast) 7-2 Carter, Hardwick, Finney, Lawton, Mannion, Scott, Swift and Wright from the FA, played for England (Hancocks and Shimwell from the Combined team were reserves, Matthews was in the original selection). Johnson and Stubbins had played for England in victory internationals, but Forrest never represented his country. Brown had played for England in wartime and victory internationals.

Season 1950-51
94	FA Charity Shield
	Wednesday, 20 September 1950 - FA World Cup XI 4 FA Canadian Tour XI 2 [1-0] Stamford Bridge, Chelsea, London (38,468)	Baily, Mannion, Mullen, Mortensen Johnston, Lofthouse
	World Cup XI: Bert Williams, Alf Ramsey, Bill Eckersley, Billy Wrightᶜ, Laurie Hughes (Jim Taylor), Jimmy Dickinson, Tom Finney, Wilf Mannion, Stan Mortensen, Eddie Baily, Jimmy Mullen. Tour XI: S.Hanson, Bert Mozley, S.Milburn, Harry Johnston, R.Flewinᶜ, Tim Ward, Stanley Matthews, Jackie Sewell, Nat Lofthouse, Jimmy Hagan, Johnny Hancocks. (F.Bowyer and Bill Ellerington were replaced by Milburn and Sewell)
	On three separate occasions in the 1920s, the Football Association had used the Charity Shield to reward players that had played for them on summer tours. In 1950, they decided to arrange a meeting between two separate touring squads; one which had represented England in their first World Cup, in Brazil, and the other, an FA squad that had visited Canada and the United States, in the month before the World Cup. Hughes was stretchered off with a twisted knee after fifteen minutes and he was substituted by Taylor, who was in both squads, but did not play in the World Cup. The only man to play for both squads was Matthews, who was in the tour team, whose captain, Flewin had played for England in a wartime international in 1944. Next international: v. Ireland (7 October 1950 at Belfast) 4-1 Baily, Dickinson, Mannion, Ramsey, Williams and Wright from the World Cup team, plus Matthews from the tour team, played for England (Eckersley and Finney were in the original selection).

 

Season 1953-54
95	Friday, 30 ApriL 1964 - England 2 Young England 1 [1-1] Arsenal Stadium, Highbury (43,554)	Mannion, Lawton Hines
	England: S.Bartram, Bert Mozley, Lionel Smith, L.Leuty, Harry Johnstonᶜ, Henry Cockburn, Stanley Matthews, Wilf Mannion, Tommy Lawton, Len Shackleton, Bobby Langton. (Joe Mercer and Bill Nicholson were replaced by Cockburn and Leuty) Young England: D.Sims, Peter Sillett, Roger Byrneᶜ, Stan Anderson, Trevor Smith, Duncan Edwards, H.Hooper, Albert Quixall, D.Hines, Dennis Viollet, Brian Pilkington. (Tommy Taylor was replaced by Hines)
	The appointment of Walter Winterbottom as the FA's National Director of Coaching was beginning to have an impact with the introduction of an England Under-23 team at the beginning of the year in a friendly against Italy in Bologna, and it was to be the catalyst for a new era of annual trial matches. With England's second World Cup appearance coming up in Switzerland at the end of the season, and Hungary having recently shown how far superior they were against England's old-style football, a squad of 32 players was chosen as to be "in the forefront of consideration for one or other of the tours" scheduled for the full international squad and a B squad, prior to the tournament. In addition to this, curiously, was the trial match in which the Under-23s (styled as 'Young England') would face an England team comprised of players that were all, at least, thirty years of age (Bartram was forty) and none of whom had been included in the squad of 32, though four of the selected Young England team were (Byrne, Hooper, Pilkington and Taylor). Only two of the England team (Matthews and Shackleton) would play in a full international again. It was intended that Arsenal's Joe Mercer would captain England at Highbury in his last match before retirement, but he sustained a double fracture of his right leg, three weeks earlier, on the same ground and had to miss the occasion. It was played on the eve of the FA Cup Final and staged in London so that fans arriving a day early for the Wembley showpiece could take in this extra game with the intriguing prospect of seeing a team of legends taking on the best of young talent, as well as it being a great test for the potential future stars. The plan was a huge success, with the biggest crowd ever seen at an international trial and they saw the ageing stars outshine their young counterparts with a skilful display. FA Cup finalists unavailable: Tom Finney and George Thompson of Preston North End, and Ronnie Allen, Ray Barlow, Jimmy Dugdale and Johnny Nicholls of West Bromwich Albion (though only Finney for England, and Dugdale and Nicholls for Young England, would have been eligible for the trial match because of their age). Next international: v. Yugoslavia (16 May 1954 at Belgrade) 0-1 Byrne from Young England, played for England. Next B international: v. Yugoslavia (16 May 1954 at Ljubljana) 1-2 Hooper and Quixall from Young England, played for England (Edwards was a reserve). Bartram had played for England in wartime internationals. Byrne and Hines were 23 at the start of the season, but were not eligible to play for the Under-23s in Italy, and Byrne, Quixall and Taylor were already full internationals.

 

Season 1954-55
96	Friday, 6 May 1955 - England 5 Young England 0 [1-0] Arsenal Stadium, Highbury (38,000)	Matthews, Lawton (2), Langton (pen), Mortensen
	England: Frank Swift (J.Kelsey⁵⁶), Alf Ramsey, Bill Eckersley, Harry Johnston ͨ, Allenby Chilton, Jimmy Dickinson, Stanley Matthews, Stan Mortensen, Tommy Lawton, Eddie Baily, Bobby Langton. (Henry Cockburn and Jimmy Hagan were replaced by Baily and Dickinson) Young England: Reg Matthews, Peter Sillettᶜ, Graham Shaw, Ronnie Clayton, Trevor Smith, Ron Flowers, H.Hooper, John Atyeo, D.Hines, Johnny Haynes, Frank Blunstone. (Albert Quixall was replaced by Hines)
	The success of the previous year's fixture prompted the Football Association to stage another meeting between players over thirty years of age and those under 23, at Highbury on the eve of the Cup Final. They had already selected 17 players for a continental tour, including Dickinson (who was not in the original selection for the Highbury game) and Matthews (now aged forty), who were the only still-active international players in the over-thirties line-up. Four of the team had played their last full international in the 6-3 humiliation by Hungary at Wembley, 18 months earlier. Eckersley and Baily (who was not in the original selection) were actually 29 years old. Six of the Young England players were in the full-international squad for the tour, and Blunstone, Haynes and Quixall had already won full caps. For the second year in a row, Hines was a late replacement and he was now 24 years old. Frank Swift, at 41, came out of retirement to play in goal for England, six years after his last league game, and he admirably kept a clean sheet for 55 minutes after pulling a muscle in the early stages. His replacement was Arsenal's 25-year-old Welsh international goalkeeper, Jack Kelsey, who kept his goal intact as the more experienced stars overwhelmed their younger opponents. FA Cup finalists unavailable: Jimmy Meadows and Don Revie of Manchester City, and Jackie Milburn of Newcastle United (though only Milburn, at thirty years old, would have been eligible for the trial match because of his age). Next international: v. France (15 May 1955 at Paris) 0-1 Matthews from England, plus Blunstone, Flowers and Sillett from Young England, played for England (Hooper, Reg Matthews and Quixall were reserves).

 

Season 1956-57
97	Friday, 3 May 1957 - England 1 Young England 2 [0-2] Arsenal Stadium, Highbury (30,795)	Taylor Stevens, Groves
	England: Ted Ditchburn, Ron Staniforth, Tommy Garrett, Ken Armstrong, Billy Wrightᶜ, Jimmy Dickinson, Stanley Matthews, Ernie Taylor, Nat Lofthouse, Eddie Baily, Vic Metcalfe. (Tom Finney, Gil Merrick and George Robb were replaced by Ditchburn, Metcalfe and Taylor) Young England: Eddie Hopkinson, Jimmy Armfield, Graham Shaw, Stan Anderson, Trevor Smith, R.Neal, V.Groves, D.Stevens, Brian Clough, Johnny Haynesᶜ, Alan A'Court. (Bryan Douglas and Maurice Norman were replaced by Groves and Shaw. Other reserve was J.Bloomfield)
	The fixture had not been played on the eve of the previous year's FA Cup Final, with the England squad preparing for a showpiece game with Brazil at Wembley, and a London select team taking on Basel in the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup in north London at Tottenham. Earlier that season, however, in September 1955, the Under-23s had played a behind-closed-doors floodlit practice match at Tottenham against an England team that was not age-restricted and held them to a 2-2 draw. For the return of the fixture and, what was to be, the last appearance of an over-thirties team, Stan Matthews was now the grand old age of 42 but, together with Finney, Lofthouse and Wright, had not yet ended his international career. England had three World Cup qualifying matches later that month and the FA had named a squad that included Haynes (who was already a full international) and Stevens from the Young England team, with Clough and Norman as reserves. Anderson and Groves were now 24, but both had been 23 at the start of the season and Anderson would win one more cap for the Under-23s. Young England beat the elder statesmen for the first time and they were watched on television, as well as the crowd at Highbury, although their goals were scored before the live broadcast. TV Coverage: Second half live on BBC (commentator Kenneth Wolstenholme). FA Cup finalists unavailable: Roger Byrne, Duncan Edwards, David Pegg and Tommy Taylor of Manchester United (though only Edwards and Pegg would have been eligible for the trial match because of their age). Next international: v. Republic of Ireland (8 May 1957 at Wembley) 5-1 (World Cup Qualifying) Finney, Matthews and Wright from England, plus Haynes from Young England, played for England (Lofthouse and Stevens were reserves). Next under-23 international: v. Bulgaria (19 May 1957 at Sofia) 1-2 A'Court, Anderson, Armfield, Bloomfield, Clough, Douglas, Hopkinson, Neal, Shaw and Smith from Young England, played for England (Norman was a reserve).

 

Season 1957-58
98	Friday, 2 May 1958 - England 4 Young England 2 [2-1] Stamford Bridge, Fulham (40,630)	Finney, Haynes, Douglas, Kevan A'Court, Clough
	England: Colin McDonald, Don Howe, Jim Langley, Ronnie Clayton, Billy Wrightᶜ, Bill Slater, Bryan Douglas, Bobby Robson, Derek Kevan, Johnny Haynes, Tom Finney. Young England: Alan Hodgkinson, Jeff Hall, Peter Sillettᶜ, M.Setters, Maurice Norman, Eddie Clamp, Peter Brabrook, J.Hayes, Brian Clough, Peter Broadbent, Alan A'Court. (Jimmy Greaves was replaced by Hayes)
	With the World Cup in Sweden, the following month, and England reeling from the tragic losses of Roger Byrne, Duncan Edwards and Tommy Taylor, together with the other twenty people that perished in the Munich air disaster, three months earlier, the Football Association decided to dispense with the over-thirties team and let the full international side (less the following day's FA Cup finalists) take on a "past and present" Young England. Three players were over the age of 23 (Broadbent, 24, Hall, 28 and Sillett, 25). Six of the eleven had full caps and all were included in the initial World Cup squad of forty players (Clough, Hall and Hayes failed to make the final 22-man squad, as did Langley from the England team). Chelsea hosted the match for the first time. England held the edge with their experience, but it wasn't a convincing performance. TV Coverage: Second half live on BBC (commentator Kenneth Wolstenholme). FA Cup finalists unavailable: Tommy Banks, Eddie Hopkinson, Nat Lofthouse and Ray Parry of Bolton Wanderers, and Bobby Charlton and Dennis Viollet of Manchester United (Charlton, Hopkinson and Parry were still eligible for the Under-23s). Next international: v. Portugal (7 May 1958 at Wembley) 2-1 Clayton, Douglas, Finney, Haynes, Howe, Kevan, Langley, Slater and Wright from England, played for England (McDonald and Robson, and Norman from Young England, were reserves).

 

Season 1958-59
99	Friday, 1 May 1959 - England 3 Young England 3 [3-1] Arsenal Stadium, Highbury (34,212)	Flowers, Charlton (2) Parry, Pointer, Greaves
	England: Eddie Hopkinson, Don Howe, Graham Shaw, Ronnie Clayton, Billy Wrightᶜ, Ron Flowers, Warren Bradley, Peter Broadbent, Bobby Charlton, Johnny Haynes, Doug Holden. (Reserve: R.Gratrix) Young England: E.Macedo, Jimmy Armfieldᶜ, Tony Allen, Wilf McGuinness, Trevor Smith, Tony Kay, Peter Brabrook, Jimmy Greaves, Ray Pointer, Ray Parry, A.Scanlon. (M.Setters was replaced by McGuinness)
	The annual fixture returned to Highbury and with tours coming up for both squads, Young England reverted back to a fully Under-23 team (albeit with four players unable to play after the end-of-season tour, due to having reached 23 years of age). Brabrook and McGuinness (who was brought in as a replacement) had already won full caps, whilst Armfield, Greaves and McGuinness had been selected for the full squad's tour of the Americas. It was a lively encounter with England racing into a three-goal lead, but Young England (wearing borrowed Arsenal shirts in the second half) fought back and almost pulled off a famous victory. TV Coverage: Last 35 minutes live on BBC (commentator Kenneth Wolstenholme). FA Cup finalists unavailable: Ron Baynham and Dave Pacey of Luton Town (Pacey was still eligible for the Under-23s). Next international: v. Italy (6 May 1959 at Wembley) 2-2 England were unchanged. Next under-23 international: v. Italy (7 May 1959 at Milan) 3-0 England were unchanged from the original Young England selection, with Setters replacing McGuinness.

 

Season 1959-60
100	Friday, 6 May 1960 - England 2 Young England 1 [2-0] Arsenal Stadium, Highbury (34,671)	Baker²,³⁵ Pointer⁸³
	England: Ron Springett, Jimmy Armfield, Ray Wilson, Bobby Robson, Peter Swan, Tony Kay, Peter Brabrook, Johnny Haynesᶜ, Joe Baker, Jimmy Greaves, Bobby Charlton. (John Connelly was replaced by Brabrook. Other reserve was Dennis Viollet) Young England: E.Macedo, John Angus, Tony Allen (George Cohen⁴⁶), M.Settersᶜ, Brian Labone, Brian Miller, Terry Paine, George Eastham, Ray Pointer, Johnny Fantham, Eddie Holliday. (Peter Brabrook was switched to England and replaced by Paine. Other reserve was Freddie Hill)
	Young England had no full internationals in their team for the second half as Allen had sustained a groin injury, whilst Brabrook had been switched to the other side before the game. Once again, the two squads were heading abroad on end-of-season tours and it was a competitive game with an exciting finish, though the BBC again missed crucial goals by joining the action for the second half. TV Coverage: Second half live on BBC (commentator Kenneth Wolstenholme). FA Cup finalists unavailable: Ronnie Clayton, Peter Dobing and Bryan Douglas of Blackburn Rovers, and Ron Flowers of Wolverhampton Wanderers (Dobing was still eligible for the Under-23s). Next international: v. Yugoslavia (11 May 1960 at Wembley) 3-3 Armfield, Baker, Charlton, Greaves, Haynes, Springett, Swan and Wilson played for England (Brabrook, Robson and Viollet were reserves, Connelly was an original reserve). Next under-23 international: v. German Democratic Republic (15 May 1960 at Berlin) 4-1 Kay from England, plus Angus, Eastham, Holliday, Macedo, Miller, Paine, Pointer and Setters from Young England, played for England (Cohen, Fantham, Hill and Labone were reserves).

 

Season 1960-61
101	Friday, 5 May 1961 - England 1 Young England 1 [1-1] Stamford Bridge, Fulham (46,661)	Haynes⁶ Robson²¹
	England: Ron Springett, Jimmy Armfield (Brian Miller⁷¹), Mick McNeil, Bobby Robson, Peter Swan, Ron Flowers, Bryan Douglas, George Eastham, Gerry Hitchens, Johnny Haynes ͨ, Bobby Charlton. (Jimmy Greaves was replaced by Eastham) Young England: E.Macedo, John Angusᶜ, L.Ashurst, J.Kirkham, J.McGrath, Bobby Moore, Terry Paine, Freddie Hill, Joe Baker, J.Robson, Gordon Harris. (Johnny Byrne and D.Shawcross were replaced by Baker and Kirkham)
	Having scored a net-busting nine goals against Scotland, the previous month, England only managed one in the annual fixture on the eve of the Cup Final. Young England were represented by only one full international (Baker), and he was a replacement, though he had scored the two goals that had won the fixture, a year earlier, for England, when he was only 19, and Angus and Byrne had been selected for England's continental tour which included a World Cup qualifier in Portugal. TV Coverage: Highlights on ITV (commentator Gerry Loftus). FA Cup finalists unavailable: Bobby Smith of Tottenham Hotspur. Next international: v. Mexico (10 May 1961 at Wembley) 8-0 England were unchanged, apart from Eastham being replaced by Derek Kevan.

Season 1961-62
102	FA Charity Shield
	Saturday, 12 August 1961 - Tottenham Hotspur FC 3 FA XI 2 [1-1] White Hart Lane, Tottenham (36,493)	Smith⁴⁰, Allen⁶⁸,⁷⁶ Haynes¹⁰, Byrne⁸⁰
	Tottenham: W.Brown, P.Baker, Ron Henry, R.Blanchflowerᶜ, Maurice Norman, D.Mackay, C.Jones, J.White, Bobby Smith, L.Allen, T.Dyson. FA XI: Ron Springett, Jimmy Armfield, Mick McNeil, Bobby Robson, Peter Swan, Ron Flowers, Bryan Douglas, J.Robson, Johnny Byrne, Johnny Haynesᶜ, Bobby Charlton. (Reserve: Stan Anderson)
	With Tottenham winning the League Championship and FA Cup 'double', the FA put out their own selection to face them in the Charity Shield. The home side had three Scottish internationals and one each from Northern Ireland and Wales, whilst the FA made four changes to the England team that had lost in Vienna, three months earlier, and it was the record-breaking Spurs that recovered from a goal down to beat the national team convincingly. TV Coverage: Second half live on BBC (commentator Kenneth Wolstenholme). Next international: v. Luxembourg (28 September 1961 at Highbury) 4-1 (World Cup Qualifying) Armfield, Charlton, Douglas, Flowers, McNeil, Robson, Springett and Swan from the FA, played for England (Norman and Smith from Tottenham were reserves, Haynes was in the original selection).

103	Friday, 4 May 1962 - England 3 Young England 2 [2-2] Arsenal Stadium, Highbury (21,051)	Peacock, Charlton, Hitchens Barnwell, Byrne
	England: Ron Springett, Jimmy Armfield, Ray Wilson, Bobby Robson, Peter Swan, Ron Flowers, Bryan Douglas, Alan Peacock, Gerry Hitchens, Johnny Haynesᶜ, Bobby Charlton. (Reserve: George Eastham) Young England: Gordon West, J.Kirkup, G.Jones, J.Crawford, Brian Labone, Bobby Mooreᶜ, Terry Paine, J.Barnwell, Johnny Byrne, Bobby Tambling, Peter Thompson. (Freddie Hill was replaced by Barnwell. Other reserve was M.Hinton)
	A game played on a waterlogged pitch in often farcical conditions, due to a thunderstorm just before kick-off, was settled by a last-minute header from Gerry Hitchens, returning after a season in Italy with Inter Milan. Yet again, Young England had only one full international (Byrne) in their line-up and none had been named in the World Cup squad for Chile, although captain, Bobby Moore was to force his way in after an impressive debut against Peru on the eve of the tournament. TV Coverage: Second half live on ITV (commentator Gerry Loftus). FA Cup finalists unavailable: Jimmy Adamson, John Angus and John Connelly of Burnley, and Jimmy Greaves and Maurice Norman of Tottenham Hotspur (Angus, Connelly and Greaves were still eligible for the Under-23s). Next international: v. Switzerland (9 May 1962 at Wembley) 3-1 Armfield, Charlton, Flowers, Haynes, Hitchens, Robson, Springett, Swan and Wilson from England, played for England (Eastham was a reserve).

Season 1962-63
104	Friday, 24 May 1963 - England 3 Football League 3 [2-2] Arsenal Stadium, Highbury (26,994)	Greaves (pen²¹), Hinton³⁰, Byrne⁴⁷ Hunt²⁶, Hurst³², Kay⁶²
	England: Ron Springett, Jimmy Armfieldᶜ (A.Marchi⁴⁶), Ray Wilson, Bobby Moore, Maurice Norman, Gordon Milne, Bryan Douglas, Jimmy Greaves, Johnny Byrne, George Eastham, Alan Hinton. (Bobby Smith was replaced by Joe Baker, who was replaced by Byrne) Football League: Peter Bonetti, Ken Shellito, Graham Shaw, Ron Flowersᶜ, Brian Labone, Tony Kay, Terry Paine, Roger Hunt, Geoff Hurst, Jimmy Melia, C.Dobson. (Johnny Byrne was switched to England and replaced by Hurst) (Other reserves for either team were J.Barnwell and E.Macedo, whilst Ray Crawford was an original reserve)
	To celebrate the Football Association's centenary year, and the Football League's 75th anniversary, the annual fixture played on the eve of the FA Cup Final was changed to allow two teams representing each organisation to play one another. Due to the fixture congestion caused by an extremely harsh winter, the Cup Final had been put back three weeks, but Alf Ramsey was now England's manager and oversaw a rare meeting between 22 English players without age restriction. Five of the league's team had won full caps and six had been named in the squad for England's upcoming central-European tour, but obviously, the league was weakened by their best English players being on the opposite side and no Scottish, Irish or Welsh players included. Nevertheless, they gave a good account of themselves and were good value in a six-goal thriller. TV Coverage: Second half live on ITV (commentator Gerry Loftus). FA Cup finalists unavailable: Gordon Banks and Graham Cross of Leicester City, and Bobby Charlton and David Gaskell of Manchester United. Next international: v. Czechoslovakia (29 May 1963 at Bratislava) 4-2 Eastham, Greaves, Milne, Moore, Norman, Smith and Wilson from England, plus Paine and Shellito from the Football League, played for England (Byrne, Flowers, Hunt, Kay, Melia and Springett were reserves, Armfield was in the original selection). Next under-23 international: v. Yugoslavia (29 May 1963 at Belgrade) 4-2 Hinton from England, plus Bonetti, Labone and Dobson (as a substitute) from the Football League, played for England.

Season 1963-64
105	Friday, 1 May 1964 - England 3 Young England 0 [0-0] Stamford Bridge, Fulham (29,761)	Charlton⁴⁹, Greaves⁶⁴, Hunt⁹⁰
	England: Gordon Banks, George Cohen, Ray Wilson, Gordon Milne, Maurice Norman, Ron Flowers,ͨ  Terry Paine, Jimmy Greaves, Roger Hunt, George Eastham, Bobby Charlton. (Jimmy Armfield was replaced by Cohen. Other reserve was Alan Mullery) Young England: Peter Bonetti, L.Badger, Bobby Thomson, Mike Bailey, J.Talbut,ͨ  G.Cross, B.Usher, Bobby Tambling, Martin Chivers, Terry Venables, Peter Thompson. (Fred Pickering was replaced by Chivers. Other reserve was A.Deakin.)
	After a year's absence, Young England returned to face their seniors, with two of the side (Tambling and Thomson) having previously been capped at full-international level. Three of the selected line-up (Pickering, Thompson and Thomson) had been selected for the upcoming tour from which they would each return with full caps. The game was closer than the scoreline suggested, with England's superior finishing making the difference. Alf Ramsey also had the luxury of the Football League team to try out fringe members of his squad and selected five of the England team (plus Mullery, with two in reserve) and three from the Young England team to face the Italian League in Milan, nine days later, a game which they lost by the only goal. TV Coverage: Second half live on BBC1 (commentators Kenneth Wolstenholme and Walley Barnes). FA Cup finalists unavailable: Dave Wilson of Preston North End, and Johnny Byrne, Geoff Hurst and Bobby Moore of West Ham United (Hurst, Moore and Wilson were still eligible for the Under-23s). Next international: v. Uruguay (6 May 1964 at Wembley) 2-1 Banks, Charlton, Cohen, Eastham, Greaves, Milne, Norman, Paine and Wilson from England, played for England (Flowers, and Thompson from Young England, were reserves). Next under-23 international: v. Hungary (13 May 1964 at Budapest) 1-2 Badger, Bailey, Bonetti, Chivers, Cross, Talbut, Tambling and Venables from Young England, played for England (Deakin was a reserve).

Season 1964-65
106	Friday, 30 April 1965 - England 2 Young England 2 [1-1] Arsenal Stadium, Highbury (26,840)	Temple¹⁶, Bridges⁸⁹ Tambling¹⁵, Hollins⁸⁰
	England: Gordon Banks, George Cohen, Ray Wilson, Nobby Stiles, Ron Flowersᶜ, Alan Mullery, Terry Paine, Jimmy Greaves, Barry Bridges, George Eastham, Derek Temple. (Bobby Charlton, John Connelly and Bobby Moore were replaced by Mullery, Paine and Temple.) Young England: Gordon West, Cyril Knowles, Bobby Thomsonᶜ, John Hollins, V.Mobley, Martin Peters, A.Murray, Bobby Tambling, Mick Jones, Alan Ball, G.Armstrong. (L.Badger was replaced by Knowles.)
	Once again, Tambling and Thomson were the only Young England players that had been previously capped at full international level, but Ball and Jones had been the only members of the side to earn a place in England's full-international squad to tour Europe. The youngsters nearly pulled off only their second victory in their tenth appearance in the fixture, but they were pegged back at the end in a largely uninspiring game. FA Cup finalists unavailable: Jack Charlton, Norman Hunter and Paul Reaney of Leeds United, and Ian Callaghan, Tommy Smith and Peter Thompson of Liverpool (all but Charlton were still eligible for the Under-23s). Next international: v. Hungary (5 May 1965 at Wembley) 1-0 Banks, Bridges, Cohen, Connelly, Eastham, Greaves, Moore, Paine, Stiles and Wilson from England, played for England (Ball from Young England was a reserve, Bobby Charlton was in the original selection). Next under-23 international: v. West Germany (25 May 1965 at Freiburg) 0-1 Stiles from England, plus Armstrong, Ball, Jones, Mobley, Murray, Thomson and West from Young England, played for England (Badger, Hollins and Tambling were reserves).

Season 1965-66
107	Friday, 13 May 1966 - England 1 Young England 1 [1-1] Stamford Bridge, Fulham (18,274)	Byrne²⁰ Chivers⁴⁴
	England: Peter Bonetti, Jimmy Armfield, Keith Newton, Gordon Milne, Ron Flowers, Bobby Mooreᶜ, Ian Callaghan, Geoff Hurst, Johnny Byrne, Jimmy Greaves, George Eastham. (Roger Hunt was replaced by Byrne. Other reserve was Bobby Tambling) Young England: Alex Stepney, Paul Reaney, Cyril Knowles, Tommy Smithᶜ, G.Cross, Martin Peters, Alan Ball, Martin Chivers, F.Saul, Terry Venables, Peter Thompson. (Chris Lawler and Peter Osgood were replaced by Cross and Saul. Other reserve was J.Sissons)
	With England about to host the World Cup in two months' time, this match took on extra significance. Only four players (two on each side) would achieve the ultimate glory. Four of the Young England team had previously won full England caps, and three of them (Ball, Peters and Thompson) were in the preliminary World Cup squad of 28. Interest in the competitive nature of the fixture was waning, however, and the crowd was disappointing. Neither of the scorers were in Alf Ramsey's final squad. FA Cup finalists unavailable: Brian Labone, Derek Temple, Gordon West and Ray Wilson of Everton, and Ron Springett of Sheffield Wednesday (West was still eligible for the Under-23s). Next international: v. Finland (26 June 1966 at Helsinki) 3-0 Armfield, Callaghan, Hunt and Hurst from England, plus Ball and Peters from Young England, played for England (Bonetti, Eastham, Flowers, Greaves and Moore were reserves).

Season 1966-67
108	Friday, 19 May 1967 - England 0 Young England 5 [0-2] Arsenal Stadium, Highbury (13,018)	Marsh¹⁴,⁸⁹, Clarke (pens³⁸,⁶²), Barrett⁷⁵
	England: P.Springett, George Cohen, Keith Newton, Martin Peters, Brian Labone, Bobby Mooreᶜ, Mike Summerbee, Roger Hunt, Johnny Byrne, Geoff Hurst, Alan Ball (R.Boyce⁵⁰). (Mike Bailey, Gordon Banks and Ray Wilson were replaced by Newton, Springett and Summerbee) Young England: J.Montgomery, J.Charles, Bobby Thomsonᶜ, Colin Harvey, V.Mobley, J.Hurst, L.Barrett, Rodney Marsh, Allan Clarke, J.Sammels, J.Sissons. (Ralph Coates was replaced by Barrett) (J.Husband was an original reserve for either team)
	Despite only one of the Young England side (captain, Bobby Thomson) being a full international, the world champions were torn apart by the pretenders to their throne. Rodney Marsh of Third Division Champions, Queen's Park Rangers, in particular, impressed as he waltzed through the England defence, beating four men in a mazy dribble before dispatching the ball in the back of the net to complete the humiliation of their illustrious opponents, in front of the lowest crowd recorded for the fixture. Yet, Marsh was one of only three members of the team to subsequently win full caps. TV Coverage: Highlights on BBC1 (commentator Kenneth Wolstenholme). FA Cup finalists unavailable: Peter Bonetti and John Hollins of Chelsea, and Jimmy Greaves, Cyril Knowles and Alan Mullery of Tottenham Hotspur (Hollins and Knowles were still eligible for the Under-23s). Next international: v. Spain (24 May 1967 at Wembley) 2-0 Ball, Cohen, Hunt, Hurst, Labone, Moore and Newton from England, played for England (Banks and Peters, and Clarke from Young England, were reserves). Next under-23 international: v. Greece (31 May 1967 at Athens) 0-0 Barrett, Clarke, Coates, Harvey, Hurst, Husband, Mobley, Montgomery and Sammels from Young England, played for England (Springett from England was a reserve).

Season 1967-68
109	Friday, 17 May 1968 - England 1 Young England 4 [0-0] Arsenal Stadium, Highbury (20,077)	Peters⁷⁴ Baldwin⁷³,⁸¹, Chivers⁸²,⁸³
	England: Gordon Banks, Keith Newton, Cyril Knowles, Alan Mullery, Bobby Mooreᶜ, Norman Hunter, Colin Bell, Roger Hunt, Allan Clarke, Martin Peters, Peter Thompson. (Peter Bonetti, Jack Charlton, Bobby Charlton and Geoff Hurst were replaced by Banks, Clarke, Hunter and Thompson. Other reserve was Nobby Stiles, whilst Mike Summerbee was an original reserve) Young England: R.Jones, L.Badger, Terry Cooper, John Hollinsᶜ, A.Stephenson, Tommy Smith, J.Sammels, T.Baldwin, Peter Osgood (R.Harris⁴⁶), Martin Chivers, J.Sissons (Mike Doyle³²). (Emlyn Hughes was replaced by Cooper. Other reserve was P.Springett)
	Only captain, John Hollins had won a full cap for England, but there were no teenagers in the side and Young England were again easy winners against their seniors, though the game did have an 'exhibition match' feel to it, with entertainment being more important than the result. FA Cup finalists unavailable: Alan Ball, Howard Kendall, Brian Labone, Joe Royle, Gordon West, Ray Wilson and Tommy Wright of Everton (Ball, Kendall, Royle and Wright were still eligible for the Under-23s). Next international: v. Sweden (22 May 1968 at Wembley) 3-1 Bell, Bobby Charlton, Hunt, Hunter, Knowles, Moore, Mullery, Newton, Peters and Hurst (as a substitute) from England, played for England (Banks and Thompson were reserves). Next under-23 international: v. Italy (25 May 1968 at Trieste) 1-1 Baldwin, Chivers, Doyle, Harris, Sammels, Springett and Stephenson from Young England, played for England (Badger, Jones and Sissons were reserves).

Season 1968-69
110	Friday, 25 April 1969 - England 0 Young England 0 [0-0] Stamford Bridge, Fulham (18,140)
	England: Peter Bonetti, Cyril Knowles (G.Armstrong⁸⁸), Bob McNab, Alan Mullery, J.McGrath, Bobby Mooreᶜ, J.Sammels, Geoff Hurst, Jeff Astle, Martin Peters, Bobby Tambling. (Alan Ball, Ralph Coates, Terry Cooper, Brian Labone, Keith Newton, Mike O'Grady and Gordon West were replaced by Astle, Bonetti, Jack Charlton, Knowles, McNab, Sammels and Tambling, Charlton was replaced by McGrath, and Coates was switched to Young England) Young England: P.Springett, W.Smith, J.Charles, Tony Brown, Roy McFarland, John Hollins ͨ, Ralph Coates, B.Robson, Keith Weller, R.Gould, J.Sissons. (Emlyn Hughes, J.Hurst, H.Kendall, P.Knowles, Peter Osgood, John Radford and Joe Royle were replaced by W.Bonds, Brown, Coates, A.Evans, Gould, Hollins and Robson, and Bonds and Evans were replaced by Charles and Weller)
	A poor game brought this meaningless fixture to an end after 15 years. Young England had remained unbeaten in the last five encounters, but with squads already announced for the British Championship and subsequent tours, the world champions, once again, only provided a token half-hearted opposition. Everton initially threw the original team selections into chaos by re-claiming their six players for a league game at Nottingham Forest on the same night, but by kick-off time, another ten players had withdrawn, and only nine players remained from the original 22 selected. Young England had to draft in 24-year-old, John Charles as the final replacement. Their youngest player, at 21, was Roy McFarland and no teenagers were selected at any point. Hollins, himself a replacement, and made captain, was again the only member of the Young England team with a full international cap. Bryan Robson hit the post from a penalty in the third minute, but the first goalless draw in the fixture was its final death knell. Twelve months later, it was replaced by a third place play-off for the FA Cup. FA Cup finalists unavailable: Allan Clarke, David Nish and Peter Shilton of Leicester City, and Colin Bell, Mike Doyle, Francis Lee and Glyn Pardoe of Manchester City (all but Lee were still eligible for the Under-23s). Next international: v. Northern Ireland (3 May 1969 at Belfast) 3-1 Ball, Hurst, Labone, McNab, Moore, Mullery, Newton and Peters from England, played for England (Astle, Cooper and West were reserves). Next under-23 international: v. Netherlands (22 May 1969 at Deventer) 1-2 Coates, Hughes, Hurst, McFarland, Radford, Royle, Sissons and Smith from Young England, played for England (Evans and Springett were reserves).

Season 1981-82
111	Tuesday, 13 October 1981 - London 3 England 4 [1-2] Arsenal Stadium, Highbury (5,007)	Roeder, Davies, Bonds Goddard, Morley, Keegan, McDermott
	London: G.Wood, Frank Lampard, Kenny Sansom, W.Bonds, G.Roeder, J.Cannon, J.Neighbour, Brian Talbot, D.Cross, G.Pike, G.Crooks. subs: P.Barron, G.Davies, C.Walker, Paul Walsh. (Ray Clemence and Tony Currie were replaced by Barron and Walker, whilst Trevor Brooking and V.Hilaire were also in the original squad) England: Joe Corrigan, Phil Neal, Terry Butcher, Phil Thompson, Dave Watson, Ray Wilkins, Kevin Keeganᶜ, Steve Coppell, Paul Goddard, Terry McDermott, Tony Morley (Steve Hunt⁴⁶). (Peter Shilton and Peter Withe were replaced by Corrigan and Goddard, whilst Mick Mills and Bryan Robson were also in the original squad)
	The London Football Association celebrated its centenary with a match against Ron Greenwood's England, who were preparing for one of the most crucial World Cup qualifying matches in their history, following two successive failures to reach the finals. Arsenal manager, Terry Neill selected the London side, which included three England internationals and a Scottish international goalkeeper in the starting line-up. England included, as a late replacement, a London-based, uncapped player, Goddard, who scored their equaliser. They only had one substitute and Tony Morley, having been replaced at half-time, came back on to replace Coppell for the last few minutes. London took an early lead before Joe Corrigan saved Brian Talbot's penalty in the 23rd minute, but England recovered to lead 4-1 after an hour, before conceding two goals in the last ten minutes. Next international: v. Hungary (18 November 1981 at Wembley) 1-0 (World Cup Qualifying) Brooking from London, plus Coppell, Keegan, McDermott, Mills, Neal, Robson, Shilton, Thompson and Morley (as a substitute) from England, played for England (Clemence, Sansom, Wilkins and Withe were unused substitutes, Butcher, Corrigan, Goddard and Watson were reserves).

112	Tuesday, 9 February 1982 - Manchester City 1 England 2 [0-1] Maine Road, Manchester (11,106)	Bond (pen) Barnes, Coppell
	Manchester City: Joe Corrigan, R.Ranson, R.McDonald, Trevor Cherry, K.Bond, T.Caton, S.Kinsey, Kevin Reeves, Trevor Francis, T.Hutchison, P.Powerᶜ. (A.Hartford and N.Reid were replaced by Cherry and Hutchison. Other original reserves were Phil Boyer, A.Hareide, J.Ryan and C.Wilson) England: Peter Shilton, Kenny Sansom, Alvin Martin (P.Futcher), Steve Foster, Viv Anderson, Graham Rix, Bryan Robson, Ray Wilkins, Steve Coppell, Trevor Brooking, Peter Barnes. (Garry Birtles and Steve Hunt were replaced by Barnes and Brooking. Other original reserves were Gary Bailey and G.Thompson)
	The untimely death of England's Scottish coach, Bill Taylor, at the age of 42 had prompted a memorial match to be staged in tribute, at the home of Manchester City, where he had also been coach. Over £20,000 was raised for his wife and children. Ron Greenwood brought a strong side and the game was competitive with England setting out on a year in which they were to play in the World Cup finals for the first time since 1970. Leeds United's Trevor Cherry played as a guest for City, alongside three other full internationals. Alvin Martin was carried off with a broken collarbone, an injury that would eventually rule him out of a place in the World Cup squad. Next international: v. Northern Ireland (23 February 1982 at Wembley) 4-0 Francis from Manchester City, plus Anderson, Foster, Robson, Sansom and Wilkins from England, played for England (Brooking, Coppell, Corrigan and Shilton were also in the squad).

113	Tuesday, 18 May 1982 - Aston Villa 3 England 2 [3-1] Villa Park, Birmingham (9,229)	Little (2), Morley Sansom, Foster
	Aston Villa: Jimmy Rimmer (Nigel Spink), K.Swain, G.Williams (C.Gibson), A.Evans, K.McNaught (P.Heard), D.Mortimerᶜ, D.Bremner, Brian Little (D.Geddis), Peter Withe (Mark Walters), Gordon Cowans, Tony Morley. (G.Shaw was replaced by Little. Other original reserves were A.Blair, T.Donovan and B.Ormsby) England: Joe Corrigan, Mick Mills, Kenny Sansom, Ray Wilkins, Steve Foster, Bryan Robson, Kevin Keeganᶜ, Steve Coppell (Paul Goddard³³), Trevor Brooking, Graham Rix, Alan Devonshire. (Original reserves were Viv Anderson, Trevor Francis, Alvin Martin, Peter Shilton and Dave Watson)
	A knee injury had ended former England international, Brian Little's career at the age of 26 and his testimonial gave Ron Greenwood's World Cup squad the opportunity to take on the team that would win the European Cup, just eight days later. Because of various club commitments at the end of the season, England only had twelve players, whilst Villa were able to field four England internationals of their own, plus three future caps (two as substitutes). Mortimer and Shaw (who was injured) were in Greenwood's standby squad for the World Cup, but neither would ultimately win a full cap. There were also three Scots in the team, two of them full internationals. Little had not played for two years and was only able to play for the first half-hour, but he scored twice. Next international: v. Netherlands (25 May 1982 at Wembley) 2-0 Devonshire, Foster, Robson, Sansom, Shilton, Wilkins and Rix (as a substitute) from England, played for England (Anderson, Brooking, Coppell, Corrigan, Francis, Goddard, Keegan, Martin, Mills and Watson were also in the squad).

Season 1987-88
114	Monday, 16 May 1988 - Liverpool 3 England 2 [0-1] Anfield, Liverpool (31,552)	Whelan⁵⁰, Rush⁵⁴,⁶⁶ Harford¹⁰, Waddle⁵⁷
	Liverpool: B.Grobbelaar, N.Spackman, G.Ablett, J.Molby, R.Whelan, A.Hansenᶜ, Peter Beardsley (I.Rush 33), J.Aldridge (K.Dalglish⁴⁶), C.Johnston (R.Houghton⁴⁶), John Barnes, Steve McMahon. unused subs: S.Staunton and A.Watson.  England: Peter Shiltonᶜ (Chris Woods⁴⁶), Gary Stevens, Kenny Sansom, Peter Reid, Dave Watson, Mark Wright (Tony Adams⁴⁶), Trevor Steven, S.Robson, Mick Harford, Chris Waddle, Steve Hodge. unused sub: Neil Webb. (Tony Cottee was replaced by Hodge)
	Liverpool were the runaway winners of the League Championship, but their season had ended in disappointment, two days earlier, when they lost the FA Cup Final to Wimbledon, but the fans came out in force to support their captain, Alan Hansen's testimonial to the tune of about £130,000. Ian Rush appeared as a guest substitute, after playing for Juventus in Italy on the previous day. He would rejoin Liverpool, three months later. Three members of the Liverpool team (Barnes, Beardsley and McMahon) would join the England squad for the upcoming European Championship in Germany. Next international: v. Scotland (21 May 1988 at Wembley) 1-0 Barnes and Beardsley from Liverpool, plus Adams, Sansom, Shilton, Steven, Stevens, Watson, Webb and Waddle (as a substitute) from England, played for England (Harford, McMahon and Woods were unused substitutes, Cottee, Hodge, Reid and Wright were reserves).

 

The Numbers
The North - 12 wins	The South - 10 wins	5 draws
4 (1880-91), 6 (1899-1906), 1 (1919) 1 (1924).	1 (1870), 7 (1880-91), 1 (1906), 1 (1925).
57 goals	48 goals
vs. England - 3 wins	vs. England - 2 wins
Professionals/Players - 9 wins	Amateurs/Gentlemen - 3 wins	2 draws
2 (1886), 2 (1893-97), 1 (1906), 1 (1913), 2 (1923-26), 1 (1929).	1 (1886), 2 (1923-26).
42 goals	26 goals
Whites - 5 wins	Stripes/Blues/Reds - 2 wins	3 draws
3 (1890-94), 2 (1910-12).	2 (1879).
23 goals	20 goals
Probables - 3 wins	Possibles/Improbables/Rest - 0 wins	3 draws*
1 (1878), 2 (1936-37).
14 goals	8 goals
FA XI/England - 5 wins	County FA/District/Tour/League^ - 2 wins	3 draws*
Birmingham (1881, 1925), Staffordshire (1926), Canadian Tour (1950), London (1981).	Lancashire (1928), Sheffield (1931).
36 goals	31 goals
FA XI/England - 2 wins	Forces - 1 win
The Army (1940), Combined Services (1944).	Army Physical Training Corps (1946).
10 goals	9 goals
England - 1 win	Club1 - 3 wins
Manchester City (1981).	Tottenham (1961), Aston Villa (1982), Liverpool (1988)
8 goals	10 goals
England - 6 wins	The Rest - 8 wins	2 draws2
1 (1924), 4 (1927-29), 1 (1931).	3 (1926-27), 2 (1929-30), 3 (1932-34).
42 goals	48 goals
vs. The North - 2 wins	The North - 3 wins
1 (1914), 1 (1920).	1 (1913), 2 (1920-22).
10 goals	18 goals
vs. The South - 3 wins	The South - 2 wins	1 draw
1 (1913), 2 (1920-23).	1 (1912), 1 (1922).
9 goals	8 goals
England - 6 wins	Young England - 3 wins	5 draws
2 (1954-55), 4 (1958-64).	1 (1957), 2 (1967-68).
28 goals	24 goals

* includes Lancashire Improbables of 1882.
^ selected strongest regions only.
¹ includes selected competitive testimonials.
² includes abandoned game of 1925.