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Éireann

 

 
122 vs. Scotland
123
124 vs. Wales

Saturday, 23 October 1920
Home International Championship 1920-21 (33rd) Match

England 2 Ireland 0 [1-0]
 

Match Summary
England Party

Ireland Party

Roker Park Ground, Association Road, Monkwearmouth, Sunderland, county Durham
Attendance: 22,000;
Kick-off: 2.45pm BST

England - Bob Kelly (from a Chedgzoy pass, giving Scott no chance 12), Billy Walker (47)
Results 1919-30

Ireland won the toss, England kicked-off.

 

Match Summary

Officials

England

Type

Ireland

Referee - Alexander A. Jackson
Scotland

Linesmen - not known

  Goal Attempts  
  Attempts on Target  
  Hit Bar/Post  
  Corner Kicks Won  
  Offside Calls Against  
  Fouls Conceded  
  Possession  

England Team

 

Rank:

No official ranking system established;
ELO rating 8th
Colours: The 1903 uniform - White collared jerseys and dark club shorts
Capt: Joe McCall, first captaincy Selectors: The fourteen-man FA International Selection Committee, following the trial match, on Monday, 11 October 1920.
90th match, W 63 - D 16 - L 11 - F 299 - A 83.
England Lineup
  Mew, John W. 31 30 March 1889 G Manchester United FC 1 0 GA
  Downs, John Thomas 34 13 August 1886 RB Everton FC 1 0
  Bullock, Frederick E. 34 1 July 1886 LB Huddersfield Town AFC 1 0
  Ducat, Andrew 34 15 February 1886 RH Aston Villa FC 6 1
  McCall, Joseph 34 6 July 1886 CH Preston North End FC 5 1
  Grimsdell, Arthur 26 23 March 1894 LH Tottenham Hotspur FC 3 0
  Chedgzoy, Samuel 31 27 January 1889 OR Everton FC 2 0
Kelly, Robert 26 16 November 1893 IR Burnley FC 2 3
Walker, William H. 22 29 October 1897 CF Aston Villa FC 1 1
  Morris, Frederick 27 27 August 1893 IL West Bromwich Albion FC 2 1
  Quantrill, Alfred E. 23 22 January 1897
in India
OL Derby County FC 3 1

reserves:

George Wilson (The Wednesday) and Charlie Buchan (Sunderland AFC)
 
2-3-5 Mew -
Downs, Bullock -
Ducat, McCall, Grimsdell -
Chedgzoy, Kelly, Walker, Morris, Quantrill.

Averages:

Age 29.3 Appearances/Goals 2.5 0.6

 

Ireland Team

 

Rank:

No official ranking system established;
ELO rating 27th to 28th
Colours: Royal blue jerseys, white shorts.
Capt: Billy Lacey Selectors: Team Selection by Committee, on Saturday, 9 October 1920.
Ireland Lineup
  Scott, Elisha 27 24 August 1893 G Liverpool FC, England 2 5 GA
  McCracken, Robert 30 25 June 1890 RB Crystal Palace FC, England 1 0
  Rollo, David 30 26 August 1890 LB Blackburn Rovers FC, England 7 0
  McCandless, William 25/26 1894 RH Linfield FAC 3 0
  Lacey, William 31 24 September 1889 CH Liverpool FC, England 16 3
  Emerson, William J. 28 16 December 1891 LH Glentoran FC 4 1
  Kelly, Patrick J. 24 7 September 1896 OR Manchester City FC, England 1 0
  Ferris, James 25 28 November 1894 IR Chelsea FC, England 3 1
  Doran, John F. 24 3 January 1896 CF Brighton & Hove Albion FC, England 1 0
  Gillespie, William B. 29 6 August 1891 IL Sheffield United FC, England 7 5
  McCandless, John nk not known OL Bradford FC, England 5 3

reserves:

reserves not known

team notes:

Rangers FC's right-back, Manderson, Manchester City FC's left-half, Mickey Hamill, and The Celtic FC's inside-right Patrick Gallagher, were all replaced on 8 October by Billy McCandless, Emerson and Ferris. (McCandless took up McCracken's place at right-half, allowing him to take the vacant right-back berth)
 
2-3-5 Scott -
McCracken, Rollo -
W.McCandless, Lacey, Emerson -
Kelly, Ferris, Doran, Gillspie,
J.McCandless

Averages:

Age 27.3/4 Appearances/Goals 4.5 1.2

 

    Match Report

The first international match of the season ended, at Roker Park, Sunderland, on Saturday, in a victory for England over Ireland by two goals to none.

The success of England was well deserved, for they were undoubtedly the superior side. The Irishmen were outplayed, but the game furnished some thoroughly interesting football. The form shown by the English team was good both in individual play and in combination. Ireland lacked the skill of their opponents, and had to rely chiefly on kick and rush methods to get near goal. They never looked like scoring, whereas England often came near to adding to their advantage. No pronounced fault could be found with any of the England players...

Kelly scored for England in the first half and Walker in the second. About 22,000 people watched the game, the receipts being returned at £1,294. - The Times - Monday 25th October, 1920

    Football League

Football League Division One
23 October 1920
Team P Pts
Aston Villa 12 17
Newcastle United 11 16
Liverpool 11 16
Everton 13 16
Huddersfield Town 11 14
Burnley 11 14
Bolton Wanderers 12 13
Tottenham Hotspur 11 12
Middlesbrough 11 12
Sunderland 11 12
Blackburn Rovers 11 11
Bradford City 11 11
Manchester United 11 11
Manchester City 11 11
West Bromwich Albion 11 10
Arsenal 11 9
Oldham Athletic 11 9
Derby County 11 8
Sheffield United 13 8
Preston North End 11 7
Chelsea 11 6
Bradford 11 5

 

Division One matches played on 23 October 1920:

ASTON VILLA 4-0 SHEFFIELD UNITED
C.Stephenson 35, 84, Barson 70, Kirton 87

40,000 (Villa Park, Birmingham)

Villa were without Ducat and Walker (who scored), who were playing against Ireland at Sunderland, whilst United were without Billy Gillespie, who was playing for Ireland.

BLACKBURN ROVERS 0-2 MANCHESTER CITY
(Johnson 25, Bibby o.g. 35)
35,000
(Ewood Park, Blackburn)

Blackburn were without David Rollo, who was playing for Ireland against England at Sunderland, whilst City were without Paddy Kelly, who was making his only international appearance for Ireland.

BRADFORD CITY 2-2 SUNDERLAND
Fox 49, Lindley 75 (Best 6, Marshall 52)

20,000 (Valley Parade, Bradford)

Sunderland were without Charlie Buchan, who was a reserve for England against Ireland at Sunderland.

CHELSEA 1-1 OLDHAM ATHLETIC
McNeil 60 (Wilson 23)

38,000 (
Stamford Bridge, London)

Chelsea were without Jimmy Ferris, who was playing for Ireland against England at Sunderland.

DERBY COUNTY 1-1 ARSENAL
Thornewell 58 (White 73)
19,000 (
Baseball Ground, Derby)

Derby were without Alf Quantrill, who was playing for England against Ireland at Sunderland.

HUDDERSFIELD TOWN 5-1 WEST BROMWICH ALBION
Mann Pen. 46, Shields 53, +1, Islip 83, Taylor (Taylor 30)
25,100 (Leeds
Road, Huddersfield)

Huddersfield were without Fred Bullock, who was making his only full-international appearance, against Ireland at Sunderland, whilst West Brom were without Fred Morris, who was also playing against Ireland.

LIVERPOOL 1-0 EVERTON
Forshaw 35
50,000 (Anfield, Liverpool)

Liverpool were without Lacey and Scott, who were playing for Ireland against England at Sunderland, whilst Everton were without Chedgzoy and Downs (making his only international appearance), who were playing for England.

MANCHESTER UNITED 1-0 PRESTON NORTH END
Miller 16
42,000 (Old Trafford, Manchester)

United were without Jack Mew, who was keeping a clean sheet on his only international appearance, for England against Ireland at Sunderland, whilst Preston were without Joe McCall, who was also playing against Ireland.

MIDDLESBROUGH 4-1 BOLTON WANDERERS
J.Carr 35, 65, Elliott 68, 89
(Smith 20)
28,947 (Ayresome Park, Middlesbrough)

NEWCASTLE UNITED 2-1 BRADFORD
Ward 12, Harris 39 (McLean 53)

45
,000 (St James' Park, Newcastle)

Bradford were without Jack McCandless, who was playing for Ireland against England at Sunderland.

TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR 1-2 BURNLEY
Banks 20 (Anderson 49, 53)
45,000 (White Hart Lane, London)

Tottenham were without Arthur Grimsdell, who was playing for England against Ireland at Sunderland, whilst Burnley were without Bob Kelly, who scored the opening goal against Ireland.

Crowds were now flocking to league grounds in their tens of thousands. Burnley had embarked on a record-breaking unbeaten run that would stretch to thirty league games and take them to their first league title, whilst the team that they beat, Tottenham, would also take silverware in the form of the FA Cup in their first season back in the first division.

Football League Division Two
23 October 1920
Team P Pts
Cardiff City 11 16
South Shields 11 16
Clapton Orient 12 16
Bristol City 12 15
Blackpool 12 13
Stoke 11 12
Notts County 11 12
West Ham United 12 12
Hull City 11 12
Port Vale 11 12
Leicester City 11 12
Bury 11 11
Leeds United 11 11
The Wednesday 11 11
Birmingham 11 10
Rotherham County 12 10
Nottingham Forest 11 10
Fulham 11 9
Wolverhampton Wanderers 11 8
Barnsley 11 8
Stockport County 11 6
Coventry City 12 6

 

Division Two matches played on 23 October 1920:

BLACKPOOL 1-0 WEST HAM UNITED
Reid
9,000 (Bloomfield Road, Blackpool)

BURY 2-2 NOTTINGHAM FOREST
Bullock 2 (Spaven 2)

9,881
(Gigg Lane, Bury)

CLAPTON ORIENT 0-0 BRISTOL CITY
25,000
(Millfields Road, London)

HULL CITY 0-1 LEEDS UNITED
(Thompson)

10,000 (Anlaby Road, Hull)

LEICESTER CITY 1-1 FULHAM
Smith (Torrance)
19,681 (Filbert Street, Leicester)

NOTTS COUNTY 1-2 CARDIFF CITY
Henshall (Cashmore, Gill)
22
,000 (Meadow Lane, Nottingham)

SOUTH SHIELDS 6-1 PORT VALE
Hawes 2, Parker 3, Woods (Blood)
18,000 (Horsley Hill, South Shields)

STOCKPORT COUNTY 3-2 BARNSLEY
Mitton, Walmsley, Shelton (Wainscoat, Donkin)

10,000 (Edgeley Park, Stockport)

STOKE 4-1 COVENTRY CITY
Tempest 2, McColl, Maddock (Wynn)
12,000 (Victoria Ground, Stoke)

THE WEDNESDAY 1-2 BIRMINGHAM
McIntyre (Whitehouse 2)
30,000 (Hillsborough, Sheffield)

The Wednesday were without George Wilson, who was a reserve against Ireland, at Sunderland.

WOLVERHAMPTON WANDERERS 3-0 ROTHERHAM COUNTY
Potts 2, Edmonds
15,535 (Molineux, Wolverhampton)

Cardiff moved to the top in, what was to be, a historic season for them, becoming the first club from outside of England to enter the first division of the Football League.

Selected Division Three matches played on 23 October 1920:

LUTON TOWN 3-2 BRIGHTON & HOVE ALBION
Mathieson, Hayes o.g., Simms (Rodgerson 2)

11,000 (Kenilworth Road, Luton)

Brighton were without Jack Doran, who was making his international debut for Ireland against England at Sunderland.

READING 1-0 CRYSTAL PALACE
Bailey

10,000 (Elm Park, Reading)

Palace were without Robert McCracken, who was making his international debut for Ireland against England at Sunderland.

SOUTHAMPTON 3-0 BRENTFORD
Shelley, Rawlings, Foxall
13,000 (The Dell, Southampton)

Southampton led the table by two points from Millwall, and had a game in hand.

IN OTHER NEWS...

It was on 24 October 1920 that Agatha Christie's first novel, 'The Mysterious Affair at Styles' was released in the United States and introduced the character of Hercule Poirot, the Belgian detective who was to appear in dozens of stories by the famous writer.

Source Notes

*The 1916 Summer Time Act, amendment of 2 March 1920, concerning the end of British Summer Time, was due to take place on Monday, 27 September 1920. But a further amendment on 24 September declared that BST would continue for another month and that the clocks would not revert to GMT until Monday, 25 October. This was because of the coal strike.

Northern Ireland's Footballing Greats
Original Newspaper Reports
TheFA.com
Rothman's Yearbooks
FA Yearbooks 1950-60
Ancestry.com

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CG