All information is complete to and including England's last match, the sixth of the 1922-23 season, against Sweden on 21 May 1923.

Diary

Monday, 26 February 1923 - The International Selection Committee of the Football Association received a communication from Sweden's F.A. agreeing to the terms suggested for matches to be played in Sweden, and the Committee agreed to send a team to that country towards the end of May. A request was received from Spain asking for a representative team to be sent there next season, but the Committee regretted that in view of other engagements they were unable to accede to the request.

Saturday, 24 March 1923 - The Football Association have decided to send a team to Sweden to play ten representative matches, the first at Stockholm on May 21st, and Wagstaffe Simmons was appointed to take charge of the team. Mr Hugo Meisl, nominated by Sweden, was agreed to as referee.

Saturday, 21 April 1923 - The ISC choose a fourteen man Party. It consisted of a starting eleven with a reserve for each of the outfield positions.

Monday, 23 April 1923 - Owing to players being unable to make the journey, several players have been added to the Party. West Ham United's Ted Hufton, Notts County's Bill Ashurst, Derby County's George Thornewell, Civil Service's OHL Leavey and Middlesbrough FC's George Elliott, have all been invited to take part in the FA tour to Sweden to play two international games. Those unable to go were Bayes and Bower.

Friday, 27 April 1923 - After the meeting of the ISC today, presided over by Mr Clegg, it was announced that Wilfred Minter, Basil Patchitt and George Elliott were unable to make the journey.  Freddie Ewar, Billy Walker and Moore were picked to fill the vacancies.
Minter could not be included because it meant being away from his father's business for too long.

Wednesday, 16 May 1923 - The England Party sail to Stockholm, to compete in two matches, on 21st and 24th May. There are more additions and withdrawals that have occurred to the Party in the past three weeks. Basil Patchitt has not only been re-instated into the Party, but has been appointed Captain too. The Arsenal's goalkeeper, Ernie Williamson had replaced Hufton. Blackpool's Harry Miller was also added.

Monday, 21 May 1923 - The England team defeat Sweden in their first ever meeting. Their are seven new debutants, but its the most experienced Englishman on the field that opened and ended the England scoring, with George Thornewell and Jimmy Moore scoring inbetween. England run out as 4-2 victors.

Thursday, 24 May 1923 - The English beat the Swedes once more.  But the Swedish F.A. declare that the match is unofficial. However, the Football Association have always maintained that two matches were due to be played officially.

Monday, 23 February 1925 - The Nottingham Evening Post, excited at the prospect of its own Bill Ashurst is to be capped once more against Wales the following week, reports that Ashurst is to win his third cap, having already been capped against Sweden and Belgium. He had in fact been capped twice against the Swede's. The press of the day were happy to also count the second match as unofficial.

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CG