It started just like another day in the life of a soldier. It finished with Gunner Don Howe, of West Bromwich, playing at right-back for Young England at Hillsborough, Sheffield, last night. He helped them to beat Scotland's 'Under-23s' after the most crowded few hours of his nineteen years.
Don was looking forward to playing for his Royal Artillery Unit at Oswestry (Staffs). Then West Bromwich were told that he was wanted to replace Blackpool's young English back Jimmy Armfield.
   West Bromwich contacted Don's C.O., got leave for him and sent Freddie Cox to fetch him by car.
But Freddie's car broke down and Don didn't join the team until ninety minutes before the kick-off. But this didn't finish as Howe's match. England's stars were without doubt inside forwards Johnny Haynes (Fulham) and Albert Quixall (Sheffield Wednesday).
In the first half, English experienced youngsters were on top all of the time. The Scots matched this slide-rule Soccer with fiery tackling and were only dangerous in breakaways.
   Morrison, Scotland's goalkeeper, was in constant action. Twice he saved brilliantly from inside-right Albert Quixall. Once another Quixall was bundled off the line by left back Rae.
Another time, a cross from winger Allen Finney thudded against the bar and dropped at the feet of centre-forward Jimmy Harris. last-minute deputy for Vic Groves. Right half Price whipped it away out of danger. A goal had to come. And it was a beautiful move in the thirty-fifth minute that brought it. The ball was swept from one end of the field to the other. From left back Norman to outside-left Pegg, to inside right Quixall, and on to inside left Johnny Haynes, England's captain.
   Haynes forced his way past two defenders to crack the ball home.
It was the same story in the second-half—non-sop attacks by England, heart-breaking near misses and wonderful keeping by Morrison.
   For twenty-five minutes in this half Morrison held out until Haynes finally made it 2—0 from a Pegg pass. Young Johnny hit it home with neat precision to round off a great night for himself.
In the eightieth minute there was a little island of Scottish action in a sea of English superiority....and it produced a goal. Right half Price stabbed a pass to outside right Johnny Hamilton, who scored first time. But like a master reprimanding a too forward pupil, Haynes hit back two minutes later. He put through an inch-perfect pass for Harris to make it 3—1 and it was all over.
 

Forty thousand spectators watched this floodlit match on the Sheffield Wednesday ground on February 8th, 1956. Although Scotland were outplayed for considerable periods, it was an interesting match, dominated largely by an England half-back line. Quixall had a good game, but Haynes's many through-passes were not fully exploited. Haynes scored 2 and Harris 1.