England Football Online
      Results 1955-1960                             Page Last Updated 8 March 2024 Tuaisceart Éireann
 
326 vs. Northern Ireland
 
 
previous senior match (21 days)
336 vs. Sweden
previous match (7 days)
'U23' 19 vs. France

  
337 
next match (105 days)
'U23' 20 vs. Scotland
next senior match
(143 days)
338 vs. Scotland

 
342 vs. Northern Ireland
Wednesday, 18 November 1959
Home International Championship 1959-60 (65th) Match


England 2 Northern Ireland 1
[1-0]
 

Empire Stadium, Empire Way, Wembley Park, Wembley, Middlesex
Kick-off (GMT): 2.30pm
Attendance: '60,000'; Receipts: '£20,600.'
Ron Clayton won the toss Wilbur Cush kicked off
[0-0] John Connelly scores disallowed: offside 7
[1-0] Joe Baker 16

'Tony Allen took the free-kick and it flighted perfectly. Parry let it go and the ball dropped at Baker's feet, who hammered in from 12 yards.'


[1-0]Jimmy McIlroy missed pen.39
'tried to sidefoot it with his right foot. It was so slow Springett had time to dive sideways and save.'
(Howe/Brown fouled McIlroy)
2.43 Schools 3.11 Intermission
3.50 Football: England vs. Ireland
5 Junior Criss Cross Quiz 5.25 Cisco Kid
1.45 Listen With Mother 2 Women's Hour
3 Football: England vs. Ireland
[instead of the hockey]
4.15 Take It Easy 4.30 Mrs Dale
[2-1] Ray Parry 90+1 90:30
'Joe Baker moved out to the left wing, picking up a pass, he flashed over the perfect cross for Parry to run onto and smash it into the net.'
[1-1] Billy Bingham 88
'McParland streaking down to the goal-line crossed the ball, Springett dropped on it but failed to hold the ball. Howe and Bingham both pounced. It was Bingham who got there first and flicked the ball over the line.'
Springett had in fact pushed the ball out over the goalline before Bingham hooked the ball back.

Players lost since last match
George Richards (1 November 1959) 79

This week's Music Charts
"John Crossan had his name taken by Leo Callaghan. He had been severely spoken to by the referee in the first half and was booked after bringing down Flowers in the seventy-fourth minute."
Final twenty minutes live only (ATV region only) - Commentator: Kent Walton
Second half live on the Light Programme
"The Football Association withdrew permission for any part of the England-Ireland international to be televised 'live - because the gate looks like being the biggest flop ever" - Daily Mirror, Monday, 9 November 1959
   
"ENGLAND 'LAST GASP' VICTORY!" Daily Mirror
Officials from Wales England UK ruling on substitutes Northern Ireland
Referee (black)
Leo Callaghan
35 (5 February 1924), Merthyr Tydfil

THE FACTS as reported in the Daily News...
Fouls—by England 16, by Ireland 11. Corners—to England 7, to Ireland 7. Off-side—against England 1, Ireland 4. Goal-kicks—to England 8, Ireland 7.
Shots—First-half: by England 11, Ireland 9. Second-half: by England 10, Ireland 3.
    flame flag               Linesmen              orange flag
A. Rees J.G.D. Lewis
     
England Team
 
Rank No official ranking system established;
ELO rating 8th to 7th
Colours The 1954 Umbro home shirt - White v-necked short-sleeved continental jerseys, blue shorts, red socks with white calf hoop.
P 41st of 43, W 20 - D 13 - L 8 - F 104 - A 54.

Captain
Ronnie Clayton Manager Walter Winterbottom, 46 (31 March 1913), appointed as FA national director of coaching/team manager on 8 July 1946;
3rd of five, W 1 - D 1 - L 1 - F 5 - A 5. Trainer: Harold Shepherdson P 111th of 139, W 63 - D 26 - L 22 - F 303 - A 158, one abandoned.
  The team chosen by the Selection Committee, headed by Joe Mears, on Monday, 9 November.
England Lineup
  five changes from the previous match (Hopkinson, Smith, Greaves, Clough & Charlton out) league position (9 November)  
80   Springett, Ronald D. 24
119 days
22 July 1935 G Sheffield Wednesday FC (FL 14th) 1 1ᵍᵃ
786 18th keeper to face a penalty kick the 34th Wednesday player to represent England
2 Howe, Donald 24
37 days
12 October 1935 RB West Bromwich Albion FC (FL 13th) 23 0
final app 1957-59
3
Allen, Anthony 19
356 days
27 November 1939 LB Stoke City FC (FL2 9th) 3 0
final app 1959
4 Clayton, Ronald 25
105 days
5 August 1934 RHB Blackburn Rovers FC (FL 7th) 33 0
787 5 Brown, Kenneth  25
275 days
16 February 1934 CHB West Ham United FC (FL 2nd) 1 0
the thirteenth Hammer to represent England only app 1959
6 Flowers, Ronald 25
113 days
28 July 1934 LHB Wolverhampton Wanderers FC (FL 4th) 11 2
7 Connelly, John M. 21
123 days
18 July 1938 OR Burnley FC (FL 5th) 3 1
8 Haynes, John N. 25
32 days
17 October 1934 IR Fulham FC (FL 6th) 33 13
788 9
Baker, Joseph H. 19
124 days
17 July 1940 CF Hibernian FC, Scotland (SL 6th) 1 1
the only Hibernian player to represent England
789 10 Parry, Raymond A. 23
275 days
19 January 1936 IL Bolton Wanderers FC (FL 9th) 1 1
150th player to score on his debut the 24th Wanderer to represent England
11 Holliday, Edwin 20
164 days
7 June 1939 OL Middlesbrough FC (FL2 4th) 3 0
final app 1959
         
reserve: John Smith (West Ham United FC (FL 2nd))
pre-match notes: The England party again assembled at Cheshunt on Monday and held a practice match against their hosts in the afternoon. It match ended 1-1 with Baker scoring for England, Jackie Henderson for Arsenal.
team notes: Don Howe is the fifteenth player under Winterbottom/ISC/post-war to have made 23-or-more appearances for England.
With the four new players, two of which have never been chosen before, the tally of party players involved under Walter Winterbottom now stands at 190.
debut goal notes: As well as Parry becoming the 150th England player to score on his senior debut, Joe Baker is the youngest player to score on his debut in a competitive match since Tommy Lawton in 1938. Baker is 108 days older than what Lawton was.
Twelve players have now scored on their England debut at Wembley.
Not since against Northern Ireland in October 1954 have two players scored on their debuts.
penalty kick notes: Ron Springett is the first goalkeeper since 1927 (Jack Brown) to face a penalty kick on his England debut, and the first to save on his debut since 1908 (Horace Bailey).
Baker notes: The Liverpool-born forward set all kinds of new records with his England appearance tonight. He becomes the first Scottish League player to be chosen to play for England, the first non-England based player. As well as the first of all these to score.
 
2-3-5 Springett -
Howe, Allen -
Clayton, Brown, Flowers -
Connelly, Haynes, Baker, Parry, Holliday.
Averages: Age 23 years 60 days Appearances/Goals 10.3 1.5
 
Northern Ireland Team
 
Rank No official ranking system established;
ELO rating 26th to 27th
Colours Made by Bukta - Green continental jerseys with white v-neck collar/cuffs, white shorts, green socks with white tops.
Captain Danny Blanchflower Manager Peter Dermot Doherty, 46 (5 June 1913), appointed October 1951, also manager at Bristol City FC since January 1958.
Attendant: Billy McReady (Ballymena United) 38th match, W 8 - D - 13 - L 17 - F 49 - A 78.
Team chosen following the 'B' match against France Espoirs on 11 November, announced 12.45am the following morning from the Grand Central Hotel in Belfast.
Northern Ireland Lineup
  Gregg, Henry 27
22 days
27 October 1932 G Manchester United FC, England 18 29ᵍᵃ
2 Keith, Richard M. 26
187 days
15 May 1933 RB Newcastle United FC, England 14 0
3 McMichael, Alfred 32
48 days
1 October 1927 LB Newcastle United FC, England 39 0
4 Blanchflower, R. Dennis 33
281 days
10 February 1926 RHB Tottenham Hotspur FC, England 41 0
5 Cunningham, William E. 29
271 days
20 February 1930 CHB Leicester City FC, England 26 0
6 Peacock, Robert 31
50 days
29 September 1928 LHB The Celtic, Scotland 24 2
7
Bingham, William L. 28
105 days
5 August 1931 OR Luton Town AFC, England 39 5
8 Crossan, John A. 20
354 days
29 November 1938
 
IR
 
Sparta Rotterdam, Netherlands
 
1
 
0
 
74th min. for bringing down Ron Flowers
9 Cush, Wilbur 31
161 days
10 June 1928 CF Leeds United AFC, England 22 6
10 McIlroy, James 28
24 days
25 October 1931 IL Burnley FC, England 37 7
12th penalty against missed (26th overall)
     
11 McParland, Peter J. 25
207 days
25 April 1934 OL Aston Villa FC, England 25 7
reserve: Alex Elder (Burnley FC, England)
team notes: Johnny Crossan has been banned from playing any football since January 1959, after an appeal, however, there was a partial lifting of the ban. He was not banned from playing for the Irish FA, and so the FA had no protest to his participation, although the high-ranking officials of both the Irish League and Football League were 'indignant'.
penalty kick notes: Jimmy McIlroy's penalty miss comes after he missed another penalty in his previous match, against Scotland on 3 October 1959, as well missing his initial kick against England in November 1957.
goalscoring notes: Bobby Charlton ended the calendar year as top goalscorer for the second year running. Again with a total of six goals.
Manager Peter Doherty played for Ireland against England on seven separate occasions from 1935 until 1947, scoring one in 1947.
The Northern Ireland team trained at the ground of Hendon FC prior to this match.
 
2-3-5 Gregg -
Keith, McMichael -
Blanchflower, Cunningham, Peacock -
Bingham, Crossan, Cush, McIlroy, McParland
Averages: Age 28 years 224 days Appearances/Goals 26 2.4
 
              Match Report by Mike Payne

ENGLAND,  desperately searching for a win, brought in four new caps for the visit of Northern Ireland in the Home Championship. Only three victories in their previous 16 matches was testament to the depressing spell that the side was going through. Not since before the Munich air crash had the England team looked to be mounting a serious challenge to world football and this side did not look likely to improve things.

This game began slowly before ending with a flourish but there was some hope for the England selectors with the form of centre-forward, Joe Baker. At last England seem to have found a number-nine of real quality and despite the fact that he played for Hibernian in the Scottish League and spoke with a broad Scottish accent. Baker gave a performance which suggested that he would serve England well. His skill and speed were a joy to watch and this, couple with his intelligent running, was a real handful for his marker, Cunningham for the whole 90 minutes.

Baker quickly adapted to his new surroundings and early on he set up chances for both Johnny Haynes and Ray Parry. Both shots were cleared from the line but on 16 minutes Baker himself got into the act with a superb opening strike.

Tony Allen took a free-kick which Baker cleverly allowed to run and after one bounce a flashing right-foot shot found the top corner. It was a stunning goal and the number-nine had already won over the crowd.

Unfortunately the rest of the game did not match up to Baker's contribution and for a long spell the play became as tedious and intricate as a chess game with both sides drawing long-winded patterns in  midfield. For Ireland, the workload fell heavily on Blanchflower and McIlroy, whereas England looked to Haynes and Parry for inspiration.

It was all very negative stuff, although the Irish should have been level at half-time. McIlroy set off on an effortless run which took him past three England defenders. It all ended abruptly, though, when he was sandwiched between Ken Brown and Don Howe. The referee saw it was a foul and awarded Ireland a penalty.

McIlroy himself took the spot-kick but stroked it all too gently towards the corner of the goal, enabling Ron Springett to anticipate well and save at full stretch. Ironically, McIlroy had missed a penalty against Scotland earlier this season after having previously gone three years without failure. The save by Springett was one of several very confident moments for England's new goalkeeper, who gave an excellent display throughout.

The second half began with the Irish surging forward, and in one incredible attack four shots by McParland, McIlroy, twice, and Cush were all blocked by a wall of English defenders. As the pace of the game increased then so did the number of goalmouth incidents. A lovely run by John Connelly left McMichael sprawling before a cross from the by-line was headed inches wide by the diving Baker. Then, at the other end, McParland and Cush both shot only just off target before Baker came roaring in to shoot wide from a good position as England retaliated. He really should have scored from that one.

All of a sudden, with the day darkening and the match into the last two minutes, there was pandemonium. McParland, always a threat when he pulled on that green shirt, made a good run down the left before hitting over a low centre to the near post. Springett's dive appeared to have done enough but before the ball could roll out for a corner, Bingham nipped in to hook it back and into the net. Needless to say, his colleagues swarmed round the diminutive winger with their congratulations.

Alas, their joy was premature as within seconds of the end England came back to snatch victory with a dramatic winner. Gregg had already saved brilliantly from Connelly when England regained possession through Edwin Holliday. He fed Baker a good pass and the centre-forward moved to the left-hand by-line before sending a diagonal pass into the path of Parry. The Bolton player calmly stroked the ball wide of Gregg and England had won the match.

 

              Match Report by Norman Giller

Joe Baker, the Englishman from Hibernian with the broad Scottish accent, and Bolton's Ray Parry were two of nine new caps tried in three matches. Baker gave England the lead with a brilliantly worked goal which was equalised with three minutes to go by Billy Bingham. The match was into its final seconds when Parry snatched the winner. West Ham centre-half Ken Brown gave a solid performance  in the middle of the England defence, but was quickly dumped as the selectors continued their hunt for a successor to Billy Wright. Ron Springett marked his impressive first game in the England goal with a first-half save from a Jimmy Mcllroy penalty.
 

              Match Report by Glen Isherwood

They had shared the British Championship between them for the past two years but England were aiming for a record ninth successive title. The Irish were now unbeatable in three meetings with England, including their 1957 win on their previous visit. They had started their British Championship campaign disastrously, however, with a 4-0 thrashing by Scotland at Windsor Park and needed, at least, a point to stay in contention. England had drawn 1-1 with Wales at Ninian Park.
From Allen's free-kick, Joe Baker eluded Cunningham's challenge and turned to shoot England in front.
The Irish ought to have equalised on the stroke of half-time when Bingham's pass put McIlroy through to beat three men before being fouled, jointly, by Howe and Brown. But the penalty taken by McIlroy, was brilliantly saved by Springett. The Irish did equalise two minutes before time when McParland raced away down the wing, cut inside and shot inside the near post. Springett managed to block it, but Billy Bingham pounced on the rebound. But England snatched victory in the very last minute. Baker crossed and Ray Parry slotted in the winner to deprive Northern Ireland of their interest in the Championship.
England secured a share of the British Championship by drawing 1-1 with Scotland at Hampden Park. Northern Ireland finished bottom, without a point, after losing 3-2 to Wales at the Racecourse Ground.

 

              Match Report as appears in the F.A. Yearbook 1960-61 page 35

Five changes were made by England: Springett was in goal; Brown at centre-half; Baker at centre-forward; Haynes and Parry at inside-forward. With the exception of the 8-1 win in Los Angeles this was England's first success in eight games. It was a near thing, however, for with but two minutes left England's early goal, scored by newcomer Joe Baker, was equalised: McParland made one of his special wing dashes, cut along the by-line, fired in a shot from a narrow angle and just as the ball appeared to spin out of play Bingham sent it into the net. England's victory was snatched in the dying seconds: Baker, moving out to the left flank, crossed the ball to Parry who stroked it over the goal-line. For England, Baker pleased with his qualities of leadership, enthusiasm and dash; Springett was confident in goal and looked a good prospect; Parry and Haynes at inside-forward played well in spasms; while Brown at centre-half was not unduly troubled.
     

Other Football Results   
FA Cup First Round replays
 
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Valley Parade, Bradford (13,496)
Rea, Stokes ~ Beaumont
winners away to Rochdale
 winners home to Darlington
Gainsborough Trinity 0
 Doncaster Rovers 1

 
Northolme, Gainsborough (4,000)
Walker

 
   
Reading 2 Norwich City 1
 
Elm Park, Reading (22,161)
Wheeler, Reeves ~ Crowe
winners home to King's Lynn
 
Southampton 5 Coventry City 1
 
The Dell, Southampton (18,650)
Page (pen), Simpson (2), O'Brien, Paine ~ Daley
winners home to Southend United
 
Workington 3 Southport 0
 
Borough Park, Workington (8,374)
Booth, Harburn, McGarry
winners home to Halifax Town
 
Rangers drew 1-1 away to Červená Hviezda in Bratislava to progress to the European Cup quarter-finals, 5-4 on aggregate. Alex Scott scored their goal, but Jimmy Millar was sent off, ten minutes from the end, for an off-the-ball clash with an opponent that developed into a free-for-all.    
  
     In Other News....
It was on 17 November 1959 that Ben-Hur, the three-and-a-half-hour religious epic starring Charlton Heston, remembered mainly for a spectacular chariot-race scene, premiered in New York. Costing over 15 million dollars to make and almost another 15 to promote the film, it won a record eleven Oscars, and no movie has ever won more.
              Source Notes
TheFA.com
Northern Ireland's Footballing Greats
Original newspaper reports
Official Matchday Programme
  Rothman's Yearbooks
Mike Payne's England: The Complete Post-War Record
Norman Giller, Football Author
The Complete Book of the British Charts
British Pathé
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