Full

B

C

Amateur

Under 23

Under 21

Under 20

Under 19

Youth

Under 17

Under 16

1907-40

Women

1947-59

1960-69

1970-79

1980-89

With thanks to Gavin Willacy's 'england schoolboys international players' records 1907-99' (English Schools' Football Association 1999) which was an invaluable reference for this research. Thanks also to Friedhelm Henke for his contributions.

Season 1969-70
Class of 1970 (born after 31 August 1954 - 15 or under on 31 August 1970): Football League debuts: Steve Powell (Derby County) 1971 (Division 1) aged 16 after Texaco Cup debut Billy Rodaway (Burnley) 1972 (Division 2) Brian Bason (Chelsea) 1972 (Division 1) Reserve goalkeeper, Barry Siddall debuted for Bolton Wanderers in the third division in 1972 Brian Hornsby and David Price (Arsenal) 1973 (Division 1) - Price was a substitute for Hornsby Gordon Cattrell (Darlington) 1973 (Division 4) Reserve goalkeeper, Mervyn Day debuted for West Ham United in the first division in 1973 Dennis Leman (Manchester City) 1973 (Division 1) Dave Donaldson (Millwall) 1973 (Division 2) Pat Earles (Southampton) 1974 (Division 1) Keith Osgood (Tottenham Hotspur) 1974 (Division 1) Reserve, Mick Ferguson debuted for Coventry City in the first division in 1975 Under-23 internationals: Mervyn Day (1974) aged 18 and Steve Powell (1974) aged 19 Youth internationals: Mervyn Day (1971) aged 15 in Amateur Youth Championship, Dave Donaldson (1972) aged 17, Steve Powell (1972) aged 16, Brian Hornsby and Barry Siddall (1973), and Keith Osgood and David Price (1973), both aged 17
x		International Selection Committee
Friendly matches
202	6 March 1970 - England 11 Republic of Ireland 0 [4-0] Bramall Lane, Sheffield (5,200)	Hornsby (3), Bradbury (5), Maguire OG, Leman (2)	HW
	England: J.Ferguson, D.Donaldson, B.Bason, S.Powell, D.Priceᶜ, W.Rodaway, B.Hornsby, D.Leman, M.Bradbury, D.Clapton, J.Gannon. (unused: P.Matthews, D.Hunt, K.Osgood).
	England's biggest-ever home win, against an extremely weak Irish team that had come back from two goals down to draw 2-2 with Northern Ireland at Portadown, three weeks earlier, though they were also to lose 3-1 to Wales at Cork. England would not play them again until 1979. An initial squad of 18 England players had gathered together on the previous weekend at Bisham Abbey in Buckinghamshire, where the team was selected. The team manager was now T.W.Saunders. Also present were Douglas, M.Ferguson, D.McCarthy, Scott and B.Siddall. Matthews was a late replacement for Siddall. Four weeks earlier, England's youth team had beaten Ireland, 10-0 at Luton.
203	21 March 1970 - England 2 Scotland 0 [2-0] Empire Stadium, Wembley (35,000)	Bradbury, Hornsby	HW
	England: J.Ferguson, D.Donaldson, B.Bason, S.Powell, D.Priceᶜ, W.Rodaway, B.Hornsby, D.Leman, M.Bradbury, D.Clapton, J.Gannon. (unused: P.Matthews, D.Hunt, K.Osgood).
	The earliest date in the calendar for a Wembley schoolboy international drew its lowest-ever attendance figure by some forty thousand, but England, with an unchanged team, had the game won by half-time, and it was their first win against the Scots for three years.
204	4 April 1970 - Netherlands 0 England 0 [0-0] Sportpark Mulderssingel, Wezep (tbc)		AD
	England: J.Ferguson, D.Donaldson, B.Bason, S.Powell, D.Priceᶜ, W.Rodaway, B.Hornsby, D.Leman, M.Bradbury, D.Clapton, J.Gannon. (used: K.Osgood). (unused: P.Matthews, D.McCarthy).
	A first trip to Holland saw the same team, unchanged again, keep another clean sheet amidst a snowstorm. The Netherlands had registered their first-ever victory at this level, four weeks earlier, winning away in West Germany.
Victory Shield
205	18 April 1970 - England 4 Northern Ireland 0 [2-0] Bootham Crescent, York (tbc)	Bradbury (2), Clapton, Hornsby	HW
	England: J.Ferguson, D.Donaldson, B.Bason, S.Powell, D.Priceᶜ, W.Rodaway, B.Hornsby, D.Leman, M.Bradbury, G.Cattrell, D.Clapton. (unused: M.Day).
	The Irish Schools' FA had become the Northern Ireland Schools' Football Association, fully acknowledging the country name, and avoiding further confusion with their neighbours in the Republic of Ireland. They had begun the Victory Shield, two weeks earlier, by beating Wales, 2-1 at Ninian Park, Cardiff, but followed this result with a 2-1 defeat to Scotland at the Ballymena Showgrounds, seven days later.
206	2 May 1970 - England 4 Wales 0 [-0] Home Park, Plymouth (tbc)		HW
	England: J.Ferguson, D.Donaldson, B.Bason, S.Powell, D.Priceᶜ, W.Rodaway, B.Hornsby, D.Leman, M.Bradbury, G.Cattrell, D.Clapton. (unused: M.Day).
	Wales had lost 3-0 to Scotland at Vetch Field, Swansea, two weeks earlier, and were, again, powerless to prevent another comprehensive defeat to a free-scoring England team.
207	9 May 1970 - Scotland 2 England 0 [0-0] Dens Park, Dundee (tbc)	Brand, McGinley	AL
	England: J.Ferguson, D.Donaldsonᶜ, B.Bason, S.Powell, D.McCarthy, W.Rodaway, B.Hornsby, D.Leman, M.Bradbury, P.Earles, D.Clapton. (unused: M.Day, G.Cattrell, J.Gannon).
	After a record five clean sheets to start the decade, England's defence was finally breached and Scotland secured their first hat-trick of Victory Shields. Regular England captain, David Price was named in the squad, but was suffering from mumps and had to withdraw. Scotland's team featured Frank Gray, who went on to win the European Cup with Nottingham Forest.
Friendly matches
208	16 May 1970 - England 3 West Germany 0 [1-0] Empire Stadium, Wembley (55,000)	Hornsby, Bradbury, Gannon	HW
	England: J.Ferguson, D.Donaldsonᶜ, B.Bason, S.Powell, W.Rodaway, G.Cattrell, B.Hornsby, D.Leman, M.Bradbury, D.Clapton, J.Gannon. (unused: M.Day, D.McCarthy, L.Moody, P.Earles).
	David Price had been selected to play, but had failed to recover sufficiently, and Gannon came into the side for the second Wembley international of the season. England were back to winning ways.
209	19 May 1970 - England 0 West Germany 0 [0-0] Roker Park, Sunderland (tbc)		HD
	England: J.Ferguson, D.Donaldsonᶜ, B.Bason, S.Powell, W.Rodaway, G.Cattrell, B.Hornsby, D.Leman, M.Bradbury, D.Clapton, J.Gannon. (unused: M.Day, D.McCarthy, L.Moody, P.Earles).
	England failed to score, but picked up their seventh clean sheet in eight games.
210	23 May 1970 - West Germany 1 England 0 [-0] Manfred-Werner-Stadion, Flensburg (tbc)	Rodaway OG	HD
	England: J.Ferguson, D.Donaldsonᶜ, B.Bason, S.Powell, W.Rodaway, G.Cattrell, B.Hornsby, D.Leman, M.Bradbury, D.Clapton, J.Gannon. (unused: L.Moody).
	An extra short trip out to Germany saw the English defence finally breached, by one of their own.

From the 1970-71 season onwards, there were still only two outfield substitutes and a substitute goalkeeper allowed to join the action after the start of the game, but it was no longer required that each player being substituted had to be injured.

Season 1970-71
Class of 1971 (born after 31 August 1955 - 15 or under on 31 August 1971): Football League debuts: Steve Powell (Derby County) 1971 (Division 1) aged 16 after Texaco Cup debut Brian Bason (Chelsea) 1972 (Division 1) Ken Ayres (Crystal Palace) 1974 (Division 3) Reserve, Peter Reid debuted for Bolton Wanderers in the second division in 1974, and was in the PFA Division 2 Team of the Year in 1978, and the PFA Team of the Year in 1985 (for Everton) Cliff Marshall (Everton) 1975 (Division 1) Roy Morton (Birmingham City) 1975 (Division 1) - England Youth squad (1972) Reserve, Paul Johnson debuted for Stoke City in the first division in 1977 Jimmy Gordon (Lincoln City) 1977 (Division 3) Other league debuts: Mike Wardrop (New York Cosmos) 1974 (North American Soccer League) Full internationals: Peter Reid (1985) Under-21 internationals: Peter Reid (1977) aged 20 Under-23 internationals: Steve Powell (1974) aged 19 Youth internationals: Steve Powell (1972) aged 16
211	6 March 1971 - England 1 Northern Ireland 0 [0-0] Empire Stadium, Wembley (24,000)	Morton	HW
	England: J.Shepherd, A.Clarkson, T.Spencer, S.Powellᶜ, J.Bowtell, B.Bason, B.Odeje, R.Morton, K.Ayres, M.Wardrop, G.Jones. (used: A.Cameron). (unused: J.Gordon, A.Cahill).
	Northern Ireland's first visit to Wembley coincided with England's earliest-ever start to a season, sadly reflected in the stadium's lowest-ever attendance for a schoolboy international. The match was also marked by the debut of England's first black schoolboy international, Nigerian-born Benjy Odeje, and England also had a new team manager in Jim Morrow. Brian Bason became the first player to make ten England schoolboy appearances.
Victory Shield
212	20 March 1971 - Northern Ireland 2 England 0 [1-0] Shamrock Park, Portadown (tbc)	Nixon, Kennedy	AL
	England: J.Shepherd, A.Clarkson, T.Spencer, J.Partridge, J.Bowtell, R.Morton, C.Marshall, A.Cameron, K.Ayres, B.Basonᶜ, G.Jones.
	Cliff Marshall followed Odeje as England's second black player, but it was Northern Ireland who kicked off the Victory Shield with their first win against England since 1947, though it would be their second and last at this level. The growing civil unrest in Northern Ireland meant that England would not visit the province again for a schoolboy international until 1989.
213	27 March 1971 - Wales 0 England 5 [0-] Ninian Park, Cardiff (tbc)		AW
	England: J.Gordon, A.Clarkson, T.Spencer, M.Wardrop, J.Bowtell, A.Cahill, C.Marshall, R.Morton, B.Odeje, B.Basonᶜ, A.Cameron.
	England, at last, found the right combination to produce their biggest victory in Wales since 1914. Wales were captained by Brian Flynn, who went on to manage his country briefly in 2010. Although they beat the Republic of Ireland, 2-0 at Ebbw Vale, and shared the points with both Northern Ireland (goalless at the Belfast Oval) and Scotland (1-1 at Tynecastle Park, Edinburgh), it was not enough to keep them off the bottom of the Victory Shield table.
Friendly matches
214	3 April 1971 - England 5 Netherlands 1 [3-0] Empire Stadium, Wembley (55,000)	Morton, Clarkson, Odeje, Bason (2 (1 pen)) De Kruijff	HW
		After Bason had scored England's fifth and final goal, from the spot, with five minutes remaining, Peter de Kruijff missed a penalty, before scoring, a few seconds later.
	England: J.Gordon, A.Clarkson, T.Spencer, M.Wardrop, J.Bowtell, A.Cahill, K.Ayres, R.Morton (W.Conroy), B.Odeje, B.Basonᶜ, A.Cameron. (unused: J.Shepherd, P.Johnson, C.Marshall).
	Another convincing five-goal victory as the Netherlands made a first appearance at Wembley. Future Tottenham Hotspur and Fulham manager, Maarten Jol was in the Dutch team.
215	24 April 1971 - West Germany 2 England 2 [1-2] Olympiastadion, Berlin (60,000)	Niedermayer, Oehler Ayres, Morton	AD
	England: J.Gordon, A.Clarkson, T.Spencer, S.Powellᶜ, J.Bowtell, A.Cahill, K.Ayres, R.Morton, B.Odeje, B.Bason, A.Cameron. (unused: M.Wardrop, C.Marshall).
	England's fourth successive game in Germany without defeat.
216	27 April 1971 - West Germany 1 England 0 [0-0] Wildparkstadion, Karlsruhe (20,000)	Nieberg	AL
	England: J.Gordon, A.Clarkson, T.Spencer, S.Powellᶜ, J.Bowtell, A.Cahill, K.Ayres, R.Morton, B.Odeje, B.Bason, A.Cameron. (used: M.Wardrop, C.Marshall)
	England's run came to an end, but not without a struggle.
Victory Shield
217	15 May 1971 - England 3 Scotland 1 [1-0] Maine Road, Manchester (20,000)	Cameron, Marshall, Morton MacKinnon	HW
		Morton also had a 63rd-minute penalty saved by Craig.
	England: J.Gordon, A.Clarkson, T.Spencer, S.Powellᶜ, J.Bowtell, A.Cahill, C.Marshall, M.Wardrop, R.Morton, B.Bason, A.Cameron. (unused: J.Shepherd, Peter Reid, B.Odeje).
	Seven days earlier, Scotland had come from behind to beat Northern Ireland, 2-1 at East End Park, Dunfermline which meant that they needed one more point for a fourth successive Victory Shield success and a first outright hat-trick of titles, but it was England who were dominant and picked up the silverware for the first time outright since 1967. Brian Bason made his record 16th schoolboy international appearance, smashing the previous record by six games. Captain, Steve Powell, meanwhile, made his 13th appearance, second only to Bason. Scotland's team included George Burley, who became their national team manager in 2008.

The minimum leaving age for schoolchildren was raised from 15 to 16 in 1972, but with the extra year being dedicated to final examinations, the respective schools' football associations decided to continue playing international matches at under-15 level.

Season 1971-72
Class of 1972 (born after 31 August 1956 - 15 or under on 31 August 1972): Football League debuts: Ray Wilkins (Chelsea) 1973 (Division 1) - Football League XI (1976), PFA Division 2 Team of the Year (1977) John Sparrow (Chelsea) 1974 (Division 1) aged 16 Gordon Staniforth (Hull City) 1974 (Division 2) Adrian Cooper (Reading) 1974 (Division 4) John Trewick (West Bromwich Albion) 1974 (Division 2) Frank Pimblett (Aston Villa) 1975 (Division 2) Trevor Ross (Arsenal) 1975 (Division 1) - Scotland Under-21 international (1977) Wilf Rostron (Arsenal) 1975 (Division 1) David Nicholls (Bradford City) 1975 (Division 4) Keith Baker (Grimsby Town) 1975 (Division 3) Geoff Chalklin (Swindon Town) 1976 (Division 3) Terry Pashley (Burnley) 1976 (Division 1) Clive Walker (Chelsea) 1977 (Division 2) Peter Stronach (Sunderland) 1977 (Division 2) Other league debuts: Dave Danson (Dagenham) 1981 (Alliance Premier League) Full internationals: Ray Wilkins (1976) aged 19 Under-23 internationals: Ray Wilkins (1975) aged 19 (under-21 captain, 1976, aged 20) Youth internationals: John Sparrow and John Trewick (1975), both aged 17 and Ray Wilkins (1975) - captain
218	15 March 1972 - England 1 Northern Ireland 1 [0-1] The Hawthorns, West Bromwich (6,500)	Cooper Campbell	HD
	England: K.Baker, T.Ross, J.Sparrow, T.Pashleyᶜ, R.Atkins, Ray Wilkins, P.Stronach, F.Pimblett, J.Trewick, A.Cooper, J.Rostron. (used: M.Corcoran, G.Chalklin). (unused: D.Danson)
	A Wednesday-night start to Northern Ireland's first season of exile, due to the conflicts at home, saw them take a fourth-minute lead through Bobby Campbell, before an unimpressive England managed to salvage a point. Two future stars of Northern Ireland internationals, Noel Brotherston and Jimmy Nicholl, were also in their side. Their only scheduled home game, against Scotland at Larne, was switched to Stair Park, Stranraer, as the Scots were unwilling to travel. Scotland won the game, 2-1, whilst Northern Ireland finished the series with a 3-0 win against Wales at Vetch Field, Swansea.
219	25 March 1972 - England 1 France 0 [0-0] Arsenal Stadium, Highbury (4,977)	Rostron	HW
	England: D.Danson (K.Baker), T.Ross, T.Pashleyᶜ, M.Corcoran, J.Sparrow, D.Nicholls, A.Cooper, F.Pimblett, J.Trewick, P.Stronach, J.Rostron. (used: G.Chalklin).
	Wilf Rostron's header was enough to separate the sides in their first meeting at schoolboy level.
220	6 April 1972 - Netherlands 0 England 2 [0-0] Philips Stadion, Eindhoven (tbc)	Rostron, Pimblett	AW
	England: D.Danson, T.Ross, T.Pashleyᶜ, M.Corcoran, J.Sparrow, Ray Wilkins, A.Cooper, F.Pimblett, J.Trewick (G.Staniforth), P.Stronach, J.Rostron. (used: G.Chalklin). (unused: D.Nicholls).
	The first of a two-game mini-tour on a Thursday night saw England record a first victory in the Netherlands.
221	8 April 1972 - Netherlands 0 England 3 [0-0] Sportpark De Vaan, Rotterdam (800)	Rostron, Trewick (2)	AW
	England: D.Danson, T.Ross, T.Pashleyᶜ, M.Corcoran, J.Sparrow, Ray Wilkins, A.Cooper, F.Pimblett, J.Trewick, P.Stronach, J.Rostron. (used: G.Chalklin). (unused: D.Nicholls, G.Staniforth).
	Another commanding victory as England scored three quick goals, early in the second half, to break their hosts' resistance.
Victory Shield
222	5 May 1972 - England 6 Wales 1 [2-0] Edgeley Park, Stockport (5,840)	Stronach, Sparrow, Rostron (2), Pimblett, Walker Jones	HW
	England: D.Danson, T.Ross, T.Pashleyᶜ, M.Corcoran, J.Sparrow, Ray Wilkins, A.Cooper, F.Pimblett, J.Trewick, P.Stronach, J.Rostron. (used: C.Walker). (unused: K.Baker, G.Chalklin).
	England continued their goalscoring form in a Friday-night match, as they approached the decider in Scotland, eight days later, with confidence.
223	13 May 1972 - Scotland 1 England 1 [1-1] Ibrox Stadium, Glasgow (12,100)	Albiston (pen) Stronach (pen)	AD
	England: D.Danson, T.Ross, T.Pashleyᶜ, M.Corcoran, J.Sparrow, Ray Wilkins, A.Cooper, F.Pimblett, J.Trewick (G.Chalklin), P.Stronach, J.Rostron. (used: G.Staniforth).
	Scotland's 2-1 win against Wales at Ninian Park, Cardiff meant that they only needed a point to regain the Victory Shield for the fourth time in five years. They were a goal down after eight minutes, but a second penalty, from Manchester United-bound, Arthur Albiston gave them the title. Scotland then made their first trip to the continent and earned a creditable 4-4 draw with West Germany in Saarbrücken
Friendly matches
224	20 May 1972 - England 4 West Germany 0 [1-0] Empire Stadium, Wembley (67,000)	Trewick, Stronach (2 (1 pen)), Rostron	HW
	England: D.Danson, T.Ross, T.Pashleyᶜ, M.Corcoran, J.Sparrow, Ray Wilkins (G.Chalklin), A.Cooper, F.Pimblett, J.Trewick, P.Stronach, J.Rostron. (unused: K.Baker, R.Atkins, G.Staniforth, C.Walker).
	Peter Stronach was the star of the show as England destroyed their opponents with clinical finishing. Wilf Rostron, who scored his sixth goal in six internationals, was from the same school in Sunderland as Stronach. This match was probably a major factor in the return of live television coverage in the following year.
225	23 May 1972 - England 4 West Germany 2 [2-0] Simonside Hall, South Shields (10,000)	Kunzmann OG, Rostron (2), Sparrow Nagerl, Dämpfling	HW
	England: D.Danson, T.Ross, T.Pashleyᶜ, M.Corcoran, J.Sparrow, Ray Wilkins, A.Cooper, F.Pimblett, J.Trewick, P.Stronach, J.Rostron. (used: G.Chalklin, C.Walker). (unused: K.Baker, R.Atkins, G.Staniforth).
	The Daily Mirror debited German captain, Rastetter with the own goal, and Falter with their second goal. Rostron ended the season with eight goals from his last seven games as England remained unbeaten.

Season 1972-73
Class of 1973 (born after 31 August 1957 - 15 or under on 31 August 1973): Football League debuts: Tommy Langley (Chelsea) 1974 (Division 1) aged 16 Alan Curbishley (West Ham United) 1975 (Division 1) Derek Scott (Burnley) 1975 (Division 1) Reserve, Tony Maggiore debuted for Hartlepool in the fourth division in 1975 David McLean (Newcastle United) 1976 (Division 1) Mark Higgins (Everton) 1976 (Division 1) Harry Holman (Exeter City) 1976 (Division 4) Gary Goodchild (Hereford United) 1976 (Division 2) Glenn Ellis (Colchester United) 1977 (Division 4) Alan Hoult (Hull City) 1978 (Division 2) David Bradley (Wimbledon) 1978 (Division 4) Shaun Penny (Bristol Rovers) 1979 (Division 2) Other league debuts: Ray Botham (Sydney Olympic) 1977 (Australian National Soccer League) Roger Wade (Dagenham) 1981 (Alliance Premier League) - Republic of Ireland under-21 international (1978) Under-21 internationals: Tommy Langley (1978) aged 20 and Alan Curbishley (1980) aged 23 Youth internationals: Alan Curbishley (1975) aged 17, Tommy Langley (1975) aged 16 and Mark Higgins (1976)
Victory Shield
226	9 March 1973 - England 4 Northern Ireland 1 [2-1] Prenton Park, Birkenhead (3,500)	Scanlan (pen), Penny (2), Curbishley McCreery	HW
	England: R.Fletcher, R.Wade, D.Scott, D.Bradley, M.Higgins, L.Curbishley, R.Botham, J.Scanlanᶜ, T.Langley, R.Storey, S.Penny. (used: D.McLean). (unused: G.Ellis, A.Maggiore).
	A Friday-night start to the Victory Shield as Northern Ireland embarked on a second season with all games played away from home, due to the ongoing conflict, though, six days earlier, they had managed to play an international on the island, as they made a first trip over the Irish border since 1950, losing 3-1 to the Republic of Ireland at Tolka Park, Dublin. As a concession to what should have been their home games against England and Wales, the referee was from Northern Ireland for both games. No doubt that the choice of venue on Merseyside, like the full internationals at Liverpool, two months later, was made as to be as convenient as possible for Irish fans to get to. Curiously, the ESFA recorded this result as 4-0, scrubbing out the opening goal by David McCreery, later to star for Manchester United. The scorer of England's fourth goal, Llewellyn (better known as Alan) Curbishley, went on to manage Charlton Athletic and West Ham United in the Premier League.
Friendly match
227	7 April 1973 - England 3 Netherlands 1 [2-1] Empire Stadium, Wembley (52,000)	Scanlan (pen), Penny (2) Kersbergen	HW
	England: R.Fletcher (G.Ellis), R.Wade, D.Scott, D.Bradley, M.Higgins, L.Curbishley, R.Botham (D.McLean), J.Scanlanᶜ, T.Langley, R.Storey, S.Penny. (unused: A.Maggiore, A.Hoult, P.Hammond).
	England were unchanged from four weeks earlier, but goalkeeper, Robert Fletcher injured his wrist trying to stop the Dutch equaliser. He was substituted at half-time and could not dislodge his replacement from the position for the rest of the season. Though the stadium was only just over half-full, it was played at the same time as both FA Cup semi-finals, gate receipts were around £30,000.
Victory Shield
228	13 April 1973 - Wales 0 England 4 [0-3] Belle Vue, Rhyl (tbc)	Langley, McLean, Penny (2)	AW
	England: G.Ellis, R.Wade, D.Scott, D.Bradley, M.Higgins, L.Curbishley, D.McLean, J.Scanlanᶜ, T.Langley, R.Storey, S.Penny. (used: A.Hoult).
	Wales had made their first continental trip, four weeks earlier, narrowly losing 2-1 to West Germany in Worms, and returned to hold defending champions, Scotland to a goalless draw at Muirton Park, Perth in their opening Victory Shield match, six days before welcoming England, but it was the same old story for them, as their visitors took their recent total against them to 19 goals in four games. The oldest member of the season's squad, Shaun Penny's third-consecutive brace put the seal on their performance in this Friday-night fixture. Wales lost their last match, 1-0 to Northern Ireland at Ebbw Vale.
229	21 April 1973 - England 2 Scotland 0 [2-0] Recreation Ground, Chesterfield (tbc)	Penny, Scanlan	HW
	England: G.Ellis, R.Wade, D.Scott, D.Bradley, M.Higgins, L.Curbishley, D.McLean, J.Scanlanᶜ, T.Langley, R.Storey, S.Penny. (used: A.Hoult).
	Needing only a point, Easter Saturday saw an unchanged England regain the Victory Shield. Scotland finished runners-up after beating Northern Ireland, 2-1 at Love Street, Paisley, seven days later.
Friendly matches
230	28 April 1973 - France 0 England 5 [0-] Stade Pershing, Paris (tbc)	Penny, Scanlan, Langley, Storey, McLean	AW
	England: G.Ellis, R.Wade, D.Scott, D.Bradley, M.Higgins, L.Curbishley, D.McLean, J.Scanlanᶜ, T.Langley, R.Storey, S.Penny. (used: G.Goodchild).
	A first trip to France and another comprehensive victory for the class of 1973.
231	23 May 1973 - West Germany 2 England 3 [-] Olympiastadion, Berlin (tbc)	Bruns (2) Scanlan (pen), Penny (2)	AW
	England: G.Ellis, R.Wade, D.Scott, D.Bradley, M.Higgins, L.Curbishley, D.McLean (A.Hoult), J.Scanlanᶜ, T.Langley, R.Storey, S.Penny. (unused: R.Fletcher, A.Maggiore, H.Holman, G.Goodchild).
	Unlike the full international team, the schoolboys continued to get the better of their German counterparts, with Sean Penny reaching double figures for England in six matches.
232	26 May 1973 - West Germany 1 England 1 [0-1] Jahnstadion, Regensburg (12,000)	Bruns Hoult	AD
	England: G.Ellis, R.Wade, D.Scott, D.Bradley, M.Higgins, L.Curbishley, A.Hoult, J.Scanlanᶜ, T.Langley, R.Storey, S.Penny. (used: G.Goodchild) (unused: R.Fletcher, A.Maggiore, H.Holman).
	England took an early lead and withstood a more attacking German team for an hour before conceding. David McLean had to miss the game through injury, the first change to the starting line-up in five matches, but it was his replacement that gave England the lead.
233	9 June 1973 - England 2 Scotland 4 [1-3] Empire Stadium, Wembley (32,500)	Bradley, Storey Brown (2), Henderson, McCluskey	HL
	England: G.Ellis, R.Wade, D.Scott, D.Bradley, M.Higgins, L.Curbishley, D.McLean (A.Hoult), J.Scanlanᶜ, T.Langley, R.Storey, S.Penny (H.Holman). (unused: R.Fletcher, A.Maggiore, A.Hoult, R.Botham).
	After a run of 16 games unbeaten, England took an early lead, but were then stunned by three quick first-half goals, and the fourth finished them off. It was England's first ever fixture in June and, after an eight-year break, ITV broadcast the game live in 'World of Sport'. A Wembley schoolboy international had not been televised in full since 1955. The attendance was disappointing for a Scotland match, but it was hugely popular entertainment for the viewers and ITV returned every year for the next two decades.

 

Season 1973-74
Class of 1974 (born after 31 August 1958 - 15 or under on 31 August 1974): Football League debuts: Kenny Sansom (Crystal Palace) 1975 (Division 3) aged 16 - England B international (1978), PFA Division 2 Team of the Year (1979), PFA Team of the Year (1980), (1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, Arsenal) Martin Patching (Wolverhampton Wanderers) 1975 (Division 1) aged 16 Peter Coyne (Manchester United) 1976 (Division 1) Paul Clark (Southend United) 1976 (Division 4) Mark Higgins (Everton) 1976 (Division 1) Andy Kingston (Oxford United) 1977 (Division 3) Kevin Mabbutt (Bristol City) 1977 (Division 1) - under-18 schoolboy international (1975) aged 16 Steve Gardner (Oldham Athletic) 1977 (Division 2) George Bailey (Doncaster Rovers) 1978 (Division 4) Paul Haverson (Wimbledon) 1978 (Division 4) Tour squad member, Kevin Stead debuted for Arsenal in the first division in 1978 Martin New (Mansfield Town) 1979 (Division 3) Ray Deakin (Port Vale) 1981 (Division 4) Other league debuts: Peter Savill (Launceston Juventus) 1980 (Tasmanian State League) Full internationals: Kenny Sansom (1979) aged 20 Under-21 internationals: Kenny Sansom (1978) aged 19 Youth internationals: Martin Patching (1976) aged 17, Paul Clark (1976), Kevin Mabbutt (1976) aged 17, Mark Higgins (1976), Andy Kingston (1976) aged 17 and Kenny Sansom (1977) - captain
Victory Shield
234	4 March 1974 - England 7 Northern Ireland 0 [1-0] Villa Park, Birmingham (6,500)	Savill, Bailey (3), Mabbutt, Patching, Coyne	HW
	England: A.Breeze, Kenny Sansom, R.Deakin, P.Clark, M.Higginsᶜ, P.Savill, S.Gardner, M.Patching, G.Bailey, K.Mabbutt, A.King. (used: P.Coyne).
	A new earliest-ever start to the season, though Northern Ireland had already contested a goalless draw, nine days earlier, with the Republic of Ireland at Tolka Park, Dublin. The game was played on a Monday afternoon due to the fuel crisis that had hit the country.
235	30 March 1974 - Scotland 4 England 1 [2-0] Fir Park, Motherwell (7,000)	Melrose (2), McCluskey, Gilmour (pen) King	AL
	England: A.Breeze, Kenny Sansom, R.Deakin, P.Clark, M.Higginsᶜ, P.Savill, P.Coyne, M.Patching, G.Bailey, K.Mabbutt, S.Gardner (A.King). (used: P.Haverson) (unused: M.New, R.Hale).
	Scotland had been two goals down to Wales at Park Avenue, Aberystwyth, two weeks earlier, with twenty minutes left, but managed to salvage a 2-2 draw. England were, thus, taken by surprise and suffered their heaviest-ever Victory Shield defeat, and their biggest to Scotland since 1919. 13-year-old John McCluskey scored their second goal.
Friendly match
236	6 April 1974 - England 5 France 2 [3-2] Empire Stadium, Wembley (42,000)	Daviau OG, Coyne (3), Mabbutt Remy (2)	HW
	England: M.New, P.Haverson, Kenny Sansom, P.Clark, M.Higginsᶜ, P.Savill, P.Coyne, M.Patching, G.Bailey, K.Mabbutt, R.Hale (R.Deakin). (used: A.Kingston) (unused: A.Breeze, S.Gardner).
	A lively match saw England return to form on France's first visit to Wembley. Alan King was named in the match programme, but Hale took his position.
Victory Shield
237	29 April 1974 - England 2 Wales 1 [1-1] Goodison Park, Liverpool (13,000)	Coyne, Higgins Hughes	HW
	England: M.New, A.Kingston, Kenny Sansom, P.Clark, M.Higginsᶜ, P.Savill, P.Coyne, M.Patching, G.Bailey, K.Mabbutt, A.King (S.Gardner). (used: P.Haverson).
	Wales had beaten Northern Ireland, 1-0 at Parc Stebonheath, Llanelli, ten days earlier, to stay in contention for the Victory Shield that they had only ever shared (once, in 1949), but Scotland's 4-2 win against Northern Ireland at Palmerston Park, Dumfries, two days before this Monday night fixture, ended England's hopes of retaining the title, and meant that Wales could share it with the Scots by beating England. It was Scotland's fifth shield in seven years. England's victory gave them the runners-up spot, but ensured that it was won outright by the Scots.
Friendly matches
238	18 May 1974 - Netherlands 0 England 1 [0-] Sportpark Larenstein, Bilthoven (tbc)	Coyne	AW
	England: M.New, A.Kingston, Kenny Sansom, P.Clark, M.Higginsᶜ, P.Savill, P.Coyne, M.Patching, G.Bailey, K.Mabbutt, S.Gardner. (used: A.King, P.Haverson).
	England continued their impressive form against continental opposition.
239	1 June 1974 - England 4 West Germany 0 [1-0] Empire Stadium, Wembley (40,000)	Coyne (3), Mabbutt	HW
	England: M.New, A.Kingston, Kenny Sansom (R.Deakin), P.Clark, M.Higginsᶜ, P.Savill, P.Coyne, M.Patching, G.Bailey, K.Mabbutt, S.Gardner. (unused: A.Breeze, A.King, R.Hale, P.Haverson).
	Peter Coyne ended England's regular season with a second Wembley hat-trick, and helped to inflict a second successive four-goal hammering for the Germans in the national stadium. West Germany ended their season drawing 2-2 with Wales at Cwmbrân, three days later.

Tour of Australia The Australian Secondary Schools' Soccer Federation invited the ESFA to send Jim Morrow's squad of 18 boys (all 15 years old) to play five matches over a three-week period during the school summer holidays, and paid all of their travel expenses, even paying for Martin Patching to fly to Melbourne to spend some time with his uncle's family. They arrived, two days late, only two days before their first match, due to having to change their plans so that they flew via Montréal, San Francisco and Honolulu, over the Pacific Ocean, and then across to the west coast of Australia, rather than across Europe and Asia. u/o 24 July 1974 - Western Australia 1 England 2 [nk] Perth (tbc) Coyne AW u/o 27 July 1974 - New South Wales 1 England 3 [1-2] Balls Paddock, Woonona (2,231) Coleman Higgins, Coyne (2) AW u/o 31 July 1974 - Northern New South Wales 0 England 3 [nk] Macquarie Field, Speers Point (tbc) Coyne AW u/o 3 August 1974 - Queensland 0 England 8 [0-4] Brisbane (tbc) Bailey (2), Higgins (2), Mabbutt, Hale, King, Patching (pen) AW

Friendly match
240	10 August 1974 - Australia 0 England 2 [0-1] Sydney Sports Ground, Moore Park (10,922)	Higgins, Coyne	AW
	England: M.New, A.Kingston, Kenny Sansom, P.Clark, M.Higginsᶜ, P.Savill, P.Coyne, M.Patching, G.Bailey, K.Mabbutt, P.Haverson.
	England captain, Mark Higgins, on his 15th and last appearance for England schoolboys, opened the scoring in their first and only international outside of Europe in their history. Peter Coyne then became joint-top scorer on the tour with Higgins, on five goals each, giving Coyne 14 for the season. The 16 players that had appeared for England during the season made up the squad, plus P.Emsden and K.Stead. Breeze, Deakin, Gardner, Hale and King were the other players that did not start the game with Australia.

Season 1974-75
Class of 1975 (born after 31 August 1959 - 15 or under on 31 August 1975): Football League debuts: Jason Seacole (Oxford United) 1976 (Division 3) aged 16 Billy Hurley (Orient) 1977 (Division 2) Jerry Murphy (Crystal Palace) 1977 (Division 3) - Republic of Ireland international (1979) Billy Gilbert (Crystal Palace) 1977 (Division 2) - England youth squad (1977), PFA Division 2 Team of the Year (1985, Portsmouth) Martyn Rogers (Manchester United) 1977 (Division 1) Godfrey Ingram (Luton Town) 1978 (Division 2) Jon May (Blackpool) 1978 (Division 3) Ray Ranson (Manchester City) 1978 (Division 1) Steve Leahy (Crystal Palace) 1980 (Division 1) Under-21 internationals: Billy Gilbert and Ray Ranson (1979), both aged 19 Youth internationals: Ray Ranson, Martyn Rogers, Jason Seacole and Godfrey Ingram (1977), all aged 17
Victory Shield
241	5 March 1975 - Wales 1 England 4 [-] Ninian Park, Cardiff (tbc)	Coughlin Ingram (2), Leahy, Gilbert	AW
	England: P.Field, R.Ranson, M.Rogers, W.Gilbertᶜ, S.Totty, J.Murphy, G.Ingram, A.Coles, W.Hurley, J.Seacole, S.Leahy. (used: P.Staniforth). (unused: S.Lymer, P.Waddington, I.Cooke, J.May).
	A Wednesday-afternoon start to the season for England. Four days earlier, Wales had beaten Scotland in the opening match of the Victory Shield, by 2-1 at Pittodrie Park, Aberdeen. It was their first victory against the Scots since the war, and their first in Scotland since 1915, but they were well beaten, once again, by England.
Friendly match
242	22 March 1975 - England 4 Netherlands 0 [3-0] Empire Stadium, Wembley (40,000)	Seacole (2), Hurley (2)	HW
	England: P.Field, R.Ranson, M.Rogers, W.Gilbertᶜ, S.Totty, J.Murphy, G.Ingram, A.Coles, W.Hurley (P.Staniforth), J.Seacole, S.Leahy. (used: P.Waddington). (unused: S.Lymer, I.Cooke, J.May).
	14-year-old Jason Seacole scored twice in the first half as England overwhemed their opponents.
Victory Shield
243	12 April 1975 - Northern Ireland 0 England 1 [0-1] Stair Park, Stranraer (tbc)	Hurley	NW
	England: P.Field, R.Ranson, M.Rogers, W.Gilbertᶜ, S.Totty, J.Murphy, G.Ingram, A.Coles, W.Hurley, J.Seacole, S.Leahy.
	Northern Ireland's fourth season without playing at home saw England agree to move the fixture to Scotland where there was a two-hour ferry crossing for Irish fans. England's full international team would decide to resume their bi-annual trips to Belfast in the following month. Two weeks earlier, Northern Ireland had brought Scotland's defence of the Victory Shield to an abrupt end by beating them in Scotland for the first time ever, by 3-2 at Tannadice Park, Dundee, the Scots' second home reversal of the season. Northern Ireland had earlier drawn 1-1 with the Republic of Ireland at Tolka Park, Dublin.
244	21 April 1975 - England 1 Scotland 0 [1-0] Bramall Lane, Sheffield (tbc)	Murphy	HW
	England: P.Field, R.Ranson, M.Rogers, W.Gilbertᶜ, S.Totty, J.Murphy, G.Ingram, A.Coles, W.Hurley, J.Seacole, S.Leahy. (used: I.Cooke). (unused: S.Lymer, P.Staniforth, P.Waddington, J.May).
	England kept the same starting line-up for the fourth game in succession and regained the Victory Shield for the third time in five years, thanks to Jerry Murphy, a future Irish international, scoring the only goal direct from a corner in a Monday-night fixture. Four nights later, Wales thrashed Northern Ireland, 4-0 at Parc Meurig, Bethesda to finish runners-up for the first time since 1963.
DFB 75th Anniversary International Under-15 Tournament in North Rhine-Westphalia, West Germany
245	group A
	30 April 1975 - England 6 France 1 [-] Ischelandstadion, Hagen (15,000)	Seacole (3), Leahy (2), Hurley	NW
	England: P.Field (S.Lymer), R.Ranson, M.Rogers, W.Gilbertᶜ, S.Totty, J.Murphy, G.Ingram, I.Cooke, W.Hurley, J.Seacole, S.Leahy. (used: P.Waddington).
	England were favourites to win the first European tournament, held in Germany to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the formation of the Deutscher Fuβball-Bund, and they began as they meant to go on, with a third successive trouncing of France. They made just one change to the starting line-up, for the first time that season, but the squad was unchanged and all 16 would make, at least, one appearance during the tournament. In the other group, Wales met Switzerland for the first time, and drew 2-2 in Siegen, whilst the hosts beat the Republic of Ireland by a single goal in Gelsenkirchen.
246	2 May 1975 - England 4 Scotland 0 [-0] Friedrich-Ludwig-Jahn-Stadion, Herford (tbc)	Hurley, Leahy, Seacole, Ingram	NW
	England: P.Field, R.Ranson, M.Rogers, W.Gilbertᶜ, S.Totty, J.Murphy, G.Ingram, I.Cooke, W.Hurley, J.Seacole, S.Leahy. (used: J.May).
	Scotland had beaten the Netherlands, 4-1 in their first meeting, in Münster, two days earlier, but they were no match for the free-scoring England team in the second of three clashes with them that season. In Group B, Wales beat the Republic of Ireland, 2-1 in Gütersloh, but would have to beat the hosts, who beat Switzerland, 6-0, to reach the final.
247	5 May 1975 - England 3 Netherlands 1 [2-1] Inselbadstadion, Paderborn (tbc)	Hurley (2), Leahy Lorié (pen)	NW
	England: S.Lymer, R.Ranson, M.Rogers, W.Gilbertᶜ, S.Totty, J.Murphy, P.Waddington, J.May, W.Hurley, J.Seacole, S.Leahy. (used: P.Staniforth, A.Coles).
	England only needed a point to be certain of qualifying for the final, and their goal difference was far superior to the other teams, if they should lose. They had beaten the Netherlands, 4-0 at Wembley, two months earlier, and had yet to lose to them. England made three changes and comfortably won the group with maximum points. Scotland beat France in their first ever meeting, 2-0 to finish runners-up and qualified for the third-place play-off. In the other group, Wales, needing to win to force an all-British final, held West Germany in Bielefeld, until ten minutes from the end, but lost 3-1.
248	FINAL
	7 May 1975 - West Germany 2 England 4 [1-1] Westfalenstadion, Dortmund (40,000)	Remark, Jenal Leahy (2), Ingram (2)	AW
	England: P.Field, R.Ranson, M.Rogers, W.Gilbertᶜ, S.Totty, J.Murphy, G.Ingram, P.Staniforth, W.Hurley, J.Seacole, S.Leahy.
	England were worthy winners. Godfrey Ingram's individual skills caught the eye with a "dazzling solo run" for England's second goal, early in the second half. Two more goals quickly followed and England were crowned European champions. 24 hours earlier, Scotland had beaten Wales, 6-1 in Bochum to finish third, ample revenge for their defeat at Aberdeen at the beginning of the season, two months earlier. The Republic of Ireland finished fifth after beating the Netherlands by a single goal in Lünen.
England are the winners of the International Under-15 Tournament
Friendly match
249	7 June 1975 - England 0 Scotland 1 [0-0] Empire Stadium, Wembley (52,000)	McCluskey	HL
	England: P.Field, R.Ranson, M.Rogers, W.Gilbertᶜ, S.Totty, J.Murphy, G.Ingram, P.Staniforth (P.Waddington), W.Hurley, J.Seacole, S.Leahy. (unused: S.Lymer, A.Coles, I.Cooke, J.May).
	Billy Gilbert led the team out for his record ninth captaincy, but for the second time in three years, Scotland burst England's bubble at Wembley at the end of a successful season, after earlier losing twice to them without scoring. 14-year-old John McCluskey's brilliant individual goal was enough to beat the European champions and Victory Shield holders. It was the third year in succession that a McCluskey had scored against them. His older brother, George had netted in the 1973 win at the stadium. John had scored in 1974 at the age of 13, and scored a recent hat-trick against Wales in Germany. He was clearly destined for great things until a blood clot in his leg caused thrombosis, ending his career after just one first-team appearance for Celtic at the age of 16.

 

Season 1975-76
Class of 1976 (born after 31 August 1960 - 15 or under on 31 August 1976): Football League debuts: Paul Walker (Brentford) 1976 (Division 4) aged 15 after Football League Cup debut Chris Dibble (Millwall) 1977 (Division 2) Andy Ritchie (Manchester United) 1977 (Division 1) - PFA Division 2 Team of the Year (1990, Oldham Athletic) Wayne Clarke (Wolverhampton Wanderers) 1978 (Division 1) Clive Allen (Queen's Park Rangers) 1978 (Division 1) - PFA Division 2 Team of the Year (1980), PFA Team of the Year (1987, Tottenham Hotspur), Football League XI (1987) Mike Fillery (Chelsea) 1979 (Division 1) Brendon Ormsby (Aston Villa) 1979 (Division 1) - PFA Division 4 Team of the Year (1991, Doncaster Rovers) Phil Brignull (West Ham United) 1979 (Division 2) Martin McGrath (Southampton) 1980 (Division 1) Les Carter (Crystal Palace) 1981 (Division 1) Reserve, Paul Lodge debuted for Everton in the first division in 1981 Full internationals: Clive Allen (1984) Under-21 internationals: Clive Allen (1980) aged 18 and Andy Ritchie (1982) aged 21 Youth internationals: Clive Allen (1978) aged 16, Andy Ritchie (1978) aged 17, Gary Sisman, Mike Fillery and Brendon Ormsby (1978) and Wayne Clarke (1978) aged 17
Victory Shield
250	6 March 1976 - England 5 Northern Ireland 0 [2-0] Manor Ground, Oxford (tbc)	Brignull, Clarke (3), Fillery	HW
	England: S.Foyster, C.Wardle, G.Sisman, B.Ormsby, P.Brignull, M.Fillery, W.Clarke, P.Walkerᶜ, A.Ritchie, S.Jasper, M.McGrath. (used: M.Barnes). (unused: A.Armstrong, L.Carter, Clive Allen).
	Wales and Scotland had drawn 2-2 in the previous day's opening match in the Victory Shield, at Ninian Park, Cardiff. Northern Ireland were in good spirits after beating the Republic of Ireland, seven days earlier, by 2-1 at Richmond Park, Dublin, their first win against them since 1968, but yet again, England proved far too strong for them. Wayne Clarke completed his hat-trick by scoring direct from a corner. Northern Ireland failed to pick up a point in the Victory Shield, next losing 2-0 to Wales at Somerton Park, Newport, in their fifth successive season without a home game.
Friendly matches
251	20 March 1976 - England 4 Wales 1 [2-0] Empire Stadium, Wembley (50,000)	Brignull, Ritchie (2), McGrath Lewis	HW
	England: S.Foyster, C.Wardle, G.Sisman, B.Ormsby, P.Brignull, M.Fillery, W.Clarke, P.Walkerᶜ, A.Ritchie, S.Jasper (Clive Allen), M.McGrath. (unused: A.Armstrong, M.Barnes, L.Carter).
	Welsh goalkeeper, Mark Hansen sustained a broken leg in a collision, ten minutes from the end. Also in the Welsh team was Kevin Ratcliffe, who went on to captain Everton to multiple triumphs, as well as captaining his country.
252	27 March 1976 - Netherlands 0 England 4 [0-4] Stadion Krommedijk, Dordrecht (5,500)	Clarke, Fillery, Ritchie, Kaiser OG	AW
	England: S.Foyster (A.Armstrong), C.Wardle, G.Sisman, B.Ormsby, P.Brignull, M.Fillery, W.Clarke, P.Walkerᶜ, A.Ritchie, Clive Allen, M.McGrath. (used: M.Barnes, L.Carter).
	An eighth successive victory against the Netherlands with the game all done and dusted at half-time.
Victory Shield
253	17 April 1976 - England 1 Wales 1 [1-0] Bootham Crescent, York (tbc)	Clarke Botto	HD
	England: S.Foyster (A.Armstrong), C.Wardle, G.Sisman, B.Ormsby, P.Brignull, M.Fillery, W.Clarke, P.Walkerᶜ, A.Ritchie, Clive Allen, M.McGrath. (used: L.Carter). (unused: M.Barnes).
	Two spectacular goals highlighted a disappointing, and unexpected, draw for England which gave Wales hope of sharing the Victory Shield, though with Scotland beating Northern Ireland, 4-1 at Stair Park, Stranraer at the same time, they were reliant on the two giants drawing the last game to force a three-way tie.
254	7 May 1976 - Scotland 1 England 3 [0-0] Celtic Park, Glasgow (9,000)	MacDonald Clarke, Ritchie, Allen	AW
	England: S.Foyster, C.Wardle, G.Sisman, B.Ormsby, P.Brignull, M.Fillery, W.Clarke, P.Walkerᶜ, A.Ritchie, Clive Allen, L.Carter. (used: M.McGrath). (unused: A.Armstrong, C.Dibble, P.Lodge, P.Porthouse).
	In a Friday-night end to the Victory Shield, England retained their title, leaving Wales runners-up for the second year in succession.
Friendly matches
255	18 May 1976 - West Germany 3 England 1 [1-0] Olympiastadion, Berlin (60,000)	Augustin (2), Schaub Ritchie	AL
	England: S.Foyster, C.Wardle, G.Sisman, B.Ormsby, P.Brignull, M.Fillery, W.Clarke, P.Walkerᶜ, A.Ritchie, Clive Allen, L.Carter. (used: C.Dibble, M.McGrath).
	The Germans gained sweet revenge for their defeat in the previous year's European final, by beating England for the first time since 1971.
256	21 May 1976 - West Germany 3 England 3 [1-0] Stadion Oberwerth, Koblenz (25,000)	Schaub, Schneider (2) Fillery (2), Carter	AD
	England: S.Foyster, C.Wardle, G.Sisman, B.Ormsby, P.Brignull, M.Fillery, W.Clarke, P.Walkerᶜ, A.Ritchie, Clive Allen, L.Carter. (unused: C.Dibble, M.McGrath).
	England almost enacted immediate revenge as Mike Fillery scored direct from a corner, to make it 3-1 with a minute to go. It was no fluke, as it was the third scored by England in this way in just over a year, part of Jim Morrow's set-piece tactics. Somehow, their hosts managed to scramble in two late goals to deny England the victory.
257	5 June 1976 - England 6 France 1 [2-1] Empire Stadium, Wembley (40,000)	Ritchie, Walker (2 (1 pen)), Fillery (2), Sugg OG Buscher	HW
		Walker also missed a second-half penalty
	England: S.Foyster, C.Wardle, G.Sisman, B.Ormsby, P.Brignull, M.Fillery, W.Clarke (M.McGrath), P.Walkerᶜ, A.Ritchie, Clive Allen, L.Carter (C.Dibble). (unused: A.Armstrong, P.Lodge, P.Porthouse).
	England completed another successful season with a fourth successive thrashing of France. Two days later, Wales met France for the first time, and beat them, 2-0 at Colwyn Bay.

The age criteria appears to have changed at the beginning of the 1976-77 season, whereby boys whose 15th birthday was in August, making them the youngest in the academic year (and rarely selected as a result) became eligible to play in the following year (as one of the oldest in the squad).

Season 1976-77
Class of 1977 (born after 31 July 1961 - 15 or under on 31 July 1977): Football League debuts: Mark Chamberlain (Port Vale) 1978 (Division 4) aged 16 Gary Mills (Nottingham Forest) 1978 (Division 1) aged 16 Tommy Caton (Manchester City) 1979 (Division 1) aged 16 - unused full international substitute (1982) Mark Rees (Walsall) 1979 (Division 3) Martyn Bennett (West Bromwich Albion) 1979 (Division 1) - unused full international substitute (1983) Danny Thomas (Coventry City) 1979 (Division 1) Ricky Chandler (Bristol City) 1981 (Division 2) Neil Banfield (Crystal Palace) 1981 (Division 1) Aiden Butterworth (Leeds United) 1981 (Division 1) - under-18 schoolboy international (1979) aged 17 Nicky Law (Barnsley) 1982 (Division 2) Other league debuts: Dave Mogg (Åtvidabergs) 1981 (Swedish Allsvenskan) Mike Pittaway (Barnet) 1982 (Alliance Premier League) Full internationals: Mark Chamberlain (1982) and Danny Thomas (1983), both aged 21 Under-21 internationals: Danny Thomas and Gary Mills (1981), both aged 19, Tommy Caton (1981) aged 18, and Mark Chamberlain (1982) aged 20 World Youth Championship: Neil Banfield (1981) aged 19 Youth internationals: Gary Mills (1978) aged 16, and Neil Banfield and Tommy Caton (1979), both aged 17
Victory Shield
258	5 March 1977 - England 4 Northern Ireland 1 [-] Bloomfield Road, Blackpool (tbc)	Merry (2), Rees Kirkwood	HW
	England: S.Foyster, G.Mills, M.Bennett, M.Pittawayᶜ, N.Law, P.Brandon, M.Rees, Danny Thomas, N.Merry, A.Wray, Mark Chamberlain. (used: N.Banfield). (unused: D.Mogg, T.Caton, G.Lilley).
	For the third time in five years, the ESFA arranged, what should have been, an away game, on the Irish Sea coast of Great Britain, even though the Football Association's full international team would again visit Belfast at the end of the season. Northern Ireland had lost by a single goal, to the Republic of Ireland, two weeks earlier, at Dundalk, just four miles from the border, the closest that they had come to a home game since 1971. Their two remaining games were both in Scotland. They beat Wales, 2-0 at Stair Park, Stranraer, but lost 3-1 to Scotland at Broomfield Park, Airdrie. (the other goal was scored by either Mills or Pittaway)
Friendly matches
259	19 March 1977 - England 2 Scotland 0 [1-0] Empire Stadium, Wembley (53,744)	Rees, Mills	HW
	England: S.Foyster, G.Mills, M.Bennett, M.Pittawayᶜ, N.Law, P.Brandon, M.Rees, Danny Thomas, N.Merry (G.Lilley), A.Wray, Mark Chamberlain. (unused: D.Mogg, N.Banfield, T.Caton).
	Scotland's first defeat at Wembley since 1970 was clinched when Gary Mills' speculative free-kick from near the touchline, just inside the Scottish half, was misjudged by the goalkeeper and sailed into the net.
260	2 April 1977 - England 2 Netherlands 2 [2-2] Ayresome Park, Middlesbrough (tbc)	Thomas Holshuijsen (2)	HD
	England: S.Foyster, G.Mills, M.Bennett, M.Pittawayᶜ, N.Law, P.Brandon, M.Rees, Danny Thomas, N.Merry, A.Wray, Mark Chamberlain. (used: G.Lilley). (unused: D.Mogg, N.Banfield, T.Caton).
	After eight successive England victories against them, the Netherlands twice came from behind to avoid defeat for the first time, in England. A 14-year-old Ruud Gullit, destined to become an all-time great, winning major European titles with AC Milan and the Netherlands, came on as a substitute for the second half. (the other goal was scored by either Mills or Pittaway)
Victory Shield
261	29 April 1977 - Wales 0 England 0 [0-0] Eugene Cross Park, Ebbw Vale (tbc)		AD
	England: D.Mogg, G.Mills, M.Bennett, M.Pittawayᶜ, N.Law, N.Banfield, M.Rees, Danny Thomas, N.Merry, G.Lilley, Mark Chamberlain. (used: A.Wray). (unused: R.Chandler).
	Three weeks earlier, Wales had registered a second successive away win against Scotland, when Ian Rush, destined to become a world-class striker for Liverpool, seized on a defensive error to score the only goal of the game at Muirton Park, Perth. Another victory would have given them a share of the Victory Shield, but on England's first visit to Ebbw Vale, a mudbath of a pitch on a Friday afternoon produced a second successive draw between the sides, and left England and Scotland to contest the title. Wales headed off to West Germany, where they held their hosts to a 1-1 draw in Hamelin.
262	6 May 1977 - England 1 Scotland 0 [0-0] Old Trafford, Manchester (18,000)	Chandler	HW
	England: D.Mogg, G.Mills, M.Bennett, M.Pittawayᶜ, N.Law, N.Banfield, M.Rees, Danny Thomas, N.Merry, G.Lilley, Mark Chamberlain. (used: R.Chandler, A.Wray). (unused: S.Foyster, T.Caton).
	Another Friday-night end to the Victory Shield, with England needing only a point to secure a hat-trick of titles. The Scottish goalkeeper fumbled a 25-yard shot from Ricky Chandler and the substitute marked his international debut with the only goal of the game. This left Wales as runners-up for the third year in succession.
Friendly match
263	14 May 1977 - France 1 England 0 [-0] Stade Robert-Diochon, Rouen (tbc)		AW
	England: D.Mogg, G.Mills, M.Bennett, M.Pittawayᶜ, N.Law, N.Banfield, M.Rees, Danny Thomas, N.Merry, A.Wray, R.Chandler. (used: T.Caton, G.Lilley).
	After five defeats, most of them heavy, France finally got the better of England at this level.
HM Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Interntaional
264	25 May 1977 - Scotland 0 England 3 [0-2] Meadowbank Stadium, Edinburgh (3,500)	Chamberlain, Rees, Chandler	AW
	England: S.Foyster, D.Banfield, T.Caton, M.Pittawayᶜ, N.Law, G.Mills, M.Rees, Danny Thomas, N.Merry, R.Chandler, Mark Chamberlain. (used: A.Butterworth). (unused: D.Mogg, A.Wray).
	The Pageant of Scottish Youth, attended by the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh, was staged on a Wednesday afternoon in the stadium, before the teams met for a third time, in the evening, in front of the Prince of Wales (who became King Charles III in 2022). England's win was the most convincing of the three, with Scotland again failing to score.
ESFA Sunkist Trophy
265	18 June 1977 - England 1 West Germany 2 [1-0] Wembley Stadium, London (55,000)	Rees Wuttke, Brummer	HL
	England: S.Foyster, D.Banfield, M.Bennett, M.Pittawayᶜ, N.Law, G.Mills, M.Rees, Danny Thomas, N.Merry (A.Butterworth), R.Chandler, Mark Chamberlain. (unused: D.Mogg, T.Caton, G.Lilley).
	An unusually late end to the season, as England were caught out by two quick goals early in the second half. West Germany went on to lift the new trophy, having conceded eleven goals without reply on their three previous visits to Wembley.
Friendly match
266	21 June 1977 - England 2 West Germany 1 [-0] Gateshead Youth Stadium (6,000)	Thomas (2) Kügler	HW
	England: D.Mogg, T.Caton, M.Bennett, M.Pittawayᶜ, D.Banfield, G.Mills, M.Rees, Danny Thomas, A.Butterworth, R.Chandler, Mark Chamberlain.
	After making three changes, England ended their season with a victory. Less than three years later, at the age of 18, Gary Mills was in the Nottingham Forest team that retained the European Cup.

 

Season 1977-78
Class of 1978 (born after 31 July 1962 - 15 or under on 31 July 1978): Football League debuts: Tommy Caton (Manchester City) 1979 (Division 1) aged 16 - unused full international substitute (1982) Kevin Brock (Oxford United) 1979 (Division 3) aged 16 - England B international (1987) Terry Gibson (Tottenham Hotspur) 1979 (Division 1) Maurice Muir (Northampton Town) 1980 (Division 4) Paul Robinson (Millwall) 1980 (Division 3) Shaun Brooks (Crystal Palace) 1980 (Division 1) Trenton Wiggan (Sheffield United) 1980 (Division 3) after Football League Cup debut in 1979, aged 16 Warren Neill (Queen's Park Rangers) 1980 (Division 2) Rob Vincent (Sunderland) 1981 (Division 1) Ian Muir (Queen's Park Rangers) 1981 (Division 2) - PFA Division 4 (1989) and Division 3 (1990) Team of the Year (Tranmere Rovers) Irvin Gernon (Ipswich Town) 1982 (Division 1) Ian Dawes (Queen's Park Rangers) 1982 (Division 2) Andy Lee (Tranmere Rovers) 1984 (Division 4) Other league debuts: Steve Lowe (Vejle) 1983 (Danish 1.Division) Under-21 internationals: Irvin Gernon (1983) aged 20 and Kevin Brock (1984) World Youth Championship: Ian Muir (1981) aged 18 Youth internationals: Terry Gibson, Shaun Brooks and Paul Robinson (1979), all aged 16 and Irvin Gernon (1980) aged 17
Victory Shield
267	25 February 1978 - England 2 Northern Ireland 1 [1-0] Dean Court, Bournemouth (tbc)	Vincent, Muir McFall	HW
	England: S.Lowe, I.Dawes, P.Robinson, S.Brooksᶜ, T.Gibson, K.Brock, J.Bolton, T.Wiggan, M.Muir, W.Neill, R.Vincent.
	England's first ever February match brought a closer-than-usual meeting with Northern Ireland, who had played their first home match in seven years, losing 2-1 to the Republic of Ireland, at Portadown, four weeks earlier, but they were still set to play all of their Victory Shield games in Great Britain, yet again.
Friendly match
268	4 March 1978 - England 3 France 3 [2-0] Wembley Stadium, London (46,000)	Bolton, Brooks, Gibson Derzakarian (pen), Perrez, Sonor	HD
		With England leading 3-1 and eleven minutes left, Tommy Caton's penalty was saved by Seccarelli
	England: S.Lowe, I.Dawes, P.Robinson, A.Lee, T.Caton, S.Brooksᶜ, T.Gibson, K.Brock, J.Bolton, T.Wiggan, M.Muir (W.Neill). (unused: V.Thomas, R.Vincent, F.Gernon, D.Powell).
	The hosts were coasting at 3-0, but the French hit back and avoided defeat for the first time in England with a dramatic fightback.
Victory Shield
269	15 April 1978 - Scotland 1 England 1 [1-0] Celtic Park, Glasgow (tbc)	McIntyre Brooks	AD
	England: S.Lowe, I.Dawes, P.Robinson, W.Neill, T.Caton, S.Brooksᶜ, T.Gibson, K.Brock, J.Bolton, D.Powell, M.Muir. (used: A.Lee, T.Wiggan). (unused: V.Thomas, R.Vincent, F.Gernon).
	Scotland had beaten Wales, 3-0 at Ninian Park, Cardiff, and the meeting with England was expected to decide the destiny of the Victory Shield, but there was nothing between them, and a victory apiece in their remaining games, both at home, would ensure that the shield was shared.
Friendly match
270	22 April 1978 - Netherlands 3 England 3 [2-2] Sportpark Kikkerpolder, Leiden (3,500)	Schoors, Heijdenrijk, Gullit Brock, Gibson, Brooks	AD
	England: S.Lowe, I.Dawes, P.Robinson, W.Neill, T.Caton, S.Brooksᶜ, T.Gibson, K.Brock, J.Bolton, T.Wiggan, F.Gernon. (used: M.Muir, D.Powell).
	England led three times, before 15-year-old Ruud Gullit popped up to net the third Dutch equaliser, ten minutes into the second half.
Victory Shield
271	1 May 1978 - England 6 Wales 0 [-0] The Hawthorns, West Bromwich (tbc)	Gibson, Muir (3), Kelly, Brooks	HW
	England: S.Lowe (V.Thomas), I.Dawes, F.Gernon, A.Lee, T.Caton, S.Brooksᶜ, T.Gibson, K.Brock, J.Bolton, D.Kelly, I.Muir. (used: W.Neill). (unused: R.Vincent, T.Wiggan).
	With Scotland beating Northern Ireland, 3-0 at Palmerston Park, Dumfries, a week earlier, to gain a share of the Victory Shield, England's victory, on the May Day bank holiday, ensured that they would keep their hands on the silverware for a fourth consecutive year. The sixth goal also gave them a better goal difference than the Scots. 14-year-old, Ian Muir (not to be confused with Maurice Muir, the pair did not play together for England) scored a hat-trick on his debut. Paul Robinson was named in the match programme line-up as the expected left-back. Wales had defeated the Republic of Ireland by a single goal in Cork, and then visited Switzerland for the first time, to win 2-1 in Lucerne, but after three successive runners-up placings, they ended the Victory Shield without a goal or a point, losing 2-0 to Northern Ireland, at Vetch Field, Swansea, seven days after this defeat.
ESFA Sunkist Trophy
272	27 May 1978 - England 3 Scotland 0 [0-0] Wembley Stadium, London (61,000)	Gibson, Bolton, Muir	HW
	England: S.Lowe, I.Dawes, F.Gernon, A.Lee, T.Caton, K.Brock, T.Gibson, S.Brooksᶜ, J.Bolton, D.Kelly, I.Muir. (used: P.Robinson). (unused: V.Thomas, W.Neill, R.Vincent, T.Wiggan).
	With the teams having shared the Victory Shield, this match was seen as an unofficial play-off for the home international title, with a trophy at stake for the winners. It was England who were victorious, with a strong second-half performance.
Friendly matches
273	30 May 1978 - West Germany 1 England 1 [1-1] Rheinstadion, Düsseldorf (70,000)	Janssen Bolton	AD
	England: S.Lowe, I.Dawes, F.Gernon, A.Lee, T.Caton, K.Brock, T.Gibson, S.Brooksᶜ, J.Bolton, D.Kelly, I.Muir. (used: P.Robinson). (unused: V.Thomas, W.Neill, R.Vincent, T.Wiggan).
	A hard-fought draw as England maintained their unbeaten record for the season.
274	2 June 1978 - West Germany 1 England 3 [-] Olympiastadion, München (72,000)	Anthes Bolton (2), Gibson	AW
	England: S.Lowe, I.Dawes, P.Robinson, A.Lee, T.Caton, F.Gernon, T.Gibson, S.Brooksᶜ, J.Bolton, D.Kelly, I.Muir. (used: K.Brock). (unused: V.Thomas, W.Neill, R.Vincent, T.Wiggan).
	Jimmy Bolton starred as England ended their season with a creditable victory. Though he never played in the Football League, Bolton had a part-time career in non-league and won a semi-professional cap for England in 1995, at the age of 32.

 

Season 1978-79
Class of 1979 (born after 31 July 1963 - 15 or under on 31 July 1979): Football League debuts: Sean Lane (Hereford United) 1980 (Division 4) aged 16 - Australian B international (1985) Paul Rideout (Swindon Town) 1980 (Division 3) aged 16 Trevor Steven (Burnley) 1981 (Division 3) Andy May (Manchester City) 1981 (Division 1) Darren Wood (Middlesbrough) 1981 (Division 1) Mark Rowe (Plymouth Argyle) 1981 (Division 3) Mark Walters (Aston Villa) 1982 (Division 1) - England B international (1991) Ian Baird (Southampton) 1983 (Division 1) Ray Walker (Aston Villa) 1983 (Division 1) - PFA Division 3 (1988, 1989) and Division 2 (1993) Team of the Year (Port Vale) - all third tier Simon Farnworth (Bolton Wanderers) 1983 (Division 3) Mark Hutchinson (Carlisle United) 1984 (Division 2) Mike Hooper (Bristol City) 1984 (Division 3) Other league debuts: Colin Oakley (Sligo Rovers) 1982 (League of Ireland) Full internationals: Trevor Steven (1985) aged 21 and Mark Walters (1991) Under-21 internationals: Mark Walters (1983) aged 19, Paul Rideout (1984) aged 20, Trevor Steven (1984) and Andy May (1986) aged 22 Youth internationals: Mark Walters (1980) aged 16, Ray Walker (1981) aged 17, Trevor Steven (1982) and Paul Rideout (1982) aged 17
Victory Shield
275	10 March 1979 - England 0 Northern Ireland 0 [0-0] Brunton Park, Carlisle (tbc)		HD
	England: C.Oakley, A.May, C.Hutchinson, D.Woodᶜ, K.Ash, K.Tierney (T.Cook), Mark Walters, Trevor Steven, M.Annon, S.Lane, A.Rollock. (unused: S.Farnworth, M.Rowe, P.Dunstone, C.Dykes).
	Northern Ireland had begun the season on fire in the previous fortnight, beating the Republic of Ireland, 3-1 at Glenmalure Park, Dublin, and then in their first home match in the Victory Shield for eight years, putting four goals past Wales, without reply, at the Ballymena Showgrounds. It was their biggest-ever victory in the competition. For the Irish team's third consecutive Saturday fixture, however, the ESFA, for the fourth time, were still unwilling to travel to Northern Ireland, but they were unable to break through the Irish defence in a team which included 13-year-old, Norman Whiteside, who had scored twice against Wales. He went on to become the youngest player to appear in the World Cup finals, at 17 in 1982, and then the youngest to score in an FA Cup Final, at 18, for Manchester United, a year later.
Friendly match
276	24 March 1979 - England 1 Wales 1 [0-1] Wembley Stadium, London (52,000)	Wood Bowen	HD
	England: C.Oakley, A.May, C.Hutchinson, D.Woodᶜ, K.Ash, T.Cook (K.Tierney), Mark Walters, Trevor Steven, M.Annon (C.Dykes), S.Lane, A.Rollock. (unused: S.Farnworth, M.Rowe, P.Dunstone).
	A thirty-yard free-kick from captain, Darren Wood, who was the youngest player in the England team, rescued a draw for them. His father, Terry Wood had also skippered England schoolboys in 1957, and it was the first time that a father and son had both been captain. Wales avoided defeat at Wembley for the first time since 1953, and included in their midst, Mark Hughes, a future star of Manchester United and Wales, who went on to manage his country in 1999.
ESFA 75th Anniversary International Schoolboys Tournament in northern England
277	group B
	30 March 1979 - England 5 Netherlands 2 [1-1] Baseball Ground, Derby (7,000)	Lane, Wood, Walters, Rollock, Dykes Spaans, Cabaret	HW
		Wood's penalty, early in the second half, was saved by Snelders, but Wood netted from the rebound
	England: C.Oakley, A.May, C.Hutchinson, D.Woodᶜ, K.Ash, K.Tierney, Mark Walters, Trevor Steven, C.Dykes, S.Lane, A.Rollock.
	The hosts played their first match of the second European tournament, two nights late, as their scheduled Wednesday-night opener against Switzerland, at Bramall Lane, Sheffield was postponed because of a waterlogged pitch. England's squad was unchanged and all 16 players would make a starting appearance during the tournament. The Netherlands had already met Wales for the first time, beating them, 1-0 at the Old Showground, Scunthorpe, two days earlier, so victory was imperative to England, but they had never lost to the Dutch, and their ten-year run continued as they mastered the notorious Baseball-Ground mud better than their opponents. In goal for the Netherlands was Theo Snelders, who signed for Aberdeen in 1988, and was the Scottish Professional Footballers' Association's Player of the Year, a year later, before winning both domestic cup competitions. The other group had started with two first-time match-ups that saw Northern Ireland shock West Germany by beating them, 4-3 at the Victoria Ground, Stoke, whilst Scotland had thrashed the Republic of Ireland, 5-1 at Burnden Park, Bolton in their first match of the season.
278	31 March 1979 - England 0 Switzerland 1 [0-0] Athletic and Sports Ground, Sheffield (100)	Ghisoni	HL
	England: C.Oakley, A.May, C.Hutchinson, D.Woodᶜ, K.Ash, K.Tierney, Mark Walters, Trevor Steven, C.Dykes, S.Lane, A.Rollock. (used: M.Annon).
	The first three months of 1979 had seen over a hundred league and cup games postponed, due to icy conditions, snow and heavy rainfall. Delayed for three days, England and Switzerland's first-ever meeting kicked off less than 24 hours after they had both played their opening game in the tournament, the Swiss losing by the only goal to Wales at Sincil Bank, Lincoln, on the previous evening. There was then further chaos, because their rearranged fixture, across Sheffield, at Hillsborough, was also called off, leaving the players to secretly head off to Sheffield University's ground to fulfil the fixture, where some spectators managed to find them. Incredibly, England were unchanged and their defeat meant that all four teams in the group were level on two points each, with one game each to play. In the other group's games on the previous evening, Northern Ireland had continued with their incredible form and beat Scotland by a single goal at Gresty Road, Crewe. West Germany remained close behind after beating the Republic of Ireland, 1-0 at Bloomfield Road, Blackpool.
279	2 April 1979 - England 1 Wales 2 [1-1] George Street, Enderby (6,000)	Dykes S.Jones, Hughes	HL
	England: C.Oakley, A.May (T.Cook), C.Hutchinson, D.Woodᶜ, K.Ash, K.Tierney, Mark Walters, Trevor Steven, C.Dykes, S.Lane (M.Annon), A.Rollock.
	Things went from bad to worse for England. The group decider, their third match in four days, was supposed to be played at Filbert Street, Leicester which, incredibly, became the third of their venues to fall victim to the weather, because of another waterlogged pitch, and it was called off with less than three hours to go to the Monday-night kick-off time. On this occasion, it was nearby Enderby Town of the Southern League Division 1 (North) that came to the rescue and, unwittingly, became the hosts of England's first home defeat to Wales since 1912, astonishingly before a sizeable crowd. Again, England were unchanged, as Wales came from behind to reach the final, thanks to Mark Hughes's winner and also to the Netherlands holding Switzerland to a goalless draw at Bootham Crescent, York. The tournament hosts finished bottom of their group, though without Hughes's winner, England would have won the group on goal difference. Meanwhile, in the other group, a fourth venue, Prenton Park in Birkenhead, had to be abandoned, but it did not stop the all-conquering Northern Ireland team from sailing into the final by beating the Republic of Ireland for the second time that season, by 4-0 at the Bebington Oval, just three miles from Tranmere Rovers' original venue on the Wirral. Scotland, who needed Northern Ireland to lose, took the lead against West Germany at Sealand Road, Chester, but went down, 3-2 in the end.
280	seventh-place play-off
	3 April 1979 - England 0 Republic of Ireland 1 [0-0] Central Avenue, Worksop (1,200)	Hanrahan	HL
	England: S.Farnworth, T.Cook, C.Hutchinson, M.Rowe, K.Ash, K.Tierney, Mark Walters, P.Dunstone, C.Dykesᶜ, M.Annon, A.Rollock. (used: Trevor Steven).
	For their fourth match in five days, and their first meeting with Ireland since 1970, an exhausted England made five changes and still ended up last in their own tournament after losing to an under-15 Republic of Ireland team for the first time. It was also the first time that they had lost three consecutive matches in the same year, let alone three times in four days, and all at home. The weather had, undoubtedly, played a huge part in disrupting a squad that would still go on to win a fifth successive Victory Shield. On the same evening, West Germany finished third after beating Switzerland, 4-0 at the Millmoor Ground, Rotherham, and the Netherlands secured fifth place by beating Scotland, 6-5 on penalties after a goalless draw at Turf Moor, Burnley. The final, two nights later, at Maine Road, Manchester, saw Northern Ireland, who had never won the Victory Shield, crown themselves as European champions after beating Wales 2-1, their second win against them in that season. Two members of Manchester United's 1985 FA Cup-winning team scored in the final; Whiteside for the victors and Hughes for the runners-up.
England finished eighth and last in the International Schoolboys Tournament
Victory Shield
281	27 April 1979 - Wales 1 England 2 [1-0] Racecourse Ground, Wrexham (3,464)	Rees Reader, Walters	AW
	England: M.Hooper, A.May, C.Hutchinson, D.Woodᶜ, K.Ash, K.Tierney, R.Walker, P.Rideout, I.Baird, W.Reader, Mark Walters.
	When the Victory Shield resumed, the new European champions, Northern Ireland had suddenly become favourites to win it for the first time, after their record-breaking eight-match unbeaten run (including the previous year), but just five days after their final victory, they had to endure a twelve-hour journey to Aberdeen to face Scotland at Linksfield Stadium in their last match of the season, on the following Wednesday afternoon. After flying to Glasgow, their connecting flight was cancelled and they had to drive to Edinburgh in order to fly to Aberdeen. Scotland gained revenge for their defeat in the tournament at Crewe and won, 1-0, despite missing a penalty. Only a four-way tie could now give the Irish a share of the title, but those hopes were ended, two weeks later, on a Friday night, when England, with five new caps, came from behind to beat Wales at the third attempt, and gain their own revenge for their tournament defeat at Enderby.
282	7 May 1979 - England 1 Scotland 1 [1-1] St James' Park, Newcastle upon Tyne (tbc)	Rideout Cooper	HD
	England: S.Farnworth, A.May, C.Hutchinson, D.Woodᶜ, K.Ash, K.Tierney, R.Walker, P.Rideout, I.Baird, W.Reader, Mark Walters. (used: Trevor Steven). (unused: M.Hooper, T.Cook, C.Dykes, A.Rollock).
	After Scotland's win against Northern Ireland, they had two games remaining to win the Victory Shield, but in a year full of shocks, they unexpectedly went down, 1-0 to Wales at Broomfield Park, Airdrie, three days before meeting England on the May Day bank holiday. It was their third successive home defeat to them in five years, and Wales had not lost in Scotland since 1969, whilst Scotland had not lost in Wales since the war. The result meant that Scotland had to beat England to stop them from winning their fifth successive title, and they scored first, but a header from 14-year-old, Paul Rideout was enough to give England the Victory Shield, once again, to help to make up for the disappointment of the international tournament.
ESFA Sunkist Trophy
283	9 June 1979 - England 2 West Germany 2 [1-1] Wembley Stadium, London (63,000)	Rollock, Rideout Laschkowski (2)	HD
	England: S.Farnworth, A.May, C.Hutchinson, D.Woodᶜ, K.Ash, K.Tierney, R.Walker, P.Rideout, W.Reader, Mark Walters, A.Rollock. (used: T.Cook). (unused: M.Hooper, Trevor Steven, C.Dykes, I.Baird).
	West Germany had won the trophy on their previous visit, two years earlier, and took the lead for the second time with six minutes left, only for Rideout to come to England's rescue for the second game in succession, with a last-minute equaliser. The trophy was shared between them in a fitting finale to an eventful year in front of Wembley's biggest schoolboy crowd for seven years. West Germany ended their trip by beating Wales, 3-2 at Colwyn Bay, three days later. Four weeks earlier, the Welsh team had drawn, 0-0 with France in Vire.

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