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20 vs. Ireland
Saturday, 24 February 1883
Association Friendly Match

 
England 7 Ireland 0 [4-0]
 
 

Liverpool Cricket Ground (The Lower (Railway) End), Aigburth Road, Aigburth, Liverpool, Lancashire
Kick-off (GMT) 'shortly after'; 'at ten minutes past three'; 'ten minutes after the advertised time.'
Attendance: 'between 2,000 and 3,000 spectators persons assembled'; 'fully 3,000 spectators present'.

England's second home match away from London. First visit to Liverpool, second visit to Lancashire
Harry Goodhart kicked-off Donald Martin won the toss
[1-0] Olly Whateley 15
 
'shot it splendidly' from a Cursham pass
[2-0] Nevill Cobbold 17
 'from a scrimmage, put it through neatly'
[3-0] Nevill Cobbold 19
 'hot shot'

[4-0] Arthur Dunn 44
 'secured'


<the fiftieth goal scored by England
[5-0] Olly Whateley 46
 'clinking shot'

[6-0] Arthur Dunn 80

 'long hot shot'

[7-0] Frank Pawson 88
 'put the ball through'
 
"The weather though cold, was brilliantly fine"
 

Match Summary

Officials [umpires and referees are of equal relevance]

England

Team Records

Ireland

Umpires

 
Morton Peto Betts
35 (30 August 1847)
Middlesex, Old Harrovians FC
John McCredy McAlery
33 (19 November 1849)
county Down

Irish FA Hon.Secretary
played for England in 1871-77 played against England in 1882
Referee
John
K. McDowall
Scottish FA Secretary
 

England Team

 
Rank No official ranking system established;
ELO rating 2nd
Colours "...their opponents in white".

Captain
Jack Hudson
Selection The Football Association Committee, with Secretary Charles W. Alcock having the primary influence
first to debut & also captain since 1875
only match, W 1 - D 0 - L 0 - F 7 - A 0. P 18 of 31, W 7 - D 2 - L 9 - F 54 - A 48.
  team chosen at 23 Paternaster Row on Wednesday evening, 14 February 1883
England Lineup
(record-equalling low six changes to the previous match)
  Swepstone, H. Albemarle 24
41 days
14 January 1859 G Pilgrims FC & Corinthians FC 5 15ᵍᵃ
most gk apps
  de Paravicini, Percy J. 20
224 days
15 July 1862 RB Cambridge University AFC & Old Etonians AFC 2 0
103   Moore, Henry T. 21
242 days
27 June 1861 LB Notts County FC 1 0
the seventh County player to represent England
104   Hudson, John 22
136 days
11 October 1860 Half
Back
Heeley FC, Sheffield FC & Wednesday FC 1 0
the fifth Wednesday player to represent England only app 1883
  MacRae, Stuart 27
79 days
7 December 1855
in Bengal, India
Notts County FC & Corinthians FC 2 0
105 Cobbold W. Nevill 20
20 days
4 February 1863 IR Cambridge University AFC & Old Carthusians AFC 1 2
ninth brace scored by England
Cursham, Henry A. 23
89 days
27 November 1859 OR Notts County FC & Corinthians FC 6 2
  Goodhart, Harry C. 24
222 days
17 July 1858 Centre
Forward
Old Etonians AFC & Corinthians FC 2 0
106 Dunn, Arthur T.B. 22
196 days
12 August 1860 Cambridge University AFC & Old Etonians AFC 1 2
eleventh brace scored by England
107 Whateley, Oliver 20
200 days
8 August 1862 IL Aston Villa FC 1 2
tenth brace scored by England the third Villa player to represent England
108 Pawson, Francis W. 21
324 days
6 April 1861 OL Cambridge University AFC 1 1
reserves: not named, but in the event Swepstone could not take up his position, then the Barnes FC's goalkeeper, Percy Bates, was asked to fill the vacancy.
team changes: Norman Bailey (Clapham Rovers FC), Jack Hargreaves (Blackburn Rovers FC) and Clem Mitchell (Upton Park FC) all withdrew from the England line-up on 20 February. Hudson, Cobbold and Arthur Bambridge were replacements. Arthur Cursham and Bambridge then dropped out, replaced by Whateley and Pawson.
team notes: Harry Cursham's brother, Arthur, also played for England 1876-82. Arthur Bambridge's brothers Charlie (1879-82) and Ernest (1876) played for England.
appearance notes: Harry Cursham is the fifth England player to make six appearances, and Albemarle Swepstone is the eight to make five appearances. 43 players have now played for their country more than once.
records: Nevill Cobbold's second goal is the fiftieth scored by England in ten½ years
This is the second time (1878-79) that England have won two matches in a row, but only the first time they have not conceded a goal for two matches in a row.
By completing this match without conceding another goal, Albemarle Swepstone took the clean sheet record to 181 minutes.
 
2-2-6 Swepstone -
de Paravicini, Moore -
MacRae, Hudson -
Cursham, Cobbold, Goodhart, Dunn, Whateley, Pawson.
Averages: Age 22 years 228 days Appearances/Goals 2.1 0.2

 

Ireland Team

 
Rank No official ranking system established;
ELO rating 4th
Colours "The Irish in blue costumes"
Captain Donald Martin Selection Team chosen by the Irish Selection Committee
only match, W 0 - D 0 - L 1 - F 0 - A 7. teams chosen on Wednesday 14 February 1883.
Ireland Lineup
14   Rankine, James nk not known G Alexander FC 1 7ᵍᵃ
15   Watson, James 27/28 1855 RB Ulster FC 1 0
  Rattray, David nk not known LB Avoniel FC 2 0
16   Molyneux, Thomas Bryson 25
220 days
19 July 1857 or 1868 Half
Back
Ligoniel FC 1 0
possibly the youngest ever opp. player
  Martin, Donald Cargill 24
27 days
28 January 1859 Cliftonville FAC 3 0
final app 1882-83
Davison, Dr. John Robert 22
305 days
25 April 1860
in Hunslet, England
OR Cliftonville FAC 3 0
  McWha, William Barrie Ritchie 20/21 1862 IR Cliftonville FAC 3 0
17   Morrow, William James 31
100 days
16 November 1851 Centre
Forward
Moyola Park FC 1 0
18   Potts, Renwick McCarroll 24/25 1858 Cliftonville FAC 1 0
19   Reid, John 20/21 1862 IL Ulster FC 1 0
20   Spiller, Edward Ashley 21
155 days
22 November 1861 OL Cliftonville FAC 1 0
reserves: Ned Spiller is the named reserve.
team changes: James Buckle and Alex Dill were in the original left-side forwards in the starting eleven. Their places went to Reid and Spiller.
team notes: The three players making their third Ireland appearances are ever-presents, and therefore record appearance holders for the country.
 
2-2-6 Rankine -
Watson, Rattray -
Martin, Molyneux -
Davison, McWha, Morrow, Potts, Reid, Spiller.
Averages: Age 24 years 26-188 days9 Appearances/Goals 1.6 0.0
"In the evening the players and their friends sat down to dinner under the auspices of the English Association, at the Bear's Paw Restaurant, Lord-street, and the proceedings passed off very pleasantly" - Liverpool Mercury, Monday, 26 February 1883

       Match Report Sporting Life, Tuesday, 27 February 1883

Between 2,000 and 3,000 persons assembled on the ground of the Liverpool Cricket Club at Aigburth on Saturday, to witness the international Association game. The weather though cold, was brilliantly fine. An excellent contest ensued; the Englishmen, however did the entire scoring, and H. Cursham showed really brilliant form throughout. Pawson, Cobbold, and Dunn also made excellent runs, and de Paravicini and Hudson behind were most difficult to get past. For Ireland, M'Wha, Morrow, and Reid made several fine runs, and Watson at full back showed a very good defence. Ireland, winning the toss, Goodhart started the ball for England. Cursham soon had the ball in front of his opponents' goal, where some nice heading and passing took place, Whateley ultimately causing Rankin to pick up and throw out; a brace of corners immediately followed to the English team, but in each case Cursham kicked behind. M'Wha here took the ball well down to the centre, but Cursham got it back, and, centering to Dunn, the latter's shot was again cleverly fisted out. Dunn and Cursham each in turn followed with excellent shots. Rattray defended well, and, passing to Reid, the latter ran down to the mid-field, where M'Crae stopped him. Cursham again made a splendid run, and, centering to Whateley, the latter shot the ball through. Morrow, Potts, and Davison now made a combined rush, and got past all opposition, until de Paravicini returned the play finely to the centre. M'Wha and Davison here cleverly got through their opponents, causing Swepstone to send behind. The corner was well taken away, and Whateley sent the ball to Pawson, the latter player centering to Cobbold, who shot it through. Immediately after Pawson again came away, and passed to Dunn, who falling, Cobbold took possession, again scoring. A corner by Pawson was followed by  Cobbold making another excellent shot, and after a corner to England, two good runs were made by M'Wha, Morrow and Reid, stopped by de Paravicini. The play for some time was now even until Cobbold had a chance, and centred to Dunn, who added a fourth goal, and 'Half-time!' was called. Potts restarted for Ireland, and Dunn was at once busy, but over-running it, Whateley sent it flying through. Morrow and Reid then ran down, and the latter had a chance, but his shot went over the tape. Again, Morrow, with Reid and spiller, got close in, but Hudson saved the goal. Dunn, by a long, low shot, next scored goal number six. Another corner to England. Morrow took away to mid-field, but 'hands' gave a free-kick, which de Paravicini put nicely to Pawson, the latter giving the final kick, and scoring the seventh goal. 'Time' was almost immediately afterwards called, leaving England victorious by seven goals to nil.
  

       Match Report The Times, Monday, 26 February 1883

On Saturday, at Aigburth, near Liverpool, the second annual match was played between England and Ireland according to the rules of the Football Association. Ireland was successful in the toss, and at ten minutes past 3 Goodhart kicked off for England. Before a quarter of an hour had expired, Whateley kicked a goal for England; this score was rapidly augmented by a second, secured by Cobbold, and, prior to half-time, the last-named player and Dunn obtained two more. Positions having been reversed, the Irishmen strove hard to retrieve their losses, but without effect; while, on the other hand, Whateley, Dunn, and Pawson shot the ball under the bar for the home team.   
  
              In Other News....

It was on 23 February 1883 that Charles Parnell, the leader of the Irish Parliamentary Party, defiantly tried to deflect criticism of his suspected support of the violent attacks on opponents of the Irish Land League.

  
Other Football Results (24 February 1883)
Football Association Challenge Cup Fifth Round:
Blackburn Olympic 4 Druids 1
   Hole-in-the-Wall Ground, Blackburn
(3,000)
Yates, a rush, Wilson, Hunter ~ Bowen
Blackburn Olympic's F.A Cup run continued as they brushed aside Druids, the Welsh Cup holders, 4-1 to progress to the semi-finals for the first time. They went on to become the first northern club to lift the trophy.
       
     

      Source Notes

TheFA
Jonny Dewart at Northern Ireland's Footballing Greats
Cris Freddi's England Football Factbook
  The Football Association Yearbook
Original Newspaper Reports
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