Match
Summary |
Officials |
Switzerland |
|
England |
Referee
Viktor
Sedz
France |
"From Zürich we flew to Geneva, where another game had been arranged. It was
clearly understood our team would be an F.A. XI, and for the game we would
be wearing [red] shirts borrowed from the R.A.F. But this did not stop the
Swiss—keen to draw a big crowd—from billing the match "Swiss 'B'
v.
England 'B'." - The World's
My Football Pitch, Billy Wright, p50.
Wright stated 'blue' - but all evidence suggests England wore red. |
Linesmen |
tbc |
tbc |
|
|
Switzerland
B Team |
|
Rank |
No official ranking system established; |
Colours |
probably
white jerseys, black shorts and black socks. |
Captain |
|
Selector |
|
Switzerland
Lineup |
|
Corrodi, Eugenio |
|
|
G |
|
|
|
2 |
Gyger, Rudolf |
|
|
RB |
FC Cantonal |
|
|
3 |
Belli, Andre |
|
|
LB |
Servette FC |
|
|
4 |
Neukom, Willy |
|
|
RHB |
|
|
|
5 |
Luscenti, Gerhard |
|
|
CHB |
|
|
|
6 |
Ibach, A. |
|
|
LHB |
|
|
|
7 |
Ernest, B. |
|
|
OR |
|
|
|
8 |
Hasler, Robert |
|
|
IR |
|
|
|
9 |
Zanetti |
|
|
CF |
|
|
|
10 |
Bader, Rene |
|
|
IL |
|
|
|
11 |
Siegenthaler, Hans |
|
|
OL |
|
|
|
unused substitutes: |
- |
|
2-3-5 |
Corrodi - Gyger, Belli - Neokomm, Luscenti, Ibach -
Erest, Hasler, Zanetti, Badr, Siegenthaler. |
Averages: |
Age |
- |
Appearances/Goals |
- |
- |
|
|
FA
XI
Team |
|
Rank |
No official ranking system established; |
Colours |
The 1947 away
uniform - Red collared jerseys, white shorts, black socks
with white turnovers. |
Captain |
not known |
Manager |
Walter Winterbottom, 34 (31 March 1913), appointed as FA national director of coaching/team manager on 8 July 1946; |
Physiotherapist:
Walter Max |
first of fourteen B matches, W 0 - D 1 - L 0 - F 0 - A 0¹⁴ |
Party chosen by the Intermediate Selection Committee, headed by Arthur Drewry,
following the France match on 3 May, team chosen
on 19 May. |
FA
XI
Lineup |
B. no. |
|
league position
(19 May) |
|
1 |
|
Swift, Frank V. |
33 146 days |
26 December 1913 |
G |
Manchester City FC (FL2 TOP) |
1 |
0ᵍᵃ |
1 |
oldest B player (until next match) |
2 |
2 |
Scott,
Lawrence |
30 28 days |
23 April 1917 |
RB |
Arsenal
FC (FL 16th) |
1 |
0 |
3 |
3 |
Robinson, Richard |
20
122 days |
19 January 1927 |
LB |
Middlesbrough FC (FL 9th) |
1 |
0 |
youngest B player (until 1953) |
only B app
1947 |
4 |
4 |
Taylor, Philip H. |
30 245 days |
18 September 1917 |
RHB |
Liverpool FC
(FL 4th) |
1 |
0 |
5 |
5 |
Franklin,
Cornelius |
25
117 days |
24 January 1922 |
LHB |
Stoke
City FC (FL 3rd) |
1 |
0 |
6 |
6 |
Wright, William A. |
23 104 days |
6 February 1924 |
CHB |
Wolverhampton
Wanderers FC (FL TOP) |
1 |
0 |
7 |
7 |
Finney,
Thomas |
25
46 days |
5 April 1922 |
OR |
Preston
North End FC (FL
8th) |
1 |
0 |
8 |
8 |
Mannion,
Wilfred J. |
29 5 days |
16 May 1918 |
IL |
Middlesbrough
FC (FL 9th) |
1 |
0 |
9 |
9 |
Mortensen, Stanley H. |
25 360 days |
26 May 1921 |
CF |
Blackpool FC
(FL 5th) |
1 |
0 |
10 |
10 |
Hagan, James |
29
120 days |
21 January 1918 |
IR |
Sheffield United FC
(FL 6th) |
1 |
0 |
only B app
1947 |
11 |
11 |
Langton,
Robert |
28
255 days |
8 September 1918 |
OL |
Blackburn
Rovers FC (FL 17th) |
1 |
0 |
unused substitutes: |
George Hardwick (Middlesbrough FC (FL
9th)),
Eddie Lowe (Aston Villa FC (FL 7th)),
Stan Matthews (Blackpool FC (FL 5th)),
Raich Carter (Derby County FC (FL
13th)),
Tommy Lawton (Chelsea FC (FL 12th)). |
team notes: |
This is the first occasion that England have played with a team
considered the B side. |
|
2-3-5 |
Swift -
Scott, Robinson -
Taylor, Franklin,
Wright -
Finney, Mannion, Mortensen, Hagan, Langton. |
Averages: |
Age |
27 years 99 days |
Appearances/Goals |
1.0 |
0 |
|
|
Match Report
in the
Nottingham Journal, Thursday, 22 May
1947 |
THRILLS AT GENEVA
The first ten minutes of the second international
Soccer match between Switzerland and England at Geneva last night
was a scrappy affair, but when Hagan (Sheffield United) went near
the Swiss goal with a fierce drive a minute afterwards it looked
for a moment as if England would quickly avenge their defeat of
last Sunday. But the ball sailed harmlessly over the crossbar.
The fast Swiss attack always threatened danger, but their
finishing was weak. Britain playing with the wind did most of the
attacking and played with more zest than on Sunday, despite their
four-hour train journey.
In the 27th minute Hagan hit the upright with a
great drive, and England continued to press but the shooting of
the forwards was weak. Shortly before half-time Finney, Mortensen
and Hagan produced a lovely movement with the last-named being
just offside. Swift then saved well from Hasler when he was clean
through. England nearly took the lead when first Gyger kicked a
shot from Finney off the goal-line, and then, in a melee, the same
player saved an almost certain goal. Franklin was playing a
storming game for England and time and again robbed the fast Swiss
forwards.
After the interval England were playing against the
wind, but they were on top and Taylor went very near with a fierce
drive. The Swiss defence, however, was very strong and the
quick-tackling halves did not allow the English attack any scope,
although Mannion and Hagan were interchanging nicely in the
forward line.
Swift brought off two fine saves, first from
Gyger and then when Zanetti appeared to have the goal at his
mercy. England continued to press and the Swiss goal underwent
several lucky escapes. Two minutes from the finish there was a
sensational save for England. Swift threw himself forward to clear
the ball as it was entering the net, but could not get to it.
Scott, however, was on the spot and kicked to safety.
|
Match Report
by Eric Thornton, Manchester Evening News, Thursday, 22 May
1947 |
A Scene We Shall Never Forget
Gigolos of the night clubs in this French border
corner of Switzerland were still whirling their elderly, but
wealthy, patrons across the dance floors, and heatedly discussing,
like everyone else here, England's 'Swift-saving' match in the
early hours to-day as we clambered into our four-engined plane for
the 950-miles hop to Lisbon.
The goalless game between England
and Switzerland last night has not only set these folk talking but
also presented the F.A. with a problem concerning continuance of
Continental fixtures and the education of referees and players and
crowds,
Right from the start the Swiss had their elbows up, and
although our own boys refused retaliatory methods the locals
continued to bounce them. Frank Swift, with whom I spent the
evening at a banquet arranged by the Swiss F.A., was the great
figure. The manner in which he strode towards the mob which
swarmed on to the field screaming for a penalty, and persuaded
them to go back, was a scene one cannot readily forget. One point
is patently clear—we have here a side capable of taking
England right to the top of the international soccer tree.
Perhaps Langton, the Blackburn Rovers outside-left, is not yet
perfection, and more experience must come to young Robinson, the
Middlesbrough left full-back. The same side is not likely to be
fielded against the Portuguese at Lisbon on Sunday night. It seems
to me that only Hardwick, Matthews, and Lawton can be restored.
These changes would mean the switching of Finney to outside-left.
Bob Langton is walking around with plaster strips over his right
eye. He was also kicked several times and elbowed.
|
Source Notes |
TheFA.com
Original newspaper reports |
|
Rothman's Yearbooks Billy Wright's The World
Is My Football Pitch |
|
cg |