England Football Online
Results 1946-1950                        Page Last Updated 30 March 2023

Danmark

 
FIRST MEETING vs. DENMARK 
Denmark are the 24th different opposition

 
 
previous senior match (133 days)
240 vs. Italy
b2 vs. Switzerland
previous match (127 days)
b u/o vs. FC Schaffhausen
241
next match
(13 days)
242 vs. Ireland


298 vs. Denmark
2.15 Geraldo's Concert Orchestra
3.0 Denmark v. England
3.30
Down Your Way 4.30 Itma
Sunday, 26 September 1948
British Exhibition Friendly Match

 
Denmark 0 England 0 [0-0]
 
"To make this first International against England possible, the DFA waived the rule forbidding their National team to play against professional sides."





Players lost since last match
George Brown (10 June 1948) 44
Fred Spiksley (28 July) 78

Denmark is the 23rd nation visited by England
Idrætsparken, Øster Allé, Inder Østerbro, København, Hovedstaden
Kick-off (CEST): 1.30pm 12.30pm BST

Attendance: 41,000.
unknown kicked-off
  [0-0] Tommy Lawton scores disallowed:foul 8
[0-0] Johan Plöger cross shot hits the crossbar 88
[0-0] Johan Plöger scores disallowed:offside 88
 
last half hour live on Radio Light Programme - Commentator: tbc
   
  
   
 
Match Summary
Officials Denmark FIFA ruling on substitutes England
Referee
Karel
Louis van der Meer

43 (29 July 1905), Den Haag, Netherlands.
The FIFA ruling of allowing a substitute to replace an injured player prior to the 44th minute, and a goalkeeper at any time, is in place.
Linesmen
tbc tbc
Attended by the King Frederick & Queen Ingrid of Denmark, as well as the Duke & Duchess of Gloucester.
  
Denmark Team
 
Rank No official ranking system established;
ELO rating 18th
Colours Red collared buttoned jerseys, white shorts, black socks with white tops.
Captain Karl Aage Hansen Selection Udtagelses Komitéen,
on Monday, 20 September 1948.
Denmark Lineup
  Nielsen, Eigel L.M.F. 30
11 days
15 September 1918 G Kjøbenhavns Bk 13 29ᵍᵃ
2 Petersen, Poul E. 27
168 days
11 April 1921 RB FC København 14 0
3 Jensen, H. Viggo 27
181 days
29 March 1921 LB Esbjerg fB 14 1
4 Pilmark, Axel 22
308 days
23 November 1925 RHB Kjøbenhavns Bk 8 0
5 Örnvold, Dion E. 26
345 days
17 October 1921 CHB Kjøbenhavns Bk 8 0
6 Jensen, T. Ivan 25
321 days
10 November 1922 LHB FC København 19 2
7 Plöger, Johannes T.L. 26
176 days
3 April 1922 OR Bk Frem af 1886 20 8
8 Hansen, Karl Aage 27
84 days
4 July 1921 IR FC København 21 17
9 Præst, Karl Aage 26
213 days
26 February 1922 CF Østerbros Bk 21 17
10 Hansen, John A.V.Ø 24
64 days
24 July 1924 IL Bk Frem af 1886 7 10
11 Seebach, Holger 26
193 days
17 March 1922 OL FC København 5 1
unused substitutes: not known
team notes: To make this International against England possible, the DFU waived the rule forbidding their national team to play against professional sides.
The team consists entirely of players who represented Denmark In the Olympic Games at Wembley last month. Denmark beat the British amateur team by 5-3 in the match for third place at the Games.
 
2-3-5 Nielsen -
Petersen,
V.Jensen -
Pilmark, Örnvold,
S.Jensen -
Pløger,
K.Hansen, Præst, J.Hansen, Seebach.
Averages: Age 26 years 189 days Appearances/Goals 13.6 5.1
 
England Team
 
Rank No official ranking system established;
ELO rating 3rd
Colours The 1946 home uniform - White collared jerseys, blue shorts, red socks.
P 15th of eighteen, W 11 - D 3 - L 1 - F 53 - A 12.

Captain
Frank Swift Manager Walter Winterbottom, 35 (31 March 1913), appointed as FA national director of coaching/team manager on 8 July 1946;
2nd of 2 - W 1 - D 1 - L 0 - F 4 - A 0. Member-in-charge: H.R. Cobbin P 15th of 139, W 11 - D 3 - L 1 - F 53 - A 12.
0ᵍᵃ Team chosen by Selection Committee headed by Arthur Drewry, on Monday, 13 September.
England Lineup
  four changes to the previous match (Howe, Mortensen, Mannion & Langton out) league position (13 September)  
  Swift, Frank V. 34
275 days
26 December 1913 G Manchester City FC (FL 8th) 15 12ᵍᵃ
2 Scott, Lawrence 31
156 days
23 April 1917 RB Arsenal FC (FL 10th) 15 0
672 3 Aston, John 27
23 days
3 September 1921 LB Manchester United FC (FL 11th) 1 0
the ninth United player to represent England
4 Wright, William A. 24
233 days
6 February 1924 RHB Wolverhampton Wanderers FC (FL 5th) 15 0
5 Franklin, Cornelius 26
246 days
24 January 1922 CHB Stoke City FC (FL 14th) 15 0
6 Cockburn, Henry 27
12 days
14 September 1921 LHB Manchester United FC (FL 11th) 6 0
7 Matthews, Stanley 33
238 days
1 February 1915 OR Blackpool FC (FL 15th) 26 9
673 8 Hagan, James 30
249 days
21 January 1918 IR Sheffield United FC (FL 18th) 1 0
the 28th United player to represent England only app 1948
9 Lawton, Thomas 28
356 days
6 October 1919 CF Notts County FC (FL3s 8th) 23 22
final app 1938-48
674 10 Shackleton, Leonard F. 26
146 days
3 May 1922 IL Sunderland AFC (FL 7th) 1 0
the 15th Sunderland player to represent England
11 Langton, Robert 30
18 days
8 September 1918 OL Preston North End FC (FL 17th) 8 1
the 13th Northender to represent England
unused substitute: Jackie Milburn (Newcastle United FC (FL 2nd))
team changes: On Tuesday, 21 September, Stan Mortensen (Blackpool FC (FL 15th)), the original name inside-right, withdrew because of a sprained ankle and Tom Finney (Preston North End FC (FL 17th)), the outside-left, also withdrew. Hagan moved from left to right, allowing Shackleton to be called up and Langton replaced Finney.
records: This draw extends the post-war unbeaten record. England have gone eight games without loss, beating the previous record of six set between 1946-47.
 
2-3-5 Swift -
Scott, Aston -
Wright, Franklin, Cockburn -
Matthews, Hagan, Lawton, Shackleton, Langton.
Averages: Age 29 years 80 days Appearances/Goals 11.5 2.9
oldest post-war team so far
 
        Match Report by Mike Payne

The King and Queen of Denmark and our own Duke and Duchess of Gloucester were amongst the spectators to see England surprisingly held by the amateurs of Denmark.

On a rain-soaked ground, a much-changed England side featured in its first goalless draw since the war. There was no doubt that they were the better side but on the day they were woefully weak up front.

Although the sun was shining at the start, the pitch was sodden after heavy rain and water lay on at least one part of the playing area.

England should have scored after only two minutes but Len Shackleton with only the goalkeeper to beat, dallied too long and the defenders were able to clear. Nielson then did well to save a stinging shot from Tommy Lawton six minutes later but had no chance when the same player crashed the ball past him on 20 minutes. Fortunately for Denmark, the goal was disallowed for an earlier infringement by Shackleton. At the time, all the crowd seemed convinced that it was a wrong decision by the referee.

Denmark were defending stubbornly and the occasional break they made was dangerous. Indeed, only a fine save by Frank Swift stopped the embarrassment of I. Jensen scoring. England had the better of the first half, but sadly had left their shooting boots at home.

Denmark twice went close early in the second half when first K. Hansen headed over and then Ploeger's cross-cum-shot hit the top of the England crossbar. However, England continued to have most of the possession but they were badly missing the power of Stan Mortensen and Tom Finney in front of goal.

In the end, Denmark's crowd was absolutely delighted with the result and thoroughly enjoyed the whole experience of entertaining the mighty England team.

  

        Match Report by Norman Giller

English hearts stopped two minutes from the end when Danish right winger Johan Ploeger fired in a shot that went through the legs of Frank Swift and into the net, but the linesman's flag was up for off-side. England's forwards were unable to make an impact against a packed Danish defence on a heavy, rain-saturated pitch. The Danes were amateurs who two months earlier had finished third in the Olympics. This was their first ever match against professional opponents. John Aston, Jimmy Hagan and Len Shackleton made their international debuts in a game that brought crushing criticism for England's shot-shy performance. It marked  the end of Tommy Lawton's England career after 22 games and 23 goals, not counting his 25 goals in wartime internationals. He was convinced he had scored another goal against the Danes, but the referee disallowed it because of a foul by Len Shackleton. For once, the Clown Prince had nothing to laugh about. Shack made his debut wearing a pair of rugby boots. "They're more comfortable," he explained, "and they give better grip in muddy conditions." That certainly seemed the case when in the fifth minute he waltzed round the Danish goalkeeper and side-footed the ball towards goal. Shack turned ready to receive the congratulations of his team-mates, not realising that the ball had stuck in a mound of mud on the goal-line. Of all the players around in the immediate post-war years, Shack was the player with the most footballing tricks in his locker. There were often times when not only his opponents but even his own team-mates, and even perhaps Shack himself, did not know what he was going to do next.
  

        Match Report as appears in the F.A. Yearbook 1949-50, page 22

The International season opened with a surprise and a disappointment on September 26th 1948 when England were held to a goal-less draw by Denmark at Idroets Park, Copenhagen. In the first quarter of an hour, England did most of the attacking but their finishing was weak. Ten minutes before the interval Denmark all but scored when Swift had to dive full length to turn a terrific shot from Jensen at 40 yards range.
Denmark began the second half with a vigorous attack, but the English defence stood firm. Seven minutes from the end came the best English movement of the match when Matthews received a short pass from Wright, beat two men and passed to Shackleton who headed the ball to Hagan. Unfortunately, Hagan shot over the bar.

   
Domestic Football Results (25 September 1948)
All twelve England players on duty were absent from their club's league fixture on the previous day.
The Football League Division One:
 
Arsenal 3
Wolverhampton Wanderers 1
Arsenal were without Lawrie Scott
Wolves were without Billy Wright
 
Birmingham City 2 Stoke City 1
Stoke were without Neil Franklin
 
Blackpool 1 Liverpool 0
Blackpool were without Stan Matthews
 
Everton 4 Preston North End 1
Preston were without Bobby Langton
 
Huddersfield Town 2 Sunderland 0
Sunderland were without Len Shackleton
 
Manchester United 3 Aston Villa 1
United were without John Aston & Henry Cockburn
 
Newcastle United 0 Manchester City 0
United were without Jackie Milburn
City were without Frank Swift
 
Portsmouth 3 Sheffield United 0
United were without Jimmy Hagan
 
The Football League Division Three South:
 
Notts County 5 Crystal Palace 1
County were without Tommy Lawton
 

       
    In Other News....
It was on 25 September 1948 that fifty-year-old Sarah Shenton fell from a station platform at Morecambe between two carriages of a train and was killed.
  
        Source Notes
TheFA.com
Original newspaper reports
Dbu.dk
  Rothman's Yearbooks
Mike Payne's England: The Complete Post-War Record

Norman Giller, Football Author
Billy Wright's The World is My Football Pitch
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