|
"ENGLAND
WIN—BUT ITALY GAVE THEM SUCH A FRIGHT"
Daily
Mirror |
Officials |
England |
FIFA ruling on substitutes |
Italy |
Referee
John Alexander Mowat
42/43 (1906), Rutherglen. |
A white ball was used for the second half, to aid the
players in failing light. |
Linesmen |
E.W. Baker, Surrey |
Antonio Cella |
Teams presented to the Earl of Athlone, the FA
President and the Italian Ambassador. |
|
|
England
Team |
|
Rank |
No official ranking system established; ELO rating 3rd |
Colours |
The
1949 home uniform -
White collared jerseys, blue shorts, red socks.
|
P 8th of 43, W 5 - D 0 - L 3 - F
24 - A 13. |
Captain |
Billy Wright
|
Manager |
Walter Winterbottom, 36 (31 March 1913), appointed as FA national director of coaching/team manager on 8 July 1946; |
11th of 90, W 8 - D 0 - L 3 - F 32 - A 14. |
P 26th
of 139, W 19 - D 3 - L 4 - F 90 - A 27. |
² |
Team chosen by Selection Committee headed by Arthur Drewry on
Tuesday, 22 November, in London. |
England
Lineup |
|
one
change to the previous match (Ramsey>Mozley) |
league position
(22 November) |
|
|
Williams, Bert F. |
29 303 days |
31 January 1920 |
G |
Wolverhampton
Wanderers FC (FL 4th) |
4 |
4ᵍᵃ |
2 |
Ramsey, Alfred E. |
29 312 days |
22 January 1920 |
RB |
Tottenham Hotspur FC
(FL2 TOP) |
2 |
0 |
the 17th Hotspur player to represent
England |
3 |
Aston, John |
28 88
days |
3 September 1921 |
LB |
Manchester United FC
(FL 2nd) |
11 |
0 |
4 |
Watson,
Willie |
29 268
days |
7 March 1920 |
RHB |
Sunderland AFC
(FL 9th) |
2 |
0 |
5 |
Franklin,
Cornelius |
27 310 days |
24 January 1922 |
CHB |
Stoke
City FC (FL 17th) |
26 |
0 |
6
|
Wright, William A. |
25
297
days |
6 February 1924 |
LHB |
Wolverhampton
Wanderers FC (FL 4th) |
26 |
2 |
7 |
Finney,
Thomas |
27 239
days |
5 April 1922 |
OR |
Preston
North End FC (FL2
4th) |
22 |
14 |
8 |
Mortensen, Stanley H. |
28 188
days |
26 May 1921 |
IR |
Blackpool FC
(FL 6th) |
15 |
17 |
9
|
Rowley, John F. |
31 54
days |
7 October 1918 |
CF |
Manchester United FC
(FL 2nd) |
5 |
6 |
10
|
Pearson, Stanley C. |
30 323 days |
11 January 1919 |
IL |
Manchester United FC
(FL 2nd) |
5 |
3 |
11 |
Froggatt,
Jack |
27 13
days |
17 November 1922 |
OL |
Portsmouth FC
(FL 7th) |
2 |
1 |
unused
substitutes: |
Bernard Streten (Luton Town AFC
(FL2 15th)),
Ramsey and
Jackie Milburn (Newcastle United FC
(FL 11th)).
Bill Nicholson (Tottenham Hotspur FC
(FL2 TOP)) was drafted in as Ramsey's
replacement. |
team changes: |
Initially, it was announced that the team that defeated Ireland last
time out would be the team to take on Italy. However, on the day the
team announcement was due, Williams was recalled instead of Streten.
Bert Mozley
(Derby County FC (FL 15th)) was the original named right-back, he dropped
out after failing a fitness test on a thigh injury on Sunday, 27
November, reserve Ramsey taking his place. |
team notes: |
Billy Wright and Neil Franklin, both playing in their 26th
consecutive match, equal the record set by Ernie Blenkinsop. |
records: |
This
is the first match to be played on 30 November since the very first in
1872. England's fourth fixture against the
World Cup Champions, W 3 - D 1 - L
0 - F 11 - A 4. |
goalscoring
records: |
Jack Rowley ends the year as top goalscorer, his five goals coming
across four matches, including one hattrick. |
Prior to this match, England were set-up in Brighton, using
the Goldstone Ground to train on. |
|
2-3-5 |
Williams - Ramsey, Aston - Watson, Franklin, Wright -
Finney, Mortensen, Rowley, Pearson, Froggatt. |
Averages: |
Age |
28 years 286 days |
Appearances/Goals |
10.9 |
3.7 |
|
|
Italy
Team |
|
Current World Champions |
Colours |
Sky blue crew necked jerseys, white shorts, black socks.
"The Italian team turned up wearing blue track
suits over their football kit." -
Wednesday, 30 November 1949, Herald Express |
Rank |
No official ranking system established; ELO rating 2nd |
Captain |
Riccardo Carapellese |
Selection |
Commissioni Tecniche headed by Ferruccio Novo, 52 (22 March
1897), appointed February 1949. |
Party of sixteen chosen on Tuesday, 22
November 1949, team chosen on 29 November. |
Italy
Lineup |
1 |
Moro, Giuseppe |
28 318 days |
16 January 1921 |
G |
AC Torino |
2 |
3ᵍᵃ |
2 |
Bertuccelli, Alberto |
25 320 days |
14 January 1924 |
RB |
Juventus FC |
2 |
0 |
3 |
Giovannini, Attilio |
25 123 days |
30 July 1924 |
LB |
Internazionale Milano |
2 |
0 |
4 |
Annovazzi, Carlo |
24 190 days |
24 May 1925 |
RHB |
AC Milan |
8 |
0 |
5 |
Parola, Carlo |
28 71 days |
20 September 1921 |
CHB |
Juventus FC |
7 |
0 |
6 |
Piccinini, Alberto |
26 327 days |
25 January 1923 |
LHB |
Juventus FC |
1 |
0 |
7 |
Boniperti, Giampiero |
20 155 days |
4 July 1928 |
OR |
Juventus FC |
4 |
1 |
8 |
Lorenzi, Benito |
23 345 days |
20 December 1925 |
IR |
Internazionale Milano |
4 |
1 |
9 |
Amadei, Amedeo |
28 127 days |
26 July 1921 |
CF |
Internazionale Milano |
4 |
2 |
10 |
Martino, Rinaldo F. |
28 24 days |
6 November 1921 in Buenos Aires, Argentina |
IL |
Juventus FC |
1 |
0 |
only app
1949 |
also has 20 appearances and 15 goals for Argentina |
11 |
Carapellese, Riccardo |
27 152 days |
1 July 1922 |
OL |
AC Torino |
9 |
7 |
unused
substitutes: |
Osvaldo
Fattori (Internazionale Milano), Sergio Manente (Juventus),
Adriano Bassetto (Sampdoria) injured, Lucidio Sentimenti and Aldo
Puccinelli (both SS Lazio). |
team notes: |
Ermes Muccinelli (Juventus FC) was drafted in as a replacement to
Ricardo Carapellese before the Italians left their base in Como. But
the captain travelled and Muccinelli was not required. Following the air tragedy that wiped out the Torino team, the Italian
national side were barred from flying, they thus travelled to England
via boat and road. The Italians were five
minutes late returning for the second half... they were wanting to put
out a non-substitute goalkeeper. Stanley Rous settling the issue. |
World Cup Champions notes: |
Italy beat Hungary in Paris on 19 June 1938 to become the reigning
World Champions, however, there are no surviving members of that team
in this fixture. |
The Italian team were based at and trained at
Hendon. Arriving at London's Victoria Station on board the Golden
Arrow, on Sunday evening, 27 November. |
|
2-3-5 |
Moro - Bertuccelli, Giovannini - Annovazzi, Parola,
Piccinini - Boniperti, Lorenzi, Amadei, Bassetto, Carapellese. |
Averages: |
Age |
26 years 95 days |
Appearances/Goals |
4.0 |
0.9 |
|
|
News |
"England is to meet Italy in an international
football match on the Tottenham Hotspur ground London, 30 November, it was
stated in Milan last night."
- The Nottingham Journal, Wednesday, 19
January 1949.
|
Match Report by
Mike Payne |
There
were over 60,000 people packed into White Hart Lane to see the latest
challenge from a European country to England's unbeaten home record. They
went away satisfied with the scoreline but not so happy with their team's
performance. Only a superb display in a goal from Bert Williams kept the
eager Italian forward line at bay and it was certainly a narrow shave for
England.
However, the home side
could have been ahead in the first minute. Right from the kick-off, a
clever back-heel by Jack Rowley set up Stan Mortensen for a flashing shot
which was brilliantly saved by Moro at full stretch.
Gradually, though, Italy's
powerful forwards put England under increasing pressure. Lorenzi was
particularly dangerous although all the forwards gave their markers a hard
time. How Williams saved at point-blank range from Carapallese and Martino
only he could tell you and he bettered even those saves with another
brilliant effort from Lorenzi's shot.
This pattern carried on for
two-thirds of the match. Mortensen's header did bring another fine save
out of Moro following Tom Finney's cross, but Italy were pressing for much
of the time. Finney was England's main hope and he was always troubling
Giovanni with his neat footwork. With 14 minutes to go, England gained a
vital breakthrough.
Willie Watson sent Jack Froggatt away and the
winger cut inside before passing to Stan Pearson. His centre was then
crashed home by a rocket shot from Rowley's left foot. It was a
magnificent goal and one that was cruel luck for Italy, especially after
having dominated the game for so long.
If that was cruel luck, then
the second, killer goal was pure fluke. A hopeful 40-yard punt forward by
England skipper Billy Wright was hopelessly misjudged by Moro and the ball
somehow ended up in the back of the net.
It had been a narrow
squeak for a disjointed England display. Neil Franklin and Watson always
looked uncomfortable and Pearson and Froggatt never got their play
together. In the end, England were thankful for Williams' mighty saves.
|
Match Report by
Norman Giller |
England were outplayed
for long periods by an over-elaborate Italian team, and only a series of
fine saves by Bert Williams kept them in the game in a goalless first
half. England snatched an undeserved lead fourteen minutes from the end
when Jack Rowley scored with one of his typical thunderbolt left foot
shots that the Italian goalkeeper could only wave to on its way into the
net. The match was settled by a goal in a million from Billy Wright. His
second goal for England was a complete freak. He lobbed the ball forward
from a position just over the halfway line. It was intended for the far
post. The Italian goalkeeper, unchallenged, came out to collect it just as
a gust of wind made the ball change direction. He grasped at thin air as
it curled over his head and into the net.
|
Match Report
as appears in the F.A. Yearbook 1950-51, pages 23 & 24 |
There was only one change in the English team for the match against Italy
at White Hart Lane, Tottenham, on November 30th, Ramsey (Tottenham
Hotspur) replacing Mozley as right-back. This eagerly awaited
international, watched by 72,000 people, proved one of the most
interesting matches in recent years. Most of the team were having their
first experience of the fast Italian style. The Italians played with great
dash and brilliance, and but for their weakness in finishing the result
would certainly have been very different. England were lucky to win. The
Italian attack soon got under way, exploding defensive weakness -
surprisingly, in the half-back-line - and by-passing Franklin at centre-half
with fast short range asses down the centre. In the second-half the
English forwards, with Froggatt prominent, seemed to be finding their form
at last, but it was not until 14 minutes from the end that the first goal
of the match was scored. Froggatt ran inwards to the centre and passed out
to Pearson on the wing, Rowley was in position for Pearson's centre and a
cunningly placed shot just beat Moro. England's second goal, five minutes
later, was an anti-climax - from 25 yards out Wright sent a high lob
almost at random into the Italian goalmouth.
|
What
the Opposition said.... |
"ITALY: 'DEFEAT RANKLES AS AN INJUSTICE'
"Italian newspapers to-day
praised their country's Soccer team which yesterday held England at
Tottenham for 77 minutes before losing 2-0. Most papers claimed that
England's win did not reflect the surprising quality of the new Italian
team, assembled since last May's air crash in which many of the country's
national team died.
" "Il Tempo" said the Italians were
"defeated but not dominated," adding, "the defeat rankles as n injustice,
coming after an equally matched first half which we could have won."
"
"Il Messagero," declaring "the English do not seem unbeatable,"
nevertheless gave high praise to Williams, Watson, Mortensen, Finney and
Froggatt of the English team.
" "The English have made no progress
since last year," said Il People, calling the result "Very
unjust." But L'Unita declared: "We must recognise that once again the
Britain defeated us because they were stronger." -
Thursday, 1 December 1949, Evening
Post |
News |
"WHITE BALL
EXPERIMENTS UNLIKELY "Mr F. Howarth, secretary of the Football League,
does not consider that white balls, as used in the match between England
and Italy yesterday, are likely to be introduced into League games. "I do
not think the ball offered many advantages over the ordinary one." he
said. The England players considered conditions were not muddy enough for
the real value of the white ball to be tested."
-
Evening Post,
Thursday, 1 December 1949.
"THAT WHITE BALL
"Before
leaving the subject of Soccer for to-day, a word or two to clear up
points arising out of the use of a white ball in the second-half of
England v. Italy match. Actually, two were used, for when the original
began to lose some of its pristine qualities in the mud another was
thrown on to the field in the last 20 minutes. But they were not used
to help television, although there seems to be a unanimous opinion that
they greatly helped reception. They were specially ordered by Sir
Stanley Rous, secretary of the Football Association, because against
the background of high stands at White Hart Lane the ordinary ball
becomes almost invisible in the air when the light is failing. The
makers tell me that they do not expect white balls to become popular.
They are, apparently, difficult to make for when white chrome is
introduced for coloring purposes the leather stretches. But we may see
the white balls of Tottenham again. They have washed well and the F.A.
are considering using them in the F.A. XI v. Royal Navy game
to-morrow." -
The
Yorkshire Post and Leeds Mercury, Tuesday, 6 December 1949.
"40,000 UNABLE TO SEE GAME "Gates were closed for the
international after 71,527 had been admitted and another 40,000 clamoured
so much outside the ground that one Pressman did not reach his seat until
half-time." -
Journal & North Mail, Thursday, 1 December 1949.
"THE POPE LISTENED IN "The Pope
[Pope
Pius XII, born Eugenio Maria Giuseppe
Giovanni Pacelli]
hurried in from his daily walk in the Vatican
grounds to listen to the England v. Italy match at Tottenham."
- The Liverpool Echo, Thursday, 1
December 1949.
Domestic
Football Results
(30 November 1949) |
FA
Cup First Round Replays:
Aldershot 2
Weymouth 3
Recreation Ground,
Aldershot
(4,798)
McNichol, Rogers (pen) ~
Northover
(pen), Johnson, McGowan |
|
Crewe Alexandra 1 Darlington 0ᴭᵀ
Gresty Road, Crewe (8,669)
Mitcheson |
|
|
|
There was a remarkable
comeback at Aldershot where Southern League Weymouth were two
goals down after 25 minutes, and they were then reduced to ten men
due to an injury, but they forged an amazing comeback to defeat
their third-division hosts. Weymouth went on to reach the third
round for the first time in their history, where they were beaten
4-0 by Manchester United at Old Trafford. |
|
|
|
In
Other News....
It was on 30 November 1949 that the Rank Organisation chairman, J.
Arthur Rank, was accused of being "thoroughly extravagant" with
the finances of the subsidiary companies of Odeon Theatres
Limited, at their annual general meetings, after profits had
fallen by over four million pounds. He responded by explaining how
much the Entertainment Tax had taken out of the industry and its
threat to the continuing production of films. |
|
|
Source Notes |
TheFA.com
Original newspaper reports FIGC |
|
Rothman's Yearbooks
Mike Payne's England: The Complete Post-War Record
Norman Giller, Football Author
British Pathé |
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