|
"MILBURN
RESCUES ENGLAND TWO MINUTES FROM TIME"
Daily Mirror |
Officials |
England |
FIFA ruling on substitutes |
|
Arg |
enti |
na |
|
Referee (black)
Benjamin
Mervyn
Griffiths
42 (17 January 1909), Abertillery, Monmouthshire,
Wales |
The
Continental ruling of allowing two substitutes to replace injured players
prior to the 44th minute, and a goalkeeper at any time, is in place.
England had 14 Corner Kicks
"England wore
red shirts as the referee, Mr. B. M. Griffiths, decided England's usual
white shirts did not allow sufficient contrast between the white and sky
blue shirts of the Argentine players." -
Daily Mirror |
red flag
Linesmen
yellow flag |
A. Bond London |
P.L. Greig Middlesex |
|
|
England
Team |
|
Rank |
No official ranking system established; ELO rating 4th |
Colours |
The 1951 away
uniform -
Red jerseys, white shorts, black socks with white tops.
|
First time the red uniform has been worn at the national stadium |
only match, W 1 - D 0 - L 0 - F 2 - A 1. |
Captain |
Billy Wright
|
Manager |
Walter Winterbottom, 38 (31 March 1913), appointed as FA national director of coaching/team manager on 8 July 1946; |
20th of 90, W 14 - D 0 - L 6 - F 52 - A 25. |
P 37th of 139, W 26 - D 4 - L 7 - F 116 - A 42. |
³ |
Team chosen by the Selection Committee headed by Arthur Drewry, on Monday, 30
April. |
|
Winterbottom's first victory at the national stadium |
England
Lineup |
|
three changes
to the previous match
(Taylor, Cockburn & Metcalfe>Johnston, Froggatt & Milburn) |
league position
(30 April) |
|
|
Williams, Bert F. |
31
98 days |
31 January 1920 |
G |
Wolverhampton Wanderers FC
(FL 14th) |
15 |
19ᵍᵃ |
2 |
Ramsey, Alfred E. |
31
107 days |
22 January 1920 |
RB |
Tottenham Hotspur FC
(FL CHAMPIONS) |
13 |
0 |
3 |
Eckersley, William |
25 297 days |
16 July 1925 |
LB |
Blackburn Rovers FC (FL2 6th) |
4 |
0 |
4 |
Wright, William A. |
27
92 days |
6 February 1924 |
RHB |
Wolverhampton
Wanderers FC (FL
14th) |
35 |
3 |
704 |
5 |
Taylor, James G. |
33 185 days |
5 November 1917 |
CHB |
Fulham FC
(FL 16th) |
1 |
0 |
the fifth Fulham player to represent
England |
6 |
Cockburn,
Henry |
29 237 days |
14 September 1921 |
LHB |
Manchester
United FC (FL RU) |
11 |
0 |
7 |
Finney,
Thomas |
29
34 days |
5 April 1922 |
OR |
Preston
North End FC (FL2
Winners) |
31 |
19 |
8
|
Mortensen, Stanley H. |
29 17 days |
26 May 1921 |
IR |
Blackpool FC
(FL 3rd) |
23 |
21 |
9
|
Milburn, John E.T. |
26
363 days |
11 May 1924 |
CF |
Newcastle United FC
(FL 6th) |
10 |
8 |
10
|
Hassall, Harold W. |
22 66 days |
4 March 1929 |
IL |
Huddersfield Town AFC
(FL 18th) |
2 |
1 |
705 |
11 |
Metcalfe, Victor |
29 95 days |
3 February 1922 |
OL |
Huddersfield Town AFC
(FL 18th) |
1 |
0 |
the 17th Town player to represent
England |
unused
substitutes: |
Bill Nicholson (Tottenham Hotspur FC
(FL CHAMPIONS)) and
Stan Pearson
(Manchester United FC (FL RU)). Nicholson was replaced
by
Harry Johnston (Blackpool FC
(FL 3rd)) on the day of the match.
Ted Ditchburn (Tottenham Hotspur FC
(FL CHAMPIONS)) was also drafted in as a
reserve. |
team changes: |
Stan Matthews
(Blackpool FC (FL 3rd)) was the original chosen outside-right. Finney swapped
sides and Vic Metcalfe was drafted in to replace him. Matthews has a
bruised foot. |
team notes: |
Bill Nicholson received a leg injury playing for
Tottenham Hotspur FC against FC Austria. |
|
2-3-5 |
Williams
- Ramsey, Eckersley - Wright, Taylor, Cockburn - Finney,
Mortensen, Milburn, Hassall, Metcalfe. |
Averages: |
Age |
28
years 276
days |
Appearances/Goals |
13.3 |
4.5 |
|
|
Argentina
Team |
|
Rank |
No official ranking system established; ELO rating 1st |
Colours |
Sky blue and white broad striped v-necked jerseys with white
collars, black shorts, pale blue socks |
Captain |
Norberto Yácono |
Selection |
Selection Committee, headed by Manuel Gonzales Team chosen on Monday, 7 May 1951.
"holds the proud of record that during
his 12 years as a selector his teams have never been beaten." |
Trainer:
Guillermo Antonio
Stábile,
46 (17 January
1905) |
Argentina
Lineup |
|
Rugilo, Miguel Ángel |
32
110 days |
19 January 1919 |
G |
CA Vélez Sarsfield |
|
|
2 |
Colman, Juan Carlos,
injured off 35th min. |
28 145 days |
15 December 1922 |
RB |
Boca Juniors |
|
|
3 |
Filgueiras, Juan |
24
118 days |
11 January 1927 |
LB |
Huracán |
|
|
4 |
Yácono, Norberto A. |
32
121 days |
8 January 1919 |
RHB |
River Plate |
|
|
5 |
Faina, Ubaldo R. |
22 349 days |
25 May 1928 |
CHB |
Newell's Old Boys |
2 |
0 |
final app
1951 |
6 |
Pescia, Natalio A. |
29
128 days |
1 January 1922 |
LHB |
Boca Juniors |
11 |
0 |
7
|
Boyé Auterio, Mario E.H. |
28 283 days |
30 July 1922 |
OR |
Racing Club |
|
|
8 |
Méndez, Norberto D.,
playing with a bandaged left leg |
28
124 days |
5 January 1923 |
IR |
Racing Club |
|
|
9
|
Bravo, Rubén |
27 174 days |
16 November 1923 |
CF |
Racing Club |
3 |
1 |
final app
1950-51 |
10 |
Labruna, Ángel A. |
32 223 days |
28 September 1918 |
IL |
River Plate |
14 |
8 |
11 |
Loustau, Félix |
28 135 days |
25 December 1922 |
OL |
River Plate |
|
|
Argentina Substitute |
scoreline:
England 0 Argentina 1 |
also wore 2 |
Allegri, Ángel N., on 35th min. for Colman |
24 134 days |
26 December 1926 |
RB |
Newell's Old Boys |
3 |
0 |
result:
England 2 Argentina 1 |
unused
substitutes: |
not known |
team
notes: |
"Not until a few minutes before kick-off was it decided that
Mendez, the Argentine inside-right, and their cleverest forward, would
play. He had injured himself in practise but after intensive treatment
was declared fit after mid-day." - Daily Mirror
Rubén Bravo was injured during the first half also, and played the second-half on the wing. |
The Argentinians were training at Arsenal FC's Highbury ground, the
Arsenal Stadium |
|
2-3-5 |
Rugilo
- Colman (Allegri), Filgueiras - Yácono, Faina, Pescia - Boyé, Méndez, Bravo, Labruna, Loustau. |
Averages: |
Age |
28
years 242
days |
Appearances/Goals |
- |
- |
|
|
News |
"SOCCER FESTIVAL IN MAY, 1951 "A Festival of Soccer is to be
arranged by the Football Association as part of the Festival of Britain in
1951, and the F.A.'s of Scotland, Ireland and Wales are being asked to
support the plan. Preliminary discussions began yesterday in Glasgow
between officials of the four Associations, before the international
between Scotland and Wales at Hampden Park. The Football Association
stated that it was proposed to extend the 1950-51 season for two weeks in
May in order that international matches could be staged between England
and overseas countries. The fixtures would take the place of a
close-season tour. After the international programme the F.A. hope that
League teams will play against Continental clubs. The F.A. have no
intention of clashing with summer sport, and all games will be played in
the evening. It is expected that many clubs who have entertained British
sides abroad will be invited to the Festival" - Thursday, 10
November 1949, The Yorkshire Post and Leeds Mercury.
"SOCCER'S BIG PLANS FOR 1951 FESTIVAL OF BRITAIN "These
are the 1951 Festival of Britain dates as far as we have got:- May 9,
England v. Argentina ; May 12, England v. France; May 12 or 19, Scotland
v. Italy (provisional); May 12 or 19, Wales v. Portugal (provisional); May
16, England v. Portugal; Scotland v. France (prov); Wales v. Italy (prov);
Ireland v. Belgium (prov); May 19, England v. Belgium." -
Thursday, 9 March 1950,
The Yorkshire Post and Leeds Mercury.
|
Match Report by
Mike Payne |
In
a match helping to celebrate the Festival of Britain, England
came so close to losing their precious unbeaten home record
against foreign opposition. Playing in red shirts, they began with a
determined burst but struggled later.
Henry
Cockburn quickly asserted his authority and soon Rugilo was making
athletic saves from Stan Mortensen and Jackie Milburn. Clearly the
goalkeeper was an eccentric, as he showed in his exaggerated play, but he
was effective and kept England at bay. Argentina built their game around
short, sharp passes and Pescia was outstanding.
The visitors first
serious attack incredibly brought them a goal. It came in the 18th minute
and began after a mistake by Billy Wright in midfield. From there the
Argentinians worked the ball brilliantly. Labruna, killing Rugilo's long
clearance perfectly, sent Lostau away. He beat Alf Ramsey for pace before
crossing for Boye to head past Bert Williams. Boye was so taken with the
excitement of scoring that one would have been mistaken to think that the
goal had won the World Cup.
From that moment
until half-time it was all England. Milburn latched on to a Mortensen pass
but was thwarted by a brave dive by Rugilo at his feet. Harold Hassall,
with a flashing drive and two searching headers forced the goalkeeper into
three more saves as the pressure increased. At the end of the first 45
minutes though England were still searching for the equaliser. They went
off to have a rethink.
It was soon
noticeable that they were releasing their passes quicker when they
restarted and as a result began to create more chances. Wright was
supporting Tom Finney better now and Milburn was finding gaps at last in
the tough tackling Argentine defence. For 15 minutes England laid siege on
the visitor's goal. Once, Allegri, who had come on as a substitute for
Colman, cleared off the line with an acrobatic scissors kick and then
Milburn twice hit Rugilo's right hand post.
And so it went on.
Time drained away and still no England goal. Williams had been a virtual
spectator for 95% of the game and it was all England. A huge Wembley roar
built up to urge England forward and with only 11 minutes to go, they
finally gained their long overdue reward. Mortensen was the hero as he rose
to head in a corner by Finney. It was England's 14th corner and that was
some measure of their dominance. With only four minutes left the game was
transformed with the winning goal.
This time Mortensen
turned provider when he headed Ramsey's free-kick across the goalmouth for
Milburn to ram the ball in from close range. This ruined Rugilo's day but
his antics, although raising quite a few laughs amongst the crowd, in the
end got their just desserts.
It was a spectacular
end to a spectacular match.
|
Match Report by
Norman Giller |
Goals in the last ten
minutes from Stan Mortensen and Jackie Milburn (following the two he had
scored for Newcastle on the same pitch in the FA Cup final four days
earlier) gave England a scrambled victory. Eccentric Argentinean
goalkeeper Rugilo, nicknamed 'Tarzan', had the crowd roaring with laughter
as he swung on the crossbar and clowned his way through the match, which
was staged as part of the Festival of Britain celebrations. Fulham centre-half Jim Taylor won the first of two caps at the age of
thirty-three. Argentina were only the second country other than Scotland to
play England at Wembley.
|
Match Report by
Glen Isherwood |
England were facing foreign opposition at Wembley in an official
international for the first time. Argentina had not competed in the
previous year's World Cup but had won the South American Championship
three years in succession in the mid-1940's and had the best record in the
history of the competition. They were coached by Guillermo Stabile, the
top scorer in the 1930 World Cup, and this was their first meeting with
England.
The home side, wearing red shirts at Wembley for the first time were a
goal down when Lostau lured Williams from his goal and chipped the ball up
for Mario Boye to head in. England were heading for defeat but they
finally drew level when Stan Mortensen headed in a Finney corner. With
four minutes to go they snatched victory when Mortensen headed on a Ramsey
free-kick for Jackie Milburn to drive home the winner. England went
to Buenos Aires the following year, but the game was abandoned after 21
minutes without a goal because of torrential rain. Argentina returned to
Wembley in 1966 for the World Cup.
|
Match Report
as appears in the F.A. Yearbook 1951-52, pages 24-25 |
A crowd of 100,000 saw England beat Argentina by 2 goals to 1 at Wembley
on May 9th - the first of the Festival of Britain Internationals.
Argentina held a lead of 1-0 until 11 minutes of the end, but in fact
England had most of the play. It was mainly the skill of Rugilo, the
Argentine goalkeeper, and England's inability to cope with the unfamiliar
'funnelled' defence used by Argentina, that prevented them from winning by
a wide margin. England attacked for most of the first half, except for
a short phase at about the 18th minute when Argentina took the lead, with
a fine goal headed by Boye. England were playing good enterprising
football, but somehow things seemed to go wrong at the critical moment.
Once Milburn went clean through the Argentine defence from Mortensen's
pass, only to be robbed of a certain goal by Rugilo's miraculous save;
Hassall also had several near misses. But in general the English attack
found itself baffled by the massed defence tactics of their opponents, and
the interval found Argentina one goal up. For the first quarter of an
hour of the second half the Argentine goalmouth was under continuous
siege, and there several exciting incidents. Milburn narrowly failing to
score no less than three times. England kept on hammering away at the
Argentine defence, with growing desperation. Then suddenly, with only 11
minutes left, Mortensen headed home a corner-kick by Finney. Four minutes
from the end, Mortensen headed a fine centre from Ramsey's free-kick, and
gave England victory.
Festival of Britain
Football Results
(9 May 1951)
Three England players on duty
were absent from their club's festival celebration match. |
Huddersfield Town 4 PSV
Eindhoven [Netherlands] 1 |
Huddersfield were without Harold Hassall and Vic Metcalfe |
|
Preston North End 2 Crvena
Zvezda [Yugoslavia]
1 |
Preston were without Tom Finney |
|
|
|
In
Other News....
It was on 9 May 1951 that the world's first hydrogen bomb was
tested by the United States at the Enewetak Atoll in the
Marshall Islands in the northwestern Pacific Ocean. |
|
A
Football Association XI beat an American Soccer League XI
4-0 at Croke Park in New York. |
|
Source Notes |
TheFA.com
Original newspaper reports
Glen Isherwood's Wembley: The Complete Record |
|
Rothman's Yearbooks
Mike Payne's England: The Complete Post-War Record
Norman Giller, Football Author
British Pathé |
|
cg |