"ENGLAND
MISSES LET BLUE DEVILS GO SCOT-FREE"
The People |
Officials
from Ireland |
England |
UK ruling on substitutes |
Scotland |
Referee (green)
Thomas
James Mitchell
41 (28 January 1912), Lurgan,
Ulster |
Teams presented to Field-Marshal Lord Alexander of Tunis, the Minister of Defence.
Also guests of the Football Association
are the Australian cricket team, who arrived in England on 13 April, for
their tour and Ashes series. |
flame flag
Linesmen
orange flag |
John Davidson Newtownards |
Robert James Quail
(1915) Belfast |
|
|
England
Team |
|
Rank |
No official ranking system established; ELO rating 4th to 5th |
Colours |
The 1949 home
uniform -
White collared jerseys, blue shorts, red socks. |
P 29th of 43, W 17 - D 7 - L 5 - F 80 - A 41. |
Captain |
Billy Wright
|
Manager |
Walter Winterbottom, 40 (31 March 1913), appointed as FA national director of coaching/team manager on 8 July 1946; |
record 32nd of 90, W 20 - D 6 - L 6 - F 81 - A 40. |
P fiftieth of 139, W 33 - D 10 - L 7 - F 151 - A 59. |
|
³ |
Team chosen by Selection Committee headed by Harold Shentall, on
Friday, 10 April, in Sheffield. |
England
Lineup |
|
two
changes
to the previous match
(Barrass & Broadis>Elliott & Bentley) |
league positions
(10 April) |
|
|
Merrick, Gilbert H. |
31
82 days |
26 January 1922 |
G |
Birmingham City FC
(FL2 8th) |
10 |
12ᵍᵃ |
2 |
Ramsey, Alfred E. |
33
86 days |
22 January 1920 |
RB |
Tottenham Hotspur FC
(FL 11th) |
26 |
1 |
3 |
Smith, Lionel |
32
238 days |
23 August 1920 |
LB |
Arsenal FC
(FL 3rd) |
6 |
0 |
final app
1950-53 |
4 |
Wright, William A. |
29
71 days |
6 February 1924 |
RHB |
Wolverhampton
Wanderers FC (FL TOP) |
47 |
3 |
most apps 1952-53 |
5 |
Barrass, Malcolm W. |
28
126 days |
13 December 1924 |
CHB |
Bolton Wanderers FC
(FL 12th) |
3 |
0 |
final app
1951-53 |
6 |
Dickinson, James
W. |
27
359 days |
24 April 1925 |
LHB |
Portsmouth
FC (FL 15th) |
24 |
0 |
7
|
Finney,
Thomas |
31
13 days |
5 April 1922 |
OR |
Preston
North End FC (FL 2nd) |
43 |
21 |
8
|
Broadis, Ivan A. |
30
121 days |
18 December 1922 |
IR |
Manchester City FC (FL 16th) |
4 |
3 |
the
164th (31st post-war) brace scored |
9 |
Lofthouse, Nathaniel |
27
234 days |
27 August 1925 |
CF |
Bolton Wanderers FC
(FL 12th) |
12 |
14 |
oldest youngest player
so far |
10 |
Froggatt, Redfern |
28
238 days |
23 August 1924 |
IL |
Sheffield Wednesday FC (FL 18th) |
3 |
1 |
11 |
Froggatt, Jack |
30
152 days |
17 November 1922 |
CHB |
Portsmouth FC
(FL 15th) |
12 |
2 |
reserves: |
Johnny Berry (Manchester United FC
(FL 8th)) and
Jimmy Adamson (Burnley FC
(FL 7h)) |
team notes: |
The Froggatts
are cousins. |
appearance notes: |
Nat Lofthouse is again the youngest player of
the eleven starting the match, for a third match in a row, thus breaking a record
he set in the previous match, by 144
days. Lofthouse will be the oldest youngest player until he breaks his
record yet again in the final match of the season. |
records: |
This is the fifth match unbeaten at Wembley by England, beating a
pre-war record. This draw extends
the post-war unbeaten record to fourteen
games without loss. |
The England team trained at Stamford Bridge prior to this match, under
the direction of Winterbottom, Trotter and an Australian F.A. coach,
Vivian Chalmin.
|
|
2-3-5 |
Merrick - Ramsey, Smith - Wright, Barrass, Dickinson -
Finney, Broadis, Lofthouse, R.Froggatt,
J.Froggatt. |
Averages: |
Age |
30 years 29
days |
Appearances/Goals |
17.3 |
3.9 |
oldest post war team so far |
most experienced post-war team
so far |
Winterbottom's XI after fifty matches |
Swift (18) -
Ramsey (26),
Aston
(17) -
Wright
(47), Franklin (27), Dickinson (24) -
Matthews (16),
Mortensen (23), Lawton (16), Mannion
(26), Finney (43) |
After fifty matches, Winterbottom has used 67 players, 84 on to teamsheets
and 97 into his various parties. |
England teams
v. Scotland: |
1952: |
Merrick |
Ramsey |
Garrett |
Wright |
J.Froggatt |
Dickinson |
Finney |
Broadis |
Lofthouse |
Pearson |
Rowley |
1953: |
Merrick |
Ramsey |
Smith |
Wright |
Barrass |
Dickinson |
Finney |
Broadis |
Lofthouse |
R.Froggatt |
J.Froggatt |
|
|
Scotland
Team |
|
Rank |
No official ranking system established; ELO rating 10th |
Colours |
blue jerseys with
white collars,
white shorts, blue socks with white/blue tops. |
Captain |
George Young |
Selection |
The Scottish Football Association
Selection Committee on Wednesday, 8 April 1953 |
Trainer: Alec Dowdells (The Celtic FC) |
Scotland
Lineup |
|
Farm, George N. |
28
279 days |
13 July 1924 |
G |
Blackpool FC, England |
3 |
4ᵍᵃ |
2 |
Young, George L. |
30
173 days |
27 October 1922 |
RB |
Rangers FC |
36 |
0 |
most apps 1952-53 |
3 |
Cox, Samuel R., injured off
69th min. |
29
5 days |
13 April 1924 |
LB |
Rangers FC |
21 |
0 |
4 |
Docherty, Thomas H. |
24
359 days |
24 April 1928 |
RHB/ LHB |
Preston North End FC, England |
2 |
0 |
5 |
Brennan, Frank |
28
360 days |
23 April 1924 |
CHB |
Newcastle United FC, England |
5 |
0 |
684 |
6 |
Cowie, Douglas |
26
352 days |
1 May 1926 |
LHB /LB |
Dundee FC |
1 |
0 |
7 |
Wright, Thomas |
25
88 days |
20 January 1928 |
OR /RHB |
Sunderland AFC, England |
3 |
0 |
final app
1952-53 |
8
|
Johnstone, Robert |
23
223 days |
7 September 1929 |
IR |
Hibernian FC |
6 |
3 |
9
|
Reilly, Lawrance |
24
172 days |
28 October 1928 |
CF |
Hibernian FC |
22 |
15 |
10 |
Steel, William |
29
352 days |
1 May 1923 |
IL |
Dundee FC |
29 |
12 |
11 |
Liddell, William B. |
31
98 days |
10 January 1922 |
OL |
Liverpool FC, England |
22 |
6 |
reserves: |
Travelling reserve is Fernie (The Celtic FC). Full team of reserves are
Jimmy Cowan (Greenock Morton FC);
Jock Aird (Burnley FC); Bobby Evans (The Celtic FC), Doug Cowie
(Dundee FC) and Tommy Docherty (Preston North End FC); Jackie Henderson (Portsmouth FC) and
Willie Fernie (The Celtic FC); Willie Bauld
(Hearts of Midlothian FC); Jackie Mudie (Blackpool FC) and Tommy Ring (Clyde
FC). |
team notes: |
Sammy Cox injured his ankle in the build-up to England's second goal,
he was trying to tackle Tom Finney on the goalline. The Wembley turf
is described as 'soft and springy', and to counter this, the players
wear long studs. Cox's studs caught in the turf, 'wrenching' his
ankle. |
The Scottish team were set-up in Weybridge, Surrey, before this match. |
|
2-3-5 |
Farm - Young, Cox (Cowie) - Docherty
(Wright), Brennan, Cowie (Docherty)
- Wright, Johnstone, Reilly, Steel, Liddell
notes:- when Cox was stretchered off after
69 minutes, Cowie took up the left-back role, Docherty switched
flanks, leaving Young and Wright to deal with Finney. |
Averages: |
Age |
27 years 226
days |
Appearances/Goals |
13.6 |
3.1 |
|
|
News |
"SCOTS
MAY LEAVE OUT RANGERS "Scotland may withdraw full backs George Young
(captain) and Sam Cox from the team to play England at Wembley on
Saturday. This is the possible outcome of a dispute between Glasgow
Rangers and the Scottish F.A., who have refused the club permission to
play Young and Cox in a League match with Airdrieonians tomorrow night.
This would have meant the players travelling South a day late. Rangers,
who are in line for the championship, say they will defy the ruling and
play both men. The League also refuses to postpone the fixture. Aird
(Burnley) and McNaught (Raith Rovers) are candidates for the two places if
action is taken. A decision will be made today." -
Tuesday, 14 April 1953, The Daily Herald.
"SCOTTISH
FOOTBALL DISPUTE SETTLED "The dispute between the Scottish F.A. and
Glasgow Rangers was settled last night by the announcement that the
Scottish F.A. have given permission to both George Young and Sam Cox, the
Rangers players, to travel south immediately after the League match with
Airdrieonians at Ibrox Park, Glasgow, today."
- Wednesday, 15 April 1953, The Birmingham Gazette.
|
Match Report by
Mike Payne |
The
run of Scottish success at Wembley has now stretched for 19 years
continuing with this highly deserved draw. Ever since 1934, Scotland had
been able to pride themselves at not being beaten at England's premier
stadium. Certainly an England win would have been a travesty. For,
although they always created the more clear-cut openings, Scotland's
courage and spirit deserved nothing less than a draw. Let the story
unfold.
The early exchanges had seen both sides push
forward. Docherty and Cowie were setting a high standard with their
industry in midfield and Billy Wright and Jimmy Dickinson were having to
battle hard. Tom Finney was weaving some good runs on the right but the
visitors were having slightly the better of things in this spell. It
therefore came as a big surprise when England scored in the 19th minute.
Finney conjured up some wonderful
magic as he twisted his way infield past Steel, Cowie and Cox before
sending Ivor Broadis through the middle with an inch perfect pass. The
number-eight switched the ball from right foot to left foot under pressure
from Brennan before unleashing a thunderbolt wide of the diving Farm.
Although Redfern Froggatt could
twice have increased England's lead, both times missing when in a one
against one situation, Scotland, too, had their moments.
One
amazing escape came when Malcolm Barass and Lionel Smith somehow kept
Johnstone's shot out after Gil Merrick had dropped a free-kick from Young.
It was in fact the long leg of Smith that retrieved the danger. Then, a
minute before the interval, Steel's cross-shot hit the bar and bounced
down for Barass to, once again, come to the rescue.
Barrass had
held Reilly well in the first half but, with Steel's increasing influence
beginning to stretch the home defence, the England centre-half began to
struggle later on.
In the 55th minute, Scotland at last gained that
elusive equaliser. The England defence was all at sea as Johnstone's
powerful shot again hit the bar but this time Reilly was quickly on to the
rebound to crash the ball home. The goal was no more than Scotland
deserved and had come from a splendid move involving Cox, Cowie, Docherty
and Steel.
Cowie was having a tremendous match and after the goal
the tempo of the whole game began to rise. England still created chances
though. Soon Jack Froggatt joined his cousin in missing a good chance,
allowing Farm to save his shot after he raced clear on to a Nat Lofthouse
pass. Broadis, too, missed a fine chance but made up for it in the 17th
minute when he scored a superb goal.
Wright sent Broadis away just
inside his own half. A long dribble ended with a square pass to Finney.
The Preston player suddenly moved into second gear and with a breathtaking
piece of footwork, a slight feint and a change of pace, left Cox in his
wake before finally pulling back a diagonal pass to Broadis again who hit
home a low first-time shot. Cox was left writhing in agony after his
attempted tackle on Finney and, sadly, his injury meant he had to leave
the field.
Losing 2-1 and a man short, it seemed curtains for
Scotland. But their national pride and passion would not allow them to
give in. Docherty, Cowie and Steel and Young rolled up their sleeves and
worked even harder to inspire their colleagues to greater heights. Steel
and Liddell forced full-length saves from Merrick as England wavered under
the onslaught.. But with only 30 seconds remaining, the tide of the blue
shirts finally gained their reward.
Good passing between Johnstone
and Reilly split the English defence wide open and it ended with the
centre-forward hitting the roof of the home net with a fierce shot. It was
no more than Scotland deserved.
|
Match Report by
Norman Giller |
Lawrie 'Last Minute' Reilly
equalised for Scotland with the final kick of the match. It was Reilly's
second goal in reply to two from Ivor Broadis. The Scots, driven from
midfield by Preston's Tommy Docherty and Dundee's Doug Cowie, dominated
play for long spells and thoroughly deserved their late equaliser. They
played for much of the second-half with only ten men after Rangers
left-back Sammy Cox had been injured trying to stop a thrusting run by Tom
Finney. Utility player Jack Froggatt, capped by England at centre-half and
as an outside-left, partnered his cousin Redfern on the left wing. Each of
the cousins missed simple chances to give England the lead before Broadis
scored what looked like being a winning second goal. This draw meant that
it was nineteen years since England had last beaten them on home ground.
There were just thirty seconds left when Lawrie Reilly popped up with one
of his typical late goals that so often saved Scotland.
|
Match Report by
Glen Isherwood |
England had already beaten Wales
and drawn with Northern Ireland. Scotland had done likewise. Victory for
either side would give them the Championship outright. A draw would mean
they would share it. Scotland were still unbeaten at Wembley in the
British Championship since 1934 and had won on their last two visits.
Scotland started the stronger but
fell behind. The skilful Finney beat three men and passed to Ivor Broadis,
who fought off a challenge from Brennan to blast the ball past Farm. Scotland equalised after Johnstone hit the bar and Lawrie Reilly
scored from the rebound, his third in consecutive visits to Wembley.
Twenty minutes from the end Finney again provided Broadis with a shooting
opportunity which he didn't squander. Cox twisted his ankle in trying to
stop Finney and was carried off. With ten men the Scots looked to be
beaten. But in the last minute their unbeaten record was saved when Reilly
and Johnstone ripped open the England defence for Reilly to shoot home his
second. England won the British Championship outright the following
year by beating Scotland at Hampden Park for the fifth successive time in
the competition. In so doing England and runners-up Scotland qualified for
the World Cup in Switzerland. Scotland's run at Wembley finally came to an
end with a crushing defeat in 1955.
|
Match Report
as appears in the F.A. Yearbook 1953-54, pages 21-22 |
It was almost five months before
England player together again as the national side, and in those five
months some changes in form and, in particular, an unimpressive
performance by a full-strength Football League eleven against the Scottish
League showed only too clearly that a repetition of the encouraging
showings against Wales and Belgium was not to be expected. England made
some surprise changes; centre-half Froggatt (J.) was switched to
outside-left to partner his cousin, Froggatt (R.). Barrass came in as
centre-half, Smith replaced Eckersley at left-back, and Broadis, in
brilliant form, came in for Bentley at inside-right. For close on 20
years Scotland have not been beaten at Wembley in a full International
match, and in 1953 a goal by Reilly in the last 30 seconds preserved that
record with dramatic sharpness. Scotland earned their draw, snatched as it
was against the odds. When England took the lead for the second time after
a Broadis-Finney duet 20 minutes from the end and Cox, in trying to stop
Finney, injured his ankle and was carried off, Scotland suddenly grew in
stature, mounting attack upon attack and roaring to the equaliser. The
England players produced cultured football, stroking the ball along the
ground and creating most of the goal chances that came that afternoon, but
they failed to turn their approach work to good account. Scotland gave as
good as she got. Cowie, Docherty, Steel and Johnstone were overwhelming in
mid-field, coaxing their colleagues into a fast, open game that contrasted
- oddly, for the Scots - with England's tactical ability. England went
ahead after 19 minutes. Finney weaved his way past three men before
sending Broadis away through the middle to make no mistake with a
screaming drive. But 10 minutes after half-time, Johnstone hit the
crossbar and Reilly was at hand to ram home the rebound. Then came
Broadis's second goal 20 minutes from the end, the signal for a new and
brave effort from Scotland before which England visibly sagged. Thirty
seconds from the end Johnstone and Reilly tore towards goal in a flurry of
swift cross-passing which ended with Reilly shooting hard into the roof of
the net.
|
In
Other News....
It was on 17 April 1953 that the great Charlie Chaplin, one
of the most memorable comic actors of the silent-movie era,
and subsequent filmmaker, announced that he was leaving the
United States for good, after arriving in London to promote
his new film, 'Limelight'. Though he had been born in
England, his success had been from an American residency,
but his outspoken political views had led the authorities to
believe that he was a communist sympathiser and told him
that he would have to apply for a re-entry permit if he was
to return. He then moved to Switzerland and was knighted in
1975, just less than three years before his death. |
|
Source Notes |
TheFA.com
Original newspaper reports LondonHearts.com
The Complete Book of the British Charts |
|
Rothman's Yearbooks
Mike Payne's England: The Complete Post-War Record
Norman Giller, Football Author
Glen Isherwood's Wembley: The Complete Record
British Pathé |
|
cg |