The England Party for the end-of-season South American Tour  May 1953
Player	Birthdate	Age	Pos	Club	starts	subs	App	G	Capt
Barlow, Raymond J.	17 August 1926	26	LHB	West Bromwich Albion FC	0	0	0	0	0
Barrass, Malcolm W.	13 December 1924	28	CHB	Bolton Wanderers FC	3	0	3	0	0
Bentley, T.F. Roy	17 May 1924	29	I/CF	Chelsea FC	8	0	8	3	0
Berry, R. John	1 June 1926	26	OF	Manchester United FC	1	0	1	0	0
Broadis, Ivan A.	18 December 1922	30	IR	Manchester City FC	5	0	5	3	0
Dickinson, James W.	24 April 1925	28	LHB	Portsmouth FC	25	0	25	0	0
Ditchburn, Edward G.	24 October 1921	31	G	Tottenham Hotspur FC	2	0	2	3ᵍᵃ	0
Eckersley, William	16 July 1925	27	LB	Blackburn Rovers FC	10	0	10	0	0
	Eckersley was called into the party on 4 May as a replacement for Smith
Finney, Thomas	5 April 1922	31	OR	Preston North End FC	44	0	44	21	0
Froggatt, Jack	17 November 1922	30	CHB/ OL	Portsmouth FC	12	0	12	2	0
Froggatt, Redfern	23 August 1924	28	IL	Sheffield Wednesday FC	3	0	3	1	0
Garrett, Thomas H.	28 February 1926	27	LB	Blackpool FC	2	0	2	0	0
Johnston, Harry	26 September 1919	33	CHB	Blackpool FC	4	0	4	0	0
Lofthouse, Nathaniel	27 August 1925	27	CF	Bolton Wanderers FC	13	0	13	14	0
Merrick, Gilbert H.	26 January 1922	31	G	Birmingham City FC	11	0	11	12ᵍᵃ	0
Ramsey, Alfred E.	22 January 1920	33	RB	Tottenham Hotspur FC	27	0	27	1	3
Smith, Lionel	23 August 1920	32	LB	Arsenal FC	6	0	6	0	0
	Smith withdrew from the party on 4 May because of sciatica
Taylor, Thomas	29 January 1932	21	IL	Manchester United FC	1	0	1	0	0
Wright, William A.	6 February 1924	29	RHB	Wolverhampton Wanderers FC	48	0	48	3	33

All information is complete to and including England's last match, the fifth of the 1952-53 season, against Argentina on 17 May 1953.

Diary

Monday, 13 April 1953 - The Football Association announce a party of eighteen players that will represent England on their tour of South America next month. Charlton Athletic's Jimmy Trotter has again been chosen as the party's trainer. In three weeks five matches will be played under strange conditions and it is reasonable that such a large party be selected.

Tuesday, 21 April 1953 - Yorkshire referee Arthur Ellis has been invited to accompany the FA team to tour South America. Argentina and Chile have already agreed that he shall control their matches against England.

Sunday, 3 May 1953 - Stanley Matthews, hero of Blackpool's Cup Final triumph, has been invited to join the England team which leaves for South America on Thursday. He will make his decision after medical advice, as he has had thigh muscle trouble for some weeks.  Matthews, now 38, was dropped by England selector's two years ago.

Monday, 4 May 1953 - Stanley Matthews has declined the invitation to join the tour. "I am very sorry to have to turn down the invitation, for I would have loved to have gone. But I don't feel my thigh will be quite right for about a fortnight yet, and it is no use going on such a trip without feeling completely fit."
Outside-right Tom Finney also looks uncertain to go, because of a groin injury, he twice saw a specialist last week.
Another weekend problem for Walter Winterbottom and the selectors came from the withdrawal of Lionel Smith, the Arsenal left-back, who is suffering from sciatica and a recurrence of an old ankle injury. His place will be taken by Blackburn Rovers' Bill Eckersley. He will be, together with three others of the touring party, flying with Winterbottom tomorrow to Copenhagen, where he will play for the Football League XI against the Danish side.

Thursday, 7 May 1953 - The England team leave for South America, by air, BA353, via Madrid, Dakar, Reciffe, Rio de Janeiro and Montevideo, for their longest-ever Football Association tour to date, landing at Ministro Pistarini Airport, outside Buenos Aires. They are staying at the Hindu Country Club, Don Torcuato, twenty miles out of Buenos Aires, where Tom Finney is recovering after he caught a chill on the journey.

Sunday, 10 May 1953 - The touring party watch an Argentine Second Division match. Meanwhile, the AFA summoned 28 players to their Olympic Village to prepare for the matches.

Monday, 11 May 1953 - The England team train at the La Plata Stadium at Buenos Aires, where they will meet a Buenos Aires XI on Thursday, and Argentina next Sunday. Though dusty, the pitch at the majestic marble and stone bowl is completely covered with grass. Rain is forecast. The party rejected an invitation to visit the Isidro racecourse.

Tuesday, 12 May 1953 - Sir Stanley Rous, the F.A. Secretary was marooned for three hours in the Argentina FC offices because of a milling crowd outside wanting tickets for the matches. Police reinforcements and firemen were called to control the crowds. Rous eventually escaped with police aid, which included the laying out with truncheons of two particularly difficult men.
The team to play Buenos Aires tomorrow is chosen. It is clear that it has been decided to try to give every member of the touring party a game. The seven omitted players will probably play on Sunday against Argentina, or later in the tour.
Arthur Ellis will referee all four of the touring party's matches in South America if he can get leave of absence from his employers. Both Uruguay and Chile have agreed to Ellis handling their matches, but he only has permission to be away for the two Argentina matches.

Wednesday, 13 May 1953 - This morning the FA party laid wreaths on the civic altar of Eva Perón and then were received in as a special audience by Juan Perón, President of the Argentine Republic, at the famous Pink Palace of Government House". Perón, wearing a dark blue morning suit, said, through an interpreter - "I hope you win. My money is on England. I shall be cheering for you. Our teams fight hard in the first half and then fade away," he told the team laughingly. The President was presented with a gold FA badge by Mr. Joseph Mears, the Chelsea chairman and FA member..
England's match against Uruguay at the Centenario Stadium, Montevideo, will definitely be played on Saturday, 30 May, unless weather conditions cause a postponement. The match was originally scheduled for the Sunday, but because of the feared possibility of bad weather the Uruguayan officials requested the Saturday game so that there would be a chance of playing it on the Sunday if it had to be postponed.

Thursday, 14 May 1953 - The English FA's team's 3-1 defeat by a selected Buenos Aires side came as a shock to many Argentine fans. The whole of the city was jubilant over their team's success against the Maestros, though many were saying that England's play was too bad to be believed. Jack Froggatt and John Berry were both injured during the match. Froggatt suffered particularly bad with his knee.
Arthur Ellis, the Halifax Association referee, has had his leave from business extended to enable him to remain in South America. He should have returned home on 26 May to resume his duties as a representative for Messrs. T. Ramsden and Son, Ltd, the Halifax brewers. To referee three international matches in which his own national team is playing is a signal honour and the fact that Argentina, Chile and Uruguay have made special requests for Ellis' services is a remarkable tribute to him.

Sunday, 17 May 1953 - Argentina 0 England 0: The international match was abandoned after 22 minutes play in a storm of tropical violence. After a morning of sunshine, the sky over the stadium, which had been packed for six hours, suddenly darkened. Then the rain came.

Monday, 18 May 1953 - Yesterday's abandoned game between England and Argentina will not be replayed. The AFA stated early today that it was impossible for them to accept the English officials' offer to play the game during the next three days. Sir Stanley Rous had said the English party were anxious for a replay and would play today or tomorrow despite the inconvenience, due to travel plans. But they would gladly have changed those, even to chartering a special aircraft for the next part of the tour. The Argentinians said that the River Plate Stadium would be unfit for play for five days and that organizational difficulties such as printing tickets were insurmountable. The AFA offered England a fixture on 4 June, but this was unacceptable to the English officials, who are due to be in New York on 2 June, to play United States on 7 June. The proposal was considered, but the English officials emphasised, that in view of the match with Chile on Sunday it would not be possible to play after Wednesday.
England may extend the South American tour by playing Peru at Lima before they travel on to New York. At first, the offer was refused, but again, it seems a matter of foreign policy. A call from the Embassy to Sir Stanley changed his mind. It now depends on travel and currency details.
Also, Argentina forgot to enter for the World Cup in Switzerland next summer. FIFA have been asked to accept a late entry. If that entry is accepted, said an Argentine official, Argentina may play England after the Finals.

Tuesday, 19 May 1953 - An inspection of the River Plate Stadium ground, incidentally, shows that it is fit for play. The sandy subsoil had allowed the rainwater to drain rapidly while a warm sunshine and light breeze dried the pitch to such a good purpose that parts of it was being watered.
In the evening, Argentine officials invited their FA counterparts to discuss the possibility of playing tomorrow night. The England party were to leave Buenos Aires for Santiago today, but this had now being put back to Thursday. A replay was virtually assured.
Within an hour, though, discussions broke down. It was decided that a match tomorrow would be not practicable. Argentina maintained that the obstacles were too great, notably the question of tickets and the fact that their players had dispersed. The match was off! The England party finally leave Ministro Pistarini airport for Santiago by air, as originally planned. They travel pleasantly for three hours, piloted by Captain John Wright, and are welcomed by a small crowd, along with Chilean and British Embassy officials. The party are staying at the Carreras Hotel, on the outskirts of Santiago.

Wednesday, 20 May 1953 - The England party all report fit, including Jack Froggatt, and take part in light training at their headquarters for an hour, watched on by hundreds of schoolchildren.

Thursday, 21 May 1953 - All efforts to arrange an additional match for England at Lima have failed. FA officials, after a most careful examination of the whole situation, found it impracticable to arrange a game with Peru. Sir Stanley Rous told the British Ambassador in Lima and the Peruvian FA that they were reluctantly forced to turn down the invitation. It is hoped to arrange games with Peru and Brazil in three years' time when the next tour of South America takes place.
The England players had hoped to take part in training at the National Stadium. But when they turned up, fully kitted out, they found that the pitch was being for an amateur game. So they climbed back on board the bus and practised at the Country Club.

England Form: last six games
W D W W D D  f 17:a 6  success: 75%
272	28 May 1952 - Switzerland 0 England 3 [0-1] Hardturm Stadion, Zürich (32,000)	Sewell, Lofthouse (2)	tour	AW
273	4 October 1952 - Ireland 2 England 2 [1-1] Windsor Park, Belfast (59,000)	Tully (2) Lofthouse, Elliott	BC	AD
274	12 November 1952 - England 5 Wales 2 [3-1] Empire Stadium, Wembley (94,094)	Finney, Lofthouse (2), J.Froggatt, Bentley Ford (2)		HW
275	26 November 1952 - England 5 Belgium 0 [2-0] Empire Stadium, Wembley (68,333)	Elliott (2), Lofthouse (2), R.Froggatt	Fr	HW
276	18 April 1953 - England 2 Scotland 2 [1-0] Empire Stadium, Wembley (97,000)	Broadis (2) Reilly (2)	BC	HD
277	17 May 1953 - Argentina 0 England 0 Estadio Monumental, Buenos Aires (85,000)	Suspended after 23 minutes. Abandoned after 36 minutes.	tour	AabD