|
"ENGLAND
COULD NEVER BE LUCKIER"
Daily Mirror |
Officials |
England |
FIFA ruling on substitutes |
Rest of the World |
Referee (black)
Benjamin
Mervyn Giffiths
42 (17 January 1909), Abertillery, Monmouthshire, Wales |
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.
Teams presented to Guest of Honour, Field Marshal Viscount Montgomery.
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 |
Henricus Ludovicus Augustus Bauwens
43 (2 June 1910), Ghent, Belgium |
Vincenzo Angelo Giovanni Orlandini 43 (30
August 1910) Roma, Italy |
|
|
England
Team |
|
Rank |
No official ranking system established; ELO record no rating |
Colours |
The 1949 home
uniform -
White collared jerseys, blue shorts, red socks.
|
P 34th of 43, W 19 - D 9 - L 6 - F 91 - A 49. |
Captain |
Billy Wright |
Manager |
Walter Winterbottom, 40 (31 March 1913), appointed as FA national director of coaching/team manager on 8 July 1946; |
record 38th of 90, W 23 - D 8 - L 7 - F 98 - A 51. |
Trainer: Jimmy Trotter (Charlton Athletic FC) |
P 56th of 139, W 36 - D 12 - L 8 - F 168 - A 70,
inc. one abandoned. |
|
³ |
Team chosen by Selection Committee headed by
Harold Shentall
on Wednesday, 14 October. |
England
Lineup |
|
four
changes
to the previous match
(Garrett, Johnston, Finney, Wilshaw out) |
league position
(14 October) |
|
|
Merrick, Gilbert H. |
31 268 days |
26 January 1922 |
G |
Birmingham City FC
(FL2 6th) |
15 |
20ᵍᵃ |
|
3rd keeper to face three penalty kicks |
2 |
Ramsey, Alfred E. |
33 272 days |
22 January 1920 |
RB |
Tottenham Hotspur FC
(FL 10th) |
31 |
2
² |
|
15th
successful penalty kick (26th overall) |
oldest to take & score a penalty |
|
|
|
16 July 1925 |
3 |
Eckersley, William |
28 97 days |
LB |
Blackburn Rovers FC (FL2 12th) |
15 |
0 |
4 |
Wright, William A. |
29 257 days |
6 February 1924 |
RHB |
Wolverhampton Wanderers FC
(FL 2nd) |
53 |
3 |
most apps 1952-53 |
723 |
5 |
Ufton, Derek G. |
25 143 days |
31 May 1928 |
CHB |
Charlton Athletic FC
(FL 3rd) |
1 |
0 |
the sixth Athletic player to represent
England |
only app
1953 |
6 |
Dickinson, James
W. |
28 180 days |
24 April 1925 |
LHB |
Portsmouth
FC
(FL 18th) |
30 |
0 |
seventh, and quickest so far to the
30-app
milestone |
7 |
Matthews, Stanley |
38 262 days |
1 February 1915 |
OR |
Blackpool FC
(FL 9th) |
34 |
9 |
8
|
Mortensen, Stanley H. |
32 148 days |
26 May 1921 |
IR |
Blackpool FC
(FL 9th) |
24 |
22 |
9
|
Lofthouse, Nathaniel |
28 49 days |
27 August 1925 |
CF |
Bolton Wanderers FC
(FL 6th) |
18 |
19 |
10 |
Quixall, Albert |
20 67 days |
9 August 1933 |
IL |
Sheffield Wednesday FC
(FL 11th) |
2 |
0 |
11
|
Mullen, James |
30 288 days |
6 January 1923 |
OL |
Wolverhampton Wanderers FC
(FL 2nd) |
8 |
4 |
the
169th (36th post-war) brace scored |
unused substitutes: |
Ted Ditchburn (Tottenham Hotspur FC
(FL 10th)),
Ray Barlow and
Ronnie Allen (both West Bromwich Albion FC
(FL TOP)) |
team notes: |
Derek Ufton becomes the first England player to appear
against a representative side only, also, he becomes Winterbottom's
100th player chosen to his parties (72nd to make it to the field). |
penalty notes: |
Alf Ramsey becomes the third player to score from the penalty spot
twice, and the most experienced, in terms of appearances, penalty-kick scorer. |
records: |
This is a record sixth match unbeaten at Wembley by England. It is the
third time England have recorded three draws in a single calendar year
(1923 & 1951 the other years). |
The team trained on Chelsea FC's Stamford Bridge ground before the
match. |
|
2-3-5 |
Merrick - Ramsey, Eckersley - WWright, Ufton, Dickinson -
Matthews, Morthensen, Lofthouse, Quixall, Mullen |
Averages: |
Age |
29 years 288
days |
Appearances/Goals |
21.0 |
5.0 |
most-experienced post-war side so far. |
|
|
Rest
of the World
Team |
|
Not regarded as an official FIFA match. |
Colours |
Light blue buttoned-up collared jerseys, white shorts, blue socks
with blue and white vertical striped tops. |
Captain |
Ernst Ocwirk |
Selection |
Party chosen by FIFA Selection Committee headed by Karel
Johannes Julianus Lotsij, 60 (Netherlands,
3 March 1893) on Thursday,
1 October 1953 in Amsterdam, following a trial match against FC Barcelona.
Team chosen Tuesday, 20 October. |
Trainer: Walter Nausch Masseur: Walter Max |
Rest
of the World
Lineup |
1 |
Zeman, Walter, tactical off 46th min. |
26 173 days |
1 May 1927 in
Vienna |
G |
Sk Rapid,
Austria |
also has 38 appearances for Austria |
2 |
Navarro Perona, Joaquín |
33 80 days |
2 August 1921 in Barcelona |
RB |
Real Madrid CF, Spain |
also has five appearances for Spain |
3 |
Hanappi, Gerhard |
24 247 days |
16 February 1929 in Vienna |
LB |
Sk Rapid,
Austria |
also has
34 appearances, and three goals, for Austria |
4 |
Čajkovski, Zlatko |
29 331 days |
24 November 1923 in Zagreb |
RHB |
Fk Partizan,
Yugoslavia |
also has fifty appearances, and seven goals, for Yugoslavia |
5 |
Posipal, Joséf |
26 123 days |
20 June 1927 in Lugoj |
CHB |
Hamburger SV eV,
Germany |
also has fourteen appearances, and one goal, for Germany |
6 |
Ocwirk, Ernst |
27 228 days |
7 March 1926 in Vienna |
LHB |
Fk Austria Wien,
Austria |
also has
42 appearances, and three goals, for Austria |
7
|
Boniperti, Giampiero |
25 109 days |
4 July 1928 in Lugoj |
OR |
Juventus FC,
Italy |
also has
twenty appearances, and two goals, for Italy |
8 |
Kubala Stecz, László |
26 133 days |
10 June 1927 in Buda-pest |
IR |
FC Barcelona, Spain |
|
13th
penalty against scored
(23rd overall) |
also has six appearances and four goals for Czechoslovakia, three
apps for Hungary, and three apps and one goal for Spain |
|
|
|
9 |
Nordahl, Nils Gunnar |
32 2 days |
19 October 1921 in Hörnefors |
CF |
AC Milan, Italy |
also has 33 appearances, and 43 goals, for Sweden |
10
|
Vukas, Bernard |
26 173 days |
1 May 1927 in Zagreb |
IL |
HNK Hajduk Split SDD,
Yugoslavia |
also has 32 appearances, and fifteen goals, for Yugoslavia |
11
|
Zebec, Branislav |
24 158 days |
17 May 1929 in Zagreb |
OL |
Fk Partizan,
Yugoslavia |
also has nineteen appearances, and eleven goals, for Yugoslavia |
Rest
of the World Substitute |
scoreline:
Rest of the World 2 England 3 |
|
Beara, Vladimir, on 46th min. for Zeman |
24 353 days |
2 November 1928 in Zelovo |
G |
HNK Hajduk Split SDD,
Yugoslavia |
also has 23 appearances for Yugoslavia |
result:
Rest of the World 4 England 4 |
unused substitutes: |
Ernst Happel (Sk Rapid), Karl Stotz (Fk Austria Wien),
Andrés Bosch and Estanislau Basora (both
FC Barcelona) |
team notes: |
Alfredo de Stefano, originally named to the Party, was not permitted
to play because of a dispute between the Spanish FA and Colombian FA
over the players' transfer. |
the substitution: |
"Just before halftime, the team tried to bring on Beara as substitute
goalkeeper for Zeman. Mr. Griffiths forbade the change and was
embroiled in an argument with players and coach Walter Nausch. 'A
substitute is permitted only for injury, and from the way Zeman was
dancing about, I did not think he could be seriously hurt,' said Mr.
Griffiths. 'During the interval a doctor reported that Zeman had a
swollen ankle and could not continue.'" |
the penalty against: |
"It was not a penalty. Mortensen jumped
at me and fell over." - Jupp Posipal |
The Rest of the World team had the use
of Fulham FC's Craven Cottage ground to train on. |
|
2-3-5 |
Zeman (Beara) - Navarro, Hanappi -
Čajkovski, Posipal, Ocwirk - Boniperti, Kubala, Nordahl, Vukas,
Zebec. |
Averages:
(starting)
(finishing) |
Age |
27
years 162 days
27
years 112 days |
|
|
|
Match Report by
Mike Payne |
This
superb match was arranged to celebrate the 90th anniversary of the
Football Association and although the Rest of Europe side was somewhat of
a makeshift eleven, the two teams produced a suitably memorable occasion.
In fact the visitors almost ended England's proud record of never losing
to a continental side on home soil. It was magnificent entertainment and
the 97,000 crowd thrilled to the superior skills of the Europe team.
They were also
thrilled by the never-say-die spirit of the England lads. Three times they
came back from being behind and it all culminated in one of the most
exciting climaxes that this famous old stadium had ever seen.
From the start it was obvious that
England were going to struggle. The silky skills of Kubala, Vukas and
Zebec constantly exposed the home defenders. Alf Ramsey and Bill Eckersley
looked particularly vulnerable and the FIFA team should have done more
with their superiority. The different styles quickly gelled and the
Europeans pushed the ball around in short sharp bursts, creating many
openings and spreading panic through the England ranks.
England got
off to a dreadful start by conceding a first-minute penalty. Hanappi sent
a lovely through pass for Vukas who was clear of the defence. Eckersley,
chased back but his despairing tackle succeeded only in giving Kubala the
chance to score from the resultant spot-kick.
Three minutes later
England hit back. Playing their usual long ball game they put together a
fine move as a lovely reverse pass by Nat Lofthouse sent Stan
Mortensen galloping clear through the middle. The Blackpool star moved
forward confidently before hitting a great cross shot wide of Zeman to
equalise. Although that goal levelled the scores, the Rest of Europe side
were putting some tremendous play together and on 15 minutes deservedly
regained the lead.
This time superb play between Ockwirk and
Nordahl gave Zebec the chance to get past Ramsey and then centre for
Boniperti to cut inside and crash home number two. The same player then
repeated his strike in the 39th minute cutting in past Eckersley to fire
home after another good pass from Vukas.
England, 3-1 down and
fighting for their lives, were then given a gift two minutes before
half-time. A terrible mix-up between Navarro and Zeman gave Jimmy Mullen
the chance to pull a goal back. Zeman had struggled against the England
crosses and was once saved by his crossbar after a Stan Matthews centre
had beaten him.
After the break the goalkeeper was replaced by
Beara of Yugoslavia, much to the annoyance of the England players.
Matthews
had been England's star of the half and although Hanappi contributed much
to the visitor's attack, defensively he never lived with the Blackpool
star.
The undoubted fighting spirit of the England players shone
through brightly early in the second half when they forced another
equaliser. A splendid dribble and centre by the irrepressible Matthews
found Mullen running in at the far post to shoot home. Mortensen then hit
a post as play swung from end to end and the Rest of Europe missed several
good chances before both Mortensen and Lofthouse inexplicably missed with
headers. The match was on a knife edge.
With 25 minutes to go Zebec
popped up on the right wing. His centre was met by a tremendous Kubala
left-foot shot which flew into the top corner with Gil Merrick groping
helplessly. It looked all over with only Matthews and occasionally
Mortensen looking likely to pull the game out of the fire. Only a
desperate dive by Merrick prevented Kubala adding another goal with the
'keeper just managing to get a touch on to the post after a fierce cross
shot.
But then, just as it seemed that the record had gone, England
summoned up one last determined effort. With only seconds remaining, a
burst by Mortensen was ended by Cajkovski's clumsy challenge and the
referee awarded a penalty. Imagine what must have been going through
Ramsey's mind as he stepped up to take the kick. He showed no nerves
though and he confidently crashed the ball into the net to end a
tremendous afternoon's football.
|
Match Report by
Norman Giller |
An Alf Ramsey penalty in the last minute gave
England a draw in a showpiece match to mark the Football Association's
90th birthday. England trailed three times against the European all-stars
in a Wednesday afternoon match that provided a feast of football for the
97,000 spectators. Some forty-six years later FIFA saw fit to downgrade
the game to non-international status, but the Football Association awarded
Billy Wright a cap and it stays in English records as a full
international. That is good news for talented Charlton defender Derek
Ufton, a solid batsman and understudy at Kent to wicket-keeper Godfrey
Evans, who won his only cap in the game. England took the game very
seriously because there was a lot of pride and prestige at stake.
Considering they had only been together for a couple of days, the Rest of
Europe side played some magnificent football. The pick of the players was
Ladislav Kubala, who had been the first of the outstanding Hungarians to
switch his football allegiance to Spain. Ask anybody from Barcelona or
Budapest and they will tell you that he was in the class of Puskas. He had
wonderful ball control and the ability to make space for himself with
clever changes of pace. A naturally gifted genius, Kubala left Hungary
just before the rise of their greatest of all teams. Just imagine how good
they would have been had he still been available for selection! Kubala AND
Puskas to mark. The mind boggles!
|
Match Report by
Glen Isherwood |
England were still unbeaten at home against
continental opposition. They had met a Europe side only once before,
beating them 3-0 at Highbury in 1938 on the FA's 75th anniversary.
The FIFA select took the lead when Hanappi
sent Vukas away down the middle. Eckersley brought him down and Ladislao
Kubala scored from the spot. Within three minutes, though, England had
equalised. Stan Mortensen took a pass from Lofthouse and ran on to shoot
low past Zeman.
But
they went behind again when a cross from Zebec was slammed in by Gianpiero
Boniperti. Six minutes before half-time Boniperti scored again from a pass
by Vukas to leave England's proud record in grave danger. But just four
minutes later, a mix-up between Zeman and Navarro gave Jimmy Mullen an
open goal from which to reduce the arrears. FIFA swapped goalkeepers at
half-time but the new man Beara could do little about England's second
equaliser. From a Matthews cross Mullen scored his second off the post.
With 25 minutes remaining FIFA took the lead for the third time. Zebec
crossed and Kubala struck a great shot into the corner. England seemed to
have met their match but with seconds remaining Cajkovski brought down
Mortensen and Alf Ramsey rescued England at the death from a penalty.
England's record was to finally fall in their very next appearance.
|
Match Report
as appears in the F.A. Yearbook 1954-55, page 27 |
Although
the team assembled by F.I.F.A. for the match to celebrate the F.A's
ninetieth anniversary was given the grandiose title of 'Rest of the
World', its members in fact all hailed from Western Europe. They came from
Austria, Spain, Yugoslavia, Germany, Italy and Sweden, and never
previously played together as a team, yet they quickly knit themselves
together to give a display of individual brilliance combined with superb
teamwork. The game provided a fascinating contrast in styles,
England fighting back doggedly against the swift, artistic F.I.F.A.
attacks backed by a purposeful half-back line.
The English defence at
times seemed mesmerised by the lightning footwork and close passing of the
Continentals; in the fifth minute a desperate tackle brought Vukas down
and the penalty that followed was converted by Kubala to make the initial
score. It should not be thought that the English forwards never had their
moments, and indeed three minutes later Mortensen was rushing through the
middle to score the equaliser with a low cross-shot. There followed two
dazzling moves by F.I.F.A, both of which ended with Boniperti scoring
unstoppable shots. With the score already 3-1 things looked bad for
England, but shortly before half-time a misunderstanding between
goalkeeper Zeman and full-back Navarro offered Mullen an open net which he
was not slow to take advantage of. With Beara substituted for Zeman in
goal the second half scoring opened with a swift shot by Mullen off the
far post following a dribble and centre by Matthews. With the scores level
there were several missed chances at both ends and then F.I.F.A. again
took the lead when Zebec sent the ball across the English defence and
Kubala sent a powerful shot into the top corner of the net. In the dying minutes the game seemed lost, when Mortensen, hurling himself at the ball,
collided with Cajkovski and the referee awarded a penalty. Ramsey's
careful shot kept England's unbeaten home record untarnished for a few
weeks longer.
|
In Other News.... |
It was on 21 October 1953 that twenty-year-old Mickey Davies
testified that he had not used a knife in the gang fight that
had resulted in the death of 17-year-old John Beckley
following a chase through Clapham Common, three months
earlier. Davies was found guilty of the murder on the
following day, and sentenced to death, but after having an
execution date set twice, he was reprieved by the Home
Secretary, Sir David Maxwell Fyfe, three months later, and
Davies was released in 1960. |
|
Five hours after the international match, League Champions,
Arsenal staged a floodlit friendly at Highbury against
Anderlecht, the top Belgian side, who won 3-2. Roper and
Logie scored Arsenal's goals. |
|
Source Notes |
TheFA.com
Original newspaper reports
Official matchday programme 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 |