The England World Cup Finals Party Pre-Uruguay  June 1954
Player	Birthdate	Age	Pos	Club	starts	subs	App	G	Capt
19. Armstrong, Kenneth	3 June 1924	29	RHB	Chelsea FC	0	0	0	0	0
	Armstrong was added to the Party on 9 June as a stay-at-home reserve
8. Broadis, Ivan A.	18 December 1922	31	IR	Newcastle United FC	13	0	13	8	0
12. Burgin, Edward	29 April 1927	27	G	Sheffield United FC	0	0	0	0ᵍᵃ	0
3. Byrne, Roger W.	8 September 1929	24	LB	Manchester United FC	5	0	5	0	0
18. Chilton, Allenby	16 September 1918	35	CHB	Manchester United FC	2	0	2	0	0
	Chilton was added to the Party on 9 June as a stay-at-home reserve
6. Dickinson, James W.	24 April 1925	29	LHB	Portsmouth FC	37	0	37	0	0
11. Finney, Thomas	5 April 1922	32	OR	Preston North End FC	53	0	53	23	0
13. Green, Kenneth	27 April 1924	30	RB	Birmingham City FC	0	0	0	0	0
21. Haynes, John N.	17 October 1934	19	IL	Fulham FC	0	0	0	0	0
	Haynes was added to the Party on 9 June as a stay-at-home reserve
22. Hooper, Harry	14 June 1933	20	OR	West Ham United FC	0	0	0	0	0
	Hooper was added to the Party on 9 June as a stay-at-home reserve
20. Jezzard, Bedford A.G.	15 January 1929	25	CF	Fulham FC	1	0	1	0	0
	Jezzard was added to the Party on 9 June as a stay-at-home reserve
9. Lofthouse, Nathaniel	27 August 1925	28	CF	Bolton Wanderers FC	20	0	20	22	0
14. McGarry, William H.	10 June 1927	26	RHB	Huddersfield Town AFC	1	0	1	0	0
7. Matthews, Stanley	1 February 1915	39	OR	Blackpool FC	37	0	37	10	0
1. Merrick, Gilbert H.	26 January 1922	32	G	Birmingham City FC	22	0	22	41ᵍᵃ	0
17. Mullen, James	6 January 1923	31	OL	Wolverhampton Wanderers FC	11	1	12	6	0
5. Owen, Sydney W.	29 September 1922	31	CHB	Luton Town AFC	3	0	3	1	0
16. Quixall, Albert	9 August 1933	20	IF	Sheffield Wednesday FC	3	0	3	0	0
2. Staniforth, Ronald	13 April 1924	30	RB	Huddersfield Town AFC	5	0	5	0	0
10. Taylor, Thomas	29 January 1932	22	IL	Manchester United FC	5	0	5	2	0
15. Wilshaw, Dennis J.	11 March 1926	28	IL	Wolverhampton Wanderers FC	2	0	2	3	0
5. Wright, William A.	6 February 1924	30	RHB	Wolverhampton Wanderers FC	60	0	60	3	45

All information is complete to and including England's last match, the seventh of the 1953-54 season, against Hungary on 23 May 1954.

Diary
 

FIFA retained the mini-league system but couldn't resist a little tinkering. Instead of each team playing all the others in the groups, two were seeded and would play only the two non-seeds - and any matches drawn after ninety minutes would go to extra-time. Arbitrary and confusing.

Cris Freddi's Complete Book of the World Cup

Monday, 31 May 1954 - The Football Association did not nominate the names of the World Cup party as expected. Instead they announced the names of 25 players, who have been called for training at the Bank of England Sports Ground in Roehampton for the next two days. Stan Matthews and Tom Finney were intended to join the party, but Matthews is resting following a club tour of the continent with Blackpool FC, and Finney is under treatment for a thigh injury. Both will still be considered when the final selection of 22 players is submitted to FIFA before 8 June.

Tuesday, 1 June 1954 - 25 of the 24 players begin training in Roehampton. The missing player is Albert Quixall, who has just returned from Germany and will join the party later in the day. The weather was well suited for training, being cold and dull. The players ran round the ground before lunch. Before changing for their practise match, most of the players had a spell in the cricket nets, Ted Burgin receiving an injury to his hand, but soon recovered. In the absence of Stan Matthews and Tom Finney, West Ham United's Harry Hooper was asked to attend to help in the practise match, as was Portsmouth's Jack Mansell. The forward line for The Whites which played in front of the recognised England defence was Harris, Broadis, Lofthouse, Taylor and Mullen. After 45 minutes, Hooper replaced Harris and Haynes replaced Taylor. Chilton was the centre-half for The Blues, whose forward line consisted of Hooper, Sewell, Jezzard, Haynes and Wilshaw. Ball, Quixall, Mansell, Armstrong and Bradford, all joined in after the interval. Hooper scored the only goal in the first half for The Blues, Mullen and Broadis scored for The Whites in the second half. At the end of the day, Peter Harris went home, suffering from influenza.

Wednesday, 2 June 1954 - For England's second practise match at Roehampton, Billy Wright is played as a centre-half for The Whites. Opposing Jezzard, Wright showed why his club frequently include him in the middle. The Blues' Jezzard seldom broke loose despite thoughtful moves by his colleagues. The Blues, containing six of the side that were beaten by Hungary last month, won the game 4-0 (goalscorers were Taylor, Lofthouse, Wilshaw and Hooper). However, the match was reduced to only a half-hour each way. Haynes was prominent in the forward line. Of the 27 players, apart from Peter Harris, who has remained in his sick bed in his London home, Syd Owen and Jimmy Mullen were two only two non-participants. The party then dispersed home.

Thursday, 3 June 1954 - The Football Association has named seventeen players to travel to Switzerland for the World Cup Finals. An FA official stated that 22 names will be submitted to FIFA, and the remaining five players will be announced over the weekend. The match fee's for the Finals are £30 each for the first two games; for the quarter-final £40 each; the semi-final will provide fee's of £50 each. No mention of fee's if England make the Final are made.

Sunday, 6 June 1954 - The five reserves are announced by the selectors. Chilton, Armstrong, Jezzard, Haynes and Hooper, will all train with the seventeen players already selected, but will standby in England, ready to fly to Switzerland if required.

Monday, 7 June 1954 - Stan Matthews and Tom Finney are among the players gathered at Roehampton. However, Syd Owen has developed a sore throat and a temperature, so is missing, as is Jimmy Mullen, who has a slight groin strain. Mullen's injury is expected to improve but a report on Owen is awaited anxiously. Three players who did not make the final Party were invited back to take part in training this week, Eric Bell, Geoff Bradford and Stan Willemse. Harry Hooper is due to be called for fourteen days' reserve training with the Armed Forces next weekend. If necessary, the FA will approach the authorities to have his training postponed.
A practise 'locked-gate' match between England and Scotland in Lucerne may now not take place next Tuesday (15th) because Scotland's first match of the Finals is the day after against Austria.

Tuesday, 8 June 1954 - The party began the day at Roehampton by playing a game of rounders, between the over 30's and the under 30's, to sharpen up their speed. The youngsters won before there was a practise match between The Whites and The Reds. With Owen and Mullen still missing, The Whites lined up as Merrick; Staniforth, Byrne; Wright, Chilton, Dickinson; Matthews, Broadis, Lofthouse, Taylor and Finney. The Reds were Burgin; Green, Willemse; McGarry, Armstrong, Bell; Hooper, Quixall, Jezzard, Haynes and Wilshaw. The Reds won 4-2, having lead 3-0 at half-time. Hooper scored twice, along with Jezzard and Wilshaw. Taylor and a Finney penalty scoring for The Whites. At half-time, Wright swapped positions to centre-half. McGarry swapped teams to take up the vacant right-half spot. Chilton becomes centre-half for The Reds with Armstrong to his right. Bradford was brought on to replace Haynes. Emphasis was placed on the 'through pass', with Walter Winterbottom instructing the teams to see how many of these passes they could make in the final fifteen minutes.

Wednesday, 9 June 1954 - The second and final practise match takes place between The Experienced Whites and The Aspirant Reds. Both were as yesterday's line-ups. A 4-0 half time lead is turned into a 6-0 victory. Lofthouse scoring twice, along with Taylor and Dickinson, in the first half. After the same half-time changes as yesterday except for Bradford now replacing Wilshaw, Lofthouse then completed his hat-trick in the second half, with Taylor also getting another. The selectors were not present. Doubts concerning Owen and Mullen were dispelled when their clubs, Luton Town and Wolverhampton Wanderers, reported them fit.

Thursday, 10 June 1954 - Only light training at Roehampton before the party disperse to their homes for the weekend. However, Walter Winterbottom has asked his players to remain in peak condition by training at their club's facilities. The party will reassemble on Sunday evening.

Monday, 14 June 1954 - The England party leave for Lucerne by air from London airport. Their late arrival was stoutly defended by Walter Winterbottom. "We make it a rule never to arrive to soon for a match abroad. That is a decision of our technical committee and we think it is a good one." The players are among the last to arrive. Winterbottom explained that the players like to spend as much time as possible at home with their families.

Tuesday, 15 June 1954 - "Tributes are being paid to the fact that England had not allowed the Hungarian hidings to alter the way of life-or even the methods of training. While some of the more fancied sides have been careering around the countryside smashing in shoals of goals against second-rate local opposition, the England players are being stolidly conditioned along the age-old lines" - Clifford Webb, The Daily Herald.
The party of seventeen did a few circuits of the training ground before there was a nine-a-side practise match in the afternoon. Walter Winterbottom making up the numbers. The workout, however, sowed no passion and there was no shots at goal. Amazingly, the Scotland party, which also open their World Cup account tomorrow, were training on an adjacent pitch.

Wednesday, 16 June 1954 - With Ted Burgin in goal, Tom Finney and Roger Byrne practicing penalty kicks. The Preston man proved the more successful and will take over any spot kick responsibilities that arise in the match tomorrow. The English party then watch the Scotland team lose to Austria at the Hardturn Stadium in Zürich.

Thursday, 17 June 1954 - In a revolutionary move for England, following the fashion taken on by overseas teams, the players are to have a warming-up session half an hour before the game. 
England are then shocked into a 4-4 draw after leading 3-1. It follows on from Switzerland's surprise win over Italy and has left the final issue of the pool very much open. If England can beat Switzerland on Sunday, they will be assured of reaching the quarter-finals.

The trauma of Budapest was less than a month behind them, but at least England had never had any trouble with the Belgians, whom they'd beaten 5-2, 4-1 and 5-0 since the War. Here Belgium managed a very early goal, the bustling Anoul scoring after a scramble in the penalty area, but were overhauled soon enough. Broadis squeezed in the equaliser before colliding with the onrushing Gernaey, then Lofthouse jerked himself at a cross from Taylor an dheaded in. In the second half Broadis hit Matthews' deflected cross so hard it bent the keeper's wrist on the way in. And Guerney had to make 'some really brilliant saves.'    This was Matthews' first match against Belgium since 1947, when he'd made all five of England's goals. Now he pulled their defence inside out, preposterously quick and supple for a man of 39. But England still hadn't solved their old problem at centre-half, where Owen was now limping. Anoul ran past him to pull a goal back, then Merrick failed to hold a shot by the fiery Coppens.    In extra-time, Broadis' cross and Taylor's dummy set up Lofthouse for a 'crushing drive' that went in off the far post - but Dickinson headed in a Dries free kick 'when no-one was anywhere near him.' As in darkest 1950, England were left needing to win their last group match to be sure of qualifying.    Broadis allowed himself to be known as Ivor (the Cold War was at its iciest).

Cris Freddi's Complete Book of the World Cup

Friday, 18 June 1954 - Walter Winterbottom announces that after the exertions of yesterday's match, all seventeen players are fit and there is no reason to call on the reserves from London. However, Nat Lofthouse is sent to bed early with a sore throat.

Saturday, 19 June 1954 - Following a practise match, the England team is named. McGarry replaces Owen, although captain Billy Wright has been moved to the centre, as McGarry comes in on the right and to earn his first cap.

Sunday, 20 June 1954 - The English selectors brought about a last-minute surprise by dropping Lofthouse and Matthews, both unfit, and reshuffling the forward line. Goals by Wolves' men, Mullen and Wilshaw-who formed a last-minute choice left wing-put England at the top of Group Four, and into the quarter-finals of the World Cup. It was a poor, scrappy game, watched by nearly 50,000 in sweltering heat-over 100°F in the sun at the start. England were just the better of two poor sides, and deserved their win, but the Swiss had some bad luck.

When Matthews pulled out with a bruised toe and Lofthouse with a throat infection, it looked as if somebody was trying to tell England something. But the various injuries cleared the deck a little. Taylor, unhappy in a double centre-forward formation, was now a single centre-forward of growing promise - and Mullen was an experienced winger. Above all, the solution to the centre-half problem had been there all along.    Billy Wright was one of the icons of post-war football - but a very average wing-half. Now, at the age of 30, in his 60th international, he finally knew his place, staying in it for another five years despite being only 5' 8.    At the other end, with England in dire need of a goal, Taylor headed the ball on, Mullen darted past his fullback, went round Parlier, and never played for England again. No surprise there. Wilshaw's goal was just as good, a dribble past three players after he 'suddenly remembered his bodyswerve.' But Staniforth had to ckear off the line from Ballaman (the ball seemed to cross the line), Fatton had a goal disallowed, and Vonlanthen might have had a penalty. England needed Matthews' toe to heal quickly: the reigning champions were lying in wait.

Cris Freddi's Complete Book of the World Cup

Monday, 21 June 1954 - England are drawn to play Uruguay in the quarter-finals. The party themselves are taking a day off to recover from leg weariness, relaxing at their lakeside hotel in Lucerne. Sid Owen reports himself as fit. While Billy Wright is nursing a bruised eye and a cut above the other. Stan Matthews is still recovering from his toe injury.

Not content with the complications they'd arranged for the group matches, FIFA had decided on a free draw for the knockout stage, leaving the possibility of the group winners playing each other in the quarter-finals instead of being rewarded with matches against the runners-up. And the two strongest teams could well meet in the semi-finals.

Cris Freddi's Complete Book of the World Cup

Tuesday, 22 June 1954 - The England party are training at Lucerne. Nat Lofthouse reports himself fit after training for the first time since he took ill on Sunday. Stan Matthews sits out training.

Wednesday, 23 June 1954 - Stan Matthews has an early fitness test and participated an a light training session with the rest of the party, before they all leave Lucerne. They had been due to leave for Vevey, on the shores of Lake Geneva, near Lausanne, but a last minute change of plan sees them arrive at Rhinefelden, near Basel, by coach, making them closer to their destination on Saturday. They also watch the Italy-Switzerland play-off.

Thursday, 24 June 1954 - The England team have a training match against the local side FC Schaffhausen. Two goals from Nat Lofthouse and one each from Ivor Broadis and Jimmy Mullen secure a 4-0 victory.

Friday, 25 June 1954 - The BBC confirm that the second half of the match will be televised live tomorrow. The England team is also chosen after two days of delays. It has allowed Matthews and Lofthouse to return to the side, in the only two changes to the side that beat Switzerland.

Saturday, 26 June 1954 -   

Better go through the Uruguayan goals first, because Merrick was at fault with the last three and has generally been blamed for England's defeat (actually the Uruguayan manager said 'Gil Merrick estuvo magnifico,' which is stretching it a bit). He couldn't do anything about the first. Borges' cut-back from the left-hand goal line was mishit by one team mate and missed by another's attempted backheel flick - so Borges came off the goal line to smash the ball in.    Uruguay went ahead for the second time when Dickinson headed away a free kick and Varela returned it with a high curling shot from twenty yards which Merrick might have reached. Schiaffino 'rolled a slowish simple-looking shot . . . Merrick seemed to turn his back and fall down facing his own goal.' Then, perhaps unsighted, he didn't get down to cover Ambrois' optimistic cross-shot.    But pointing the finger at goalkeepers is an old excuse. England played their best World Cup match so far - and it wasn't good enough to beat a team which ended the match with eight fit men after injuries to Andrade (bandaged thigh), Abbadie and Varela. There had also been pre-match worries over Borges, Schiaffino and Miguez! And if Matthews hit a stanchion in the side netting, then Ambrois hit the bar. Uruguay were a great team and England didn't do badly to lose 4-2.    They equalised when Wilshaw's reverse pass was put away by Lofthouse's left-footed cross-shot. Then Máspoli saved 'miraculously' from Lofthouse at close range. England's second goal was poked in by Finney after Máspoli had saved from Lofthouse, his follow-up going between Varela's legs and past another defender on the line. But the second and third Uruguayan goals came from free kicks conceded by Byrne, who couldn't cope with Abbadie; Finney, discouraged by Andrade's strong tackling, was a big-occasion flop yet again; and England fell into individualistic play in the second half, which played into the Uruguayans' hands. And the average age of the team was over 30. As Schiaffino said, if they could find some younger players.    Their oldest was still their best, and the match programme knew what it was doing when it listed him a St Matthews. Schiaffino was just as influential, dropping back into defence when the injuries began, and playing as well as ever. Two prodigious footballers.     Further down the scale, Merrick wasn't capped again after a season in which he conceded thirty goals in ten matches.

Cris Freddi's Complete Book of the World Cup

England Form: last six games
L W L L D W  f 14:a 20  success: 42%
284	25 November 1953 - England 3 Hungary 6 [2-4] Empire Stadium, Wembley (100,000)	Sewell, Mortensen, Ramsey (pen) Hidegkuti (3), Puskás (2), Bozsik	Fr	HL
285	3 April 1954 - Scotland 2 England 4 [1-1] Hampden Park, Glasgow (134,554)	Brown, Ormond Broadis, Nicholls, R.Allen, Mullen	BC/ WCP	AW
286	16 May 1954 - Yugoslavia 1 England 0 [0-0] Stadion JNA, Beograd (59,000)	Mitić	tour	AL
287	23 May 1954 - Hungary 7 England 1 [3-0] Népstadion, Budapest (92,000)	Lantos, Puskás (2), Kocsis (2), Tóth, Hidegkuti Broadis		AL
288	17 June 1954 - Belgium 4 England 4 [1-2]ᴭᵀ Sankt Jakob Stadium, Basel (14,000)	Anoul (2), Coppens, Dickinson OG Broadis (2), Lofthouse (2)	WCF	ND
289	20 June 1954 - England 2 Switzerland 0 [1-0] Wankdorfstadion, Bern (43,119)	Mullen, Wilshaw		AW