|
"THE
AMBULANCE MAN'S WEMBLEY"
Daily
Herald |
Officials
from Scotland |
England |
UK ruling on substitutes |
Wales |
Referee
Hugh Philips
35 (4 April 1921), Wishaw, Lanarkshire |
"THE MATCH WAS CARRIED OFF ON A STRETCHER.
"It was ten men against eleven for 62
minutes. It was nine men against eleven for eight minutes. It was ten against
ten for the last 29 minutes. But without Kelsey in goal it was an unfair
contest for 78 minutes."
- The Daily Herald, Thursday, 15
November 1956 |
flame flag
Linesmen
orange flag |
John McNiven Stonehouse |
H.G. Rutherford Edinburgh |
|
|
England
Team |
|
Rank |
No official ranking system established; ELO rating
4th |
Colours |
The 1954 Umbro
home uniform -
White v-necked short-sleeved continental jerseys, blue shorts, black
socks with white tops. |
P 15th of 43, W 8 - D 4 - L 3 - F 39 - A 19. |
Captain |
Billy Wright |
Manager |
Walter Winterbottom, 43 (31 March 1913), appointed as FA national director of coaching/team manager on 8 July 1946; |
record 64th of 90, W 37 - D 13 - L 14 - F 160 - A 95. |
Trainer: Bill Moore (Aston Villa FC) |
82nd match,
W
fifty
- D 17 - L 15 - F 234 - A 116,
one abandoned. |
|
³ |
Team chosen by Selection Committee, headed by Joe Mears, on Monday, 5 November |
England
Lineup |
|
five changes
to the previous match
(R.Matthews, Edwards, Revie, Taylor & Wilshaw out) |
league position
(5 November) |
|
|
Ditchburn, Edwin G. |
35
21 days |
24 October 1921 |
G |
Tottenham Hotspur FC (FL
2nd) |
4 |
7ᵍᵃ |
2 |
Hall, Jeffrey J. |
27
68 days |
7 September 1929 |
RB |
Birmingham
City FC (FL 6th) |
11 |
0 |
3 |
Byrne, Roger W. |
27
67 days |
8 September 1929 |
LB |
Manchester United FC (FL
TOP) |
24 |
0 |
4 |
Clayton, Ronald |
22
101 days |
5 August 1934 |
RHB |
Blackburn Rovers FC (FL2
15th) |
8 |
0 |
5 |
Wright, William A. |
32
282 days |
6 February 1924 |
CHB |
Wolverhampton
Wanderers FC (FL 8th) |
79 |
3 |
most apps
1952-56 |
6 |
Dickinson, James
W. |
31
204 days |
24 April 1925 |
LHB |
Portsmouth
FC (FL 20th) |
46 |
0 |
7
|
Matthews, Stanley |
41
287 days |
1 February 1915 |
OR |
Blackpool FC (FL
3rd) |
49 |
10 |
oldest outfield player |
757 |
8
|
Brooks, John |
24 327 days |
23 December 1931 |
IR |
Tottenham Hotspur FC (FL 2nd) |
1 |
1 |
the 24th Hotspur player to represent England |
9
|
Finney,
Thomas |
34
223 days |
5 April 1922 |
CF |
Preston
North End FC (FL 9th) |
61 |
27 |
10
|
Haynes, John N. |
22
28 days |
17 October 1934 |
IL |
Fulham FC (FL2 9th) |
9 |
5 |
11 |
Grainger,
Colin, injured off 61st min. |
23
157 days |
10 June 1933 |
OL |
Sheffield
United FC (FL2 6th) |
6 |
3 |
reserve: |
originally
Jimmy Dickinson (Portsmouth FC (FL
20th)). He was replaced with
Tony Marchi (Tottenham
Hotspur FC (FL 2nd)). |
team changes: |
Duncan Edwards (Manchester United FC(FL
TOP)) was the original named left-half. An injury meant
his place going to Dickinson on Monday, 13th. |
team notes: |
Colin Grainger twisted his leg and broke his right
ankle and was carried off in
the 61st minute. Billy Wright extends his record appearance tally, in his record 44th
consecutive match. |
pre-match notes: |
The England players beat Arsenal FC by a solitary Johnny Brooks goal
in a practise match at Arsenal Stadium, Highbury, on Tuesday 13th. The
players then watched a re-run of their victory over Brazil before an
early evening show at one of the theatres. |
records: |
England win a record seventh match in a row at Wembley, extending
their tally. It also beats a record sequence of seven matches unbeaten at
the stadium, beating the previous record created in 1953. It is
Walter Winterbottom's tenth victory at the Empire Stadium. Johnny
Brooks is the 142nd England player to
score
on his debut. |
The team trained at Hendon on the
Monday, and at Highbury on the Tuesday. |
|
2-5-3 |
Ditchburn - Hall, Byrne - Clayton, Wright, Dickinson -
Matthews, Brooks, Finney, Haynes, Grainger. |
Averages: |
Age |
29
years 130 days |
Appearances/Goals |
27.1 |
4.2 |
|
|
Wales
Team |
|
Rank |
No official ranking system established; ELO rating 30th |
Colours |
Made by Umbro -
Red continental jerseys with white collars/cuffs,
white shorts with red side stripe,
red socks with white tops. |
Captain |
Alf Sherwood |
Manager |
James Patrick Murphy, 46 (8 August 1910),
appointed 18 October 1956. Team chosen by Selection Committee on Monday, 5 November |
Wales
Lineup |
|
Kelsey, A. John, injured 12th min.
off 16th min. |
26
361 days |
19 November 1929 |
G/OL |
Arsenal FC, England |
11 |
21ᵍᵃ |
2/ |
Sherwood, Alfred T. |
33
1 day |
13 November 1923 |
RB/G |
Newport County FC |
41 |
0 |
took Kelsey's numberless jersey after 16 min |
final app 1947-56 |
3 |
Hopkins, Melvyn |
22
7 days |
7 November 1934 |
LB |
Tottenham Hotspur FC, England |
3 |
0 |
4 |
Harrington, Alan C. |
22
363 days |
17 November 1933 |
RHB /RB |
Cardiff City FC |
3 |
0 |
5 |
Daniel, W. Raymond |
28
12 days |
2 November 1928 |
CHB |
Sunderland
AFC, England |
19 |
0 |
6 |
Sullivan, Derrick |
26
96 days |
10 August 1930 |
LHB |
Cardiff City FC |
8 |
0 |
7 |
Medwin, Terence C. |
24
50 days |
25 September 1932 |
OR |
Tottenham Hotspur FC, England |
5 |
1 |
8 |
Charles, Melvyn, injured off 43rd min. |
21
184 days |
14 May 1935 |
IR/ RHB |
Swansea Town FC |
5 |
0 |
9
|
Charles, W.
John |
24
323 days |
27 December 1931 |
CF |
Leeds United AFC, England |
19 |
11 |
10
|
Allchurch, Ivor J. |
26
334 days |
16 December 1929 |
IL |
Swansea Town FC |
27 |
8 |
11 |
Jones, Clifford W. |
21
281 days |
7 February 1935 |
OL/IR |
Swansea Town FC |
7 |
1 |
reserve: |
Derek
Tapscott (Arsenal FC, England) |
team notes: |
Jack Kelsey was injured in a collision with Tom Finney in the twelfth
minute and was stretchered off the field after receiving attention for
four minutes. Alf Sherwood deputised. Mel Charles was taken to the
dressing room in the 42nd minute after receiving a blow by the
ball in the stomach by Johnny Haynes. Both players returned to the
field shortly in the second-half. Kelsey at outside-left, and Mel
Charles as an ineffective right-half. Kelsey was off again in the 61st minute,
alongside Grainger. |
The Welsh team were training in Byfleet in the build-up to this match. |
|
2-3-5 |
Kelsey (Sherwood) - Sherwood
(Harrington), Hopkins - Harrington (M.Charles), Daniel,
Sullivan - Medwin, M.Charles
(Jones), J.Charles, Allchurch,
Jones (Kelsey)
notes: When Kelsey was injured, Sherwood replaced him in goal, with
Harrington and M.Charles each dropping back a position. When Kelsey
did return, he did so as an outside-left |
Averages: |
Age |
25
years 118 days |
Appearances/Goals |
13.5 |
1.8 |
|
|
Match Report
by
Mike Payne |
ENGLAND'S
recent good run at Wembley was stretched to seven consecutive victories
after they beat Wales by three goals to one. The match was far from
memorable though and was too often interrupted by a succession of
injuries.
Wales began in their usual fervent fashion as
the awesome J. Charles was soon showing his power. After only eight
minutes they produced a shock by taking the lead. An infringement by Roger
Byrne gave Allchurch the chance to send a free-kick to the far post from a
position just outside the right-hand edge of the penalty area. The kick
was perfectly judged and it was met by the incoming J. Charles who
outjumped the defenders to head firmly past Ted Ditchburn's despairing
left hand.
The Welsh
supporters were delighted but their joy was soon replaced by concern as
Jack Kelsey was injured diving at Tom Finney's feet. The goalkeeper was
badly hurt and had to be stretchered off. Sherwood went in goal and
immediately impressed with some confident handling. However, the rhythm of
the game was upset and England, although not convincingly, began to take
control.
With tenacious defending though the Welsh held on to their
lead with Daniel holding Finney expertly and Hopkins outstanding at
full-back. Finney was struggling in his new roll of a ball playing
centre-forward and even when Mel Charles had to go off for treatment five
minutes from the break` England could still find no way past the resolute
defending of the Welsh.
Indeed, Wales almost snatched another goal
on a couple of breakaway occasions and Ronnie Clayton was very fortunate
to see his foul on Allchurch only produce a free-kick just outside the box
when a penalty looked likely. John Charles almost broke through again,
only for Billy Wright to make a brilliant saving tackle.
England,
meanwhile, came very close when first Finney headed a Colin Grainger cross
against a post, and then Grainger himself hit the same post with a header
from a Stan Matthews cross. The Welshmen in the 95,000 crowd kept cheering
their players on and their team miraculously held out until half-time.
After the break M. Charles returned fully fit to the fray and took up a
position on the left wing to provide, perhaps, a nuisance to the England
defenders. Unfortunately, it was not to be and the goalkeeper soon hobbled
off again, this time for good.
The pressure increased from England
and in seven minutes after half-time they forged a lead they were not to
lose. First, a corner by Grainger on the left was headed back across the
goal by Finney and Johnny Haynes was on hand to hit a low, hard left-foot
volley past Sherwood to equalise.
Shortly afterwards England took
the lead when an excellent passing movement between Haynes, Clayton,
Matthews and Johnny Brooks ended with the latter latching on to a rebound
off a defender to hit home an angled shot wide of the unfortunate
Sherwood.
Ironically, Grainger then had to leave the field injured,
thus making the sides level in numbers again, but then Haynes began to
hobble too. This did not seem to stop England from retaining control
though and, with Wright now stifling the threat from John Charles, there
was little danger from the Welsh attack.
Brooks was enjoying much
more freedom now and with 15 minutes left he and Matthews set up goal
number three. Combining at a short corner, the ball ran for Matthews to
centre from the right. In came Finney to delicately flick the ball wide of
Sherwood to score the decisive goal.
The game was now well and
truly over and the feeling was left that the injuries had had a bad effect
on the pattern of the match. Also there was a question-mark over Finney as
the new centre-forward as his ball-playing style seemed a little lost as
the natural tendency of the wingers to cross the ball did not suit such a
tactical move.
|
Match Report
by Norman Giller |
This Home
Championship match was wrecked by an injury to Welsh goalkeeper Jack
Kelsey, who was carried off after being knocked out diving at the feet of
Tom Finney. The incident came while the Welsh supporters were celebrating
an eighth minute goal from John Charles, who rose above Billy Wright's
challenge to head in an Ivor Allchurch corner. Right-back Alf Sherwood
took over in the Welsh goal, and from then on England were dominant
despite the stirring efforts of John Charles to turn the tide. Second-half
goals from Johnny Haynes, debutant Johnny Brooks and the versatile Tom
Finney at centre-forward gave England an undistinguished victory. This was
England's seventh successive win at Wembley. The subject of whether
substitutes should be allowed
was again a major talking point. Wales started full of fire and were
obviously going to give England a difficult afternoon, but then the injury to
goalkeeper Jack Kelsey robbed them of their rhythm. They also had Mel Charles
as a hobbling passenger for much of the match, and we were handicapped by
injuries to Colin Grainger and Johnny Haynes. It would have made sense to at
least allow substitute goalkeepers, but the powers-that-be refused to follow
the lead of the Continental clubs who were using substitutes more and more. It
would be another nine years before they at last saw sense and allowed
substitutes.
|
Match Report
by
Glen Isherwood |
Wales had beaten
England 2-1 at Ninian Park the previous year, their first victory over
England since the war. They had only won once at Wembley, during war-time
England had already drawn 1-1 with Northern Ireland at Windsor Park, while
Wales had drawn 2-2 with Scotland at Ninian Park. All four teams had
shared the previous season's British Championship, but England were aiming
for a record sixth successive title. Defeat would eliminate Wales, as in
their previous two visits.
The visitors were ahead after only
eight minutes. An inch-perfect free-kick from Allchurch was headed in by
John Charles. Four minutes later, however, they seemed destined to lose
their lead when their goalkeeper Kelsey was injured diving at the feet of
Finney. Sherwood went in goal. Somehow they managed to hold their lead
until half-time. Kelsey came out for the second half for a short while but
Sherwood stayed in goal.
Inevitably, England scored. Just after half-time a corner from Grainger
was headed on by Finney for Johnny Haynes to volley the equaliser. Johnny
Brooks put England in front from a rebound. Then, with half an hour left,
England were reduced to ten men when Grainger went off with an injured
ankle. The Welsh were still disadvantaged, though, and finally the ageless
Matthews crossed for Tom Finney to score the third.
Yet again England and Scotland decided the British
Championship. Wales did not return to Wembley until 1960 and they would
not beat England again until 1977.
|
Match Report
as appears in the F.A. Yearbook 1957-58 page 32 |
In a game marred by injuries England
gained a somewhat hollow victory over Wales before 90,000 spectators at
Wembley on November 14th. John Charles headed a perfect goal for Wales in
the eighth minute, but five minutes later Kelsey, the Welsh goalkeeper,
was hurt as he went down to the feet of Finney, and Sherwood took his
place for the remainder of the match. Wales held their lead until the
interval, but second-half goals by Haynes, Brooks, and Finney soon placed
England on top, even though Grainger also had to leave the field with a leg
injury. Altogether an ill-fated International.
|
Inter-city
match:
Glasgow 2
Sheffield 2
Shawfield
Park, Glasgow
(15,000)
Ring, Craig
~
Quixall
(2) |
|
|
Friendly match:
Newcastle United 5 Partick Thistle 0
St James' Park, Newcastle
(8,880)
Keeble (2),
Milburn, Keery, Spears |
|
|
|
In
Other News....
It was on 14 November 1956 that Stormont Republican Labour
MP, Harry Diamond alleged that a 15-year-old Belfast girl,
Maura Lyons, had been kidnapped by Ian Paisley's Free
Presbyterian Church in an effort to prevent her family
sending her to a Catholic convent, and that there were seven
other similar cases. The girl was eventually returned to her
family on her 16th birthday, having been held in Scotland,
and it was reported that she had returned to Catholicism. |
|
Source Notes |
TheFA.com
Original newspaper reports
The Complete Book of the British Charts Wales' Complete Who's Who
since 1946
Glen Isherwood's Wembley: The Complete Record |
|
Rothman's Yearbooks
Mike Payne's England: The Complete Post-War Record
Norman Giller, Football Author
Drew Herbertson, Scottish F.A. Historian
British Pathé |
|
cg |