England
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Results 1955-1960 |
Page Last Updated 18 February 2024 |
Tuaisceart Éireann |
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Tonight |
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Wednesday,
6 November 1957
Home International Championship 1957-58
(63rd) Match
England 2
Northern Ireland 3
[0-1]
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Empire Stadium, Empire Way, Wembley Park,
Wembley, Middlesex
Kick-off (GMT):
2.30pm
Attendance:
'40,000'; Receipts: '£12,950'; |
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England kicked-off |
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[0-0] Bryan Douglas header hit the crossbar
20
[0-1] Alan 'Court cross hits
the crossbar |
[0-0]
Jimmy McIlroy
penalty 32
his right-footed kick hits the left post
(Wright fouled Jimmy McIlroy)
[0-1]
Eddie
Hopkinson own goal 32
the same penalty
kick that hit the left post rebounded into the net off the back of the
goalkeeper's head. |
[1-1]
Alan A'Court
58 slides inside
from the left to squeeze the ball, left-footed, between the
left post and Harry Gregg, from a Derek Kevan through-ball
[2-3] Duncan
Edwards 80
eighteen-yard side-footed shot from a
Bryan Douglas cross from the goalline |
[1-2] Sam
McCrory 67
pounced to score with a glorious drive in
off the far post following a defensive mix-up
[1-3]
Billy Simpson header 73
six-yard diving header from a a Billy
Bingham cross Simpson was
two yards offside |
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commentator: Kenneth
Wolstenholme and Walley Barnes
(Second half also live on the Light Programme) |
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"GLORY
DAY FOR THE IRISH" Daily Mirror |
Officials
from Wales |
England |
UK ruling on substitutes |
Northern Ireland |
Referee
Benjamin Mervyn Griffiths
48 (17 January 1909), Abertillery,
Monmouthshire |
The teams were presented to the Guest of Honour, the Duke of
Gloucester |
Linesmen |
D. King
Pontypridd |
H. Williams Hirwaun |
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England
Team |
|
Rank |
No official ranking system established;
ELO rating 4th to 3rd |
Colours |
The 1954 Umbro
home uniform -
White v-necked short-sleeved continental jerseys, blue shorts, red
socks with white calf hoop. |
P 23rd of 43, W 14 - D 5 - L 4 - F 65 - A 28. |
Captain |
Billy Wright |
Manager |
Walter Winterbottom, 44 (31 March 1913), appointed as FA national director of coaching/team manager on 8 July 1946; |
rec. 72nd of 90, W 43 - D 14 - L 15 - F 186 - A 104. |
Trainer: Harold Shepherdson |
P nintieth of 139,
W 56 - D 18 - L 16 - F 260 - A 125,
one abandoned. |
|
³ |
Team chosen by Selection Committee, headed by Joe Mears, on Monday, 28 October, in Sheffield. |
England
Lineup |
|
one change to the previous match
(A'Court>Finney) |
league positions
(28 October) |
|
|
|
Hopkinson, Edward |
22
8 days
|
29 October 1935 |
G
|
Bolton Wanderers FC (FL
10th)
|
2
|
3ᵍᵃ
¹ |
|
17th keeper to face a penalty kick |
youngest to face a penalty kick by two years |
|
the 13th own goal conceded by England |
|
|
|
12 October 1935 |
2 |
Howe, Donald |
22 25 days |
RB |
West Bromwich Albion FC (FL
2nd) |
2 |
0 |
3 |
Byrne, Roger W. |
28 59 days |
8 September 1929 |
LB |
Manchester United FC (FL
5th) |
32 |
0 |
4 |
Clayton, Ronald |
23 93 days |
5 August 1934 |
RHB |
Blackburn Rovers FC (FL2
TOP) |
16 |
0 |
5 |
Wright, William A. |
33 273 days |
6 February 1924 |
CHB |
Wolverhampton
Wanderers FC (FL TOP) |
87 |
3 |
most apps
1952-57 |
6
|
Edwards, Duncan |
21 36 days |
1 October 1936 |
LHB |
Manchester United FC (FL
5th) |
17 |
5 |
7
|
Douglas, Bryan |
23 163 days |
27 May 1934 |
OR |
Blackburn Rovers FC (FL2
TOP) |
2 |
0 |
8
|
Kevan, Derek T. |
22 245 days |
6 March 1935 |
IR |
West Bromwich Albion FC (FL
2nd) |
3 |
1 |
9 |
Taylor, Thomas |
25 281 days |
29 January 1932 |
CF |
Manchester United FC (FL
5th) |
18 |
14 |
10 |
Haynes, John N. |
23 20 days |
17 October 1934 |
IL |
Fulham FC (FL2 5th) |
15 |
8 |
764 |
11
|
A'Court, Alan |
23 37 days |
30 September 1934 |
OL |
Liverpool FC (FL2
2nd) |
1 |
1 |
the 16th Liverpool player to represent
England |
reserve: |
Jimmy Greaves (Chelsea FC (FL 11th)) |
pre-match notes: |
The England team trained at Stamford Bridge on 4 November, prior to
this match, and then had a practice match against the host team.
Chelsea FC, including Jimmy Greaves, gave England a hard fought game,
but it was the internationals that won the match 4-3. Taylor, A'Court,
Douglas and Haynes scoring for England, and Greaves and two from
McNichol, for the hosts. A day later, England trained at Cheshunt,
the training ground of Tottenham Hotspur FC. Tommy Taylor strained a
leg muscle in jumping for a ball, and only a late fitness (11am on the
morning of the match) prevented Jimmy Greaves from becoming the
youngest England player this century. At aged 17 years 259 days, he
would have been seven days older than the record holder, James Prinsep
(although that fact was not known in 1957). |
team changes: |
The original team chosen was unchanged from the team that were
victorious over Wales. Preston North End's Tom Finney was given every
opportunity to overcome his groin injury, sustained playing for his
club. On 4th November, Winterbottom requested that Alan A'Court be on
standby as 'assurance', shortly afterwards, Finney and Preston
announced he was not fit enough to take his place.# |
team notes: |
Billy Wright extends his record appearance tally, in his record 52nd
consecutive match. It is his 34th Home Championship match, equal with
Bob Crompton's record. By choosing the untried Jimmy Greaves as
a reserve, Walter Winterbottom/ISC have now named 140 different
players onto England teamsheets (Starting XI + reserves). |
records: |
This defeat ended the record sequences of ten matches won in a row at
the Empire Stadium, as well as ten matches unbeaten. If England had
avoided loss, it would have created a new post-war record of seventeen
matches unbeaten. Alan A'Court is
the 144th player to
score
a goal on his England debut. |
|
2-3-5 |
Hopkinson - Howe, Byrne - Clayton, Wright, Edwards -
Douglas, Kevan, Taylor, Haynes, A'Court. |
Averages: |
Age |
24 years 147
days |
Appearances/Goals |
17.7 |
2.6 |
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Northern
Ireland
Team |
|
Rank |
No official ranking system established; ELO rating 41st to 32nd |
Colours |
Made by Bukta -
Green continental jerseys with white v-neck collar/cuffs,
white shorts, green socks with white tops. |
Captain |
Danny Blanchflower |
Manager |
Peter Dermot Doherty, 44 (5 June 1913),
appointed October 1951, also manager at Doncaster Rovers FC since June 1949. Team chosen on Wednesday, 30 October 1957 |
24th match, W 4 - D - 8 - L 12 - F 26 - A 46. |
Northern
Ireland
Lineup |
|
Gregg, Henry |
25
10 days |
27 October 1932 |
G |
Doncaster Rovers FC, England |
8 |
7ᵍᵃ |
2 |
Keith, Richard M. |
24 175 days |
15 May 1933 |
RB |
Newcastle United FC, England |
1 |
0 |
3 |
McMichael, Alfred |
30
36 days |
1 October 1927 |
LB |
Newcastle United FC, England |
26 |
0 |
4 |
Blanchflower, R.
Dennis |
31 269 days |
10 February 1926 |
RHB |
Tottenham Hotspur FC, England |
27 |
0 |
5 |
Blanchflower, John |
24 244 days |
7 March 1933 |
CHB |
Manchester United FC, England |
10 |
1 |
6 |
Peacock, Robert |
29 37 days |
29 September 1928 |
LHB |
The
Celtic, Scotland |
12 |
0 |
7
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Bingham, William L. |
26 93 days |
5 August 1931 |
OR |
Sunderland AFC, England |
25 |
4 |
8
|
McCrory, Samuel M. |
33
26 days |
11 October 1924 |
IR |
Southend United FC, England |
1 |
1 |
only app
1957 |
9
|
Simpson, William J. |
27 329 days |
12 December 1929 |
CF |
Rangers FC, Scotland |
9 |
4 |
10 |
McIlroy, James |
26
12 days |
25 October 1931 |
IL |
Burnley FC, England |
23 |
2 |
|
11th penalty against missed
(25th overall) |
|
|
|
11 |
McParland, Peter J. |
23
195 days |
25 April 1934 |
OL |
Aston Villa FC, England |
11 |
2 |
reserve: |
Wilbur
Cush (Glenavon AFC) |
team changes: |
Bill
Cunningham (Leicester City FC) was named as the original right-back
after not traveling to Hendon FC to train. Doherty brought Dick Keith
down from Tyneside on the day before the match. |
team notes: |
Danny and Jackie Blanchflower are brothers. |
records: |
Although recorded as Ireland's first victory over England since 1927,
and only the fifth time overall, it is in fact just the fourth fixture
between England and the northern part of Ireland. The previous
victories were set by an all-Ireland team. |
penalty
kick
records: |
As Jimmy McIlroy's penalty kick hit the post and rebounded into the
net off the goalkeeper's head, then it makes it officially a Hopkinson
own goal. It also means that McIlroy becomes the first player since
Bob Milne in 1902 to take, and then miss, two penalty-kicks against
England. |
Manager Peter Doherty played for Ireland against England on seven
separate occasions from 1935 until 1947, scoring one in 1947. |
|
2-3-5 |
Gregg - Keith, McMichael - D.Blanchflower,
J.Blanchflower, Peacock - Bingham, McCrory, Simpson,
McIlroy, McParland. |
Averages: |
Age |
24 years 293
days |
Appearances/Goals |
13.9 |
1.0 |
|
|
Match Report
by Mike Payne |
MATCHES
between England and [Northern] Ireland
had been taking place on English soil for some 65 years and in all that
time [Northern] Ireland had only ever
won once before. That was at Middlesbrough in 1914, so the chances of the
Irish celebrating victory at Wembley on this Wednesday afternoon seemed
very remote. But sure enough, at 4.15pm the green shirts of the latest
challenge stood proudly as victors with the sound of their fans cheering
ringing in their ears.
Sadly, only 42,000
were at Wembley for this historic game but the ones that stayed away were
the losers after a thrilling encounter. The play was won and lost in the
midfield. Northern Ireland's half-back line of the two Blanchflowers and
Peacock controlled almost all that England could muster and these three
players, more than most, were responsible for the eventual outcome.
England
began well enough and Johnny Haynes was soon spraying some typically
accurate passes to his colleagues. It looked for a while that England
would soon be ahead, but on the half-hour it was Ireland that took a
surprise lead.
Danny Blanchflower's fine through-ball sent McGrory
galloping away and as he entered the penalty area, Billy Wright sent him
crashing to the ground with a fierce tackle. Too fierce a challenge in the
referee's eyes, it was a penalty. McIlroy was given the job and his kick
beat Eddie Hopkinson in a somewhat fortuitous fashion. The ball struck the
post and rebounded against the diving Hopkinson's back and into the net .
. Were the Leprechauns at work today, one thought?
It certainly
seemed that way as England hit back. They had no luck at all as Duncan
Edwards and Ronnie Clayton both shot narrowly over. Then Bryan Douglas saw
an effort hit the bar after a lovely pass by Roger Byrne. Peacock then
cleared a Tommy Taylor header off the line and finally Alan A'Court saw
his centre run along the crossbar before being cleared.
So the half
ended with Ireland clinging on to their lead but it was very noticeable by
now that Danny Blanchflower had curbed the flow of passes from Haynes and
that Jackie Blanchflower and Peacock were also having an increasing
influence. However, 15 minutes into the second half England at last
equalised. Derek Kevan passed to A'Court and the winger marked his debut
by squeezing a shot between Gregg and the near post. This really ignited
the crowd and the excitement began to build up.
The Irish were
playing with great determination and within a minute they were
sensationally ahead again. A mix-up between Edwards and Wright gave
McCrory the chance to pounce and his shot went in off the far post which
emphasised the difference in luck between Hopkinson and Gregg.
In
the 71st minute the match was virtually settled by another Irish goal.
This time Bingham's centre was met by Simpson diving at full length to
head home. That fully punished an initial poor clearance by Byrne and
although the England defenders appealed for an offside decision, it was to
no avail.
And so, the unbelievable was now almost a certainty, but
England refused to give up and with ten minutes to go they really set the
Irish nerves jangling by pulling another goal back. It was a beauty, too.
Hopkinson began the move which went the whole length of the field via
Clayton, Haynes, Taylor and Douglas. Suddenly the ball was in the net as
Edwards moved in swiftly to hammer a low right-foot shot past Gregg.
At this point Gregg became the Irish saviour with two magnificent
saves. First he denied Kevan's header and then brought the house down when
he somehow reached Clayton's screamer to the top corner with a
back-breaking leap. The English players and fans alike threw their heads
in their hands in disbelief. The last desperate attempt saw Kevan's shot
blocked by a headlong dive by full-back McMichael.
The final
whistle put the Irish out of their misery and brought ecstatic scenes of
joy from 11 green shirted heroes. How they deserved their victory.
[efo addition: This is only England's fourth
fixture with the northern part of Ireland, previous to this, England were
playing an all-Ireland side, and it was that team that beat England in
1914]
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Match Report
by Norman Giller |
Skipper Danny Blanchflower and goalkeeper Harry Gregg were carried off
shoulder high by celebrating Irish fans after this unexpected victory that
ended England's sixteen-match unbeaten run. Burnley schemer Jimmy McIlroy
gave Ireland a first-half lead with a penalty shot that hit a post and
then went into the net off the back of goalkeeper Hopkinson. The penalty
had been conceded by Billy Wright with one of the few fouls he ever
committed in an England shirt. Liverpool winger Alan A'Court, making his
debut in place of the injured Tom Finney, equalised soon after half-time
before McCrory and Simpson - with a goal hotly disputed by England - put
the Irish 3-1 clear. Duncan Edwards pulled back a goal, but Ireland went
on to their first victory over England since 1927 and the first on English
soil since 1914. Doncaster Rovers goalkeeper Harry Gregg, later to join
Manchester United and survive the Munich air crash, had a game to
remember, making at least half a dozen crucial saves. The third Irish goal
looked at least two yards off-side and England's defenders could not
believe it when the linesman's flag stayed down.
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Match Report
by Glen Isherwood |
It had been 30 years since
England had lost to Northern Ireland and 41 years since they had lost at
home to them. England were aiming for a record seventh successive British
Championship and had already beaten Wales 4-0 at Ninian Park. Northern
Ireland had drawn 1-1 with Scotland at Windsor Park and needed to avoid
defeat to retain any hope of their second British Championship in three
years. They were well placed in their World Cup qualifying group to join
England in the finals in Sweden the following year.
Northern Ireland took a shock lead. After being brought down by Wright in
the penalty area Jimmy McIlroy stepped up himself to take the kick. His
shot hit the post and went off the 'keeper (perhaps it should have been a
Hopkinson own goal). It was another half hour before Alan A'Court slotted
home the equaliser. The Irish were soon back in front, however, Sammy
McCrory took advantage of a mix-up between Wright and Edwards and his shot
went in off the post. Then, Bingham's cross was headed in by Billy Simpson
to give the Irish an incredible 3-1 lead. England were not finished and
Duncan Edwards took a pass from Douglas and beat Gregg with a powerful
shot but it was not enough and the Irish held on for a memorable victory.
Northern Ireland thew England a lifeline by failing to beat Wales at
Ninian Park. England then gained a share by defeating Scotland 4-0 at
Hampden Park but Northern Ireland proved that this result was no fluke by
qualifying for the World Cup and performing admirably in Sweden where they
bettered England by reaching the quarter-finals. They followed this with a
thrilling 3-3 draw with England at Windsor Park and shared the British
Championship with them again the following year.
[efo addition: This is only England's fourth
fixture with the northern part of Ireland, previous to this, England were
playing an all-Ireland side, and it was that team that beat England in
1914]
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Match Report
as appears in the F.A. Yearbook 1958-59 pages 30-31 |
This win by Ireland marked the end of
the run of sixteen matches without defeat by the England team, and was
also the first Irish victory against England since 1927. The game was most
exciting to watch and the result was always in doubt. England had the
advantage territorially, also in the number of shots at goal, but Ireland,
playing a much more open game, were always dangerous. The score was opened
by Ireland with a penalty taken by McIlroy after half-an-hour's play, The
ball struck a post, rebounded onto the diving Hopkinson, and so into the
net. England equalised after ten minutes of the second half when A'Court
scored from Kevan's pass but twenty minutes later Ireland were ahead 3-1
through goals scored by McCrory, after a mistake in the England defence,
and Simpson. England, desperately trying to save their record, struck
back, but Ireland, thanks to some fine defensive play and superb
goalkeeping by Gregg, were able to limit the scoring to a single goal ten
minutes from time, when Edwards was on the spot to hammer home a pass by
Douglas.
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Other
International
Football Results |
World Cup Qualifying
Group Nine:
Scotland 3 Switzerland 2
Hampden
Park, Glasgow
(58,811)
Robertson
27,
Mudie
53,
Scott
70
~ Riva 35,
Vonlanthen 75 |
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Scotland clinched their place in the following year's World Cup
finals.
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In
Other News....
It was on 6 November 1957 that the test flight of a
Britannia airliner ended when it crashed into a wood in a
Bristol suburb. All 15 on board were killed, but
miraculously no-one on the ground, despite the wings and
engine parts landing in flames in residential gardens. |
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Source
Notes |
TheFA.com
Original newspaper reports
The Complete Book of the British Charts
Northern Ireland's Footballing Greats |
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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 |
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cg |