The
England
World Cup Provisional Party May
1958 |
Player |
Birthdate |
Age |
Pos |
Club |
starts |
subs |
App |
|
Capt |
A'Court, Alan |
30 September 1934 |
23 |
OL |
Liverpool FC |
1 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
Banks, Thomas |
10 November 1929 |
28 |
LB |
Bolton Wanderers FC |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Broadbent, Peter F. |
15 May 1933 |
25 |
IR |
Wolverhampton
Wanderers FC |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Charlton, Robert |
11 October 1937 |
20 |
IR |
Manchester United FC |
3 |
0 |
3 |
3 |
0 |
Clamp, H. Edward |
14 September
1934 |
23 |
RHB |
Wolverhampton
Wanderers FC |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Clayton,
Ronald |
5 August 1934
|
23 |
RHB |
Blackburn Rovers FC |
20 |
0 |
20 |
0 |
0 |
Clough, Brian H. |
21 March 1935 |
23 |
CF |
Middlesbrough FC |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Douglas, Bryan |
27 May 1934 |
23 |
OR |
Blackburn Rovers FC |
6 |
0 |
6 |
1 |
0 |
Finney, Thomas |
5 April 1922 |
36 |
OL |
Preston North End FC |
72 |
0 |
72 |
28 |
0 |
Haynes, John
N. |
17 October 1934
|
23 |
IL |
Fulham FC |
19 |
0 |
19 |
8 |
0 |
Hopkinson, Edward |
29 October 1935 |
22 |
GK |
Bolton Wanderers FC |
6 |
0 |
6 |
9ᵍᵃ |
0 |
Howe, Donald |
12 October 1935 |
22 |
FB |
West Bromwich Albion FC |
6 |
0 |
6 |
0 |
0 |
Kevan, Derek T. |
6 March 1935 |
23 |
CF |
West Bromwich Albion FC |
6 |
0 |
6 |
3 |
0 |
Langley, E. James |
7 February 1929 |
29 |
LB |
Fulham FC |
3 |
0 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
McDonald, Colin A. |
15 October 1930 |
27 |
GK |
Burnley FC |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0ᵍᵃ |
0 |
Norman, Maurice |
21 January 1933 |
25 |
CHB |
Tottenham Hotspur FC |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Robson, Robert W. |
18 February 1933 |
25 |
IR |
West Bromwich Albion FC |
1 |
0 |
1 |
2 |
0 |
Sillett, R. Peter T. |
1 February 1933 |
25 |
RB |
Chelsea FC |
3 |
0 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
Slater, William J. |
29 April 1927 |
31 |
LHB |
Wolverhampton
Wanderers FC |
5 |
0 |
5 |
0 |
0 |
Wright, William A. |
6 February 1924 |
34 |
CHB |
Wolverhampton
Wanderers FC |
91 |
0 |
91 |
3 |
76 |
All information is complete to and including
England's last match, the sixth of the 1957-58 season, against
Yugoslavia on 11 May 1958.
Diary
Thursday, 28 March 1957 -
England are to play to matches against Russia - in Moscow
on 18 May 1958, probably at the Lenin Stadium, and in
London, at Wembley, on October 22. |
Tuesday, 22 April 1958 -
The International Selection Committee, headed by Joe Mears,
and with involvement from Team Manager Walter Winterbottom, have
named a forty-man strong party from whom 22 players will be chosen
for their World Cup Finals party in Sweden. Twenty of the
party also include those travelling behind the Iron Curtain for
the East European tour in Belgrade and Moscow, and the fourteen
man party for the friendly match with Portugal at Wembley at the
beginning of May. Of the forty mean, thirteen come from the
Black Country. League Champions Wolverhampton Wanderers providing
seven, four of them half-backs, and neighbours West Bromwich
Albion with six players. The team which beat Scotland on Saturday
are included, and along with nine other players, make up the core
of the travelling party to Yugoslavia and USSR. The big
surprise in the forty is the inclusion of Manchester United's
Dennis Viollet, who has never played for England, and was one of
the last players released from hospital following the Munich Air
Disaster. And since then, has played one first team match and one
reserve match. The list of forty has to be cut to 22 by 31 May.
The selectors also have a chance of watching the players against
each other in a World Cup trial match at Stamford Bridge on 2 May
when a 'full' team will face an under-23 team.
Friday, 2 May 1958 - World Cup Trial Match: England 4
England U23 Past & Present 2
- The Football Association decided
to dispense with the over-thirties team and let the full international side
(less the following day's FA Cup finalists) take on a "past and present"
Young England. Three players were over the age of 23 (Broadbent, 24, Hall,
28 and Sillett, 25). Six of the eleven had senior appearances and all were included in
the initial World Cup Party of forty players.
Stamford Bridge hosted the match for the first time. England held the edge with
their experience, but it wasn't a convincing performance.
England:
Colin McDonald,
Don Howe, Jim Langley, Ronnie Clayton, Billy Wright ͨ, Bill Slater, Bryan Douglas,
Bobby Robson, Derek Kevan, Johnny Haynes, Tom Finney.
Young England: Alan Hodgkinson,
Jeff Hall, Peter Sillett ͨ, Maurice Setters, Maurice Norman, Eddie Clamp, Peter Brabrook,
Joe Hayes, Brian Clough, Peter Broadbent, Alan A'Court.
(Jimmy Greaves was replaced by Hayes) |
|
Wednesday, 7 May 1958 - England 2 Portugal
1 -
"Portugal,
eliminated from the World Cup, made England's hope of winning it
look sick at Wembley tonight. The side which strolled away to 4—0
victory against the Scots at Hampden Park looked a bunch of
strugglers. Neither the wing halves nor the inside forwards
managed to take a grip on the game and it was a miracle that
England walked in at the interval leading 1—0. The threat was plain enough early on. In the sixth minute, centre
forward Jose Augusto was perfectly placed to receive a cross from
the left wing. With only goalkeeper Eddie Hopkinson to beat, he
blazed wildly over the crossbar and left winger Hernani da Silva
sat beating his hands on the turf in anguish. It sparked England
into action—but what ragged action! They never combined in
those sweeping, copybook moves so carefully worked out by team
manager Walter Winterbottom. Right back Don Howe came brilliantly
upfield, beating three men in a solo run, to show the forwards how
it should be done. As defenders massed towards him he pushed the
ball out to the wing for Douglas to loft it across to outside left
Tom Finney. Finney, in a scoring position himself, unselfishly
nodded the ball to the better placed Haynes, and Johnny's header
was pulled out magnificently by Gomez. It was a moment of
greatness. But Gomez was lucky to turn a Douglas shot around the
post with his body . . . and then a soft, long-range shot from
Bobby Charlton went inside the post for England's first-half goal.
Haynes had slipped the ball through, Charlton hitting it on the
run, but so caressingly that Gomez should have had ample time to
cover it. That was the twenty-fourth minute, and immediately
Portugal hit back, looking more menacing than England. Duarte
gained possession in his own penalty area, came forward and put
through to inside left Francisco Rocha. Da Silva carried on the
move, shot and left back Jim Langley leaped miraculously to head
away for a corner. Typically, the Portuguese pulled the old
substitute trick a minute before half-time. . . .Augusto was
called off and on went Travassos. After fifty-one minutes Portugal
scored. A left wing move cracked England's defence and although
Langley stemmed one shot the ball went to Duarte, who cracked the
ball home. Ten minutes later, Charlton hammered home a goal that
will live in Wembley history—a left foot thunderbolt that Gomez
knew nothing about. Douglas crashed a shot on the bar and Finney
was brought down in the penalty area by left back Martins. As he
was being treated on the touchline, Langley took his first penalty
for England...and MISSED! His shot hit an upright and the ball was
cleared. Back came Finney and, at last, England were on top."
- Bill Holden, Daily Mirror
Thursday, 8 May 1958
-
Walter Winterbottom has revealed that Jim Langley is perfectly fit
and available for the match in Belgrade on Sunday. Langley hurt
his toe in the first half against Portugal yesterday and an x-ray
today showed that he suffered a crack in his little toe. Tom
Finney, who bruised a knee, is also fit.
The England party, twenty players,
including five possible full-backs and nine forwards, set off from
London Airport on board the B.E.A. Viscount, Sir Richard Burton,
bound for Zeman via Zürich, for their Iron Curtain tour, starting in Belgrade
on Sunday. The team will not be named until tomorrow. The side
which beat Portugal will almost certainly get another chance.
There was a 150-minute delay in Zürich, which ended any chance of
Winterbottom and three other selectors, Joe Mears, Harold Shentall
and Harold French, of naming the team tonight.
Team Manager Walter Winterbottom told a welcoming party of
Yugoslav officials and journalists: 'This game on Sunday is NOT a
practice romp for us—we will field our strongest possible side.
The match is vital to our World Cup preparations—and the
efficiency of our team must be tested to the full.' Despite
twelve hours of travelling in hot and steamy conditions, the party
spent the evening doing a practice session.
Saturday, 10 May 1958
-
Walter Winterbottom
was involved in a row with Yugoslav Football Association officials
before the team trained at the Red Army stadium. He was told that
his players could not practice there. When Winterbottom queried,
he was told that it was because the Yugoslavs could not train at
Wembley eighteen months years ago. England party were sent to work
out on the boys' pitch. The England team did eventually train at
the stadium after Winterbottom again protested over the fact that
boys' pitch had not even been mowed. The England team were wearing
new dove grey track suits, and their light training took an hour,
as temperatures were over 80°. The team is announced, naming an
unchanged side, but not until Jim Langley had a late fitness test
on his broken little toe. This evening, the
party attended a cocktail party in their honour at the British
Embassy in Belgrade, given by the British Charge d'Affaires, Mr.
Terence Garvey, before visiting the Belgrade Circus.
Heatwave conditions with temperatures of over 90° were forecast for
tomorrow's international match.
Sunday, 11 May 1958
- Yugoslavia 5 England 0
-
"Hundreds of victory-drunk Jugoslavs lit newspapers and hoisted
flaming torches high into the blue Belgrade skies at the end of
this Soccer slaying in the sun. For the madly cheering Slav this
was the traditional symbolic gesture of success. For 11 staggered,
crushed Englishmen—and a handful more of their stunned countrymen
in the stands—it was a funeral pyre of their World Cup dreams.
The height of humiliation in this, England's biggest Soccer
humbling since the 7-1 massacre by the Hungarians in Budapest four
years ago, came four minutes from time, when dancing inside-right
Svetosar Veselinovic slammed in No. 5 . . . and the electric
scoreboard towering above this sun-soaked Partizan Stadium (shade
temperature 90 degrees) could not find room for his name! What a
shattering K.O. blow for England in a match which was supposed to
be a soft touch . . .a warm-up game for the vital first-ever clash
with mighty Russia in Moscow next Sunday. Unhappily, barely three
weeks away after that, comes our first match in the World Cup. On
today's form our chances in Sweden have gone up in the smoke of
the flaming torches that still smoulder all around me. Incredibly,
we were lucky to escape so lightly. It could have been ten times
worse. Such was the mastery of these Jugoslav wizards. Rather than
try to list the England failures, it's quicker and simpler to
record that on this humiliating afternoon only one of our limp
eleven even looked an England player. The glowing exception was
22-year-old 'keeper Eddie Hopkinson, surely the busiest man on the
Continent today" -
Peter Lorenzo, Daily Herald
"It was the worst exhibition by an England team I have seen" -
Walter Winterbottom. Because of the strained relationships
between the Football Association and the Press, there were three
journalists who were barred from the after-match official banquet,
including Peter Lorenzo (Daily Herald) and Frank McGhee (Daily
Mirror)
Monday, 12 May 1958
- As the England team embark on a sight-seeing ride along the
River Danube in Belgrade, Walter Winterbottom confirms that the
team to face Russia will not be chosen until after training in
Moscow, on either Wednesday or Thursday. All nine reserves, and
Bobby Charlton, were out training this morning-given a two hour
gruelling by Winterbottom and trainer Harold Shepherdson. For
the first time ever, the Yugoslavian leading newspaper, Borba,
makes football a front page item: "Bravo boys for a mighty
spectacular success over the famous teachers of the cradle of
football. The Englishmen were disappointing. They were no image of
the teams of 1939 and 1954. Manchester United left a much better
impression. These men of England are too tame." Another newspaper,
Politica, said: "Jugoslavia could have won by ten goals."
Tuesday, 13 May 1958 - The
England party fly to Moscow tonight, via Budapest, in a new Soviet TU 104A
550mph seventy-seater jet-plane for
their first ever match in the new Lenin Stadium. Sir Stanley Rous
and Hungarian officials in Budapest agreed to a fixture between
the two countries to be played in 1959. During the two hour
flight from Budapest, it was confirmed that Edouard Strelsov will
definitely play for the Soviets against England next Sunday.
Streslov had been suspended for drinking too much vodka. The
deputy coach of the Russian national team, Mikhail Yakushin, who
confirmed the news, had been in Belgrade watching England. The
twenty players and six officials were met by Valentin Granatkin,
head of the State Football Committee, and other State officials.
They presented the English party with bouquets. Chairman of the
Selectors, Joe Mears confirmed that the team would probably be
named on Friday, with three or four changes implemented. But they
would not be panicked into wholesale changes.
Wednesday, 14 May 1958 - Nineteen
players trained for more than three hours on one of the twenty
practice pitches outside the Lenin Stadium, before a nine-a-side
match within the stadium. Goalkeeper Colin MacDonald missed out
because of feeling poorly. Walter Winterbottom was making
experiments following Sunday's 5-0 thrashing. Fulham's Jimmy
Langley found himself in goal for the 'outcasts', with Tommy Banks
playing behind Billy Wright in England's likely defence. Others
who will line up for their debuts, on the indications of today's
work-out, are Brian Clough and Eddie Clamp. The hard-tackling
Clamp replaced Clayton and stepped straight into a Wolves
half-back line of Clamp, Wright and Slater. Both Bobby Charlton
and Bobby Chosen alternated in the inside-right position. The
players are stunned by the magnificence of the Lenin Stadium, but
complained that the pitch was no better than that of a Third
Division side. In the afternoon, the part went sight-seeing
tour around Moscow.
Thursday, 15 May 1958 - The party
visited the Kremlin this morning before training in the afternoon.
Training, on the stadium pitch, was a full-scale 90 minute
practice match to the loud non-stop accompaniment of music from
Tchaikovsky, Edmundo Ros and Johann Strauss blaring out through
the loud speakers. For the second practice match, Banks, Clamp and
Clough were again playing for the first team. The experimental
changes fell on Bobby Charlton, who played for first team as an
inside-left and inside-right, and then as a centre-forward for the
reserve team. The first team attack started with Finney, Robson,
Clough, Haynes and Charlton. At half-time, Douglas was brought in
at inside-right, with Finney switching to the left to the
exclusion of Charlton. But after ten minutes, Charlton replaced
Robson to lead the attack.
Midday, Friday, 16 May
1958 - The selectors, including Billy
Wright, Tom Finney and Johnny Haynes as advisors, have dropped Bobby
Charlton from the team to face Russia on Sunday, his place going
to Bobby Robson. Almost as sensational is the decision to retain
Derek Kevan. Three other changes, all making their first senior
appearance, Colin McDonald in for Hopkinson. Tommy Banks replaces
Langley and Eddie Clamp replaces Clayton to form an entire
Wolverhampton Wanderers half-back line. The team was chosen after
a short work-out at the Lenin Stadium this morning in dull, rainy
weather, a sharp contrast to the recent spring weather of the last
few days. Remarkably, the last kick of the match was from Bobby
Charlton, he rose and met the left sided cross, with a
scissor-kick, it went screaming into the net. A planned visit
of Moscow University is cancelled to allow the team to rest.
Saturday, 17 May
1958 - A planned visit of one of
Moscow's Art Gallery is cancelled to allow the team to rest after
this morning's training session. However, a visit to the circus
this evening is still planned.
"Billy Wright will
be England's next team boss. This was revealed after the
calling in of Wright and two other senior professionals—Haynes and
Finney—to help pick the team against Russia emphasises a new deal
in Soccer selection. The captain's advice—on M.C.C. lines—will
always be sought on future occasions, at least when on tour and
especially for the World Cup. This new step points the shape of
things to come within the F.A. when Sir Stanley Rous gives up his
secretaryship. He will be followed in office by Walter
Winterbottom, with Wright taking over from Winterbottom as team
manager."
- Maurice Smith, The People
England
Form: last six
games |
W
L W W W
L
f 16:a 9
success: 67% |
315 |
19 October 1957 -
Wales
0
England
4 [0-2]
Ninian Park, Cardiff
(58,000) |
Hopkins OG,
Haynes (2),
Finney |
BC |
AW |
316 |
6 November 1957 -
England 2
Northern
Ireland 3
[0-1]
Empire Stadium, Wembley
(40,000) |
A'Court, Edwards
Hopkinson OG, McCrory, Simpson |
HL |
317 |
27 November 1957
-
England 4
France 0
[3-0]
Empire Stadium,
Wembley
(64,349) |
Taylor (2), Robson
(2) |
Fr |
HW |
318 |
19 April
1958 -
Scotland 0 England
4
[0-2]
Hampden
Park, Glasgow
(127,857) |
Douglas, Kevan (2), Charlton |
BC |
AW |
319 |
7 May 1958 -
England
2
Portugal 1
[1-0]
Empire Stadium, Wembley
(72,000) |
Charlton (2)
Duarte |
Fr |
HW |
320 |
11 May 1958 -
Yugoslavia
5 England 0 [1-0]
Stadion
JNA, Beograd
(55,000-60,000) |
Milutinović, Petaković (3),
Veselinović |
tour |
AL |
|