England Football Online
Unofficial Results                        Page Last Updated 11 August 2021

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1u/o vs. Scotland
2u/o vs. Scotland

3u/o vs. Scotland
4u/o vs. Scotland

unofficial match

5
official matches
 1 vs. Scotland
Saturday, 24 February 1872
an unofficial International friendly


England 1 Scotland 0
there is no half-time score

 
 

The Surrey Cricket Ground, The Oval, Kennington, London
Kick-off (London Time): 'at 25 minutes past three o'clock, the game was opened'
Attendance: 'a reasonable crowd, bigger than previous clashes, but less than a thousand'.

Charlie Alcock kicked-off.
Charlie Clegg circa 20
 
'a well-judged side-kick'
Played according to Football Association rules
 

Match Summary

Officials [umpires and referees are of equal relevance]

 

Only one Umpire known! - Alexander Morten
 -
Andy Mitchell's First Elevens, page 43.

Notes: England had a party of twenty names in which to pick a starting eleven. Of those the selectors did not pick were Betts, Crake, Holden, Paton, Chappell, Kednrick, Morten, Ruggles-Brise and Benson. Morten and Chappell had already appeared for Scotland, so they were not considered. Scotland had to do deal with injury concerns of seven of their first-choice men, and three others did not turn up in time for kick-off. Stewart, Thompson and Ravenshaw were the emergency replacements.
 

England Team

 

Rank

No official ranking system established;

Colours not known
Captain Charles W. Alcock Selection by Charles W. Alcock, 29, and other Club Captains.
England Lineup
  Stephenson, Charles William 18
362 days
27 February 1853 G

Westminster School FC & Wanderers FC

  Thompson, Albert Childers 23
226 days
13 July 1848 HB

Wanderers FC

  Lubbock, Edgar 25
2 days
22 February 1847 B

West Kent FC & No Names FC

  Alcock, Charles William 29
84 days
2 December 1842 F Wanderers FC, Harrow Pilgrims FC & Upton Park FC
  Clegg, John Charles 21
254 days
15 June 1850 F

Wednesday FC

  Weston, Percy 19
334 days
27 March 1852 F

Barnes Club

  Vidal, Robert Walpole Sealy 18
174 days
3 September 1853 F

Wanderers FC & Old Westminsters AFC

  Bonsor, Alexander George 20
140 days
7 October 1851 F

Wanderers FC

  Hooman, Thomas Charles 20
58 days
28 December 1850 F

Wanderers FC & Old Carthusians AFC

  Wollaston, Charles Henry Reynolds 22
208 days
31 July 1849 F

Oxford University AFC

  Chenery, Charles John 22
54 days
1 January 1850 F

Crystal Palace FC

 

1-1-8

 

Averages (Starting XI):

Age

22 years 40 days

 

Scotland Team

 

Rank

No official ranking system established;

Colours not known
Captain Montague Muir Mackenzie Selection by James Kirkpatrick, Quintin Hogg, Robert E.W. Crawford, William Lindsay and Gilbert G. Kennedy
Scotland Lineup
  Muir Mackenzie, Montague Johnstone 23
148 days
29 September 1847 G/F

Wanderers FC & Old Carthusians AFC, both England

  Lindsay, William 24
205 days
3 August 1847
in India
HB

Rochester Club, Civil Service FC & Old Wykehamists AFC, all England

  Elliott, Edward Hay McKenzie 19
86 days
30 November 1852
in India
B

Harrow Chequers FC & Wanderers FC, both England

  Ferguson, Harold Stewart 21
14 days
10 February 1851
in London
F

Royal Artillery FC, England

  Crawford, Robert Erskine Wade 19
172 days
5 September 1852
in Jersey
F

Harrow Chequers FC, England

  Mitchell, Hugh 22
83 days
3 December 1849 F

Royal Engineers FC, England

  Nepean, Charles Edward Burroughs 21
19 days
5 February 1851
in London
G/F

Oxford University AFC & Old Carthusians AFC, both England

  Crawford, Fitzgerald Hamilton 17
295 days
5 May 1854 F

Harrow Chequers FC, England

  Ravenshaw, Edward Vincent 17
209 days
30 July 1854
in Surrey
F

Charterhouse AFC, England

  Stewart, Henry Holmes 24
108 days
8 November 1847 F

Wanderers FC & Cambridge University AFC, both England

  Thompson, Charles Maude 22
81 days
5 December 1849
in Yorkshire
F

Wanderers FC & Cambridge University AFC, both England

 

1-1-8

 

Averages (Starting XI):

Age

21 years 96 days

 

       Match Report The Sporting Life, Wednesday, 28 February 1872

   
   Four matches have now been played under the denomination and under the rules of the Football Association, and on three occasions victory has rested with the English contingent, a tie match being the result of the fourth contest. Nor is this the result to be wondered at when we come to consider that the general rules adopted by the football clubs in Scotland are those of the Rugby Union, and that, therefore, in these Association matches the Scotch eleven has to be picked out principally from the London clubs, and cannot be fairly considered as representing the strength of the "North countr[y]" players. Seldom, if ever, has such wholesale desertion been witnessed as on Saturday last at Kennington Oval, when, at three o'clock (the time appointed for commencing this, the return match to that played on the same ground on the 18th of November last, when England won by two goals to one), the Scotch muster-roll was called over. In vain did Lindsay with sonorous tones repeat the names of Quintin Hogg, W.H. Gladstone, G. Baker, and G.G. Kennedy, who had all, as well as H.W. Renny-Tailyour, promised to play, while Hogg was to have acted a captain to the side. A nice example did he set to his followers. Renny-Tailyour, however, was only prevented from joing his colours by a serious accident. These unexplained and unexpected absences left the Scotch side in a large numerical deficiency which had to be supplied as best might. F. H. Crawford, Elliott, Ravenshaw, Stewart, and C. W. Thompson kindly volunteered their services, which were gratefully accepted, and Edgar Lubbock taking the place of G. Holden on the English side, at half-past three Alcock kicked off the ball. A strong south-easterly wind was blowing down the ground, and at first the English eleven defended that goal most favoured by the wind. The afternoon was dull and chilly, but though it threatened rain during the whole hour and a half of play, it was not until about five minutes before the cessation of the match that a Scotch mist came on to weep for the English victory. In the bully indubitably the English had more weight, and it may also be conceded that, with such behinds as A. C. Thompson and Lubbock, with Stephenson as goal-keeper, they had the best of the Scotchmen in that department of the game as well. At the commencement of play, the Southerners forced back their adversaries and soon imperilled the safety of their goal, which after about twenty minutes' combat, fell to a well-judged side-kick by Clegg. This success necessitated a change of goals, and gave the Scotchmen the advantage of the wind. Although, however, no absolute score was achieved by them, they now pressed the English severely, and, for the reminder of the afternoon, though some brilliant runs by Vidal, Clegg, and Chenery more than once carried the ball down to the Scotch goals, the contest was principally carried on in the English territory. Thrice did the Northerners succeed in having a bully formed exactly in front of the English goals; but they could not force the ball through the posts, as the superior weight of England here proved of great service to her Eleven, whilst the defensive tactics of A.C. Thompson. Alcock, and Stephenson on each occasion were successful in guiding the ball outside the posts. Thus at five o'clock England had achieved another victory by one goal to nothing.
   Amongst the English Eleven, Vidal, Clegg, Hooman, and Chenery may be picked out as having shown capital play in the bully, while Stewart, Ravenshaw, C.W. Thompson, R.E.W. Crawford, and Mitchell may be particularised amongst the Scottish division. Stewart was on the ball throughout and worked tremendously hard. Mr. M.P. Betts officiated as umpire, an office which we are glad to state is nearly always a sinecure.

  

Source Notes

Andy Mitchell's First Elevens: The birth of international football
original newspaper report
Douglas Lamming's A Century of English International Football 1872-1988
Douglas Lamming's A Scottish Internationalists' Who's Who 1872-1986

 

Mark Shaoul & Tony Williamson's Forever England: A History of the National Side
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