England Football Online
Results 1872-1890
Page Last Updated 4 May 2023 Alba
 
previous match (364 days)
3 vs. Scotland
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next match (364 days)
5 vs. Scotland
Saturday, 6 March 1875
Association Friendly Match
 
England 2 Scotland 2
[1-1]
The teams changed ends after each goal

    
 

The Surrey County Cricket Ground, The Oval, Kennington, London, Surrey, SE
Kick-off (London Time): 'kicked off at three p.m. punctually', 'kick off at twenty minutes past three o'clock', 'play began at 3.20'.
Attendance: 'in the presence of about 1,500 spectators'




Players lost since last match
AG Goodwyn (14 March 1874), 24


Season Record
England's second visit to The Oval, to London, and to Surrey
Charlie Alcock won the toss Scotland kicked-off
started with ten men - up to eleven men c10
[1-0] Charles Wollaston
24
  'kicked, following a Birley free-kick'

Three newspapers, including The Standard, state that Bonsor scored the opening goal.
  [1-1] Henry McNiel c35
'kicked'
[2-1] Charlie Alcock 60
 'glanced off his breast from a von Donop corner'.
 

  [2-2] Peter Andrews 65
'kicked'.
first ever second half goal conceded
"Very wet and muddy" Played according to FA rules
 

Match Summary

Officials [umpires and referees are of equal relevance] England Party Team Records

Scotland

Umpires

English and Scottish, each wore stockings of different colours. This was, in the first place, to indicate to a player in possession of the ball the positions of his fellow-players on the field, by watching their pedal extremities; and, secondly, to enable the spectators to identify a player by his party-coloured stockings. Cards were issued by the Queen's Park, giving the teams, and the colours of their stockings.
Major Francis Arthur Marindin
36 (21 May 1838), Weymouth
(Royal Engineers & FA President)
J.C. Mackay
Scotland
(Hon. secretary SFA)
Referee
Alfred Stair

29 (15 May 1845), Greenwich, London
(asst Hon. secretary FA).
  
England Team
 
Rank No official ranking system established;
ELO rating 1st
Colours "The Englishmen, who represented different clubs, adopted various costumes..."

Captain
Charlie Alcock Selection The Football Association Committee, with Secretary Charles W. Alcock having the primary influence,
first England captain to score
only match, W 0 - D 1 - L 0 - F 2 - A 2 P 4 of 31, W 1 - D 2 - L 1 - F 7 - A 6
 ¹ team chosen at The Freemason's Tavern, on Wednesday evening, 24 February 1875.
England Lineup
 (a record low eight changes to the previous match)
five   Carr, William H., on 10th min. 26
112 days
14 November 1848 G Owlerton FC 1 2ᵍᵃ
28 only app 1875
29   Haygarth, Edward B. 20
314 days
26 April 1854 Full
Backs
Swifts FC, Reading FC, Lancing Old Boys AFC & Wanderers FC 1 0
only app 1875
30   Rawson, William S. 20
143 days
14 October 1854
in
Cape Town, Kaapkolonie
Oxford University AFC, Wanderers FC & Old Westminsters AFC 1 0
  Birley, Francis H. 24
357 days
14 March 1850 Wanderers FC 2 0
final app 1874-75
  von Donop, Pelham G. 23
312 days
28 April 1851 Forward Royal Engineers FC 2 0
final app 1873-75
Wollaston, Charles H.R. 25
218 days
31 July 1849 Wanderers FC, Lancing Old Boys AFC & Clapham Rovers FC 2 1
will be an umpire in 1879 & 1885
31 Alcock, Charles W. 32
94 days
2 December 1842 Wanderers FC 1 1
was an umpire in the first two fixtures and will be again in 1879 & 1884 oldest player to score so far
oldest outfield debutant so far
only app  1875
 
32   Rawson, Herbert E. 22
184 days
3 September 1852
in Port Louis, British Mauritius
Royal Engineers FC 1 0
only app 1875
  Bonsor, Alexander G. 23
150 days
7 October 1851 G/F Wanderers FC & Old Etonians AFC 2 1
final app 1873-75
  Heron, G. Hubert H. 22
35 days
30 January 1852 For Wanderers FC & Swifts FC 3 0
will be an umpire in the 1877 fixture most apps
33   Geaves, Richard L. 20
304 days
6 May 1854
in Ciudad de México, Mexico
OL Clapham Rovers FC 1 0
only app 1875
reserves: Robin Benson (Old Etonians AFC) and Robert Ogilvie (Clapham Rovers FC).
team changes: The original team that was in the morning's papers included Old Etonians AFC's Edgar Lubbock. His place went to William Rawson.
team notes: William Rawson and his brother, Herbert, are the second set of brothers (after the Clegg's) to play for England, but the first to play together in the same match.
Eight of these players will not play for England again, a record equalled in the previous match.
goalkeeper notes: "England could only muster ten men at starting, Carr being absent, and Bonsor keeping goal. About ten minutes afterwards, however, the Sheffielder turned up, and relieved him." - Sporting Life, Wednesday, 10 March 1875.
"Several rather determined attacks were then made by the northerners on the English goal, but Haygarth, playing at back, managed to avert the danger, while Bonsor, who kept goal till the arrival of Carr, once saved his goal by about a yard. About the time Carr put in his appearance, and took charge of his goal, and Bonsor then played forward."
- Evening Standard, Monday, 8 March 1875.
records: Wanderers, who have broken the club affiliation record in the last two matches, continue to break records by providing seven of the starting XI. A record that will not be broken, but equalled in 1934.
Charles Wollaston equals the record of being the most experienced England player to score a goal (equal with Charles Chenery)
 

 formation not known,
but probably 3(2-1)-7

(Bonsor) Carr -
Haygarth,
W.Rawson -
Birley -
von Donop, Wollaston, Alcock,
H.Rawson, Bonsor, Heron, Geaves
Averages: Age 24 years 3 days Appearances/Goals 1.5      0.3
=most experienced team until 1879
Scotland Team
Rank No official ranking system established;
ELO rating 2nd
Colours "The Scotchmen all wore blue jerseys, with lion in red on the left breast, and white knickerbockers"
Captain Joseph Taylor
other sources name Robert Gardner
Selection The Scottish Football Association Selection Committee
P 1 of 2, W 0 - D 1 - L 0 - F 2 - A 2 teams chosen in Glasgow following the Glasgow vs. Sheffield Associations match, on Monday, 1 March 1875
Scotland Lineup
1 Gardner, Robert 27
279 days
31 May 1847 G Clydesdale FC 4 7ᵍᵃ
will be an umpire in the 1876 fixture oldest opposition gk so far
2 Hunter, John 20/21 1854 Full Backs Glasgow Eastern FC 2 0
3 Taylor, Joseph 24
80 days
16 December 1850 Queen's Park FC 4 0
22   McLintock, Alexander 21/22 1853 Half
Backs
Vale of Leven FC 1 0
23   Kennedy, Alexander 21
358 days
13 March 1853 Glasgow Eastern FC 1 0
will be an umpire in the 1888 fixture
  Weir, James Biggar 23
136 days
21 October 1851 Forward Queen's Park FC 3 0
  Mackinnon, William Muir 23
47 days
18 January 1852 Queen's Park FC 4 0
McNiel, Henry 21/22 1853 Queen's Park FC 2 1
24   Highet, Thomas Cochrane 21
202 days
16 August 1853 Queen's Park FC 1 0
25 Andrews, Peter 29
116 days
10 November 1845 Glasgow Eastern FC 1 1
oldest opposition scorer so far & oldest opposition player so far only app 1875
26   McPherson, John 21
172 days
15 September 1853 CF Clydesdale FC 1 0
only app 1875
reserves: backs:- J.B. Connell and H.L. Somers; half-backs:- Charles Campbell and Turnbull; forwards:- William Miller, J. Wotherspoon, John McGregor, Angus McKinnon and W.C. Davidson.
records: All three players that are making a fourth Scotland appearance are now record appearance holders, for Scotland, as well as internationally.
 
 2-2-6 Gardner -
Hunter, Taylor -
McLintock, Kennedy -
Weir, Mackinnon, McNiel, Highet, Andrews, McPherson.
Averages: Age 23 years 78-177 days Appearances/Goals 2.2 0.2
possibly the oldest opposing team until 1878 most experienced opposing team until next match
       Match Report Morning Post, Monday, 8 March 1875

The match which is looked forward to with the greatest interest among the lovers of the dribbling game is undoubtedly that between England and Scotland. For some time past trial matches have taken place both north and south of the Tweed with a view of selecting the best possible players. Saturday was the day appointed for the meeting, and Kennington-oval the rendezvous. The heavy rain which fell in the early part of the day rendered the ground very slippery, and throughout the match falls were frequent, the players representing a rather sorry appearance at the end of an hour and a half's play. The attendance was very large, and the enjoyment of the game rather intense, judging from the shouting. Play began at 3.30, when Scotland, who had lost the toss, kicked off from the gasworks goal. The ball was quickly dribbled to the centre of the ground, where for a few minutes it was kept, when the English, aided by the wind, made a rush at their opponents' goal, and the ball was forced over the line. Scotland then restarted it, and, their forwards being very swift, they managed to elude the vigilance of their opponents, and in turn kicked the ball over the English goal line. Two or three good attacks were now made by the visitors, but these were well turned by Haygarth, whose defensive play throughout was excellent. Hubert Heron now showed some fine dribbling, taking the ball from the lower side of the ground to within a few yards of the Scotch goal; one of the latter's backs, however, managed to return it to the centre of the ground. It was once more taken towards the Scotch goal almost immediately after this, and one of the visitors incautiously violated the rule which forbids handling. The free-kick was very judiciously made by Birley, and Bonsor, being conveniently posted in front of the Scotch goal, kicked the ball under the tape. Ends were changed, and with the wind in their favour, the Scotch made numerous runs into their opponents' territory, and within 10 minutes three of their forwards conducted the ball along the upper side of the ground to within three or four yards of the English goal, when Mr. Neill kicked it between the posts. Matters having thus been equalised, the sides once more crossed over, and some of the best play of the match was now shown. Von Donop made a number of brilliant runs, as did Geaves and Hubert Heron, but for some considerable time these were counteracted by their opponents' back-play, while the Scotch forwards also took the ball several times dangerously near the English goal. At length it became evident that the Southerners were getting a little the best of the fight, and at 25 minutes past four a second goal was placed to their credit. A corner kick had fallen to the lot of the English, and the ball was breasted through by Alcock. For a third time positions were reversed, and having the wind again at their backs, the Scotch were not long before they took the ball into English quarters, and in less than 10 minutes a second goal was kicked for them also. The score was thus brought level, and for the remaining part of the time either side made strenuous efforts to effect the downfall of the other's fortress, but all proved futile, and when "Time" was called at 10 minutes to five the match was declared drawn, each side having kicked two goals.
    

       Match Report Bell's Life in London and Sporting Chronicle, Sunday, 7 March 1875
Both teams played with great determination and were almost on an equality, the Englishmen having but a trifle the best of it, and when time was called there was little to choose, neither side being able to make any further score.
The Scotchmen were good runners and they had a very excellent goalkeeper, whose office was by no means a sinecure. The Englishmen all played well but, owing to the greasy nature of the turf, dribbling, which is their speciality, was almost out of the question.
  
  
       In Other News....
It was on 5 March 1875 that the House of Lords debated the reasons why some public entertainment licenses were issued for Ash Wednesday and some were refused.   At the same ground, on the day before the international, the Royal Engineers defeated the holders, Oxford University, 1-0, after extra time, in the F.A. Cup semi-final replay, to reach their third final in the four years of the fledgling competition. Scottish international, Captain Henry Renny-Tailyour scored the goal. The following week's final, also at the Oval, also went to a replay, before the Engineers lifted the trophy for the first and only time.
    
       Source Notes

The Football Association Yearbook
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
Cris Freddi's England Football Factbook
Nick
Gibbs England: The Football Facts
John Maxwell's Scottish International Football Archive (website)

Jack Rollin's Rothmans Book of Football Records
The Scottish Football Association, Scottish Match Archive
Scottish Sport History

Mark Shaoul & Tony Williamson's Forever England: A History of the National Side
The Official History of the England Football Team (DVD)
LondonHearts.com
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