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Results 1872-1890
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7 vs. Scotland
Saturday, 3 March 1877
Association Friendly Match
 
England 1 Scotland 3 [0-1]
 
 
The Surrey County Cricket Ground, The Oval, Kennington, London, Surrey, SE
Kick-off (London Time): 'a few minutes after three o'clock'.

Attendance: 'between 2,000 and 3,000 paid for admission'.





Season Record
England's third visit to The Oval, to London, and to Surrey
Charles Campbell won the toss and kicked-off
  [0-1] John Ferguson 25
'passed to Ferguson, who kicked in between the posts'

[1-2] Alf Lyttleton 55
 'kicking the goal sharply against the bar'
[0-2] James Richmond 48
'kicked'

[1-3] John Ferguson free-kick 69/80
'a claim for hands, a free-kick within a yard of the opposite goal'
first ever free-kick goal in an international match
"Disagreeable weather; Rain before kick-off." Played according to FA rules
 

Match Summary

Officials [umpires and referees are of equal relevance]

England

Team Records

Scotland

Umpires His Grace, The Marquis of Lorne was in attendance. Probably the first Royalty to watch an England match. He was also known as the Duke of Argyll, John George Edward Henry Douglas Sutherland Campbell. He watched alongside George Anderson, MP for Glasgow.
William A. Dick
Scotland
(Hon. secretary SFA)
George Hubert Hugh Heron
25 (30 January 1852)
Wanderers FC & Swifts FC
played for England from 1873-76.
Referee
Robert Andrew Muter Macindoe Ogilvie
24 (20 October 1852), Clapham Rovers FC
    played for England in 1874.
 
England Team
 
Rank No official ranking system established;
ELO rating 2nd
Colours 'white jerseys with the English Arms in blue' on the breast, white shorts and dark blue caps.
Captain William Rawson Selection The Football Association Committee, with Secretary Charles W. Alcock having the primary influence
only match, W 0 - D 0 - L 1 - F 1 - A 3 P 6 of 31, W 1 - D 2 - L 3 - F 8 - A 12
  team chosen at The Freemason's Tavern, Wednesday evening, 28 February 1877
England Lineup
(nine changes to the previous match)
7   Betts, Morton P. 29
185 days
30 August 1847 G Old Harrovians AFC & Wanderers FC 1 3ᵍᵃ
43 will be an umpire in 1883, 1885 & 1888 only app 1877
44   Lindsay, William 29
212 days
3 August 1847
in Benares, India
Full
Backs
Wanderers FC & Old Wykehamists AFC 1 0
only app 1877
45   Bury, Lindsay 19
237 days
9 July 1857 Cambridge University AFC & Old Etonians AFC 1 0
third youngest player so far
  Rawson, William S. 22
140 days
14 October 1854
in Cape Town, Kaapkolonie
Oxford University AFC, Wanderers FC & Old Westminsters AFC 2 0
final app 1875-77
  Jarrett, Beaumont G. 21
228 days
18 July 1855 Half
Back
Cambridge University AFC & Old Harrovians AFC 2 0
  Wollaston, Charles H.R. 27
215 days
31 July 1849 Right
Forward
Wanderers FC, Lancing Old Boys AFC & Clapham Rovers FC 3 1
will be an umpire in 1879 & 1885
46 Lyttelton, Alfred 20
24 days
7 February 1857 Cambridge University AFC & Old Etonians AFC 1 1
  youngest (& debutant) to score so far only app 1877
7 Cursham, Arthur W. 23
354 days
14 March 1853 Centre
Forward
Notts County FC 2 0
47   Bain, John 22
231 days
15 July 1854
in Bothwell, Scotland
Oxford University AFC & Old Wykehamists AFC 1 0
the only Scotsman to play for England only app 1877
48 Mosforth, William 19
61 days
2 January 1858 Left
Forward
Wednesday FC 1 0
7,000 days old
youngest player so far, by 125 days
49   Wingfield-Stratford, Cecil V. 23
147 days
7 October 1853 Royal Engineers FC 1 0
only app 1877
reserves: Norman Bailey, Walter Buchanan, C.J. Fox (all Clapham Rovers FC), Jack Lowis (Cambridge University AFC) and William Page (Charterhouse School AFC).
team notes: Wingfield-Stratford is listed as C.W. Stratford.
William Rawson's brother, Herbert, played for England in 1875.
As Wanderers FC often used the Surrey Cricket Ground to play their home matches, then Betts, Lindsay, Rawson and Wollaston were playing on one of their home grounds.
appearance notes: Two teenagers, Lindsay Bury and Billy Mosforth, play for England for the first time.
records: This is the first occasion that England have lost two matches in a row. Their third match at home is their first home loss.
 
2-2-6 Betts -
Lindsay, Bury -
Rawson, Jarrett -
Wollaston, Lyttelton, Cursham, Bain, Mosforth, Wingfield-Stratford.
Averages: Age 23 years 218 days Appearances/Goals 1.5 0.2
=most experienced team until 1879
 
Scotland Team
 
Rank No official ranking system established;
ELO rating 1st
Colours "The distinctive uniforms were dark blue jerseys, with the Scottish lion in white as a badge;"
Captain Charles Campbell Selection The Scottish Football Association Selection Committee
P 2 of 8, W 2 - D 0 - L 0 - F 7 - A 1. Following a trial match between McGeoch's XI and Graham's XI, the team was chosen on Saturday, 17 February 1877
Scotland Lineup
1 McGeoch, Alexander 22
162 days
23 September 1854 G Dumbreck FC 3 1ᵍᵃ
2 Neill, Robert Walker 23
211 days
4 August 1853 Back Queen's Park FC 2 0
33   Vallance, Thomas 20
280 days
27 May 1856 Half
Backs
Rangers FC 1 0
  Campbell, Charles 23
42 days
20 January 1854 Queen's Park FC 3 0
34   Phillips, James 23/24 1853 Queen's Park FC 1 0
35 Richmond, James Tassie 18
346 days
22 March 1858 Forward Clydesdale FC 1 1
  MacKinnon, William Muir 25
44 days
18 January 1852 Queen's Park FC 7 3
mst apps
36   McGregor, John Cunningham 26
11 days
20 February 1851 Vale of Leven FC 1 0
37   McDougall, John 22
328 days
9 April 1854 CF Vale of Leven FC 1 0
38   Smith, Dr. John 21
203 days
12 August 1855 Mauchline FC 1 0
Ferguson, John 28
254 days
22 June 1848 Forward Vale of Leven FC 4 3
reserves: not known
team notes: For the first time in Scotland's history, all eleven of their players from this match will play again. Nine of them will feature against Wales in four days time, James Richmond and Billy MacKinnon will return next season.
records: John Ferguson's second goal appears to be the first free-kick scored in International Football.
Bill MacKinnon is both the Scotland and international record appearance holder.
 
2-2-6 McGeoch -
Neill, Vallance -
Phillips, Campbell -
Richmond, MacKinnon, McGregor, MacDougall, Smith, Ferguson.
Averages: Age 23 years 111-144 days Appearances/Goals 2.3 0.6
 
       Match Report Sheffield Daily Telegraph, Monday, 5 March 1877

On Saturday last the international match, according to the rules of the Football Association, was played on the Surrey Cricket Ground in London. The weather during the morning was anything but inviting, as rain threatened, and at two o'clock matters had become still worse by a slight drizzle, which continued until the close of the game, and no doubt considerably reduced the number of visitors. Still there were over a thousand spectators, including the Marquis of Lorne, the President of the Scottish Football Association. Three o'clock was the hour fixed for commencing, and punctually at that hour the two elevens took the field. The choice of positions fell to Rawson, the English captain, but there was no material benefit derived therefrom. The Englishmen occupied the western goal, and three minutes after three o'clock Campbell kicked off for Scotland. The Englishmen for the first few minutes were busy in Scottish quarters. Cursham and Wollaston distinguished themselves by some good runs. The first event on the Scotch side was a general rush of the forwards into the English lines, and after some clever passing M'Dougal made a good run, and the result was a corner kick to Scotland. Campbell's shot at goal was not well directed, and a fine run along the upper side by Cursham and Wollaston placed the Scottish goal in danger, Wollaston driving the ball sharply just over the bar. The Scottish team were then pressed for a short time, but they rallied, and after a neat run M'Gregor shot one hard to the goal-keeper, which he just managed to turn aside. Again the ball approached the lines of Scotland, but a splendid piece of play between M'Dougall, Smith, and Ferguson took the ball quickly up the ground, and after some very clever passing Ferguson secured a goal for Scotland amidst loud applause twenty-two minutes after the commencement. Soon after the kick off Campbell failed to utilise another corner kick, and then Lyttelton made a fine run, following it up with a very bold and clean shot, which just went over the bar. A run by Mosforth and Stratford along the lower side took the ball up to the Scottish goal, and the latter had a very easy shot, which he missed altogether. Hands near to the Scotch fortress gave Rawson a chance, but M'Geoch managed to get the ball behind. A corner kick now fell to England, and Wollaston nearly got the ball through; another corner kick immediately afterwards falling to the English team. Soon afterwards halftime was called, and end were changed. The Scotchmen now assumed the offensive, and as the back play, which the exception of that of Bury, who played right well throughout, England began to be pressed. A good run by Bain was well checked by Vallance, and immediately after Phillips stopped Lyttelton just as he was about to make his shot. Smith now got the ball behind the English goal line, and then a dash of the Scottish forwards took the ball in front of the English posts, and after a short scrimmage between the posts. England next had a kick for hands not far from the Scottish goal, and this enabled them to keep the ball well up in the quarters of Scotland. Cursham, Lyttelton, and Mosforth, playing well together, got the ball in front, and after a scrimmage, at two minutes to four o'clock, a goal was scored for England, Lyttelton sending the ball sharply against the bar, so that it fell under. M'Geoch had some difficulty in getting rid of the ball after a pretty run by Cursham, and Bain and M'Kinnon for their respective sides showed some clever dribbling. Campbell next sent the ball just over the bar of the English goal, and then an unfortunate piece of handling by England gave Scotland a free kick within a yard of the opposite goal. The result was that at 4.12 o'clock Ferguson landed the third goal for Scotland. A fine run by Lyttelton and Wollaston next imperiled the Scottish goal, and after a corner kick by Bury, Cursham drove the ball over the Scottish bar. Some good runs were made about this period for England by Mosforth and Cursham, but the Scotchmen again were the assailants, and after a corner kick the ball was taken over the English line. A corner kick fell to England, but without result, and then Betts was just in time to divert the ball after a good run by M'Dougall, Smith, and Richmond. Another unsuccessful corner kick to Scotland followed, and then time was called at 4.33—Scotland winning a good match by three goals to one. Owing to illness J. Blower was absent on the Scottish side, but the team played well together, and the backs all played well. Cursham played exceedingly well for England and did any amount of while, while Bury's kicking was fine throughout. Otherwise the play was not so good as might have been expected, the forwards playing very selfishly.
   

       Match Report The Times, Monday, 5 March 1877

Saturday proved most wretched in point of weather for the purpose of outdoor sports. Yet this did not deter about four thousand spectators, amongst whom was the Marquis of Lorne, from being present at The Oval, Kennington to witness the annual match between England and Scotland.
 

       Match Report Bell's Life in London and Sporting Chronicle, Sunday, 4 March 1877
The winners played well throughout, although deprived of the services of J.B. Weir, one of their best backs, whose place was taken by J.B. Ferguson.
Their passing was extremely good, and it would have been better if some of their opponents had pursued the same tactics, instead of selfishly keeping the ball until it was too late.
Several of the English forwards were indefatigable in their efforts, but at times a certain amount of looseness was noticeable in the ranks of the home team, especially amongst the backs.
  
       In Other News....
It was on 3 March 1877 that Rutherford B. Hayes was finally confirmed as the 19th President of the United States by an electoral commission, appointed after the results from three states were contested in the election of November 1876.
  
       Source Notes
 

The Football Association Yearbook
original newspaper report & Glasgow Herald, 5 March 1877
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
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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