England Football Online
Results 1891-1900
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58 vs. Scotland
 
59 vs. Ireland
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60 vs. Wales
61
next match (336 days)
62 vs. Ireland
63 vs. Wales
64 vs. Scotland
Saturday, 3 April 1897
Home International Championship 1896-97 (14th) Match


England 1 Scotland 2
[1-1]
 


















The Sports Arena, Crystal Palace Park, Crystal Palace Parade, Sydenham, Penge, Surrey
Kick-off (GMT): 'at four p.m. sharp'
Attendance: '33,715' (Played on the same day as the Boat Race);
Receipts: '£1383 4s 9d.'
England's first visit to the Palace, but thirteenth visit to London, and second to Surrey.
It is their thirtieth different venue.
Bill Lambie won the toss and George Allan kicked-off.

Tom Crawshaw injury: ten men 10-15
[1-0] Steve Bloomer 19
 'Reynolds flouted an attack, he passed well forward to Athersmith, who centred from a difficult angle on the goal line. Chadwick headed, but at the next attempt, Bloomer put through''


[1-1] Steve Bloomer scores disallowed: offside
[1-1] Alf Milward shot hits the post



[1-1] Tom Hyslop 23
'Doyle essayed the [free]kick and dropped the ball right in front of the posts. It was headed into goal, Robinson returned again right on to Hyslop's foot, and he pulled the ball around and shot into goal'; 'out of a scrimmage.'
"The teams retired to the pavilion for about seven minutes and when they returned some difficulty was experienced in clearing the spectators, who were promenading."
Football League Record
    [1-1] Kack Bell scores disallowed: offside
[1-2] Jimmy Millar 80
'Hyslop put in a hot shot that was momentary saved by Robinson, the ball dropped in front of goal and Miller rushed up kicking into goal.'
Season Record
"Lambie and Reynolds again had a difference of opinion, and it appeared as if matters were going to develop into a trial of fisticuffs, but a caution from the referee speedily put things straight."  
 
 

"MAGNIFICENT FOOTBALL BEFORE A BIG CROWD" - Sporting Life

Officials       

England Team Records Scotland
Referee
Richard Thomas Gough
36 (April 1859), Oswestry, Wales FA
 
Linesmen
George Stuart Sherrington
35 (20 August 1861), Islington, Suffolk FA
Walter Crichton
Scotland FA President

England Team

 
Rank No official ranking system established;
ELO rating 1st
Colours "England wore white shirts and the orthodox blue nicks."
Captain Gilbert Smith Selection The five-man FA International Selection Committee
P 4 of 13, W 2 - D 0 - L 2 - F 12 - A 4. P 30th of 195, W 23 - D 4 - L 3 - F 122 - A 28.
fourth, fifth or sixth captaincy team chosen at Bramall Lane, Sheffield, on Monday evening, 29 March 1897.
England Lineup
  two changes to the previous match (Robinson & Chadwick>Foulke & Becton) league position (23rd March) ave lge pos: 4th
  Robinson, John W. 26
346 days
22 April 1870 G Derby County FC (FL1 3rd) 2 2ᵍᵃ
  Oakley, William J. 23
341 days
27 April 1873 RB Corinthians FC 7 0
Spencer, Howard 21
223 days
23 August 1875 LB Aston Villa FC (FL1 TOP) 2 0
  Reynolds, John 28
41 days
21 February 1869 RH Aston Villa FC (FL1 TOP) 8 2
final app 1892-97
  Crawshaw, Thomas H., injured 10th min. 24
96 days
28 December 1872 CH Wednesday FC (FL1 7th) 7 0
  Needham, Ernest 24
72 days
21 January 1873 LH Sheffield United FC (FL1 2nd) 5 1
  Athersmith Harper, W. Charles 24
328 days
10 May 1872 OR Aston Villa FC (FL1 TOP) 4 1
Bloomer, Stephen 23
73 days
20 January 1874 IR Derby County FC (FL1 3rd) 7 13
=mst gls
  Smith, Gilbert O. 24
129 days
25 November 1872 CF Old Carthusians AFC & Corinthians FC 10 4
  Chadwick, Edgar W. 27
293 days
14 June 1869 IL Everton FC (FL1 8th) 7 3
final app 1891-97
  Milward, Arthur 26
203 days
12 September 1870 OL Everton FC (FL1 8th) 4 3
final app 1891-97
reserves: Jimmy Turner (Derby County FC (FL1 3rd))
team notes: Tommy Crawshaw received a leg injury in the tenth minute of the match, and returned after five minutes with a heavily bandaged leg. and spent some of time off the field of play, recovering.
Jack Reynolds had already played five times for the Irish team, scoring once (1890-91 (two appearances and one goal against England)).
appearance notes: Gilbert Smith is the eighth player to have made ten England appearances, whereas the aforementioned Reynolds, is the fifteenth to have made eight. 24 players have now made seven appearances.
Ernest Needham is the 33rd England player to have made five appearances. 55 have made four and 132 have played for England more than once.
Smith is the third player to make ten appearances under the guidance of the ISC, whereas Reynolds is the to make eight.
Only seventeen different players were used across 1896-97, still one short of the record set in 1883-84, and equalled in 1884-85 and 1886-87.
records: This is the first 'Home' defeat for eight years, ending a sequence of eleven matches unbeaten at home. Tom Hyslop's 22nd minute goal also extended England's Home record of 317 minutes without conceding.
"...whilst the Englishmen were located at the Tavistock in the same neighbourhood" - Sporting Life, Monday, 5 April 1897
 
2-3-5 Robinson -
Oakley, Spencer -
Reynolds, Crawshaw, Needham -
Athersmith, Bloomer, Smith, Chadwick, Milward.
Averages: Age 25 years 29 days Appearances/Goals 5.7 2.4
England teams v. Scotland:
1896: Raikes Lodge Oakley Henfrey Crawshaw Crabtree Bassett Goodall Smith Wood Burnup
1897: Robinson Oakley Spencer Reynolds Needham Athersmith Bloomer Chadwick Milward

 

Scotland Team

 
Rank No official ranking system established;
ELO rating 2nd
Colours "Scotland play in dark blue shirts and white knickers"; "attired in blue shirts and white knickers"
Captain William Lambie Selection
Trainer: J. Aitken
The Scottish Football Association Selection Committee, of seven members.
only, W 1 - D 0 - L 0 - F 2 - A 1. following the match vs. Ireland, Monday evening, 29 March 1897
Scotland Lineup
  Patrick, John 27
83 days
10 January 1870 G St. Mirren FC 2 3ᵍᵃ
final app 1897
278   Smith, Nicol 23
99 days
25 December 1873 RB Rangers FC 1 0
  Doyle, Daniel 32
199 days
16 September 1864 LB The Celtic FC 6 0
  Gibson, Neil 24
39 days
23 February 1873 RH Rangers FC 6 1
  Cowan, James 28
168 days
17 October 1868 CH Aston Villa FC, England 2 0
  Wilson, Hugh 28
16 days
18 March 1869 LH Sunderland FC, England 2 1
  Bell, John Watson 28
179 days
6 October 1868 OR Everton FC, England 4 2
279 Millar, James 26
52 days
10 February 1871 IR Rangers FC 1 1
280   Allan, George Horsburgh 21
223 days
23 August 1875 CF Liverpool FC, England 1 0
only app 1897
Hyslop, Thomas 25
226 days
20 August 1871 IL Rangers FC 2 1
born as Bryce Thomas Scouller final app 1896-97
  Lambie, William Allan 24
83 days
10 January 1873 OL Queen's Park FC 9 5
final app 1892-97
reserves: not known
team notes: Ned Doig was the original chosen goalkeeper, but his club, Sunderland AFC, needed him to play for them in a vital league fixture against Stoke FC, on the same day, because his club could not find a suitable replacement His place going to Patrick. Hugh Wilson, the Sunderland captain, was permitted to play for his country as he had a ready replacement.
Even after the programme was printed, the advertised David Russell (The Celtic FC) was replaced by Neil Gibson.
"There was a large crowd at St. Enoch's Station, Glasgow, to see the Scottish team off on Friday afternoon, and a large number of passengers accompanied the players. The Scotsmen made Covent Garden Hotel their headquarters." - Sporting Life, Monday, 5 April 1897
 
2-3-5 Patrick -
Smith, Doyle -
Gibson, Cowan, Wilson -
Bell, Miller, Allan, Hyslop, Lambie
Averages: Age 26 years 125 days Appearances/Goals 3.3 0.9
       Match Report The Morning Post, Monday, 5 April 1897

Sharp to time Scotland started the game—they had won the toss—and had the worst of what was largely a cross wind. Reynolds sent the ball up to the right wing, and Athersmith and Bloomer were quickly at the Scottish goal. Patrick stumbled in partially saving a long shot from the left wing and left the ball dead right in front of the posts. Athersmith strove hard to get it, but Doyle just beat him, and, in order to avert immediate danger conceded a corner. This was well taken, but Doyle and Smith by fine kicking cleared their lines. For awhile England continued to get the most of the play; but they soon had the misfortune to lose Crawshaw for five minutes. He was badly hacked, and retired to have the wood dressed. The game was very fast, and even in Crawshaw's absence the Englishmen made sundry strong attacks. Milward tried one or two long shots, and G. O. Smith and Athersmith each sent the ball just outside the posts. The Scottish fine back play repeatedly made itself felt, and Bell, Allan, Hyslop each more than once beat the English full backs, and were only prevented from scoring by Robinson in goal. So, with varying fortune, the game had progressed for 20 minutes, when England at last scored. Reynolds got the ball out to Athersmith, who reached the line, and then with a wonderful kick dropped the ball in front of goal, and Bloomer put it into the net. This success of England was cheered to the echo by the vast company. But Scotland's turn was at hand. The English lead was retained for only about five minutes, and then, following a free kick for hands, Hyslop obtained a goal out of a scrimmage and made the score one all. There was a keen fight fight for another point by both sides, and the pace of the game if anything increased. Both goalkeepers had much to do; but Patrick was not so severely tried, for the reason that the shots which came to him were largely made at long range. His method of defence, however, possessed some uncertainty, and he once or twice failed to gather the ball cleanly. Chadwick and Milward each sent in terrific kicks which struck the outside of the left post, while a lightning shot by G.O. Smith passed within a few inches of the goal. The Scottish halves and backs continued to do well, and their forwards made one or two fine attacks, with which Bell, Millar, and Allan were mostly associated. Oakley turned his speed to much use once or twice when Bell had escaped him; but Robinson was often hard pressed. There was not much to choose between the teams in the closing moments of the first half, and at the interval the score remained at one goal all.
  To begin with in the second half the most noteworthy things in the football were runs by Milward and Chadwick, who each had a shot at the Scottish goal, but both were wide of the mark. Anoter soon followed from Athersmith, and this Patrick had much trouble in saving. For awhile the English forwards made the game very warm for the visitors. But Smith and Doyle covered the goalkeeper splendidly, and eventually the game turned considerably in favour of Scotland. Lambie, Bell, and Allan had the most to do in three sharp attacks on the English goal, and thrice did Robinson have to use his hands. There were several free kicks to the Scottish, one right in front of the English posts. But nothing resulted, for the ball was kicked high over the bar. A spell of fine work by the Englishmen promised well for a score, but G. O. Smith's low swift shot was well saved by Patrick, who easily stopped another from Reynolds. After a little more brilliancy the pace of the game rather slackened. Each side attacked strongly, and twice England seemed likely to score after corner kicks, but the energy and vigilance of the Scottish full backs were untiring, and they cleared time after time. The Scottish were often busy at the other end, and Oakley and Spencer found plenty to do in kicking and stopping. Bell was particularly strong on the Scottish right, while Lambie and Hyslop each seemed certain to get through. Several hard and swift shots were saved by Robinson, after which Robinson took the game to the other end. A free kick to England in front of the Scottish posts raised the hopes of England, but after a scrimmage the ball was kicked behind. About this time the English halves had some long kicks, at goal, none of which, however, yielded anything, while some penalties against Scotland were also of no consequence to the football. Robinson soon had more work to do in goal, and in one instance he only saved by turning the ball behind his own line. Nothing came from the corner kick, after which Oakley sent the ball up to Reynolds, who gave Patrick another long dropping shot, which was easily cleared. The play had become very even, and each side in turn attacked, but the Scottish forwards finished better than those of England. G. O. Smith did some pretty dribbling and passed out well to the wings, whose kicking was a little wild. Then came the decisive point of the match. Robinson, who had already sved two shots in quick succession, had another low one from Allan, and this he did not fully clear, and, as he stumbled, Millar dashed up and put the ball into the net. Only seven minutes remained, during which the Scottish had the better of the play, without, however, increasing their score.
   

       Match Report The Times, Monday, 5 April 1897
Scotland beat England at the Crystal Palace on Saturday by two goals to one. They have now won 13 games to seven, and six games have been drawn. Scotland, who had perhaps the best of the luck, owed their success as much as anything to the perfect defence of their full backs and the finished work of their halves. England's game was, almost at the outset, much hampered by an accident to Crawshaw, the centre half, for not only was he absent from the field for a time, but when he returned his form was obviously affected by the wound on his leg... Soon after Crawshaw's return the Englishmen scored the first goal, Bloomer seizing an opening made by a dexterous centre from almost off the line by Athersmith. But England were not long in front--less than five minutes in fact--for, after a free kick, the ball was scrimmaged through by the Scottish, Hyslop apparently giving it the final impetus that sent it past Robinson... ...Robinson failed at last to stop a shot from Miller, which followed immediately after one in saving which he had stumbled and had not recovered when Miller got up. This decided the match, for the last seven minutes passed without any change in the score.
 
       In Other News....
Oxford beat Cambridge to win the University Boat Race for the eighth year in succession. It was on 3 April 1897 that the great German classical music composer, Johannes Brahms, died at the age of 63, in Vienna.
 
Teams in a silver box denotes a player representing England
Domestic Football Results (3 April 1897)
The Football League Division One:

Liverpool 2 Wednesday 2
   Anfield, Liverpool (6,000)
Michael, Becton (pen) ~ Brady, Bell
Liverpool were without George Allan (Scotland), but did start with Fred Geary, Frank Becton nad Harry Bradshaw
Wednesday were without Tom Crawshaw but did start with Fred Spiksley
 
Preston North End 4 Everton 1
   Deepdale, Preston (5,000)
Henderson, Sanders (2), Smith ~ Campbell
North End started with Bob Holmes
Everton were without Alf Milward and Edgar Chadwick, as well as Jack Bell (Scotland)
 
Stoke 0 Sunderland 1
   Victoria Ground, Stoke (5,000)
Cowan
Stoke started with Tommy Clare and Joe Schofield
 
West Bromwich Albion 3 Burnley 0
   Stoney Lane, West Bromwich (3,100)
McLeod, Williams, Flewitt
Albion started with Joe Reader and Bill Williams
Although Burnley defeated West Brom, 5-0, just a week later, they were now destined for the test matches which would, ultimately, relegate them to the Second Division for the first time.
  
  

Division One Table
Team P
Aston Villa 27 41
Sheffield United 28 34
Derby County 25 32
Liverpool 29 32
Preston North End 25 31
Bolton Wanderers 26 28
Wednesday 27 27
Everton 26 25
Nottingham Forest 27 25
Bury 25 25
West Bromwich Albion 27 25
Blackburn Rovers 28 25
Wolverhampton Wanderers 26 22
Sunderland 29 22
Stoke 27 19
Burnley 28 17
     
   
   
The Football League Division Two:

Burton Wanderers 2 Lincoln City 0
   Derby Turn, Burton (1,000)
Handley, Arkesden
  
Gainsborough Trinity 2 Blackpool 0
   The Northolme, Gainsborough (2,000)
C.Brown, Webster
 
Grimsby Town 3 Burton Swifts 0
   Abbey Park, Grimsby (4,000)
Fletcher (2), Graham
 
Notts County 1 Small Heath 2
   Trent Bridge, Nottingham (5,000)
Boucher ~ Abbott (2)
County had George Toone starting
 
Walsall 0 Newcastle United 2
   Hilary Street, Walsall (4,000)
Smellie, Aitken (pen)
 
Woolwich Arsenal 0 Newton Heath 2
   Manor Ground, London (6,000)
Boyd, Donaldson
 
Newton Heath secured their place in the test matches, but defeats at Burnley and Sunderland would leave them in the Second Division for another season.

Division Two Table
Team P
Notts County 29 42
Newton Heath 29 39
Grimsby Town 29 36
Newcastle United 27 33
Small Heath 27 32
Gainsborough Trinity 26 29
Manchester City 26 28
Leicester Fosse 25 27
Darwen 26 26
Blackpool 26 26
Woolwich Arsenal 25 24
Walsall 26 20
Burton Swifts 26 19
Burton Wanderers 26 19
Loughborough 26 18
Lincoln City 27 8
   
   
       Source Notes
TheFA
Scottish FA
England Football Factbook
Richard Keir's Scotland - The Complete International Record
Scottish Sport History
London Hearts
Rothman's Yearbooks
The Football Association Yearbooks
Original Newspaper Reports
Ancestry.com
LFC History
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