The England World Cup Party-Pre Pool 4 play-off  June 1958
Player	Birthdate	Age	Pos	Club	starts	subs	App		Capt
21. A'Court, Alan	30 September 1934	23	OL	Liverpool FC	3	0	3	1	0
3. Banks, Thomas	10 November 1929	28	LB	Bolton Wanderers FC	4	0	4	0	0
17. Brabrook, Peter	8 November 1937	20	OR	Chelsea FC	0	0	0	0	0
	Brabrook was originally chosen as a provisional party member only, before joining the party
18. Broadbent, Peter F.	15 May 1933	25	IR	Wolverhampton Wanderers FC	0	0	0	0	0
20. Charlton, Robert	11 October 1937	20	IR	Manchester United FC	3	0	3	3	0
4. Clamp, H. Edward	14 September 1934	23	RHB	Wolverhampton Wanderers FC	4	0	4	0	0
15. Clayton, Ronald	5 August 1934	23	RHB	Blackburn Rovers FC	20	0	20	0	0
7. Douglas, Bryan	27 May 1934	24	OR	Blackburn Rovers FC	10	0	10	1	0
11. Finney, Thomas	5 April 1922	36	OL	Preston North End FC	74	0	74	29	0
	Finney was still injured for the match against Austria
10. Haynes, John N.	17 October 1934	23	IL	Fulham FC	23	0	23	9	0
13. Hodgkinson, Alan	16 August 1936	21	GK	Sheffield United FC	4	0	4	4ᵍᵃ	0
	Hodgkinson was originally chosen as a provisional party member only, before becoming a stay-at-home reserve
12. Hopkinson, Edward	29 October 1935	22	GK	Bolton Wanderers FC	6	0	6	9ᵍᵃ	0
2. Howe, Donald	12 October 1935	22	FB	West Bromwich Albion FC	10	0	10	0	0
9. Kevan, Derek T.	6 March 1935	23	CF	West Bromwich Albion FC	10	0	10	6	0
1. McDonald, Colin A.	15 October 1930	27	GK	Burnley FC	4	0	4	5ᵍᵃ	0
16. Norman, Maurice	21 January 1933	25	CHB	Tottenham Hotspur FC	0	0	0	0	0
8. Robson, Robert W.	18 February 1933	25	IR	West Bromwich Albion FC	5	0	5	2	0
22. Setters, Maurice E.	16 December 1936	21	RHB	West Bromwich Albion FC	0	0	0	0	0
	Setters was originally chosen as a provisional party member only, before becoming a stay-at-home reserve
14. Sillett, R. Peter T.	1 February 1933	25	RB	Chelsea FC	3	0	3	0	0
6. Slater, William J.	29 April 1927	31	LHB	Wolverhampton Wanderers FC	9	0	9	0	0
19. Smith, Robert A.	22 February 1933	25	CF	Tottenham Hotspur FC	0	0	0	0	0
	Bobby Smith was originally chosen as a provisional party member only, before joining the party
5. Wright, William A.	6 February 1924	34	CHB	Wolverhampton Wanderers FC	95	0	95	3	80

All information is complete to and including England's last match, the tenth of the 1957-58 season, against Austria on 15 June 1958.

Diary

Saturday, 8 February 1958 - The draw for the World Cup Finals in Sweden in the summer takes place in Stockholm. England drew the toughest group, meeting Austria Russia and Brazil. No other team could have a harder task. Scotland, by contrast, have a plum draw with France, Paraguay and Yugoslavia. With the arrogant Chairman of their Selection Committee, Willie Watters, stating that his country were in the quarter-finals already. The eight-strong committee bent their rules after a seven-hour conference. The rules state that 'the qualifying groups will be decided by a draw, except that countries of one continent will be separated', the committee succeeded in making three 'continents' of Europe. Much conference time was spent in wrangling over whether the committee had the power to do this.

Thursday, 6 March 1958 - The England party will arrive in Sweden three days before their opening Finals match against USSR, and stay in the Park Avenue Hotel, Gothenburg, instead of one of the special Soccer training camps. Walter Winterbottom denied that these preparations would put England at a disadvantage. "We'll arrive late in Sweden, but I know I can trust our players to keep fit. And it would do no good at all to try to isolate them in some special camp. It's the Englishman's nature to learn from playing in matches and to go home when he is not playing. That's the way it is is going to be for our international side—and its the best. There is no point in going over so early, the players will be happier at home. And even if we did want to stay at a camp in Sweden it just isn't practicable. The nearest one I could get is three and a half hours' journey from the centres where our matches will be played. It would make it too tiresome to be worthwhile."

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. Sunday, 18 May 1958, USSR 1 England 1 - "Valentin the Villain monstrously cheated England out of a richly deserved prestige-precious victory in this first-ever clash with Russia t the magnificent Lenin Stadium. The villain, or to give him his correct name, Valentin Ivanov, the 23 Russian inside-right, was guilty of the most flagrant hands I have seen this season—just a split second before he fired in an UNJUST EQUALISER in the 78th minute. Immediately Ivanov committed his Soccer crime—palming the ball down with his right arm—I leapt off my stand seat along with five hundred other British supporters roaring: 'Hands!' But incredibly Austrian referee Friedrich Zeipelt never blew his whistle. Valentin the Villain went on to hook the ball past Colin McDonald into the empty net. The 110,000 crowd, momentarily hushed into silence, suddenly realised their Russian luck and exploded into a thankful roar. England skipper Billy Wright and his entire defence, backed up by those 500 solidly British fans in the stand, protested furiously to Herr Zeipelt. But this stubborn man in black scorned their pleas and shrugged his way back to the centre circle shaking his head furiously. England players stood around him amazed! It was a goal . . . but in name and in the record books only. But even if England are not rewarded with a record book win, this was a decisive and thoroughly earned victory MORAL VICTORY." - Peter Lorenzo, Daily Herald Monday, 19 May 1958 - A heavy thunderstorm delayed the departure of the England party. They left two hours later than scheduled in a Russian jet airliner TU194 bound for Prague. Leading Soviet sports officials were at the airport, as was Russian ballerina Galina Ulanova, to wave farewell to the England party. They eventually touched down at London Airport shortly before nine o'clock tonight. The Beverley Sisters were at the airport to greet the team, in particular, captain Billy Wright. The party will meet up again on 3 June. Wednesday, 21 May 1958 - Walter Winterbottom said today that he may delay announcement of his 22-man World Cup party until the end of next week. The probables will gather in London next Tuesday for training until Friday, returning home for the weekend. Then the players reassemble in London and fly to Sweden on Thursday, 5 June. Friday, 23 May 1958 - The BBC are making extensive plans to show in full many matches in the World Cup Finals in Sweden. A BBC camera team will form part of a Eurovision Broadcast Unit pool in Sweden throughout the Championships to bring special film reports to games which are not available on live television. On Sunday, 8 June, and the following Sunday, complete matches will be televised during the afternoon and evening. Provision is also been made for replays. Commentary will be provided by Kenneth Wolstenholme and Wally Barnes, and David Colman will be giving some of the film commentaries. Brian Clough is likely to be passed over again when the Selection Committee meet next Tuesday to decide on the World Cup party. His greatest champion, Middlesbrough FC director Harry French, is unable to attend the meeting, and so will not be able to put forward Clough's case. Tuesday, 28 May 1958 - As many England players turn up to Roehampton to practice, a party that includes Northern Ireland captain Danny Blanchflower, because the Irish have no training programme of their own, the England party is chosen. The Selection Committee have dropped Brian Clough, despite his goalscoring record this season, and despite taking him across Europe, without playing, and despite him being called into train in London. Instead, Bobby Smith gets the nod to be the second centre-forward to Derek Kevan. Nat Lofthouse has also been looked over. Jim Langley is the only player from the Yugoslavia defeat to not make the party, Peter Sillett being named as the only reserve full-back instead, as he can play on both flanks. The selectors have overwhelmed the party with forward options. Every attacking position has a reserve, and six of the ten are competent inside-forwards. Alan Hodgkinson and Maurice Setters have been told to standby in case of injuries. Walter Winterbottom has arranged for the England team to train at the Nya Ullevi ground in Gothenburg. Wednesday, 29 May 1958 - Following a night in a hotel on Bayswater, with the exception of the five London-based players, who all went home, the England party train in Finchley. Thursday, 30 May 1958 - At The Bank of England Sports Club Ground in Roehampton, England beat Wales in a friendly practice match, in front of forty children. It was expected that both sides would take things easily but both teams went at the ball with a will. Both Walter Winterbottom and Jimmy Murphy must have shuddered at the robustness of the tackling. Although England won, through a splendidly taken Derek Kevan goal, there was nothing between the two sides. Each man playing as if his World Cup place was at stake. At half-time, both sides fielded seven substitutes. According to World Cup regulations no two opposing competing sides can face each other within three weeks of the tournament, hence the match was dubbed as a practice, and the regulation time was not adhered too. England played in blue jerseys, whereas Wales played in white. Former England left-back, Bill Nicholson currently the assistant-manager at Tottenham Hotspur, will be used in the same capacity in Sweden as Winterbottom's assistant. Tuesday, 3 June 1958 - As many of the World Cup parties arrive in Sweden, most of England's party return to training in Roehampton, feeling a whole lot happier after being informed they will receive a daily allowance whilst on World Cup duty. Walter Winterbottom said: "We have decided that the daily allowance normally given to players on international tours will be paid for World Cup games." Tom Finney, meanwhile, is having hospital treatment on a septic blister on his right-foot. Alan A'Court deputised for Finney in the 90-minute practice game. Peter Broadbent was also given a 'senior' status as inside-left as Johnny Haynes played for the reserve side. Although the team to face USSR will not be announced until Friday, the players will know by the end of today. After long negotiations between the BBC and Swedish authorities to televise the tournament over the Eurovision link, ITV has moved in to take a share of the coverage of the England-Brazil match on 11 June. The whole commercial network will show the match, with introduction and summing up from 6.45 to 8.45. The BBC will run their programme from 6.45 until 8.55. ITV programmes for that night have been scrapped or delayed. Many of the countries as they arrive and inspect their venues, begin to complain about the state of the pitches. Wednesday, 4 June 1958 - The party, with the exception of Tom Finney, are training again in Roehampton. Billy Wright ended the morning's training session with a bruised thigh after colliding with Maurice Setter's knee. He had treatment in the afternoon and evening to try and overcome any damage. FIFA announce that any player sent-off will be suspended for the next match, in any effort to dissuade the violent play that is creeping into the game. Thursday, 5 June 1958 - The party, again with the exception of Tom Finney, and without Billy Wright, are again training in Roehampton in the morning. Three hours later, just after midday, they leave London Airport for Gothenburg by plane, via Copenhagen. Finney, wearing a slipper, has a 'fifty-fifty chance' and Wright is likely to be fit  for their opening match on Sunday. Half their luggage, however, lost in Copenhagen, is expected to arrive late. England are the last country to arrive for the Tournament. Winterbottom justifies his decision: "The players prefer it. Several of the other teams here are complaining of being bored already. We have never trained more thoroughly or been happier." Friday, 6 June 1958 - The England World Cup Finals Selection Committee, headed by Joe Mears, and includes Graham Doggart, Lt-Col. Gerry Mitchell, David Wiseman, and Team Manager Walter Winterbottom, announce the after the morning training session on the Nya Ullevi stadium pitch. It is the same side which drew against Russia in Moscow. The workout this morning, between 10.30 and 1.30 was a strenuous one, though both Billy Wright and Tom Finney took it more easily than the others, in fact, Finney was pulled off twenty minutes before the end. When the English party came off, the Russians took their turn on the pitch. Finney's chances of playing were still rated as 50/50. Winterbottom added: "Finney is still doubtful. If he cannot play, Charlton will move to the left-wing with Bobby Robson at inside-right. The other alternative is Alan A'Court comes in at left-wing." Saturday, 7 June 1958 - The English Selectors will organise a special meeting to decide how much their players will receive should they win the World Cup, Paraguay are on £10 a man. The Argentinians £1000. The Hungarians have been promised a salary increase. The Brazilians are on £1500 and a new car. Joe Mears says his players prize will be generous, probably around £500. The prize and wage fund has caused a row between the four Home nations. All four British teams are being paid £50 a man per match. But the problem arises with England then giving their players another £2 a day each spending money. The Scots, Irish and Welsh have to pay for their own pleasures out of their match fee. They phoned the Football Association asking them to stop paying the expenses. "We cannot afford it!" Joe Mears reaction: "Too bad. We can. So we'll go on." The three Associations today have asked their English counterparts to reconsider and have threatened to get tough before the next IFAB meeting. Says Mears: "We'll go on paying. They can do what they like. We've paid this allowance for years." Several British pressmen were booked to stay at the same Park Avenue hotel in Gothenburg as the England party, but found their reservations switched on arrival. No explanations were offered but it was at the request of Sir Stanley Rous, the FA Secretary. The England party in the meantime, spend an evening at the cinema before an evening pep-talk from Walter Winterbottom. "This is a match we must win. We demand a 100 per cent effort from you all. Nothing less will be considered good enough." Sunday, 8 June 1958 - England 2 USSR 2 - "Five minutes from the end of this amazing match, Preston's master footballer, Tom Finney, cracked in a penalty equaliser to crown the most courageous England comeback it has been my pleasure to see. But for an incredible decision by Hungarian referee Istvan Zsolt in disallowing a Bobby Robson goal seven minutes before the dramatic penalty, England would have snatched a glorious victory. What a fantastic, stirring comeback this was! For the first painful 65 minutes the superbly drilled Russians, with five changes from the shambling draw that escaped with a draw against us in Moscow three weeks ago, almost ground us into the lush green turf of this beautiful new Ullevi Stadium. England could not match them for pace, strength, artistry or ideas, though at times there was too much strength from the rugged Russians. They ripped into fierce crunching tackles that brought several admonishing gestures from referee Zsolt. Just before the interval, after a vicious fould by left-half Victor Tsarev on Finney, the referee called over the Russian skipper, centre-forward Simonyan, and warned him 'one more foul like that and Tsarev goes off.'" - Peter Lorenzo, Daily Herald Despite the fierce tackling the England player's endured during the match, they sustained no serious injuries, and all should be available for selection again ahead of Brazil on Wednesday. England's assistant, Billy Nicholson, was watching the Brazil-Austria match in Uddevalla. Monday, 9 June 1958 - Tom Finney is doubtful for England's remaining two group matches. The Preston winger had developed a swelling behind his right knee and was barely able to walk this morning. "Tom's knee is our only injury worry. I'm afraid it's rather nasty," confirmed Walter Winterbottom. Finney remained at their hotel headquarters today under the supervision of a local doctor. as the rest of the team went on a sightseeing tour. Tuesday, 10 June 1958 - Despite the doubts over Tom Finney, the England selectors today have chosen the same World Cup team meet Brazil tomorrow as that which played Russia on Sunday. Finney must pass a fitness test tomorrow otherwise his place goes to Alan A'Court. The Selectors took nearly 45 minutes to decide the team. In a trial match today, the 'Probables' team included A'Court instead of Finney. However, Finney's knee was given heat treatment and his leg improved because of it. The doctors fitted him with a special knee pad so that he could continue to have treatment throughout the evening. Wednesday, 11 June 1958 - Alan A'Court will replace Tom Finney in the England team for the match against Brazil tonight after he failed a fitness test. Finney's absence will be a big blow for England. His withdrawal will weaken the attack, already the most suspect part of the team. He had treatment for nearly an hour this morning before going to the training stadium for a workout. After he jogged around the pitch at half speed with a heavily strapped right knee, Winterbottom admitted defeat to his fitness. Brazil 0 England 0 - "Glory be! England did it. They held the superb Soccer senors, who have crashed in 28 goals in their last eight games, to a golden draw. Sing it to the skies . . . we're still in the World Cup . . . with a strong fighting chance of winning through to the quarter-finals. You would never have thought that—Alan A'Court for injured Tom Finney apart—this was the same England team that performed so shabbily for the first 65 minutes against the rugged Russians on Sunday. Heavens be praised, Billy Wright and his 10 gallant white shirts started the night where they left off against the crunching comrades—in battling, brilliant style. And they kept it up for the whole of the 90 blood-tingling minutes, which produced some of the finest football we can hope to see in this competition. Thankfully, the fitting reward for gallant England is that we are still very much interested in this, the greatest Soccer show on earth. But we must beat Austria on Sunday to retain that interest." - Peter Lorenzo, Daily Herald "Sunday's problems: If England beat Austria and the Russia-Brazil match has a definitive result, England qualify for the last eight with the winners. A Russian draw and an England win means a play-off. If both matches are drawn then England will be out of the World Cup." England's assistant, Billy Nicholson, was watching the Russia-Austria match in Borås - "Austria play England's type of game. It's not going to be as easy as it looks on paper." Thursday, 12 June 1958 - Walter Winterbottom reports that some of his players have minor bruising, but thinks the team will be available for selection on Sunday. The main worries are still Tom Finney, but also now Tommy Banks, who struggled towards the end of the match with Brazil with a right knee injury. Finney is improving, and all twenty members of the party took part in light training this morning. The other injured men are Billy Wright (bruised puffed knee), Bobby Robson (bruised thigh) and Johnny Haynes. Graham Doggart, one of the FA Selectors in Gothenburg, also went to hospital today with an infected face. "During England's training session this morning, Cannon-ball Bobby Charlton cracked in a fierce low-right-footer. It missed the target by a hairs breadth, and blasted some wooden palings behind the goal. Cracked bystander Walter Winterbottom, surveying the damage. 'That will cost you five bob for damages, Bobby.' Charlton smiled back . . but for my blood it was the smile of a lad saying: 'That's just to show I am still around. That I still know how to kick a ball.'" Billy Nicholson has flown off to watch the Hungary-Sweden match in Solna. Potentially, one of the these countries will be England's quarter-finals opponents. In Stockholm, Swedish FA are in a bitter dispute with FIFA, because the governing body of world football are seeking to change their own rules and scrap play-off matches between countries level on points after three qualifying matches. They are suggesting that only goal average should count.  The Swedish FA have already suffered with cash loss following a less-than-expected sale of tickets—and they need the extra play-off matches to take place to generate extra needed finances. Friday, 13 June 1958 - England face the possibility of playing their crucial World Cup match against Austria without Billy Wright. Neither he or Tom Finney joined in today's practice match in Boras. Alan A'Court again played in the outside-left position in the hour-long session, and Maurice Norman took over Wright's position. It would be the first time in 59 matches that Wright has not played for England, dating back to May 1951. Wright has not training seriously since bruising his knee on Wednesday. The Selectors will name the side after tomorrows training session with speculation over the involvement of Bobby Charlton. This morning, in front of several hundred spectators, the England Journalists XI drew 3-3 with their Swedish counterparts. At a FIFA meeting tonight, the proposal to drop play-offs, and let goal averages decide the tables, was rejected. Saturday, 14 June 1958 - The sensational announcement from England headquarters this afternoon is that the team to meet Austria tomorrow night is unchanged. Four of the five selectors—Graham Doggart is still poorly—met over afternoon tea, and fifteen minutes later, Walter Winterbottom emerged with a smile on his face to say: 'No change!' Sunday, 15 June 1958 - England 2 Austria 2 - "England are still in! A scrappy fumbling draw tonight—their third on the run—earns them a play-off decider with Russia in Gothenburg's Ullevi Stadium on Tuesday. And immediately, while I still sit in this little picturesque stadium marvelling at the narrowness of the escape, I implore England selectors to bring back Bobby Charlton. It will be Soccer folly, nay criminal, if they leave him out after this almost shotless, embarrassing performance against a previously pointless Austria. England had three glaring chances of winning, and of saving themselves the anxiety of what is sure to be a still tougher second clash with the Russians, thankfully beaten 3-0 tonight by Brazil. Inside-right Bobby Robson, twice, and right-winger Bryan Douglas were the offenders. Each time the situation demanded the simplest of skill—a first-time accurate shot. Each time we got powder-puff taps which would have disgraced any schoolboy. What England would do without captain courageous Billy Wright, goalkeeper Colin McDonald and full-backs Don Howe and Tommy Banks, heaven alone knows. Wright, surviving a last-minute fitness test on his battered knee, and that streak of lightning McDonald, were again our two most hard-working defenders. But my special bouquet goes to that tough, tenacious lad from Lancashire, Banks, who had his best ever England game." - Peter Lorenzo, Daily Herald Monday, 16 June 1958 - England will go into their World Cup play-off against Russia without their 'hoodoo' referee, István Zsolt. The Hungarian referee, who was in the list of officials for the play-off match, has been 'dropped.' He is replaced with West German Albert Dusch. As referee, Zsolt disallowed Bobby Robson's legitimate goal in the first match against Russia after Derek Kevan collided with their goalkeeper, Lev Yashin. And as linesman last night, he again denied Bobby Robson another legitimate goal, that time claiming handball. However, no formal protest was made by the England officials. It seems to have been a tactful decision made by FIFA chiefs. The reserves were out training today. Tuesday, 17 June 1958 - After this morning's training, Tom Finney declared himself much improved, but not 100% fit. He was given no ball work after he jogged around the ground. Although Finney is keen to play, Walter Winterbottom and his co-selectors felt he should not be included if he was not 100%. Billy Wright, who has a bruised knee, also has loosening-up exercises, but there is no doubt regarding his fitness. It means that England have made three changes from Sunday's side. A new right-wing partnership of Peter Brabrook and Peter Broadbent replace Douglas and Robson, and Eddie Clamp pays for his mistakes against Austria by losing his place to Ronnie Clayton. Alan A'Court keeps his place as outside-left.

England Form: last six games
W L D D D D  f 7:a 11  success: 50%
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
321	18 May 1958 - USSR 1 England 1 [0-1] Lenin Stadium, Moskva (102,000-110,000)	V.Ivanov Kevan		AD
322	8 June 1958 - England 2 USSR 2 [0-1] Nya Ullevi Stadion, Göteborg (49,348)	Kevan, Finney (pen) Simonyan, A.Ivanov	WCF	ND
323	8 June 1958 - Brazil 0 England 0 [0-0] Nya Ullevi Stadion, Göteborg (40,895)			ND
324	15 June 1958 - England 2 Austria 2 [0-1] Ryavallen Stadion, Borås (15,872)	Haynes, Kevan Koller, Körner		ND