England Football Online
Page Last Updated 21 August 2010
 
 
Media Index

1938-39
1947-50
1950-55
1955-60
1960-65

Media Coverage
England on Television
Post-War (1947-50)

The commentators in italics are probable, but not confirmed.

*Double Summer Time (GMT+2)

 Picture supplied by tv50.org.uk
The BBC re-launched its television service in 1946, but outside broadcasts were still limited to London. England games at Wembley and Highbury were transmitted live, although viewers missed out on the Sweden game in November 1947, because the cameras were being used for the following day's Royal Wedding of Prince Philip and Princess Elizabeth, the future Queen.

It was the following season before England appeared on television again. They were scheduled to appear against Switzerland at Highbury in December 1948, but the game was postponed for a day because of fog and it is not known whether the cameras remained to broadcast England's six-goal victory on the Thursday afternoon.

This was also the season which saw the introduction of a commentator who was to become the voice of football on the BBC for over twenty years. Kenneth Wolstenholme, a 28-year-old ex-RAF fighter pilot was installed at the beginning of a boom period for both English football and British television. He would go on to achieve immortality by being behind the microphone when England won the World Cup in 1966.

In the early days, however, his opportunities were limited to games in and around the London area. So it was that whilst England were beating Scotland at Hampden Park in 1950, television viewers had to make do with live coverage of Wembley's first schoolboy international. This was an unexpected ten-goal treat, though, with a 15-year-old Johnny Haynes inspiring England to an 8-2 victory against their Scottish counterparts.

The 1950 World Cup in Brazil just came too early for TV pictures of the tournament to be beamed around the world, so stories of England's embarrassing demise at the hands of the United States took a little while before they were believed.

Season 1946-47

231

Saturday 12 April 1947 - England 1 Scotland 1 [0-1]
Empire Stadium, Wembley, London - Kick-off 3.00 p.m. BST
Television (BBC) - 4:05 p.m. - 4:40 p.m.
commentator
Peter Dimmock
(closing stages only)

232

Saturday 3 May 1947 - England 3 France 0 [0-0]
Arsenal Stadium, Highbury, London - Kick-off 3.30 p.m. DST*
Television (BBC) - 3:20 p.m. - 5:10 p.m.
commentator
Peter Dimmock
Season 1948-49

245

Saturday 9 April 1949 - England 1 Scotland 3 [0-1]
Empire Stadium, Wembley, London - Kick-off 3.00 p.m. BST
Television (BBC) - 2:45 p.m. - 4:40 p.m.
commentator
Kenneth Wolstenholme
Season 1949-50

252

Wednesday 30 November 1949 - England 2 Italy 0 [0-0]
White Hart Lane, Tottenham, London - Kick-off 2.15 p.m. GMT
Television (BBC) - 2:05 p.m. - 3:55 p.m.
commentator
Kenneth Wolstenholme
Other England Internationals Saturday 15th April 1950 - Schoolboys
Empire Stadium, Wembley, London
England 8 Scotland 2 - Television (BBC) - 2:45 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.
commentator Kenneth Wolstenholme

GI