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Unofficial from 1946
 

Results Index

England's Matches
Unofficial until 1946

 

This list contains the results of matches not accorded status as official internationals and where: 

  • one of the teams was selected by the Football Association (or a member of).

  • the entire team representing England was eligible to play for England at full international level at the time (except for emergency replacements).

  • the team opposing England was representing a geographical area or league outside of England (not necessarily a separate or complete nation or consisting entirely of players from the same nation).

For ease of reference, teams that played as 'FA XI' are labelled 'England'.

The list does not include:

  • games against club sides.

  • testimonial matches.

  • games against other England teams.

  • games against teams from the armed forces.

  • official trial matches.

  • all-amateur England teams after 1906 (when the England amateur team was formed).

However, details of these games can be found by clicking here.

* Although the half-time break was introduced on 23 February 1870, the teams only changed ends if no goal had been scored in the first 45 minutes. This rule existed up until 1876, when the half-time interval was introduced.

Season 1869-70

x

Charlie Alcock
Friendly matches

There was not yet a governing body to take responsibility for a Scottish national team. Although it was, primarily, a Scottish team, only one player had actually been born north of the border and all of the team played for clubs in and around London, as was the case for the following four games. This match had previously been scheduled for 19th February, but it was postponed because of a severe frost.

1 5 March 1870 - England 1 Scotland 1*
The Surrey Cricket Ground, Kennington (500-600)
Baker
Crawford
HD

England fielded two future internationals, Scotland just one, though their goalkeeper went on to play for England.


Season 1870-71
2 19 November 1870 - England 1 Scotland 0*
The Surrey Cricket Ground, Kennington (650)
Walker HW

England fielded two future internationals, as did Scotland, who again included a future England international.

3 25 February 1871 - England 1 Scotland 1*
The Surrey Cricket Ground, Kennington (500-600+)
Walker
Nepean
HD

England fielded three future internationals, Scotland two, but they also included three future England internationals.


Season 1871-72
4 18 November 1871 - England 2 Scotland 1*
The Surrey Cricket Ground, Kennington (650+)
Walker (2)
Renny-Tailyour
HW

England fielded three future internationals, Scotland two, but they also included two future England internationals.

5 24 February 1872 - England 1 Scotland 0*
The Surrey Cricket Ground, Kennington (650+)
C.Clegg HW

England fielded six future internationals. The only future international in the Scotland line-up went on to play for England.

Nine months later, Queen's Park Football Club invited the Football Association to Glasgow and selected a wholly Scottish team to face England for the first time. The visitors only included two members of the team that had beaten 'Scotland' in February. This, of course, was just the beginning...

Season 1891-92

x

International Selection Committee (The F.A.)
Western Football Association (Ontario) Tour Match

Ontario's Western Football Association sent a 17-man Canadian squad on a 23-match tour of England, Scotland and Belfast in 1888. Three years later, they returned for a mammoth 58-match tour of all four home nations, running from August 1891 to January 1892, and including games against the national teams. However, they were only able to recruit ten Canadian players and the rest of the 19-man squad was made up of Americans from New England clubs.

6 19 December 1891 - England 6 North America 1 [3-0]
The Surrey Cricket Ground, Kennington
(1,500)
Cotterill, Smith (4), Henfrey
Warbrick
HW

When Canada came to face England, there were seven Americans in the line-up, so it was more United States than Canada. Two of the England team had been capped that year and another six were future internationals.


Season 1899-1900

Football Association Tour

 
7 23 November 1899 - Germany 2 England 13 [1-6]
Athletik-Sportsplatz, Berlin
(1,500)
Jestram, Bock
Chadwick
(5), Brown (2), Wilson (2), Forman (2), Bassett (2)
AW

The Football Association took a 14-man squad on their first ever tour. Seven of the team in the opening game had played in full internationals for England. All but one of the German team played for local clubs in Berlin.

8 24 November 1899 - Germany 2 England 10 [1-7]
Athletik-Sportsplatz, Berlin
(512)
Jestram, Bock
Rogers
(5), Forman (2), Taylor (2), Bassett
AW

A rematch was staged at 10 a.m. on the following day, so that the FA party could catch the afternoon train to Prague. The visitors made two changes and fielded six full internationals, whilst the Germans included six members of the previous day's team.

9 26 November 1899 - Austria 0 England 8 [0-5]
Stadión Letn
á, Praha
Rogers, Wilson (2), Bassett, Chadwick (2), Brown (2) AW

The English visitors, once again with six internationals in the side, beat a team of players mostly made up from Bohemian clubs, with two from Vienna. At the time, Bohemia was part of the Austrian Empire, as it was, nine years later, when England played a full international against them, despite it not being a country in its own right.

10 28 November 1899 - Germany 0 England 7 [0-4]
Military Exercise Ground, Karlsruhe
(3,000)
Taylor (2), Chadwick (3), Rogers, Brown AW

The FA party travelled to south-western Germany for the final game of the tour and played with six full internationals in the side. Germany fielded five of the team that had lost to them in Berlin, four days earlier.


Season 1901-02
Football Association German-Invitation Tour Matches  
11 21 September 1901 - England 12 Germany 0 [5-0]
White Hart Lane, Tottenham
(5,252)
Foster (6), Farnfield (2), Smith (2), Ryder, Hales HW

The Football Association repaid the hospitality that they had received two years earlier, by inviting a German team over to England for two games. England fielded an entirely amateur eleven, including two full internationals, in the first fixture. It was to be another five years before an official England amateur team was founded.

12 25 September 1901 - England 10 Germany 0 [4-0]
Hyde Road, Manchester
(5,500)
Calvey (2), Smith, Wooldridge (4), Bloomer (2), Wharton HW

Four days later, an entirely professional eleven, also including two full internationals, but also with four future internationals in the side, enjoyed another goal feast at the expense of their German visitors.

British Championship  

What began as an official international between two fierce rivals, with Scotland needing a point to win the title and England needing to win, ended as nothing more than an exhibition match, because of the horrific collapse of part of the terracing in the West Tribune Stand in the early stages of the game. 25 people lost their lives as they disappeared through a gaping hole, and over 500 were injured, but following a twenty-minute delay, the game continued and it was played to its conclusion. The majority of the crowd were unaware of the magnitude of the disaster and the authorities had decided that it would be safer for the rest of the match to be played so as not to cause any further panic in a now-overcrowded stadium. However, many of the players were aware of the deaths and the second half was, consequently, played in a non-competitive spirit. It was agreed that the game would be replayed four weeks later, at Villa Park, Birmingham, where the sides drew 2-2. All proceeds were donated to the Ibrox Disaster Fund.

13 5 April 1902 - Scotland 1 England 1 [1-1]
Ibrox Park, Glasgow
(68,114)
Brown
Settle
AD

Season 1909-10

x

Charles Hughes
Footbal Association Tour of South Africa

An 18-man squad left Southampton on May 7 for the 17-day voyage to South Africa where they embarked on a 23-match tour, spanning nine weeks. Nine of the squad had previously played in full internationals (though one withdrew after two games because of injury and another player then joined the squad), whilst another two went on to win full caps.

14 26 May 1910 - Western Province 1 England 7 [ - ]
Cape Town, British Cape Colony
(3,000)
nk
Holley (3), Fleming (2), Duckworth, Raine
AW

The first match of the tour, just two days after the visitors' arrival, saw the Football Association eleven take on a team restricted to those born locally in the British colony, which was about to be unified with the three other British colonies to form the Union of South Africa, five days later.

15 28 May 1910 - Western Province 0 England 13 [0- ]
Cape Town, British Cape Colony
(3,000)
Hibbert (6), Berry (3), Woodward (2), Wedlock, Holley AW
16 1 June 1910 - Griqualand West 0 England 2 [0- ]
Kimberley, Cape Province
Wall, Hibbert AW
17 4 June 1910 - Griqualand West 1 England 7 [ - ]
Kimberley, Cape Province
nk
Hibbert (3), Fleming (2), Berry (2)
AW
18 8 June 1910 -
Orange Free State Province 0 England 4 [0- ]
Bloemfontein, Orange Free State Province
Hibbert (2), Woodward, Wall AW
19 11 June 1910 - Johannesburg 1 England 6 [1-5]
Wanderers Ground, Johannesburg
(5,000)
Messer
Woodward, Wall (3 (1 pen)), Fleming, Holley
AW
20 13 June 1910 - West Rand 1 England 3 [ - ]
Krugersdorp, Transvaal Province
nk
Wall, Raine, Fleming
AW
21 15 June 1910 - Pretoria 1 England 4 [ - ]
Pretoria, Transvaal Province
nk
Hibbert (2), Wedlock, Holley
AW
22 18 June 1910 - Transvaal Province 0 England 1 [0- ]
Wanderers Ground, Johannesburg
Hibbert AW
23 20 June 1910 - Klip River 3 England 13 [ - ]
Ladysmith, Natal Province
nk
Hibbert (6), Raine (3), Holley (2), Wedlock, Wall
AW
24 22 June 1910 - Pietermaritzburg 0 England 6 [0- ]
Pietermaritzburg, Natal Province
Holley (3), Hibbert (2), Wedlock AW
25 25 June 1910 - Natal Province 2 England 6 [ - ]
Durban, Natal Province
nk
Berry
(3), Woodward (2), Hibbert
AW
First Test  
26 29 June 1910 - South Africa 0 England 3 [0-1]
Durban, Natal Province
(5,000)
Hibbert (3) AW

In the First Test, against the national team of South Africa, the FA eleven included six full internationals, plus the two future internationals.

27 2 July 1910 - Cape Frontier 0 England 7 [0- ]
East London, Cape Province
Wall (3), Fleming (2), Woodward (2) AW
28 4 July 1910 - Cape Frontier 0 England 6 [0- ]
King William's Town, Cape Province
Fleming (3), Woodward (2), Raine AW
29 6 July 1910 - Port Elizabeth 0 England 8 [0- ]
Port Elizabeth, Cape Province
Hibbert (3), Woodward (2), Duckworth, Berry, Holley AW
30 9 July 1910 - Eastern Province 0 England 10 [0- ]
Port Elizabeth, Cape Province
Woodward (3), Fleming (3), Hibbert (3), Richards AW
31 12 July 1910 - Grahamstown 0 England 9 [0- ]
Grahamstown, Cape Province
Holley (3), Woodward (2), Wedlock, Raine, Berry, nk AW
32 16 July 1910 - Rand League 1 England 2 [ - ]
Wanderers Ground, Johannesburg, Transvaal Province
nk
Woodward, Fleming
AW
33 20 July 1910 - East Rand 0 England 5 [0- ]
Vogelfontein, Transvaal Province
Woodward (3), Holley (2) AW
Second Test  
34 23 July 1910 - South Africa 2 England 6 [1-3]
Wanderers Ground, Johannesburg
(13,000)
Messer, Hartigan
Fleming
(2), Woodward (2), Wall, Holley
AW

South Africa made six changes from the team beaten at Durban, the previous month, and managed to score twice. England fielded five full internationals, plus the two future internationals.

35 27 July 1910 - Western Province 0 England 9 [0- ]
Cape Town, Cape Province
Woodward (2), Fleming (2), Raine (2), Silto, Hibbert, Sharpe AW
Third Test  
36 30 July 1910 - South Africa 3 England 6 [2-1]
Cape Town, Cape Province (5,000)
Leeming OG, Lincoln, Hartigan
Holley
(2),
Woodward (2), Fleming, Berry
AW

South Africa only made three changes from the previous week's defeat, and led at half-time, but the tourists, with seven full internationals in the side, plus a future cap, managed to complete their fixtures with a hundred per cent record, before the long journey home and the start of the new football season.


Season 1915-16

x

International Selection Committee (The F.A.)

Wartime International

England's first match since the outbreak of war in 1914 was staged to raise money for the Lord Mayor of Liverpool's Roll of Honour Fund.

37 13 May 1916 - England 4 Scotland 3 [3-1]
Goodison Park, Liverpool
(22,000)
Smith, Hampton, Abrams, Mosscrop
Scott, J.Reid, Galt
HW

The home team were able to field six full internationals, whilst Scotland had three players that had been capped before the war and one that became a full international after the hostilities had ended.


Season 1918-19

Victory Internationals

 
38 26 April 1919 - England 2 Scotland 2 [1-2]
Goodison Park, Liverpool
(31,809)
Turnbull, Puddefoot
Wright, Bowie
HD

Scotland were two goals up inside 13 minutes, but England finished on top after drawing level. Only one player on the field (England's Joe Smith) had appeared in the fixture at the same venue, three years earlier. Five of each team had been capped before the war and another four, also of each team, were to be honoured when official internationals were resumed.

39 3 May 1919 - Scotland 3 England 4 [0-3]
Hampden Park, Glasgow
(80,000)
Wilson (2 (1 pen)), Morton
Grimsdell
(2), Puddefoot (2)
AW

An unchanged England team carried on from where they had left off the previous week and they were three goals up at half-time, before going on to secure their first ever victory in the largest stadium in the world. Scotland made two changes and only had one player that was to end his career without a full cap.


Season 1919-20

Despite the British Championship resuming two weeks later, with England due to face Wales in March, two additional fixtures were organised; the first of which, the previous week, had been postponed because of a rail strike. The Football Association used the games as trial matches for the upcoming meeting with Ireland in Belfast and they selected two different elevens to face Wales.

40 11 October 1919 - Wales 2 England 1 [1-0]
Ninian Park, Cardiff
(20,000)
Meredith, Wynn
Puddefoot
AL

Only Syd Puddefoot remained from the side that had won at Hampden at the end of the previous season, only Charlie Buchan had been capped before the war and only three of the side went on to become full internationals. With Football League games being played at the same time, no club was asked to supply more than one player. A very experienced Welsh side, eight of which had been capped before the war (whilst another two would go on to win full honours), took the lead through the ageless 45-year-old, Billy Meredith, in his first match of the season, when his cross was fumbled by England goalkeeper, Ernie Williamson. Full-back, Billy Ball went off injured at half-time and England played the second half with only ten men, suffering their first defeat to Wales since 1882. Only captain, Arthur Knight was selected for the British Championship fixture, two weeks later.

41 18 October 1919 - England 2 Wales 0 [1-0]
Victoria Ground, Boothen, Stoke-on-Trent
(16,000)
Whittingham, Smith HW

In the rearranged fixture postponed from two weeks earlier, a more experienced England team, with four pre-war internationals and five future caps, were more convincing than the previous week's side. Eight of the side played in the 1-1 draw in Belfast, the following week. Wales made three changes to give them seven full internationals and three future caps. Despite this defeat, they returned five months later, to Highbury, and beat yet another different England side, only two of which had beaten them at Stoke.

   

x

John Lewis
Football Association Tour of South Africa

Ten years after the first tour of South Africa, the Football Association returned to the British Empire dominion by sea to contest 14 games with their hosts, over seven weeks. Only three members of the twenty-strong squad were full internationals, although another four were later capped.

42 29 May 1920 - Western Province 0 England 3 [0-3]
Hartleyvale Stadium, Cape Town
Woodcock (2), Fazackerley AW

As in the previous tour, the visitors kicked off against a side comprised entirely of players born in the Western Province of the former British Cape Colony.

43 31 May 1920 - Western Province 1 England 5 [ - ]
Hartleyvale Stadium, Cape Town
nk AW
44 5 June 1920 - Witwatersrand 0 England 4 [0-2]
Wanderers Ground, Johannesburg
Rogers, Smith (2), Woodcock AW
45 9 June 1920 - Pretoria 1 England 3 [ - ]
Pretoria, Transvaal Province
nk AW
46 12 June 1920 - Transvaal Province 1 England 3 [ - ]
Johannesburg, Transvaal Province
nk AW
47 16 June 1920 - Natal Province 0 England 3 [0- ]
Pietermaritzburg, Natal Province
nk AW
First Test  
48 19 June 1920 - South Africa 1 England 3 [1-2]
Durban, Natal Province
(16,000)
Fitchat
Turnbull
(2), Smith
AW

England's three full internationals played in the First Test, alongside two of the future caps.

49 23 June 1920 - East Rand 1 England 4 [ - ]
Vogelfontein, Transvaal Province
nk AW
Second Test  
50 26 June 1920 - South Africa 1 England 3 [0-2]
Wanderers Ground, Johannesburg
(19,000)
nk
Fazackerley
(2), Woodcock
AW

England again fielded their three full internationals, with just one of the players that were later capped. South Africa changed both full-backs and the goalkeeper, but again conceded three goals.

51 30 June 1920 - Griqualand West 1 England 5 [ - ]
Kimberley, Cape Province
nk AW
52 3 July 1920 -
Orange Free State Province 2 England 4 [ - ]
Bloemfontein, Orange Free State Province
nk AW
53 7 July 1920 - Port Elizabeth 0 England 6 [0- ]
Port Elizabeth, Cape Province
nk AW
54 10 July 1920 - Cape Frontier 0 England 9 [0- ]
East London, Cape Province
nk AW
Third Test  
55 17 July 1920 - South Africa 1 England 9 [0-4]
Hartleyvale Stadium, Cape Town, Cape Province (13,000)
Mason (pen)
Fazackerley
(4), Smith (2), Mercer, Turnbull, Barber
AW

The visitors completed another hundred per cent record with their three full internationals and three future caps. South Africa made five changes from the side that had lost the Second Test in Johannesburg, but they had to suffer a humbling defeat.


Season 1924-25

x

John Lewis
Football Association Tour of Australia

A mammoth 25-match tour over the entire three-month close-season, actually took up five months for the 18 players (five of whom were full internationals, two of them goalkeepers), because it took a month to get to Australia by sea and a month to get back. John Lewis, the squad's 70-year-old manager, sadly died just five months after the tour. The party sailed from Tilbury in Essex on April 4 and landed at Fremantle on May 6. On the following day, they became the first British team to play a match in Australia.

56 7 May 1925 - Perth 0 England 8 [0- ]
Perth, Western Australia
nk AW
57 9 May 1925 - Western Australia 0 England 7 [0- ]
Fremantle, Western Australia
Williams (4), Simms (2), Hannaford AW
58 14 May 1925 - South Australia 0 England 10 [0- ]
Adelaide Oval, South Australia
(4,000)
Batten (6), Williams (2), Seymour, Hamilton AW

England fielded only two of their full internationals, but the Australian team lost their goalkeeper to a thigh injury after 25 minutes, with England already two goals up, and they spent the rest of the game with ten men, and an outfield player in goal.

59 16 May 1925 - Australia 1 England 4 [ - ]
Thebarton, Adelaide
nk AW
60 20 May 1925 - Victoria 0 England 7 [0- ]
Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne
(5,600)
Simms, nk AW
61 23 May 1925 - Australia 0 England 5 [0- ]
Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne
nk AW
62 30 May 1925 - New South Wales 2 England 3 [0- ]
Sydney Showground, Sydney
(50,000)
Masters (2)
Simms, Batten (2)
AW
63 3 June 1925 - Sydney 1 England 3 [ - ]
Sydney Showground,
Sydney
nk AW
64 6 June 1925 - Illawarra 0 England 8 [0- ]
Wollongong, New South Wales
nk AW
65 8 June 1925 - New South Wales 1 England 4 [ - ]
Sydney Showground, Sydney
nk AW
66 13 June 1925 - Northern Districts 0 England 6 [0- ]
Newcastle Showground, New
vastle (15,000)
Batten (2), Simms (2), Hannaford (2) AW
67 17 June 1925 - Ipswich 0 England 3 [0- ]
Ipswich, Queensland
nk AW
68 20 June 1925 - Queensland 0 England 11 [0-6]
Brisbane Exhibition Ground, Queensland
(15,000)
Simms (5), Batten (4), Hannaford, Caesar AW
69 24 June 1925 - North Queensland 0 England 9 [0- ]
Bundaberg, Queensland
nk AW
First Test  
70 27 June 1925 - Australia 1 England 5 [0-3]
Brisbane Exhibition Ground, Queensland
Lennard
Simms (3), Batten (2)
AW

Four full internationals helped the tourists to victory in the first official test match (though not an official international, as far as the Football Association was concerned).

71 29 June 1925 - Toowoomba 0 England 6 [o- ]
Toowoomba, Queensland
nk AW
Second Test  
72 4 July 1925 - Australia 1 England 2 [ - ]
Sydney Showground, Sydney (25,000)
Smith
Simms, Elkes
AW

Australia made five changes from the previous week's defeat in Brisbane, and the visitors, with four England caps, faced another tough test in Sydney in front of a large crowd.

73 8 July 1925 - Newcastle 0 England 3 [0- ]
Newcastle Showground, New South Wales
(2,500)
nk AW
Third Test  
74 11 July 1925 - Australia 2 England 8 [1-5]
West Maitland
Showground, New South Wales (10,000)
Lennard, Thompson
Batten (5), Simms (2), Hannaford
AW

The home side only made three changes after their impressive showing in Sydney, the previous week, but the four full England internationals this time helped the tourists to a resounding victory.

75 15 July 1925 - South Maitland 1 England 4 [ - ]
Cessnock, New South Wales
nk AW
Fourth Test  
76 18 July 1925 - Australia 0 England 5 [0- ]
Sydney Showground, Sydney (14,000)
Simms (2), Batten (2), Elkes AW

Australia made four changes this time, on their return to Sydney. England, once again, fielded four full internationals.

77 21 July 1925 - Granville 1 England 6 [ - ]
Parramatta, New South Wales
nk AW
Fifth Test  

78
25 July 1925 - Australia 0 England 2 [0-1]
Fitzroy Cricket Ground, Melbourne, Victoria (14,000)
Charlton (pen), Batten AW
England, with their customary four full internationals, still managed to miss two penalty-kicks in the first half. Bert Batten sent the first kick wide, and after Stan Charlton had converted on 25 minutes, Len Graham put the third over the bar

Only three members of the previous week's defeat in Sydney, all of them forwards, survived to face England in the final test, and Australia provided a much more formidable opposition. .

79 1 August 1925 - Western Australia 1 England 5 [ - ]
Fremantle, Western Australia
nk AW
80 3 August 1925 - Western Australia 1 England 5 [ - ]
Perth, Western Australia
nk AW

Season 1925-26

x

Arthur Kingscott
Football Association Tour of Canada

Having conquered South Africa and Australia, the Football Association now embarked on a seven-and-a-half-week tour of Canada that took in twenty games. The 18-man squad contained seven full internationals, plus one that was later capped.

81 24 May 1926 - Montreal 3 England 5 [ - ]
Montreal AAA Grounds, Québec
(6,000)
Baillie, Marshall, Westwater
Tunstall, Jack
(3), Rawlings
AW

England: 6 full internationals.

82 26 May 1926 - Hamilton 0 England 3 [0- ]
Hamilton, Ontario
(8,000)
Rawlings (2), Wainscott AW

England: 3 full internationals, 1 future international.

83 29 May 1926 - Toronto 0 England 6 [0- ]
Toronto, Ontario
Tunstall, Rawlings (2), Jack, Harris, Smith AW

England: 6 full internationals.

84 2 June 1926 - Ontario 0 England 9 [0- ]
Fort William, Ontario
(3,000)
Wainscott (5), Smith (4) AW

England: 3 full internationals, 1 future international.

85 5 June 1926 - Manitoba 1 England 2 [ - ]
Winnipeg, Manitoba
(8,000)
McKenzie
Smith, Jack
AW

England: 6 full internationals.

86 7 June 1926 - Regina 0 England 2 [0- ]
Regina, Saskatchewan
(3,000)
Jack, Wainscott AW

England: 2 full internationals, 1 future international.

87 9 June 1926 - Lethbridge 1 England 3 [ - ]
Lethbridge, Alberta
(2,000)
H.Linning
Cross, Rawlings, Williams
AW

England: 3 full internationals.

88 12 June 1926 - Calgary 4 England 7 [3-3]
Victoria Park, Calgary
(6,000)
Francis (3), Wakelyn
Cross, Harris (2), Wainscott (2), Smith, OG
AW

Percy Francis stunned England with a hat-trick, but the visitors ran out winners in the end.

89 16 June 1926 - Lower Mainland 1 England 5 [ - ]
Athletic Park, Vancouver
(7,000)
OG
Jack
(4), Smith
AW

England: 7 full internationals.

90 19 June 1926 -
Upper Vancouver Island 0 England 3 [0- ]
Nanaimo, British Columbia
(4,000)
Tunstall, Smith (2) AW

England: 5 full internationals.

91 23 June 1926 -
Lower Vancouver Island 1 England 5 [ - ]
Victoria, British Columbia
(7,000)
Coulter
Cross (2), Harris, Rawlings
AW

England: 3 full internationals, 1 future international.

92 26 June 1926 -
Pacific Coast League 1 England 9 [ - ]
Athletic Park, Vancouver
(8,000)
Russell (pen)
Cross (6), Jack (2), Smith
AW

England: 4 full internationals.

93 29 June 1926 - Edmonton 0 England 5 [0- ]
Edmonton, Alberta
(3,000)
Rawlings (3), Wainscott, Tunstall AW

England: 5 full internationals, 1 future international.

94 1 July 1926 - Saskatoon 0 England 7 [0- ]
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
Rawlings (4), Harris, Smith (2) AW

England: 3 full internationals.

95 3 July 1926 - Manitoba 0 England 7 [0- ]
Winnipeg, Manitoba
(4,000)
Tunstall, Cross (2), Smith (3), Harris AW

England: 5 full internationals.

96 7 July 1926 - Northern Ontario 0 England 5 [0- ]
Timmins, Ontario
Rawlings (2), Jack (3) AW

England: 4 full internationals, 1 future international.

97 10 July 1926 - Ontario 2 England 7 [ - ]
Toronto, Ontario
(8,000)
Graham, Aird
Jack (2), Cross (2), Harris (2), Magee
AW

England: 4 full internationals.

98 12 July 1926 - Essex County 2 England 5 [ - ]
Windsor, Ontario
(8,000)
Mercer, McLaughlin
Rawlings, Wainscott (2), Jack, OG
AW

England: 5 full internationals, 1 future international.

99 14 July 1926 - Ottawa 1 England 8 [0-2]
Lansdowne Park, Ottawa
(4,000)
Dorward
Rawlings (4), Jack (2), Wainscott, Magee
AW

England: 5 full internationals, 1 future international.

100 15 July 1926 - Eastern Canada 1 England 2 [0-1]
Montreal AAA Grounds
, Québec (7,000)
Eadie (pen)
Smith, Cross
AW

With four full internationals in the side, the visitors completed the tour with a hundred per cent record, after playing their last four games in six days. They arrived back in Liverpool on July 23.


Season 1928-29

x

Ben Glanvill and Charlie Wreford-Brown
FA Tour of South Africa and Southern Rhodesia

The third squad to embark on a South African tour (which, for the first time, was to include two fixtures in Southern Rhodesia) set sail from Southampton on May 3 and arrived in Cape Town, 17 days later. Amongst the 18 players were six full internationals, plus another that was to win his first cap four months after the tour. 17 games were scheduled over a period of eight weeks.

101 22 May 1929 - Western Province 1 England 6 [0-1]
Hartleyvale Stadium, Cape Town
Seed, Shelley, Pease, Williams, Chandler, Prince AW

An excellent start to the tour with six different scorers.

102 24 May 1929 - Western Province 0 England 4 [0-2]
Hartleyvale Stadium, Cape Town,
Davies, Chandler (2), Barrett AW
103 31 May 1929 - Eastern Province 3 England 4 [1-3]
Port Elizabeth, Cape Province
nk AW
104 1 June 1929 - Cape Frontier 0 England 7 [0- ]
East London, Cape Province
nk AW
105 5 June 1929 -
Orange Free State Province 5 England 6 [3-2]
Bloemfontein, Orange Free State Province
nk AW
106 8 June 1929 - Natal Province 0 England 3 [0- ]
Pietermaritzburg, Natal Province
Seed, Hart, Chandler AW
107 11 June 1929 - Natal Province 0 England 4 [0- ]
Ladysmith, Natal Province
Harrison, Chandler, Landells, Whittaker AW

England's trainer, Tom Whittaker scored the last goal.

First Test  
108 15 June 1929 - South Africa 2 England 3 [1-2]
Kingsmead Cricket Ground, Durban, Natal Province
(15,000)
Dick, Stuart
Chandler
(2), Hart
AW

England fielded five full internationals against a South African side that twice came back to level, before the visitors grabbed a late winner.

109 19 June 1929 -
Transvaal Province 0 England 2 [0- ]
Pretoria, Transvaal Province
nk AW
110 22 June 1929 - Witwatersrand 1 England 2 [0-0]
Wanderers Ground, Johannesburg
Wita
Harrison, Chandler
AW

The visitors conceded first, before recovering to maintain their perfect record.

111 27 June 1929 -
Southern Rhodesia 0 England 4 [0- ]
Salisbury, Southern Rhodesia
nk AW
112 29 June 1929 -
Southern Rhodesia 1 England 6 [ - ]
Bulawayo, Southern Rhodesia
nk AW
113 3 July 1929 - Griqualand West 0 England 10 [0- ]
De Beers Stadium, Kimberley
nk AW
114 6 July 1929 - Transvaal Province 0 England 1 [0- ]
Wanderers Ground, Johannesburg
(15,000)
Chandler AW
115 10 July 1929 - East Rand 0 England 2 [0- ]
Benoni, Transvaal Province
nk AW
Second Test  
116 13 July 1929 - South Africa 1 England 2 [0-1]
Wanderers Ground, Johannesburg
(30,000)
Dick
Chandler
(2)
AW

There were only three full internationals in the England team, plus a future cap in goal. South Africa only made two changes from the First Test, in Durban.

Third Test  
117 17 July 1929 - South Africa 1 England 3 [1-1]
Hartleyvale Stadium, Cape Town (13,000)
Stuart
Hall
OG, Chandler (2)
AW

South Africa made four changes for the final test, whilst the visitors again fielded three full England internationals

England completed their sixth overseas tour having won every one of their 103 games since 1899. Arthur Chandler hit 36 goals in the 17 games, but never won a full cap for England. They left for home, two days later and arrived back at Southampton on August 5.

Season 1930-31

x

Charlie Wreford-Brown and Harry Huband
Football Association Tour of Canada

Five years after the first tour, the Football Association sent a second squad to Canada to play 17 games in seven and a half weeks. There were 18 players, seven of whom had already been capped by England, with another four later to be so.

118 25 May 1931 - London 1 England 4 [ - ]
London, Ontario
(2,500)
Chandler (pen)
Cookson
(3), Barry
AW

England: 4 full internationals, 3 future internationals.

119 27 May 1931 - Québec 0 England 11 [0- ]
Montreal Amateur Athletic Association Grounds, Québec
Hine (4), Bowden (4), Smith (3) AW

England: 5 full internationals, 4 future internationals. The former England international, Sam Chedgzoy was in the Québec team, at the age of 42.

120 30 May 1931 - Toronto 1 England 4 [ - ]
Toronto, Ontario
White
Cookson
(2), Smith (2)
AW

England: 6 full internationals, 3 future internationals.

121 3 June 1931 - Ontario 1 England 10 [ - ]
Fort William, Ontario
(1,000)
Izatt
Cookson
(4), Houghton (3), Bowden, O'Dowd, Alexander
AW

England: 2 full internationals, 2 future internationals.

122 6 June 1931 - Manitoba 0 England 2 [0- ]
Winnipeg, Manitoba
(5,500)
Hine, Cookson AW

England: 5 full internationals, 3 future internationals.

123 8 June 1931 - Regina 1 England 6 [ - ]
Regina, Saskatchewan
(1,817)
Cummings
Alexander
(3), Bowden (2), Houghton
AW

England: 5 full internationals, 1 future international.

124 10 June 1931 - Saskatoon 1 England 6 [1-1]
Mayfair Park, Saskatoon
(2,000)
Clark
Houghton
(3), Bowden (2), Oliver
AW

England: 5 full internationals, 1 future international.

125 13 June 1931 - Edmonton 0 England 2 [0-2]
Edmonton, Alberta
(2,000)
Urwin, Smith (pen) AW

England: 3 full internationals, 4 future internationals.

126 17 June 1931 - Vancouver 1 England 7 [ - ]
Vancouver, British Columbia
(3,500)
Edwards
Bowden
(2), Smith, Barry, Hine, Urwin, Hibbs (pen)
AW

England: 6 full internationals, 4 future internationals. Goalkeeper, Harry Hibbs managed to get himself on the scoresheet by converting a penalty kick.

127 20 June 1931 -
Upper Vancouver Island 2 England 8 [ - ]
Nanaimo, British Columbia
Archibald, G.Gray
Cookson
(4), Barry, Smith, Houghton, Urwin
AW

England: 4 full internationals, 2 future internationals.

128 24 June 1931 -
Lower Vancouver Island 0 England 7 [0- ]
Victoria, British Columbia
Bowden, Cookson (3), Alexander (2), OG AW

England: 3 full internationals, 2 future internationals.

129 27 June 1931 - British Columbia 1 England 4 [ - ]
Vancouver, British Columbia
(4,000)
Preston
Hine, Bowden (4), Urwin
AW

England: 4 full internationals, 3 future internationals.

130 1 July 1931 - Calgary 0 England 4 [0- ]
Calgary, Alberta
(2,800)
Cookson, Hine (2), Alexander AW

England: 4 full internationals, 2 future internationals.

131 3 July 1931 - Manitoba 1 England 3 [ - ]
Winnipeg, Manitoba
Hodgert
Bowden, Barry, O'Dowd
AW

England: 5 full internationals, 4 future internationals.

132 8 July 1931 - Ontario 2 England 11 [0- ]
Toronto, Ontario
Stevens, Tennant
Cookson (2), Hine (5), Alexander (3), Oliver
AW

England: 3 full internationals, 2 future internationals.

133 11 July 1931 - Hamilton 0 England 8 [0- ]
Hamilton, Ontario
(3,000)
Hine (4), Cookson (2), Barry, Houghton AW

England: 5 full internationals, 2 future internationals.

134 15 July 1931 -
National Soccer League 0 England 10 [0- ]
Montreal AAA Grounds, Québec
(2,500)
Dorward
Cookson
(4), Hine (2), Alexander, Smith, Barry (2)
AW

England: 4 full internationals, 3 future internationals. Sam Chedgzoy made his second appearance against his home country, but the tourists left Canada after another resounding victory, their 120th in succession on tour.


Season 1934-35

x

International Selection Committee (The F.A.)

King George V Silver Jubilee Matches
135 8 May 1935 - England 0 Scotland 1 [0-0]
Arsenal Stadium, Highbury
(8,944)
Mutch HL

Just over a month after Scotland had beaten England at Hampden to share the British Championship with them, a poorly-attended fixture saw a team of Anglo-Scots (all of them played for Football League clubs) beat an England team containing just four full internationals (though another four were later capped). The Scottish side had six full internationals, plus the goalscorer, George Mutch, who won his first cap three years later. Mutch (who scored the only goal, eight minutes from the end) was the only player in the Scottish team from a club outside of the First Division (Manchester United). Only Eddie Hapgood and Scottish goalkeeper, John Jackson had played in the Hampden fixture. The majority of the previous month's Scotland squad were about to tour North America.


Season 1935-36
136 21 August 1935 - Scotland 4 England 2 [3-0]
Hampden Park, Glasgow (56,316)
Delaney, Armstrong, Walker (2 (1 pen))
Gurney
, Westwood
AL

England made their second visit of the year to Hampden in order to aid Glasgow's contribution to the Jubilee Fund. Both sides were back to full strength, but it was a pre-season warm-up rather than the usual hotly-contested duel between the old rivals. Scotland had three uncapped players, two of whom scored the opening goals. Three of the England side were also uncapped, one of whom did not achieve the honour in his career. The visitors also introduced an uncapped substitute (Sep Smith) for the second half, because of an injury to Jack Bray, which would not have been allowed in the British Championship. Why this could not be deemed an official friendly match international is unknown, however.


Season 1938-39

x

Charlie Wreford-Brown and Harry Hughes

Football Association Tour of South Africa

Once again, the Football Association sent an 18-man squad to South Africa, leaving by sea on May 11. This was a shorter visit than the three previous tours had been, with only twelve games in seven weeks. The squad included five full internationals and six more that would play for England during the war, which was only months away.

137 27 May 1939 - Western Province 1 England 6 [0-3]
Hartleyvale Stadium, Cape Town
Butler
Ainsley (2), M.Fenton (2), Brook, Brown
AW

Two days after arriving in Cape Town, the tourists made a confident start, with three full internationals in the side and two of the future wartime team.

138 31 May 1939 - Cape Frontier 1 England 8 [ - ]
East London, Cape Province
Gailey
M.Fenton (2), E.Fenton, Beasley, Finch, Lewis
AW
139 3 June 1939 -
Southern Transvaal 1 England 0 [ -0]
Wanderers Ground, Johannesburg
Davidson AL

After 56 successive wins in Africa, the Football Association finally tasted defeat.

140 7 June 1939 - Eastern Transvaal 0 England 3 [0- ]
Benoni, Transvaal Province
nk AW
141 10 June 1939 - Natal Province 1 England 6 [ - ]
Kingsmead Cricket Ground, Durban
Rodger
E.Fenton (2), M.Fenton (2), Lewis, Brown
AW
142 14 June 1939 - Natal Province 1 England 9 [ - ]
Pietermaritzburg, Natal Province
nk
Finch (2), Ainsley (3), M.Fenton (2), Gibbons (2)
AW
First Test  
143 17 June 1939 - South Africa 0 England 3 [0-2]
Wanderers Ground, Johannesburg
(34,000)
Lewis (2), M.Fenton AW

Four of the full internationals were in England's side, plus three of the wartime internationals.

144 21 June 1939 -
Orange Free State Province 0 England 6 [0- ]
Bloemfontein, Orange Free State Province
M.Fenton (3), Ainsley (2), Finch AW
Second Test  
145 24 June 1939 - South Africa 2 England 8 [1-4]
Kingsmead Cricket Ground, Durban
(12,000)
E.Smethurst, Gibb
M.Fenton (3), Beasley, Gibbons (2), Finch, Lewis
AW

South Africa made five changes from the side that had lost in Johannesburg, the previous week. The visitors again had four capped players and four that were to play for England in wartime.

146 28 June 1939 -
Northern Transvaal 1 England 4 [ - ]
Pretoria, Transvaal Province
nk AW
Third Test  
147 1 July 1939 - South Africa 1 England 2 [0-0]
Wanderers Ground, Johannesburg
(15,000)
E.Smethurst
Gibbons, Finch
AW

Another five changes for the home team and a much-improved performance saw them take a second-half lead. The visitors, with three full internationals and three wartime internationals, quickly recovered to secure the victory, though.

148 5 July 1939 - Griqualand West 1 England 10 [ - ]
De Beers Stadium, Kimberley
nk AW

Season 1939-40

x

International Selection Committee (The F.A.)

Wartime Internationals
149 11 November 1939 - Wales 1 England 1 [1-0]
Ninian Park, Cardiff
(28,000)
Glover
T.Jones OG
AD

The first international since the outbreak of hostilities in September, was held to aid the Red Cross and St. John's Ambulance Funds. Wales fielded a strong side, with only one debutant, Ron Burgess, who was capped after the war. England had an entirely southern-based line-up and had four uncapped players, including Les Compton, who would have to wait another eleven years to play in a full international. Wales took the lead five minutes before the interval. Early in the second half, one of England's debutants, full-back, Joe Bacuzzi went off with a leg injury and he was eventually replaced by another uncapped player, Jim Lewis. England managed to salvage a draw when Tom Jones turned Leslie Smith's cross into his own goal via the crossbar.

150 18 November 1939 - Wales 2 England 3 [0-0]
Racecourse Ground, Wrexham
(17,000)
Astley (2)
T.Jones OG, Martin, Balmer
AW

England hopped over the Welsh border for the second Saturday in a row to aid the Red Cross, though this time it was to north Wales and it was with a completely different team to the previous week's line-up. All were based in the north and they again had four uncapped players. Wales made five changes, four of whom were making their debuts. Dai Astley, who had already scored four times against England, and twice in the previous year's fixture in Cardiff, stunned the visitors with two more in quick succession, but England responded, after the unfortunate Tom Jones put through his own goal for the second week in a row. Within a minute, England were level and they completed the fightback thanks to two players who never won full caps (Jackie Martin and Jack Balmer).

151 2 December 1939 - England 2 Scotland 1 [1-1]
St. James' Park, Newcastle upon Tyne
(15,000)
Lawton, Clifton
Dodds
HW

Even though the side was based entirely in the north, England kicked off with only nine men, because two Manchester City players (Sam Barkas and Eric Brook) were involved in a road accident on the way to the game. Two replacements were drafted in from the home club; one of whom, Tommy Pearson, was Scottish and went on to win his first full cap against England, at Wembley, eight years later. This left England with only four full internationals, only three of which had played at Wrexham, two weeks earlier. They were four world-class professionals, however (Carter, Lawton, Matthews and Mercer), and they were worthy of the victory. Raich Carter even missed a penalty, four minutes from the end. Scotland fielded five uncapped players. On the same day, an FA XI drew 2-2 at Doncaster. Both games were organised to raise funds for the Red Cross.

152 13 April 1940 - England 0 Wales 1 [0-1]
Empire Stadium, Wembley
(40,000)
B.Jones HL

The third meeting of England and Wales in the first wartime season saw the visitors win on their Wembley debut. Bryn Jones scored the only goal, three minutes before the interval, with a twenty-yard shot that Sam Bartram, on his England debut, couldn't stop. England missed a great chance to snatch a draw five minutes from time, when Willie Hall shot wide from a penalty, England's second successive miss from twelve yards. Four members of the home team were uncapped, although one (Bacuzzi) had played against Wales, at Cardiff, earlier in the season. Only four of the Welsh team had not played against England in either of the autumn internationals.

153 11 May 1940 - Scotland 1 England 1 [0-0]
Hampden Park, Glasgow (75,000)
Dougal
Welsh
AD

Scotland made five changes from the side beaten at Newcastle, five months earlier. Only one member of the England team had not been capped before the war (Jackie Martin), but he had scored three times for his country since the outbreak of hostilities (once against Wales and twice against the Army).


Season 1940-41
154 8 February 1941 - England 2 Scotland 3 [2-2]
St. James' Park, Newcastle upon Tyne
(25,000)
Birkett, Lawton
Bacuzzi OG, Wallace (2)
HL

England introduced four new players to those of the previous season, though one had been capped in peacetime. Only four members of the Scotland team had played against England in the previous season, but there were only three uncapped players in the side; one of whom, Dougie Wallace, a South African, turned the match around with two goals, after England had twice taken the lead.

155 26 April 1941 - England 4 Wales 1 [2-0]
City Ground, Nottingham
(13,016)
Welsh (4)
Witcomb
HW

England gained their revenge for the previous year's Wembley defeat, thanks to a terrific individual performance from the appropriately-named, Don Welsh. Welsh striker, Dai Astley arrived late for the game, but he was immediately thrown on as a substitute for Bob Davies, who had been allowed only ten minutes of international football on his home ground at Nottingham Forest. England brought in seven players to make their wartime debuts, only one of whom had been capped previously. By contrast, all twelve Welsh players had previously played against England.

156 3 May 1941 - Scotland 1 England 3 [1-1]
Hampden Park, Glasgow (78,000)
Venters
Welsh
(2), Goulden
AW

This time it was England that came from behind to win away, with Don Welsh grabbing another two goals. Scotland made five changes from the team that had won at Newcastle, three months earlier, but only two of the side had never played against England. England, for their part, made six changes from the Newcastle defeat, but all had previously played in wartime internationals.

157 7 June 1941 - Wales 2 England 3 [1-2]
Ninian Park, Cardiff
(20,000)
Woodward, James
Hagan
(2), Welsh
AW

For the last match of the season England included non-league Barnet's amateur international, Lester Finch on the left wing for his debut. They recovered from going two goals down to complete the 'double' over Wales, who made five changes from the side that had lost at Nottingham, six weeks earlier. Their goals came from two of the three players making their international debuts.


Season 1941-42
158 4 October 1941 - England 2 Scotland 0 [2-0]
Empire Stadium, Wembley
(65,000)
Welsh, Hagan HW

Scotland made their first wartime visit to the national stadium and they were convincingly beaten by an England side that made only two changes from the team that had won at Hampden, five months earlier. The only debutant was goalkeeper, George Marks, who managed to secure England's first clean sheet since hostilities began. Don Welsh opened the scoring with his eighth goal in the last four internationals. Scotland made four changes, though all had previously played against England that year, apart from one of the two South African forwards, Stan Williams, who was making his debut.

159 25 October 1941 - England 2 Wales 1 [2-0]
St. Andrew's Ground, Birmingham
(25,000)
Hagan, Edelston
Hopkins
HW

England now had a settled side. They made one change (Maurice Edelston for Wilf Mannion) and notched up their fifth successive victory. Wales made four changes from the side that had lost to England in Cardiff, four months earlier, but three of them had previously played against England in wartime. The exception was goalkeeper, George Poland, who had been capped before the war. Birmingham's Don Dearson, on his home ground, missed a late penalty for Wales.

160 17 January 1942 - England 3 Scotland 0 [1-0]
Empire Stadium, Wembley
(64,000)
Hagan, Lawton (2) HW

An additional international, organised for the Red Cross Aid to Russia Fund. Clementine Churchill, wife of the Prime Minister, gave a speech before the game. England made three changes and secured their sixth successive victory on an icy pitch. Scotland made four changes from their previous visit, three months earlier. Only one of the newcomers had not represented his country before.

161 18 April 1942 - Scotland 5 England 4 [2-1]
Hampden Park, Glasgow (91,000)
Liddell, Dodds (3), Shankly
Lawton
(3), Hagan
AL

Scotland experimented and made six changes from their Wembley defeat of three months earlier. Four members of their forward line were making their debut in front of the biggest crowd yet in wartime, but they spectacularly ended England's winning run, despite Tommy Lawton bringing his own personal tally to five goals in two games against the Scots and Jimmy Hagan netting his sixth in five games for England. The visitors made four changes themselves, but only one (George Mason) was a debutant. Scotland's hat-trick hero was Jock Dodds, who never won a full cap, yet no one has scored more than his seven goals against England. Dodds had already scored four goals against FA elevens for the RAF that season.

162 9 May 1942 - Wales 1 England 0 [1-0]
Ninian Park, Cardiff
(30,000)
Lucas AL

England failed to repeat their 'double' of the previous season against the Welsh and endured a disappointing end to the season. Wales repeated the 'Scottish' experiment with three new forwards of their own, one of whom scored the only goal. England made five changes, but Frank Soo was the only new man.


Season 1942-43
163 10 October 1942 - England 0 Scotland 0 [0-0]
Empire Stadium, Wembley
(75,000)
  HD

In complete contrast to recent internationals, both defences were very much on top, even though the sides made only five changes between them from the nine-goal Hampden thriller, six months earlier. The only newcomer to the party was twenty-year-old Scotland central defender, Willie Corbett, who made an impressive debut, yet sadly never played for his country again.

164 24 October 1942 - England 1 Wales 2 [1-1]
Molineux, Wolverhampton
(25,097)
Lawton
Cumner (2)
HL

England's fourth game without a win and a second successive defeat to the Welsh, after an experimental side, with four changes, including three debutants in attack, took an early lead. Wales made three changes from the side that had beaten England in Cardiff at the end of the previous season, but only one (Ivor Powell) made his debut. Reg Cumner, returning from being badly burned in a naval accident, turned the game around with a goal in each half.

165 27 February 1943 - England 5 Wales 3 [3-2]
Empire Stadium, Wembley
(75,000)
Carter (2), Westcott (3)
Lowrie (3)
HW

Once again, the Red Cross charities of Aid to Russia and Prisoners of War benefited from an additional Wembley international; this time with the King and Queen attending. England switched back to an experienced line-up, with six changes. Seven of the side had played in a 7-0 victory in the army international at Hampden, the previous week. Captain, Eddie Hapgood was making his 43rd international appearance (thirty in peacetime), beating Bob Crompton's record, that had stood since 1914*. Wales fielded the same side that had beaten England at Wolverhampton, four months earlier.
*Crompton's total included the Ibrox disaster game of 1902, which was not recorded as an official international, whilst Hapgood's total included 13 unofficial wartime games.

166 17 April 1943 - Scotland 0 England 4 [0-2]
Hampden Park, Glasgow (105,000)
Carter (2), D.Compton, Westcott AW

England, with three defensive changes (the goalkeeper and both full-backs), silenced the first six-figure crowd since the war had begun, with two Raich Carter goals in the first ten minutes. This was the first international to include both Compton brothers. Scotland made six changes from the team that had drawn at Wembley, six months earlier, and included three debutants, but a miserable day ended in disgrace as a frustrated Dougie Wallace grabbed Stan Cullis by his nether regions as the players waited for a free kick to be taken. Although the referee took no action, despite English protests as Cullis was temporarily incapacitated, the Scottish FA decided that Wallace, a South African, would never play for Scotland again.

167 8 May 1943 - Wales 1 England 1 [1-0]
Ninian Park, Cardiff
(25,000)
Lowrie
Westcott
AD

Another tough test provided by the Welsh, with Dennis Westcott scoring the equaliser with only eight minutes remaining. Frank Swift, in goal for England, was at fault for the opener, when he could not hold onto George Lowrie's shot. England had an unchanged side, for the first time since the war had begun. Wales, on the other hand, made four changes from their Wembley defeat, three of them making their debut.


Season 1943-44
168 25 September 1943 - England 8 Wales 3 [4-1]
Empire Stadium, Wembley
(80,000)
Carter (2), Welsh (3 (1 pen)), Hagan (2), D.Compton
Lowrie (2), A.Powell
HW

The Welsh challenge was spectacularly extinguished in a record-breaking goal fest, all to the benefit of the Duke of Gloucester's Red Cross and St. John Fund. England made three changes, with goalkeeper Alex Roxburgh making his one and only international appearance. Wales only made one change from the side that had almost beaten England in Cardiff at the end of the previous season and George Lowrie took his personal tally to six goals in three games against England, but they were eventually overrun by four goals in a five-minute burst. One oddity about the game came after Welsh defender, Ivor Powell left the field with a broken collarbone, as England took the lead in the twelfth minute. He was substituted (after England's second goal) by the English reserve, as Wales had none of their own. The substitute, who had to change out of his RAF uniform, was Stan Mortensen. Ten years later, in the same stadium, he would become the only man to score a hat-trick in a Wembley FA Cup Final.

169 16 October 1943 - England 8 Scotland 0 [5-0]
Maine Road, Manchester
(60,000)
Hagan (2), Lawton (4), Carter, Matthews HW

Another eight-goal master class from an England side containing three changes. Tommy Lawton replaced Don Welsh up front and managed to score one more than the Wembley hat-trick hero. Only three of the Scotland side had appeared in the four-goal thrashing at Hampden, six months earlier and now endured twice the pain, with their heaviest ever defeat. The depleted Scots had six debutants.

170 19 February 1944 - England 6 Scotland 2 [1-1]
Empire Stadium, Wembley
(80,000)
Hagan (2), Macaulay OG, Lawton, Mercer, Carter
Dodds (2)
HW

In front of the watching King and Queen, plus Princess Elizabeth, the future queen, this unstoppable England side banged in another six goals and took their season's total to an incredible 22 goals in just three games. They made two changes, including Ted Ditchburn making his debut in goal. Scotland's goalkeeper, Joe Crozier was their only player remaining from the eight-goal humiliation at Maine Road, four months earlier, as their selectors decided to invest in youth. Seven players made their debut in the lions' den, four of whom went on to win full caps, three years later. Even though the young Scots eventually succumbed to the inevitable, it was 35 minutes before Jimmy Hagan scored the first goal and it took an Archie Macaulay own goal to break their second-half resistance.

171 22 April 1944 - Scotland 2 England 3 [1-3]
Hampden Park, Glasgow (133,000)
Caskie, Cullis OG
Lawton
(2), Carter
AW

A record wartime attendance saw England record a fourth successive victory against the Scots. though they were given a fright when Scotland scored first. Both sides made four changes. England's were all in defence, with only Frank Taylor making his debut, whilst Scotland's replacements had all appeared before.

172 6 May 1944 - Wales 0 England 2 [0-1]
Ninian Park, Cardiff
(50,000)
Lawton, Smith AW

With attendance limits being relaxed, Wales managed to attract their biggest gate for six years, but England still completed their five-match season with a hundred-per-cent winning record, with Tommy Lawton scoring eight goals. It had been eight months since Wales had conceded eight goals at Wembley, and they made six changes from their previous line-up, with two making their debut. England made five changes from the team that had won at Hampden, just two weeks earlier, and they also had two debutants.


Season 1944-45
173 16 September 1944 - England 2 Wales 2 [2-2]
Anfield, Liverpool
(38,483)
Carter, Lawton
Dearson, Lucas
HD

England fielded only four players from their meeting in Cardiff at the end of the previous season and found themselves two goals down after nine minutes. One of their two debutants was Stan Mortensen, who had played for Wales against England, twelve months earlier. Wales made four changes, but all had played against England before.

174 14 October 1944 - England 6 Scotland 2 [0-1]
Empire Stadium, Wembley
(90,000)
Lawton (3), Goulden, Carter, Smith
Milne, Scott OG
HW

Wembley was back to capacity and the scoreline was the same as for Scotland's previous visit, but it was a very different game. Arthur Milne gave Scotland the lead in the third minute and it took an inspired second-half performance from Tommy Lawton to wrestle the game from them, before England eventually wrapped up their fifth victory in a row against their oldest rivals. England made four changes from the previous month's disappointing draw with Wales; Scotland six from the Hampden game of six months earlier. Three of the Scottish team were making their debut in front of England's biggest wartime crowd.

175 3 February 1945 - England 3 Scotland 2 [1-1]
Villa Park, Birmingham
(65,780)
Brown, Mortensen (2)
Delaney, Dodds
HW

England made three changes, with two making their debuts. Scotland only retained four of the side that had lost at Wembley, four months earlier, but only three of the seven changes had not played for Scotland before. They were unable to prevent England's sixth successive victory against them, but the result was in doubt until Mortensen's winner, thirteen minutes from the end and it would be another ten years before the Scots lost again in England.

176 14 April 1945 - Scotland 1 England 6 [1-1]
Hampden Park, Glasgow (133,000)
Johnston
Carter, Lawton
(2), Brown, Matthews, Smith (pen)
AW

With the war drawing to a close, Scotland suffered their final humiliation in front of a huge home crowd. It was England's seventh successive victory against the Scots, and their biggest ever away win in the oldest of fixtures. Scotland made five changes from the side that had pushed England close at Villa Park, two months earlier. As usual, there was a batch of debutants (four this time) and one of them, Tommy Bogan, was carried off injured after a collision with England goalkeeper, Frank Swift, in the first minute. He was replaced, ten minutes later, by another newcomer, Les Johnston, who managed to equalise Raich Carter's opener before half-time. The obligatory floodgates opened after the interval, with Tommy Lawton taking his goals against Scotland to 19 in eleven games. Scotland did have chances, however. Matt Busby had a penalty saved by Swift. England's only change from Villa Park was to surprisingly replace two-goal scorer Stan Mortensen with Carter, though his performance probably vindicated the decision.

177 5 May 1945 - Wales 2 England 3 [1-1]
Ninian Park, Cardiff
(25,000)
Cumner (pen), Edwards
Carter
(3)
AW

Eight months had passed since Wales had held England at Anfield and they made five changes. Four of them were making their debut. England introduced two new players (defender, George Smith and goalkeeper, Bert Williams), but it was Raich Carter that made the difference as they signed off another domestic season with a victory. They had now won eleven out of their last thirteen wartime fixtures against Scotland and Wales. The country was about to rejoice. Hitler was dead and the war in Europe was formally ended, three days later.

Victory International  
178 26 May 1945 - England 2 France 2 [1-1]
Empire Stadium, Wembley
(65,000)
Carter, Lawton
Vaast, Heisserer
HD

A Russian team had been invited to Wembley, but it was still too difficult to cross the continent. England, instead, faced their first foreign opposition at the national stadium in aid of British and French war charities and they made only one change from the victory in Cardiff, three weeks earlier; Frank Soo replacing George Smith in defence. French goalkeeper, Julien Darui kept his team in the game by stopping Leslie Smith's first-half penalty and France eventually equalised in the last minute of the match.


Season 1945-46
Schweizerischer Fussballverband Golden Jubilee Match  
179 21 July 1945 - Switzerland 3 England 1 [1-0]
Wankdorfstadion, Bern
(41,000)
Fink, Friedländer, Amadò
Brown
AL

Even though Switzerland had remained neutral throughout the war, the Football Association was only now able to send a team over to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of the Swiss football federation. It was, officially, an FA services eleven, but the side contained only three changes from the England team that had played France at Wembley, two months earlier, with two players making their international debut. One was a winger called Tom Finney. After almost three years unbeaten, England were second best on the day, though it was the close season and the players were all still serving their particular forces.

Victory Internationals  
180 15 September 1945 - Ireland 0 England 1 [0-0]
Windsor Park, Belfast
(45,061)
Mortensen AW

Although the war was over, football wasn't quite back to normal. Players were still in the services and travel was still difficult. The Football League clubs had decided to continue playing in regional leagues for another season. However, for the first time since 1939, the four home nations would all play each other in an unofficial British Victory Championship. This began with England's first trip to Belfast for seven years. They made three changes from the side that had drawn with France, four months earlier. Full-back, Harry Kinsell made his debut, but he was never to win a full cap. Six of the side had actually played in Belfast the previous year against Ireland for the Combined Services.

181 20 October 1945 - England 0 Wales 1 [0-1]
The Hawthorns, West Bromwich (54,611)
Powell HL

Despite full-back, Danny Winter, pulling a thigh muscle after half an hour and causing an emergency reorganisation of the Welsh defence (with Winter moving out to the wing as a passenger), a goal in the 33rd minute gave Wales their first victory for three years. England made five changes, with four forwards making their England debuts. Wales made just two changes from their last game of the previous season, against England in Cardiff.

182 19 January 1946 - England 2 Belgium 0 [2-0]
Empire Stadium, Wembley
(85,000)
Brown, Pye HW

With six changes from the Welsh defeat, two months earlier, it was a more familiar-looking England team that sealed their victory in the first half before a blanket of fog moved in at half-time and made conditions in the second half very difficult. After three years as the record holder, Eddie Hapgood's 43 appearances were beaten by Stan Matthews, in his 27th England game since the beginning of the war, added to his 17 full caps. Billy Wright and Jesse Pye made notable debuts. Pye was to win one full cap, whilst Wright went on to win 105.

183 13 April 1946 - Scotland 1 England 0 [0-0]
Hampden Park, Glasgow (139,468)
Delaney AL

After four years and seven successive defeats in wartime, Scotland left it until the last minute of their first peacetime international for seven years against England to finally get the better of them and claim the unofficial title of British Victory Champions. They had made six changes from a victory in Belfast, two months earlier. Four of them were making a first international appearance. England made four changes, all in attack, with Len Shackleton the only debutant. The Scottish Football Association donated the match proceeds to the Mayor of Bolton's Relief Fund, begun after the previous month's crowd disaster at Burnden Park.

184 11 May 1946 - England 4 Switzerland 1 [0-0]
Stamford Bridge, Fulham
(75,000)
Carter (2), Brown, Lawton
Friedländer
HW

The Swiss gave England a scare by taking the lead just before the hour mark, but England, with five changes from the Hampden defeat of four weeks earlier, ran out comfortable winners in the end. Bert Johnson made his England debut, but never won a full cap. Nine of the Swiss team had played in the team that beat England in Bern, the previous year, including Willi Steffen, playing on, what was to be, his home ground, in the following season.

185 19 May 1946 - France 2 England 1 [0-0]
Stade Olympique Yves-du-Manoir, Paris
(58,481)
Prouff, Vaast
Hagan
AL

A disappointing end to the season with England making three changes from the previous week's victory against Switzerland.

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