British Home Championship

The British Home Championship (historically known as the British International Championship or simply the International Championship) was an annual football competition contested between the United Kingdom's four national teams: England, Scotland, Wales, and Ireland (the last of whom competed as Northern Ireland starting from the late 1950s). Beginning during the 1883–84 season, it is the oldest international association football tournament in the world and it was contested until the 1983–84 season, when it was abolished after 100 years.

British Home Championship
The Jubilee Trophy, awarded from 1935 onward.
Founded1884
Abolished1984
RegionBritish Isles
Teams4
Qualifier forFIFA World Cup (1950–54)
European Championship (1968)
Related competitionsRous Cup
2011 Nations Cup
Last champions Northern Ireland (1983–84)
Most championships England (54 titles)

History

Overview

The first international association football match, between Scotland and England, took place in November 1872. Following that contest, a schedule of international matches between the four home nations gradually developed, the games taking place between January and April of each year. In 1884, for the first time, all six possible matches were played. This schedule (the climax usually being the England v Scotland fixture) continued without interruption until the First World War.

Development of the international football calendar
Year England v Scotland Scotland v Wales England v Wales England v Ireland Wales v Ireland Scotland v Ireland
1872 November
1873 March
1874 March
1875 March
1876 March March
1877 March March
1878 March March
1879 April April January
1880 March March March
1881 March March February
1882 March March March February February
1883 March March February February March
1884 March March March February February January
1885 March March March February April March

Development

Recognition of the international season as constituting a single tournament came slowly. Early reports focused on the rivalries between the two teams in each match, rather than any overall title. Talk of a "championship" began to emerge gradually during the 1890s, with some writers suggesting the use of a league table between the nations, with 2 points for a win and 1 point for a draw (as had been in use for the Football League since 1888). By 1908 a list of "International Champions" extending all the way back to 1884 was published.

The championship, although increasingly recognised as such, had no official prize until 1935 (see below), when a trophy for the "British International Championship" was created in honour of the silver jubilee of King George V.

The dates of the fixtures varied, but they tended to bunch towards the end of the season (sometimes the entire competition was held in a few days at the end of the season), except between the World Wars, when some fixtures were played before Christmas. The rise of other international competitions, especially the World Cup and European Championships, meant that the British Home Championship lost much of its prestige as the years went on.

However, the new international tournaments meant that the Championship took on added importance in certain years. The 1949–50 and 1953–54 Championships doubled up as qualifying groups for the 1950 and 1954 World Cups respectively, and the results of the 1966–67 and 1967–68 Championships were used to determine which team would progress to the second qualifying round of Euro 1968.

The British Home Championship was discontinued after the 1983–84 competition. There were a number of reasons for the tournament's demise, including it being overshadowed by the World Cup and European Championships, falling attendances at all but the England v Scotland games, fixture congestion, the rise of hooliganism, the Troubles in Northern Ireland (civil unrest led to the 1980–81 competition being abandoned), and England's desire to play against "stronger" teams. The fate of the competition was settled when the (English) Football Association, swiftly followed by the Scottish Football Association, announced in 1983 that they would not be entering after the 1983–84 Championship. The British Home Championship trophy remains the property of the Irish FA, as Northern Ireland were the most recent champions.

The Championship was replaced by the smaller Rous Cup, which involved just England, Scotland and, in later years, an invited guest team from South America. That competition, however, ended after just five years.

Since then, there have been many proposals to resurrect the British Home Championship, with advocates pointing to rising attendances and a significant downturn in football-related violence. The Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish football associations are keen on the idea, but the English association are less enthusiastic, claiming that they agree in principle, but that fixture congestion makes a revived tournament impractical.

Therefore, the Scottish Football Association, the Football Association of Wales and the Irish Football Association, with the Republic of Ireland's Football Association of Ireland, pressed ahead and organised a tournament similar to the British Home Championship. The Nations Cup, between Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, was launched in Dublin in 2011. It was discontinued after one tournament because of poor attendance.

Format and rules

Each team played every other team once (making for a total of three matches per team and six matches in total). Generally, each team played either one or two matches at home and the remainder away, with home advantage between two teams alternating each year (so if England played Scotland at home one year, they played them away the next).

A team received two points for a win, one for a draw and none for a loss. The team with the most points was declared the winner. If two or more teams were equal on points, that position in the league table was shared (as was the Championship if it occurred between the top teams). In 1956, uniquely, all teams finished with the same number of points, leading to the Championship being shared between all four home nations. From the 1978–79 Championship onwards, however, goal difference (total goals scored minus total goals conceded) was used to differentiate between teams level on points. If goal difference was equal, then total goals scored was used.

Trophy

For over 50 years the tournament had no trophy. In 1935, a trophy was presented to King George V by the Football Association in recognition of the monarch's silver jubilee. It was first awarded, as the "Jubilee Trophy", to Scotland, victors of the 1935–36 competition. The trophy was of solid silver, consisting of a pedestal supporting a football surmounted by a winged figure. It bore the words "British International Championship".

As winners of the final tournament, Northern Ireland retained the trophy, but for many years had no suitable venue in which to display it. It was exhibited in the Scottish Football Museum and then the National Football Museum in Manchester. In 2018 it was finally put in display at the Northern Ireland Education and Heritage Centre at the National Stadium.

Notable moments

1902: Tragedy at Ibrox

The Scotland v England match of 5 April 1902 became known as the Ibrox Disaster of 1902. The match took place at Ibrox Park (now Ibrox Stadium) in Glasgow. During the first half, a section of the terracing in the overcrowded West Stand collapsed, killing 25 and injuring over 500. Play was stopped, but was restarted after 20 minutes, with most of the crowd not knowing what had happened. The match was later declared void and replayed at Villa Park, Birmingham.

1950–54: World Cup qualification

The 1949–50 British Home Championship was used as a qualification group for the 1950 FIFA World Cup, with the teams finishing both first and second qualifying. England and Scotland were guaranteed the top two places and World Cup qualification with one match to go, when the Scottish Football Association declared that it would only go to the 1950 World Cup if they were the British champions. Scotland played England at Hampden Park on 15 April in the final game and lost 1–0 to a goal by Chelsea's Roy Bentley. Scotland finished second and withdrew from what would have been their first-ever World Cup appearance.

The 1953–54 British Home Championship was used as a qualification group for the 1954 FIFA World Cup, with England and Scotland both qualifying.

1967: Scotland become 'World Champions'

The 1966–67 British Home Championship was the first since England's victory at the World Cup 1966. Naturally, England were favourites for the Championship title. In the end, the outcome of the entire Championship rested on the final game: England v Scotland at Wembley Stadium in London on 15 April. If England won or drew, they would win the Championship; if Scotland won, they would triumph. Scotland beat the World Cup winners 3–2. The match was followed by a large, but relatively harmless, pitch invasion by the jubilant Scottish fans, who were quick to waggishly declare Scotland the "World Champions", as the game was England's first defeat since winning the World Cup. The Scots' joke ultimately led to the conception of the Unofficial Football World Championships.

1966–68: European Football Championship qualification

One of the qualifying groups for the 1968 UEFA European Football Championship was formed by combining the results of the 1966–67 and 1967–68 editions of the British Home Championship. The group winners were England, who advanced to the UEFA Euro 1968 quarter-finals where they defeated Spain to qualify for the final tournament, hosted by Italy.

1977: Wembley pitch invasion

Again, the 1976–77 Championship came down to the final game between England and Scotland at Wembley on 4 June. Scotland won the game 2–1, making them champions. As in 1967, a pitch invasion by the overjoyed Scottish fans followed, but this time vandalism ensued: the pitch was ripped up and taken back to Scotland in small pieces, along with one of the broken crossbars.

1981: The unfinished Championship

The Troubles in Northern Ireland had affected the British Home Championship before, with things turning so hostile that Northern Ireland often had to play their "home" games in Liverpool or Glasgow. The entire 1980–81 Championship was held in May 1981, which coincided with a large amount of civil unrest in Northern Ireland surrounding the hunger strike in the Maze Prison. Northern Ireland's two home matches, against England and Wales, were not moved, so both teams refused to travel to Belfast to play. As not all the matches were completed, that year's competition was declared void with no winner; only Scotland completed all their matches. It was the only time in the Championship's history, apart from during World War I and World War II, that it was not awarded.

1984: The final Championship

The Home Championships came to an end, with England and Scotland announcing that the 1983–84 British Home Championship would be their last. They cited waning interest in the games, crowded international fixture lists and a sharp rise in hooliganism for their decision. The final match of the competition was held at Hampden Park between Scotland and England, with either able to take the title if they won the match; however, it ended in a 1–1 draw, allowing Northern Ireland to win the Championship on goal difference after all the teams ended on three points each; Wales came second on goals scored.

List of winners

Where teams finished in a joint position, the level teams are listed in order of better goal difference.
# Year Champions Second Third Fourth Topscorer Goals
1 1883–84  Scotland (1)  England  Wales  Ireland Harry Cursham 3
2 1884–85  Scotland (2)  England  Wales  Ireland Joseph Lindsay 4
3 1885–86  Scotland (3) —  England (1)  Wales  Ireland
Various
Charles Heggie
Benjamin Spilsbury
4
4 1886–87  Scotland (4)  England  Ireland  Wales Tinsley Lindley 6
5 1887–88  England (2)  Scotland  Wales  Ireland Jack Doughty 6
6 1888–89  Scotland (5)  England  Wales  Ireland
Various
Willie Groves
Jack Yates
John Goodall
3
7 1889–90  England (3) —  Scotland (6)  Wales  Ireland Willie Paul 4
8 1890–91  England (4)  Scotland  Ireland  Wales Olphert Stanfield 4
9 1891–92  England (5)  Scotland  Ireland Wales
Various
Harry Daft
John McPherson
James Hamilton
John Goodall (2)
2
10 1892–93  England (6)  Scotland  Ireland  Wales Fred Spiksley 6
11 1893–94  Scotland (7)  England  Wales  Ireland John Veitch 3
12 1894–95  England (7)  Wales Scotland  Ireland
Various
Steve Bloomer
Harry Trainer
Frank Becton
William Sherrard
John Goodall (3)
2
13 1895–96  Scotland (8)  England  Wales  Ireland Steve Bloomer (2) 6
14 1896–97  Scotland (9)  England  Ireland  Wales Steve Bloomer (3) 4
15 1897–98  England (8)  Scotland  Ireland  Wales
Various
Steve Bloomer (4)
James Gillespie
3
16 1898–99  England (9)  Scotland  Ireland  Wales Bob McColl 6
17 1899–1900  Scotland (10)  Wales England  Ireland Bob McColl (2) 6
18 1900–01  England (10)  Scotland  Wales  Ireland
Various
Steve Bloomer (5)
Robert Hamilton
5
19 1901–02  Scotland (11)  England  Ireland  Wales
Various
Andrew Gara
Jimmy Settle
Robert Hamilton (2)
3
20 1902–03  England (11) —  Ireland (1) —  Scotland (12)  Wales Vivian Woodward 4
21 1903–04  England (12)  Ireland  Scotland Wales
Various
Joe Bache
George Davis
2
22 1904–05  England (13)  Wales  Scotland Ireland Charles Thomson 3
23 1905–06  England (14) —  Scotland (13)  Wales  Ireland
Various
Harold Sloan
Arthur Green
3
24 1906–07  Wales (1)  England  Scotland  Ireland Lot Jones 2
25 1907–08  England (15) —  Scotland (14)  Ireland  Wales
Various
Jimmy Quinn
Vivian Woodward (2)
4
26 1908–09  England (16)  Wales  Scotland  Ireland
Various
William Davies
George Wall
Harry Paul
George Hilsdon
Vivian Woodward (3)
2
27 1909–10  Scotland (15)  England Ireland  Wales
Various
Robert Evans
Grenville Morris
2
28 1910–11  England (17)  Scotland  Wales  Ireland Grenville Morris (2) 3
29 1911–12  England (18) —  Scotland (16)  Ireland  Wales
Various
Harold Fleming
George Holley
3
30 1912–13  England (19)  Scotland Wales  Ireland Grenville Morris (3) 3
31 1913–14  Ireland (2)  Scotland  England  Wales Billy Gillespie 3
- 1914–19 Not held due to the First World War.
32 1919–20  Wales (2)  Scotland England  Ireland
Various
Stan Davies
Bob Kelly
Tom Miller
3
33 1920–21  Scotland (17)  Wales England  Ireland Andrew Wilson 4
34 1921–22  Scotland (18)  Wales England  Ireland
Various
Andrew Wilson (2)
Billy Gillespie (2)
3
35 1922–23  Scotland (19)  England  Ireland  Wales Harry Chambers 3
36 1923–24  Wales (3)  Scotland  Ireland  England Willie Davies 2
37 1924–25  Scotland (20)  England  Wales Ireland Hughie Gallacher 5
38 1925–26  Scotland (21)  Ireland  Wales  England Hughie Gallacher (2) 3
39 1926–27  Scotland (22) —  England (20)  Wales Ireland Dixie Dean 4
40 1927–28  Wales (4)  Ireland  Scotland  England Alex Jackson 3
41 1928–29  Scotland (23)  England  Wales Ireland Hughie Gallacher (3) 7
42 1929–30  England (21)  Scotland  Ireland  Wales Joe Bambrick 6
43 1930–31  England (22) —  Scotland (24)  Wales  Ireland Jimmy Hampson 3
44 1931–32  England (23)  Scotland  Ireland  Wales Tom Waring 3
45 1932–33  Wales (5)  Scotland  England  Ireland
Various
Dai Astley
Jimmy McGrory
3
46 1933–34  Wales (6)  England  Ireland  Scotland
Various
Dai Astley (2)
Boy Martin
2
47 1934–35  England (24) —  Scotland (25)  Wales Ireland Dally Duncan 3
48 1935–36  Scotland (26)  Wales England  Ireland
Various
Dai Astley (3)
Fred Tilson
Tommy Walker
Dally Duncan (2)
2
49 1936–37  Wales (7)  Scotland  England  Ireland Pat Glover 4
50 1937–38  England (25)  Scotland Ireland  Wales George Mills 3
51 1938–39  England (26) —  Wales (8) —  Scotland (27)  Ireland Willie Hall 5
- 1939–45 Not held due to the Second World War.
- 1945–46  Scotland  Ireland England Wales
Various
Davy Walsh
Billy Liddell
2
52 1946–47  England (27)  Ireland  Scotland Wales Wilf Mannion 5
53 1947–48  England (28)  Wales  Ireland  Scotland
Various
Sammy Smyth
Stan Mortensen
2
54 1948–49  Scotland (28)  England  Wales  Ireland Davy Walsh 4
55 1949–50  England (29)  Scotland  Wales Ireland Jack Rowley 4
56 1950–51  Scotland (29)  England  Wales  Ireland Billy Steel 4
57 1951–52  Wales (9) —  England (30)  Scotland  Ireland
Various
Nat Lofthouse
Bobby Johnstone
Stan Pearson
Ivor Allchurch
2
58 1952–53  Scotland (30) —  England (31)  Wales Ireland
Various
Nat Lofthouse (2)
Lawrie Reilly
3
59 1953–54  England (32)  Scotland  Ireland  Wales
Various
Nat Lofthouse (3)
John Charles
3
60 1954–55  England (33)  Scotland  Wales  Ireland John Charles (2) 5
61 1955–56  England (34) —  Scotland (31) —  Wales (10) —  Ireland (3)
Various
Dennis Wilshaw
Bobby Johnstone (2)
2
62 1956–57  England (35)  Scotland  Wales Northern Ireland
Various
Johnny Brooks
Duncan Edwards
Tom Finney
Johnny Haynes
Derek Kevan
Stanley Matthews
Jimmy McIlroy
Willie Fernie
Lawrie Reilly
Tommy Ring
Alex Scott
John Charles
Trevor Ford
Terry Medwin
1
63 1957–58  England (36) —  Northern Ireland (4)  Scotland Wales
Various
Johnny Haynes
Derek Kevan
Billy Simpson
2
64 1958–59  Northern Ireland (5) —  England (37)  Scotland  Wales Bobby Charlton 3
65 1959–60  Scotland (32) —  England (38) —  Wales (11)  Northern Ireland
Various
Billy Bingham
Terry Medwin
Graham Leggat
2
66 1960–61  England (39)  Wales  Scotland  Northern Ireland Jimmy Greaves 7
67 1961–62  Scotland (33)  Wales  England  Northern Ireland Alex Scott 3
68 1962–63  Scotland (34)  England  Wales  Northern Ireland Denis Law 5
69 1963–64  England (40) —  Scotland (35) —  Northern Ireland (6)  Wales Jimmy Greaves (2) 5
70 1964–65  England (41)  Wales  Scotland  Northern Ireland Jimmy Greaves (3) 4
71 1965–66  England (42)  Northern Ireland  Scotland  Wales Willie Irvine 3
72 1966–67  Scotland (36)  England  Wales  Northern Ireland
Various
Jack Charlton
Geoff Hurst
2
73 1967–68  England (43)  Scotland  Wales Northern Ireland
Various
Bobby Charlton (2)
Martin Peters
2
74 1968–69  England (44)  Scotland  Northern Ireland  Wales
Various
Colin Stein
Geoff Hurst (2)
Martin Peters
Ron Davies
3
75 1969–70  England (45) —  Wales (12) —  Scotland (37)  Northern Ireland
Various
Bobby Charlton
Geoff Hurst
Francis Lee
Martin Peters
George Best
John O'Hare
Dick Krzywicki
Ronnie Rees
1
76 1970–71  England (46)  Northern Ireland  Wales  Scotland Martin Chivers 2
77 1971–72  Scotland (38) —  England (47)  Northern Ireland  Wales Peter Lorimer 2
78 1972–73  England (48)  Northern Ireland  Scotland  Wales Martin Chivers (2) 3
79 1973–74  Scotland (39) —  England (49)  Wales Northern Ireland
Various
Stan Bowles
Kevin Keegan
Keith Weller
Tommy Cassidy
Kenny Dalglish
Sandy Jardine
David Smallman
1
80 1974–75  England (50)  Scotland  Northern Ireland  Wales David Johnson 3
81 1975–76  Scotland (40)  England  Wales  Northern Ireland Mick Channon 3
82 1976–77  Scotland (41)  Wales  England  Northern Ireland Kenny Dalglish 3
83 1977–78  England (51)  Wales  Scotland  Northern Ireland Derek Johnstone 2
84 1978–79  England (52)  Wales  Scotland  Northern Ireland John Toshack 3
85 1979–80  Northern Ireland (7)  England  Wales  Scotland
Various
Trevor Brooking
Steve Coppell
Paul Mariner
Noel Brotherston
Terry Cochrane
Billy Hamilton
Willie Miller
Leighton James
Mickey Thomas
Ian Walsh
1
- 1980–81 Abandoned due to civil unrest in Northern Ireland.
86 1981–82  England (53)  Scotland  Wales  Northern Ireland
Various
Trevor Francis
Glenn Hoddle
Kevin Keegan
Paul Mariner
Bryan Robson
Ray Wilkins
Sammy McIlroy
Asa Hartford
John Wark
Alan Curtis
Peter Nicholas
Ian Rush
1
87 1982–83  England (54)  Scotland  Northern Ireland  Wales
Various
Terry Butcher
Gordon Cowans
Phil Neal
Bryan Robson
Alan Brazil
Andy Gray
Gordon Davies
Ian Rush
1
88 1983–84  Northern Ireland (8)  Wales  England  Scotland
Various
Tony Woodcock
Mark Hughes
2

Total wins

Team Wins
total
Wins
outright
Shared
wins
 England 54 34 20
 Scotland 41 24 17
 Wales 12 7 5
 Ireland 8 3 5

Medals

Exclude 1945–46 British Victory Home Championship and 1980–81 British Home Championship.

RankNationGoldSilverBronzeTotal
1 England5422682
2 Scotland41251581
3 Wales12153360
4 Northern Ireland873146
Totals (4 entries)1156985269

88 (+1 (1980–81)) editions But have many Shared Medals.

Summary

Exclude 1945–46 British Victory Home Championship but Include 1980–81 British Home Championship.

Rank Team Part M W D L GF GA GD Points
1  England 89 266 161 56 49 661 282 +379 378
2  Scotland 89 267 141 57 69 574 342 +232 339
3  Wales 89 266 70 62 134 360 545 -185 202
4  Northern Ireland 89 265 48 49 168 284 710 -426 145

Players record

All-time top goalscorers

Rank Name Team Goals
1 Steve Bloomer England 22
2 Hughie Gallacher Scotland 21
3 Jimmy Greaves England 16
4 Robert Hamilton Scotland 15
5 Vivian Woodward England 14
6 John Charles Wales 13
Andrew Wilson Scotland 13
8 John Goodall England 12
9 Martin Peters England 10
10 Stan Mortensen England 9
Billy Meredith Wales 9
Grenville Morris Wales 9
Dai Astley Wales 9
14 Nat Lofthouse England 8
14 Geoff Hurst England 8

Topscorer wins

Rank Name Team Wins
1 Steve Bloomer England 5
2 Vivian Woodward England 3
Hughie Gallacher Scotland
Grenville Morris Wales
Dai Astley Wales
Jimmy Greaves England
John Goodall England
Nat Lofthouse England
9 Geoff Hurst England 2
Dally Duncan Scotland
Bobby Johnstone Scotland
Bob McColl Scotland
Robert Hamilton Scotland
Martin Chivers England
Stan Mortensen England
John Charles Wales
Bobby Charlton England

Managers record

Championship wins

Rank Manager Wins Editions
1 Walter Winterbottom 7 1946–47, 1947–48, 1949–50, 1952–53, 1953–54, 1956–57, 1960–61
2 Alf Ramsey 6 1964–65, 1965–66, 1967–68, 1968-69, 1970–71, 1972–73
3 Peter Doherty 3 1955–56, 1957–58, 1958–59
Ron Greenwood 3 1977–78, 1978–79, 1981–82
5 Ian McColl 2 1961–62, 1962–63
Billy Bingham 2 1979–80, 1983–84

See also

  • Football in the United Kingdom (1984–present)
  • Victory Shield
  • Victory International
  • Nations Cup
  • Rous Cup
  • Home Nations Futsal Championship

wikipedia, wiki, encyclopedia, book, library, article, read, free download, Information about British Home Championship, What is British Home Championship? What does British Home Championship mean?