1953–54 British Home Championship

See also: 1954 FIFA World Cup

Main article: 1954 FIFA World Cup qualification
1953–54 British Home Championship
Tournament details
Host countryEngland, Ireland, Scotland and Wales
Dates3 October 1953 – 3 April 1954
Teams4
Final positions
Champions England
Runners-up Scotland
Tournament statistics
Matches played6
Goals scored28 (4.67 per match)
Top scorer(s)England Nat Lofthouse
Wales John Charles (3 each)

The 1953–54 British Home Championship was an international football tournament played between the British Home Nations during the 1953–54 season. This season's tournament also doubled as UEFA – Group 3 for 1954 FIFA World Cup qualification. England dominated the Championship, winning all three games and taking first place. After defeating Ireland, Scotland struggled against Wales before losing to England. Meanwhile, Ireland defeated Wales in Wrexham to clinch third place. England, together with second-placed Scotland, subsequently qualified for the 1954 FIFA World Cup.

Results

Ireland 1–3 Scotland
Lockhart 72' (pen.) 47', 69' Fleming
89' Henderson
Attendance: 58,248
Wales 1–4 England
Allchurch 22' 45', 49' Wilshaw
52', 53' Lofthouse
Referee: Charlie Faultless (Scotland)
Scotland 3–3 Wales
Brown 19'
Johnstone 42'
Reilly 58'		 49', 88' Charles
73' Allchurch
Attendance: 71,413
Referee: Thomas Mitchell (Ireland)
England 3–1 Ireland
Hassall 10', 60'
Lofthouse 75'		 54' McMorran
Referee: Robert Smith (Wales)
Wales 1–2 Ireland
Charles 80' 1', 52' McParland
Referee: Charlie Faultless (Scotland)
Scotland 2–4 England
Brown 7'
Ormond 89'		 13' Broadis
50' Nicholls
68' Allen
83' Mullen
Attendance: 134,892
Referee: Thomas Mitchell (Ireland)

Table

Pos Team Pld HW HD HL HGF HGA AW AD AL AGF AGA GD Pts
1  England (C) 3 1 0 0 3 1 2 0 0 8 3 +7 6 — 3–1 —
2  Scotland 3 0 1 1 5 7 1 0 0 3 1 0 3 2–4 — 3–3
3  Ireland 3 0 0 1 1 3 1 0 1 3 4 −3 2 — 1–3 —
4  Wales 3 0 0 2 2 6 0 1 0 3 3 −4 1 1–4 — 1–2
Source: [citation needed]
(C) Champion

Ireland vs Scotland

Northern Ireland Ireland 1 – 3
(final score after 90 minutes) 		Scotland Scotland
Manager: Northern Ireland Peter Doherty

Team:

Substitutes:

none

Unused Substitutes:
?

Scorers:
1-2 Norman Lockhart (72', pen.)

Half-time:
0-0

Competition:
World Cup qualifier 1954
(Group 3)

Date:
Saturday
3 October 1953

Kick off:
15:00

Venue:
Windsor Park, Belfast

Attendance:
58,248

Referee:
Arthur Edward Ellis  ENG

Assistants:
?

Match rules:
90 minutes
one injured player can be
substituted before half time

Manager: Scotland Andy Beattie

Team:

Substitutes:

none

Unused Substitutes:
?

Scorers:
0-1 Charlie Fleming (47')
0-2 Charlie Fleming (69')
1-3 Jackie Henderson (89')

Wales vs England

Wales Wales 1 – 4
(final score after 90 minutes) 		England England
Manager:

Team:

Substitutes:

none

Unused Substitutes:
?

Scorers:
1-0 Ivor Allchurch (22')

Half-time:
1-1

Competition:
World Cup qualifier 1954
(Group 3)

Date:
Saturday
10 October 1953

Kick off:
15:00

Venue:
Ninian Park, Cardiff

Attendance:
61,000

Referee:
Charlie Faultless  SCO

Assistants:
?

Match rules:
90 minutes
one injured player can be
substituted before half time

Manager: England Walter Winterbottom

Team:

Substitutes:

none

Unused Substitutes:
?

Scorers:
1-1 Dennis Wilshaw (45')
1-2 Dennis Wilshaw (49')
1-3 Nat Lofthouse (52')
1-4 Nat Lofthouse (53')

Scotland vs Wales

Scotland Scotland 3 – 3
(final score after 90 minutes) 		Wales Wales
Manager: Scotland Andy Beattie

Team:

Substitutes:

none

Unused Substitutes:
?

Scorers:
1-0 Allan Brown (19')
2-0 Bobby Johnstone (42')
3-1 Lawrie Reilly (58')

Half-time:
2-0

Competition:
World Cup qualifier 1954
(Group 3)

Date:
Wednesday
4 November 1953

Kick off:
14:45

Venue:
Hampden Park, Glasgow

Attendance:
71,378

Referee:
Thomas Mitchell  Ireland

Assistants:
?

Match rules:
90 minutes
one injured player can be
substituted before half time

Manager:

Team:

Substitutes:

none

Unused Substitutes:
?

Scorers:
2-1 John Charles (49')
3-2 Ivor Allchurch (73')
3-3 John Charles (88')

England vs Ireland

England England 3 – 1
(final score after 90 minutes) 		Northern Ireland Ireland
Manager: England Walter Winterbottom

Team:

Substitutes:

none

Unused Substitutes:
?

Scorers:
1-0 Harold Hassall (10')
2-1 Harold Hassall (60')
3-1 Nat Lofthouse (75')

Half-time:
1-0

Competition:
World Cup qualifier 1954
(Group 3)

Date:
Wednesday
11 November 1953

Kick off:
14:30

Venue:
Goodison Park, Liverpool

Attendance:
40,000

Referee:
Robert Smith  WAL

Assistants:
?

Match rules:
90 minutes
one injured player can be
substituted before half time

Manager: Northern Ireland Peter Doherty

Team:

Substitutes:

none

Unused Substitutes:
?

Scorers:
1-1 Edward McMorran (54')

Wales vs Ireland

Wales Wales 1 – 2
(final score after 90 minutes) 		Northern Ireland Ireland
Manager:

Team:

Substitutes:

none

Unused Substitutes:
?

Scorers:
1-2 John Charles (80')

Half-time:
0-1

Competition:
World Cup qualifier 1954
(Group 3)

Date:
Wednesday
31 March 1954

Kick off:
17:00

Venue:
Racecourse Ground, Wrexham

Attendance:
32,817

Referee:
Charlie Faultless  SCO

Assistants:
?

Match rules:
90 minutes
one injured player can be
substituted before half time

Manager: Northern Ireland Peter Doherty

Team:

Substitutes:

none

Unused Substitutes:
?

Scorers:
0-1 Peter McParland (1')
0-2 Peter McParland (52')

Scotland vs England

Scotland Scotland 2 – 4
(final score after 90 minutes) 		England England
Manager: Scotland Andy Beattie

Team:

Substitutes:

none

Unused Substitutes:
?

Scorers:
1-0 Allan Brown (7')
2-4 Willie Ormond (89')

Half-time:
1-1

Competition:
World Cup qualifier 1954
(Group 3)

Date:
Saturday
3 April 1954

Kick off:
15:00

Venue:
Hampden Park, Glasgow

Attendance:
134,544

Referee:
Thomas Mitchell  NIR

Assistants:
?

Match rules:
90 minutes
one injured player can be
substituted before half time

Manager: England Walter Winterbottom

Team:

Substitutes:

none

Unused Substitutes:>1-1 Johnny Nicholls (50')
1-3 Ronnie Allen (68')
1-4 Jimmy Mullen (83')

England won the championship and along with Scotland they represented Great Britain in 1954 FIFA World Cup

Squads and Stats

 England

Head coach: England Walter Winterbottom

Pos. Player DoB Games
played 		Goals Minutes
played 		Sub off Sub on Wales Northern Ireland Scotland Club
FW Ronnie Allen 15 January 1929 1 1 90 0 0 - - 90 England West Bromwich Albion
FW Ivor Broadis 18 December 1922 1 1 90 0 0 - - 90 England Manchester City
DF Roger Byrne 8 February 1929 1 0 90 0 0 - - 90 England Manchester United
MF Harry Clarke 23 February 1923 1 0 90 0 0 - - 90 England Tottenham Hotspur
MF Jimmy Dickinson 24 April 1925 3 0 270 0 0 90 90 90 England Portsmouth F.C.
DF Bill Eckersley 16 July 1925 2 0 180 0 0 90 90 - England Blackburn Rovers
FW Tom Finney 5 April 1922 2 0 180 0 0 90 - 90 England Preston North End
DF Tommy Garrett 28 February 1927 1 0 90 0 0 90 - - England Blackpool F.C.
FW Harold Hassall 4 March 1929 1 2 90 0 0 - 90 - England Bolton Wanderers
MF Harry Johnston 26 September 1919 2 0 180 0 0 90 90 - England Blackpool F.C.
FW Nat Lofthouse 27 August 1925 2 3 180 0 0 90 90 - England Bolton Wanderers
FW Stanley Matthews 1 February 1915 1 0 90 0 0 - 90 - England Blackpool F.C.
GK Gil Merrick 26 January 1922 3 0 270 0 0 90 90 90 England Birmingham City
FW Jimmy Mullen 6 January 1923 3 1 270 0 0 90 90 90 England Wolverhampton Wanderers
FW Johnny Nicholls 3 April 1931 1 1 90 0 0 - - 90 England West Bromwich Albion
FW Albert Quixall 9 August 1933 2 0 180 0 0 90 90 - England Sheffield Wednesday
DF Stan Rickaby 12 March 1924 1 0 90 0 0 - 90 - England West Bromwich Albion
DF Ron Staniforth 13 April 1924 1 0 90 0 0 - - 90 England Huddersfield Town
FW Dennis Wilshaw 11 March 1926 1 2 90 0 0 90 - - England Wolverhampton Wanderers
MF Billy Wright 6 February 1924 3 0 270 0 0 90 90 90 England Wolverhampton Wanderers

 Scotland

Head coach: Scotland Andy Beattie

Pos. Player DoB Games
played 		Goals Minutes
played 		Sub off Sub on Northern Ireland Wales England Club
MF George Aitken 28 May 1925 1 0 90 0 0 - - 90 England Sunderland A.F.C.
MF Frank Brennan 23 April 1924 2 0 180 0 0 90 - 90 England Newcastle United
FW Allan Brown 12 October 1926 2 2 180 0 0 - 90 90 England Blackpool F.C.
MF Doug Cowie 1 May 1926 2 0 180 0 0 90 90 - Scotland Dundee F.C.
DF Sammy Cox 13 April 1924 3 0 270 0 0 90 90 90 Scotland Rangers F.C.
MF Bobby Evans 16 July 1927 3 0 270 0 0 90 90 90 Scotland Celtic F.C.
GK George Farm 13 July 1924 3 0 270 0 0 90 90 90 England Blackpool F.C.
FW Charlie Fleming 12 July 1927 1 2 90 0 0 90 - - Scotland East Fife F.C.
DF Mike Haughney 10 December 1925 1 0 90 0 0 - - 90 Scotland Celtic F.C.
FW Jackie Henderson 17 January 1932 2 1 180 0 0 90 - 90 England Portsmouth F.C.
FW Bobby Johnstone 7 September 1929 2 1 180 0 0 - 90 90 Scotland Hibernian F.C.
FW Billy Liddell 10 January 1922 1 0 90 0 0 - 90 - England Liverpool F.C.
FW John Mackenzie 4 September 1925 2 0 180 0 0 - 90 90 Scotland Partick Thistle F.C.
FW John McPhail 27 December 1923 1 0 90 0 0 90 - - Scotland Celtic F.C.
FW Willie Ormond 23 February 1927 1 1 90 0 0 - - 90 Scotland Hibernian F.C.
FW Lawrie Reilly 28 October 1928 1 1 90 0 0 - 90 - Scotland Hibernian F.C.
MF Willie Telfer 26 October 1925 1 0 90 0 0 - 90 - Scotland St Mirren F.C.
FW Willie Waddell 7 March 1921 1 0 90 0 0 90 - - Scotland Rangers F.C.
FW Jimmy Watson 16 January 1924 1 0 90 0 0 90 - - England Huddersfield Town F.C.
DF George Young 22 October 1922 2 0 180 0 0 90 90 - Scotland Rangers F.C.

 Ireland

Head coach: Northern Ireland Peter Doherty

Pos. Player DoB Games
played 		Goals Minutes
played 		Sub off Sub on Scotland England Wales Club
FW Billy Bingham 5 August 1931 3 0 270 0 0 90 90 90 England Sunderland A.F.C.
MF Danny Blanchflower 10 February 1926 3 0 270 0 0 90 90 90 England Aston Villa
FW Jackie Blanchflower 7 March 1933 1 0 90 0 0 - - 90 England Manchester United
DF Willie Cunningham 20 February 1930 1 0 90 0 0 90 - - Scotland St Mirren F.C.
MF Wilbur Cush 10 June 1928 2 0 180 0 0 90 90 - Northern Ireland Glenavon F.C.
MF William Dickson 15 March 1923 2 0 180 0 0 - 90 90 England Arsenal F.C.
DF Len Graham 17 October 1925 2 0 180 0 0 - 90 90 England Doncaster Rovers
GK Harry Gregg 25 October 1932 1 0 90 0 0 - - 90 England Doncaster Rovers
FW Norman Lockhart 4 March 1924 2 1 180 0 0 90 90 - England Aston Villa
FW Billy McAdams 20 January 1934 1 0 90 0 0 - - 90 England Manchester City
MF Jimmy McCabe 17 September 1918 1 0 90 0 0 90 - - England Leeds United
MF Jimmy McIlroy 25 October 1931 3 0 270 0 0 90 90 90 England Burnley F.C.
DF Alf McMichael 1 October 1927 3 0 270 0 0 90 90 90 Scotland Newcastle United
FW Edward McMorran 2 September 1923 1 1 90 0 0 - 90 - England Doncaster Rovers
FW Peter McParland 25 April 1934 1 0 90 0 0 - - 90 England Aston Villa
MF Bertie Peacock 29 September 1928 1 0 90 0 0 - - 90 Scotland Celtic F.C.
FW Billy Simpson 12 December 1929 2 1 180 0 0 90 90 - Scotland Rangers F.C.
GK William Smyth c.1925 2 0 180 0 0 90 90 - Northern Ireland Distillery
FW Charlie Tully 11 July 1924 1 0 90 0 0 90 - - Scotland Celtic F.C.

 Wales

Head coach:

Pos. Player DoB Games
played 		Goals Minutes
played 		Sub off Sub on England Scotland Northern Ireland Club
FW Ivor Allchurch 16 October 1929 3 2 270 0 0 90 90 90 England Swansea Town
DF Walley Barnes 16 January 1920 2 0 180 0 0 90 90 - England Arsenal F.C.
MF Ron Burgess 9 April 1917 3 0 270 0 0 90 90 90 England Tottenham Hotspur
FW John Charles 27 December 1931 3 3 270 0 0 90 90 90 England Leeds United
FW Roy Clarke 1 June 1926 3 0 270 0 0 90 90 90 England Manchester City
MF Ray Daniel 2 November 1928 3 0 270 0 0 90 90 90 England Sunderland A.F.C.
FW Reg Davies 27 May 1929 2 0 180 0 0 90 90 - England Newcastle United
FW Billy Foulkes 29 May 1926 3 0 270 0 0 90 90 90 England Newcastle United
GK Ron Howells 12 January 1927 2 0 180 0 0 90 90 - England Cardiff City
GK Jack Kelsey 19 November 1929 1 0 90 0 0 - - 90 England Arsenal F.C.
FW Noel Kinsey 24 December 1925 1 0 90 0 0 - - 90 England Birmingham City
MF Roy Paul 18 April 1920 3 0 270 0 0 90 90 90 England Manchester City
DF Alf Sherwood 13 November 1923 3 0 270 0 0 90 90 90 England Cardiff City
DF Derek Sullivan 10 August 1930 1 0 90 0 0 - - 90 England Cardiff City

References

  • Guy Oliver (1992). The Guinness Record of World Soccer. Guinness. ISBN 0-85112-954-4.