1896–97 British Home Championship
Tournament details
Host countryEngland, Ireland, Scotland and Wales
Dates20 February – 3 April 1897
Teams4
Final positions
Champions Scotland (9th title)
Runners-up England
Tournament statistics
Matches played6
Goals scored30 (5 per match)
Top scorer(s)England Steve Bloomer (4 goals)

The 1896–97 British Home Championship was an international football tournament between the British Home Nations. It was won by Scotland after a late goal at The Crystal Palace which beat England to the trophy despite England's dominance of the competition up to that point. Ireland came third despite conceding 14 goals and Wales finished last having picked up only one point.

England began the tournament the strongest, scoring six without reply against the Irish in Belfast with Fred Wheldon claiming a hat-trick. Ireland recovered in the second match however, a high-scoring affair against Wales in which the Irish just claimed a 4–3 victory. Wales too improved in their second match, forcing a draw from Scotland in Wrexham, before Scotland too improved, beating Ireland 5–1 at home to temporarily take the top of the table. England surpassed them in the penultimate match, winning 4–0 over Wales and needing only a draw in the final game at home against Scotland to win the tournament. Scotland however were more than a match for the English and scored late to claim their 2–1 victory and win the trophy.

Table

Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
 Scotland (C) 3 2 1 0 9 4 +5 5
 England 3 2 0 1 11 2 +9 4
 Ireland 3 1 0 2 5 14 9 2
 Wales 3 0 1 2 5 10 5 1
Source: [1][2]
Rules for classification: 1) points. The points system worked as follows: 2 points for a win and 1 point for a draw.
(C) Champions

Results

England 6–0 Ireland
Wheldon 25', 30', 55'
Bloomer 19', 85'
Athersmith 75'
 
Attendance: 13,490
Referee: Tom Robertson (Scotland)

Ireland 4–3 Wales
Barron 7'
Stanfield 62'
Pyper 66'
Peden 68'
Meredith 19', 36'
Jenkyns 27'
Attendance: 10,000
Referee: Tom Robertson (Scotland)

Wales 2–2 Scotland
Morgan-Owen 40'
Pugh 75'
Ritchie 11' (pen.)
Walker 60'
Attendance: 5,000
Referee: Thomas Armitt (England)

Scotland 5–1 Ireland
McPherson 5', 70'
Gibson 15'
McColl 25'
King 40'
Pyper 62'
Attendance: 15,000
Referee: James Cooper (Wales)

England 4–0 Wales
Milward 62', 64'
Needham 23'
Bloomer 44'
 
Attendance: 5,000
Referee: Tom Robertson (Scotland)

England 1–2 Scotland
Bloomer 19' Hyslop 27'
Millar 83'
Attendance: 33,715
Referee: Richard Thomas Gough (Wales)

References

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

Winning squad

Name Apps/Goals by opponent Total
Wales
WAL[3]
Ireland
IRE[4]
England
ENG[5]
Apps Goals
Neilly Gibson 1/1 1 2 1
William Lambie 1 1 2 0
John Patrick 1 1 2 0
John McPherson 1/2 1 2
Tommy Hyslop 1/1 1 1
Jimmy Millar 1/1 1 1
John Ritchie 1/1 1 1
John Walker 1/1 1 1
Alex King 1/1 1 1
Bob McColl 1/1 1 1
George Allan 1 1 0
Jack Bell 1 1 0
Jimmy Cowan 1 1 0
Dan Doyle 1 1 0
Nicol Smith 1 1 0
Hughie Wilson 1 1 0
Bernard Breslin 1 1 0
Dave Gardner 1 1 0
Sandy Keillor 1 1 0
Jack Kennedy 1 1 0
James McMillan 1 1 0
Pat Murray 1 1 0
Jimmy Oswald 1 1 0
Davie Russell 1 1 0
William Baird 1 1 0
Matthew Dickie 1 1 0
Jock Drummond 1 1 0
Tommy Low 1 1 0
Duncan McLean 1 1 0
David Stewart 1 1 0

References

  1. Reyes, Macario; Morrison, Neil (1 October 1999). "British Home Championship 1884–1899". The Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved 17 August 2019.
  2. "British Championships 1897". Scotland Football Stats. Retrieved 6 October 2022.
  3. Sat 20 Mar 1897 Wales 2 Scotland 2, London Hearts Supporters Club
  4. Sat 27 Mar 1897 Scotland 5 Ireland 1, London Hearts Supporters Club
  5. Sat 03 Apr 1897 England 1 Scotland 2, London Hearts Supporters Club
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