Match Reports - England
England 2-1 Scotland
(HT 2-0)
British Home Championship
Aston Villa Football Club
Aston Lower Grounds, Trinity Road, Aston, Birmingham
8th April 1899 | 4pm
Attendance: 25,590
Receipts: £2,120.10s (£2,120.50p)
Referee: James Torrans - Ireland
Linesmen: George Stuart Sherrington - England | & unknown
Goals: Bloomer 0
(HT 2-0)
British Home Championship
Aston Villa Football Club
Aston Lower Grounds, Trinity Road, Aston, Birmingham
8th April 1899 | 4pm
Attendance: 25,590
Receipts: £2,120.10s (£2,120.50p)
Referee: James Torrans - Ireland
Linesmen: George Stuart Sherrington - England | & unknown
Goals: Bloomer 0
Final Table
1895-1900
Steve front row 2nd from left
Villa Park - 1907
England won the toss and Scotland kicked-off.
England 2-3-5
John Robinson (GK), Henry Thickitt (RB), Jimmy Crabtree (LF), Frank Forman (RH), Raby Howell (CH), Ernest Needham (LH), Charlie Athersmith (OR), Steve Bloomer (IR), Gilbert Smith (Capt.) (CF), Jimmy Settle (IL), Fred Forman (OL).
25 mins: Gilbert Smith with a shot in off the upright.
40 mins: Jimmy Settle from an Athersmith centre.
Pre-Match Replacements
Raby Howell replaced Tommy Morren (injured).
Fred and Frank Forman were brothers. This is the oldest England team thus far.
The FA International Selection Committee (7 members), were chosen on Monday 20th March 1899, at The Royal Hotel, Bristol, following the match against Wales, to decide the team.
Scotland 2-3-5
Ned Doig (GK), Nicol Smith (Capt.) (RB), David Storrier (LB), Neil Gibson (RH), Alexander Christie (CH), John Robertson (LH), John Campbell (OR), Robert Hamilton (IR), Bob McColl (CF), Hugh Morgan (IL), John Bell (OR).
Reserves: Davidson Berry, Henry Marshall.
52 mins Robert Hamilton rushed the ball through, out of a hot scrimmage.
The Scottish FA Selection Committee (7 members), were chosen on Saturday 1st April 1899, following an Inter League match, to decide the team.
Colours
England: white shirts, navy shorts.
Scotland: dark blue shirts, white shorts.
Match Report
The Association match of the year maintained its high traditions of excellence, and it was only after a great demonstration of the finer arts of football that England beat Scotland, at Birmingham, on Saturday, by two goals to one. To the average spectator perhaps the game was lacking in some of the picturesqueness which is expected in fixtures of this international kind, but to those of practical experience in the game Saturday's match was full of excellence. And the thing that must have been most appreciated by those keener judges of the play was the work of the English half-backs, with whom lay really the secret of England's success. For some years now the development of the duties of half-back in Association football has made this line in the game as vital as it is in Rugby Union ; and that this is so was well illustrated on Saturday.England scored their two goals in the first half of the game at periods of 25 minutes and 40 minutes from the start. The first was by G. O. Smith, to whom fortune was kind ; he lofted the ball at a 20 yards range over the heads of the halves and full backs, and the shot took effect in the top angle of the left post, the ball rebounding into the net off the post. But the second goal was a masterpiece. Athersmith got down on the right, and, with his opponents closing in on him, he middled to Settle, who had the goal at his mercy.
The Scotsmen played a tremendous game at the beginning of the second half, and in seven or eight minutes the ball was bullied through after the goalkeeper had fallen. Their large ground at Aston was thronged by a company 40,000 strong, and the methods for dealing with such a company were perfectly carried out.
England 2-3-5
John Robinson (GK), Henry Thickitt (RB), Jimmy Crabtree (LF), Frank Forman (RH), Raby Howell (CH), Ernest Needham (LH), Charlie Athersmith (OR), Steve Bloomer (IR), Gilbert Smith (Capt.) (CF), Jimmy Settle (IL), Fred Forman (OL).
25 mins: Gilbert Smith with a shot in off the upright.
40 mins: Jimmy Settle from an Athersmith centre.
Pre-Match Replacements
Raby Howell replaced Tommy Morren (injured).
Fred and Frank Forman were brothers. This is the oldest England team thus far.
The FA International Selection Committee (7 members), were chosen on Monday 20th March 1899, at The Royal Hotel, Bristol, following the match against Wales, to decide the team.
Scotland 2-3-5
Ned Doig (GK), Nicol Smith (Capt.) (RB), David Storrier (LB), Neil Gibson (RH), Alexander Christie (CH), John Robertson (LH), John Campbell (OR), Robert Hamilton (IR), Bob McColl (CF), Hugh Morgan (IL), John Bell (OR).
Reserves: Davidson Berry, Henry Marshall.
52 mins Robert Hamilton rushed the ball through, out of a hot scrimmage.
The Scottish FA Selection Committee (7 members), were chosen on Saturday 1st April 1899, following an Inter League match, to decide the team.
Colours
England: white shirts, navy shorts.
Scotland: dark blue shirts, white shorts.
Match Report
The Association match of the year maintained its high traditions of excellence, and it was only after a great demonstration of the finer arts of football that England beat Scotland, at Birmingham, on Saturday, by two goals to one. To the average spectator perhaps the game was lacking in some of the picturesqueness which is expected in fixtures of this international kind, but to those of practical experience in the game Saturday's match was full of excellence. And the thing that must have been most appreciated by those keener judges of the play was the work of the English half-backs, with whom lay really the secret of England's success. For some years now the development of the duties of half-back in Association football has made this line in the game as vital as it is in Rugby Union ; and that this is so was well illustrated on Saturday.England scored their two goals in the first half of the game at periods of 25 minutes and 40 minutes from the start. The first was by G. O. Smith, to whom fortune was kind ; he lofted the ball at a 20 yards range over the heads of the halves and full backs, and the shot took effect in the top angle of the left post, the ball rebounding into the net off the post. But the second goal was a masterpiece. Athersmith got down on the right, and, with his opponents closing in on him, he middled to Settle, who had the goal at his mercy.
The Scotsmen played a tremendous game at the beginning of the second half, and in seven or eight minutes the ball was bullied through after the goalkeeper had fallen. Their large ground at Aston was thronged by a company 40,000 strong, and the methods for dealing with such a company were perfectly carried out.
The Times
Monday 10th April 1899
Monday 10th April 1899