British Home Championship

The British Home Championship[a] (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 Northern Ireland (the last of whom competed as Ireland for most of the competition's history). Starting during the 1883–84 season, it is the oldest international association football tournament[1] and it was contested until the 1983–84 season, when it was abolished after 100 years.

British Home Championship
Founded1884
Abolished1984
RegionBritish Isles
Number of teams4
Last champions Northern Ireland (1983–84)
Most successful team(s) England (54 titles)

History

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 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
1871
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

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.[2] Talk of a "championship" began to emerge gradually during the 1890s,[3][4] 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).[5][6] By 1908, we find a published list of "International Champions" extending all the way back to 1884.[7]

The championship, although increasingly recognized 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.[8]

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 a lot 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 who went forward to the second qualifying round of Euro '68.

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.[9]

Format and rules
Early example of a printed league table showing the final positions of the teams (Dundee Courier, 1895-96)

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. From these points, a league table was constructed and whoever was top at the end of the competition 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, all four teams finished level on points and for the only time the Championship was shared four ways. 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 could still not separate them, then total goals scored was used.

Trophy

Early editions of 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.[8] It was first awarded, as the "Jubilee Trophy", to Scotland, victors of the 1935-36 competition.[10] 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".[8]

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: World Cup qualification

The 1950 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.

1967: Scotland become 'Unofficial 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.

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 (although it was going to be relaid after the game) and taken back to Scotland in small pieces to be laid in back gardens, along with one of the broken crossbars.[11]

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 Championship was held at Hampden Park between Scotland and England in which the winners of the game would win the final Championship. The match 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
Year Champions Second Third Fourth
1883–84  Scotland  England  Wales  Ireland
1884–85
1885–86  Scotland /  England
1886–87  Scotland  England  Ireland  Wales
1887–88  England  Scotland  Wales  Ireland
1888–89  Scotland  England
1889–90  England /  Scotland
1890–91  England  Scotland  Ireland  Wales
1891–92  Ireland /  Wales
1892–93  Ireland  Wales
1893–94  Scotland  England  Wales  Ireland
1894–95  England  Wales /  Scotland
1895–96  Scotland  England  Wales
1896–97  Ireland  Wales
1897–98  England  Scotland
1898–99
1899–1900  Scotland  Wales /  England  Ireland
1900–01  England  Scotland  Wales
1901–02  Scotland  England  Ireland  Wales
1902–03  England /  Ireland /  Scotland
1903–04  England  Ireland  Scotland /  Wales
1904–05  Wales  Scotland /  Ireland
1905–06  England /  Scotland  Wales  Ireland
1906–07  Wales  England  Scotland
1907–08  England /  Scotland  Ireland  Wales
1908–09  England  Wales  Scotland  Ireland
1909–10  Scotland  England /  Ireland  Wales
1910–11  England  Scotland  Wales  Ireland
1911–12  England /  Scotland  Ireland  Wales
1912–13  England  Scotland /  Wales  Ireland
1913–14  Ireland  Scotland  England  Wales
1914–19 Not held due to the First World War
1919–20  Wales  Scotland /  England  Ireland
1920–21  Scotland  Wales /  England
1921–22  Wales /  England
1922–23  England  Ireland  Wales
1923–24  Wales  Scotland  England
1924–25  Scotland  England  Wales /  Ireland
1925–26  Ireland  Wales  England
1926–27  Scotland /  England  Wales /  Ireland
1927–28  Wales  Ireland  Scotland  England
1928–29  Scotland  England  Wales /  Ireland
1929–30  England  Scotland  Ireland  Wales
1930–31  England /  Scotland  Wales  Ireland
1931–32  England  Scotland  Ireland  Wales
1932–33  Wales  England  Ireland
1933–34  Wales  England  Ireland  Scotland
1934–35  England /  Scotland  Wales /  Ireland
1935–36  Scotland  Wales /  England  Ireland
1936–37  Wales  Scotland  England
1937–38  England  Scotland /  Ireland  Wales
1938–39  England /  Wales /  Scotland  Ireland
1939–45 Not held due to the Second World War
(1945–46
unofficial)		  Scotland  Ireland /  England /  Wales
1946–47  England  Ireland  Scotland /  Wales
1947–48  Wales  Ireland  Scotland
1948–49  Scotland  England  Wales  Ireland
1949–50  England  Scotland  Wales /  Ireland
1950–51  Scotland  England  Wales  Ireland
1951–52  Wales /  England  Scotland
1952–53  Scotland /  England  Wales /  Ireland
1953–54  England  Scotland  Ireland  Wales
1954–55  Wales  Ireland
1955–56  England /  Scotland /  Wales /  Ireland
1956–57  England  Scotland  Wales /  Northern Ireland
1957–58  England /  Northern Ireland  Scotland /  Wales
1958–59  Northern Ireland /  England  Scotland  Wales
1959–60  Scotland /  England /  Wales  Northern Ireland
1960–61  England  Wales  Scotland
1961–62  Scotland  England
1962–63  England  Wales
1963–64  England /  Scotland /  Northern Ireland  Wales
1964–65  England  Wales  Scotland  Northern Ireland
1965–66  Northern Ireland  Wales
1966–67  Scotland  England  Wales  Northern Ireland
1967–68  England  Scotland  Wales /  Northern Ireland
1968–69  Northern Ireland  Wales
1969–70  England /  Wales /  Scotland  Northern Ireland
1970–71  England  Northern Ireland  Wales  Scotland
1971–72  Scotland /  England  Northern Ireland  Wales
1972–73  England  Northern Ireland  Scotland
1973–74  Scotland /  England  Wales /  Northern Ireland
1974–75  England  Scotland  Northern Ireland  Wales
1975–76  Scotland  England  Wales  Northern Ireland
1976–77  Wales  England
1977–78  England  Scotland
1978–79
1979–80  Northern Ireland  England  Wales  Scotland
1980–81 Abandoned due to civil unrest in Northern Ireland
1981–82  England  Scotland  Wales  Northern Ireland
1982–83  Northern Ireland  Wales
1983–84  Northern Ireland  Wales  England  Scotland
  • Where teams finished in a joint position, the level teams are listed in order of better/best goal difference

Total wins
TeamWins totalWins outrightShared wins
 England543420
 Scotland4124*17
 Wales1275
 Ireland
 Northern Ireland		835

* Does not include the British Victory Home Championship in 1945–46 or the 1980–81 Championship where Scotland was on top when tournament was cancelled due to civil unrest in Northern Ireland.

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 Stan Mortensen England 9
Billy Meredith Wales 9
Grenville Morris Wales 9
11 Nat Lofthouse England 8
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See also

References
  1. though not the oldest in all codes of football; the Home Nations Championship in rugby is one year older
  2. For example:
    • "Scotland v England". Leeds Mercury: 3. 7 April 1890. describes the decisive 1890 Scotland v England match only as the "last international match of the season".
    • "Friendly Matches: England v. Scotland". Lichfield Mercury: 3. 10 April 1891. describes the decisive 1891 England v Scotland match as a "friendly".
    • Hazell's Annual for 1892. London: Hazell, Watson & Viney. 1892. p. 276. Altogether England had an exceptionally successful season, winning all three matches, but especial care was taken that no chance of turning the tables on Scotland should be lost
  3. "Scotland v. England". Sheffield and Rotherham Independent: 7. 4 April 1892. [O]n the result of the match in question the championship depended
  4. "Nottingham and General". Nottingham Evening Post: 2. 7 April 1894. England and Scotland will meet on Saturday to play for the international championship
  5. "Football". The Sketch: 44. 3 April 1895.
  6. "Results of Previous Matches". Dundee Courier: 6. 6 April 1896.
  7. Sport and Athletics in 1908. London: Chapman and Hall. 1908. p. 241.
  8. "British Home Championship Trophy, 1935". Retrieved 15 July 2019.
  9. 4 Associations Tournament Announced for Dublin 2011 Football Association of Ireland, 18 September 2008
  10. "Jubilee Trophy for Scotland". Western Daily Press: 4. 6 April 1936.
  11. "Recalling Scotland's famous Wembley win in 1977". Mail Online. Retrieved 13 June 2017.

Notes

a. ^ Name of the Home Championship in the languages of participating countries:

  • Home International Championship, Home Internationals, British Championship
  • Irish: An Comórtas Idirnáisiúnta
  • Scots: Hame Internaitional Kemp
  • Scottish Gaelic: Farpais lìg eadar-nàiseanta
  • Welsh: Pencampwriaeth y Pedair Gwlad[1]
  1. http://www.s4c.cymru/sgorio/hanes/chwefror16/
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