1953 British Home Championship
Encyclopedia
The 1953 British Home Championship
was a football
tournament played between the British Home Nations
throughout the 1952–53 football season. The tournament saw a last minute goal by Lawrie Reilly
in the final game at Wembley which salvaged a draw and thus a share in the trophy for Scotland
. England
were the other winners whilst both Wales
and Ireland
played well in a very competitive competition.
England began with a draw against a combatative Irish team in a game which finished 2–2. The Scots however were able to narrowly beat Wales in Cardiff
, taking the lead after the first round. In the second games, Scotland and Ireland played another score draw, keeping both sides tournament hopes alive, albeit behind England, who comprehensively beat Wales in their game. The final matches saw a battling Wales side defeat the Irish in Belfast
, ending Ireland's lively hopes for the trophy and gaining some pride in the two points necessary to match Ireland. England and Scotland played out the final match knowing that the winner would take the trophy, but that a draw would share it between them as goal difference
was not yet used to determine position. A very hotly contested game looked to be going England's way until the 90th minute when Reilly's late goal, his second of the game, gave half the trophy to Scotland.
The points system worked as follows:
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British Home Championship
The British Home Championship was an annual football competition contested between the United Kingdom's four national teams, England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland from the 1883–84 season until the 1983–84...
was a football
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
tournament played between the British Home Nations
Home Nations
Home Nations is a collective term with one of two meanings depending on the context. Politically, it means the nations of the constituent countries of the United Kingdom...
throughout the 1952–53 football season. The tournament saw a last minute goal by Lawrie Reilly
Lawrie Reilly
Lawrance "Lawrie" Reilly is a former Scottish association football player. He was one of the "Famous Five", the Hibernian forward line during the 1950s. The others were Bobby Johnstone, Gordon Smith, Eddie Turnbull, and Willie Ormond...
in the final game at Wembley which salvaged a draw and thus a share in the trophy for Scotland
Scotland national football team
The Scotland national football team represents Scotland in international football and is controlled by the Scottish Football Association. Scotland are the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside England, whom they played in the world's first international football match in 1872...
. England
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
were the other winners whilst both Wales
Wales national football team
The Wales national football team represents Wales in international football. It is controlled by the Football Association of Wales , the governing body for football in Wales, and the third oldest national football association in the world. The team have only qualified for a major international...
and Ireland
Northern Ireland national football team
The Northern Ireland national football team represents Northern Ireland in international association football. Before 1921 all of Ireland was represented by a single side, the Ireland national football team, organised by the Irish Football Association...
played well in a very competitive competition.
England began with a draw against a combatative Irish team in a game which finished 2–2. The Scots however were able to narrowly beat Wales in Cardiff
Cardiff
Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for...
, taking the lead after the first round. In the second games, Scotland and Ireland played another score draw, keeping both sides tournament hopes alive, albeit behind England, who comprehensively beat Wales in their game. The final matches saw a battling Wales side defeat the Irish in Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
, ending Ireland's lively hopes for the trophy and gaining some pride in the two points necessary to match Ireland. England and Scotland played out the final match knowing that the winner would take the trophy, but that a draw would share it between them as goal difference
Goal difference
In sports such as ice hockey and association football, goal difference is often the first tiebreaker used to rank teams which finish a league competition with an equal number of points....
was not yet used to determine position. A very hotly contested game looked to be going England's way until the 90th minute when Reilly's late goal, his second of the game, gave half the trophy to Scotland.
Table
| Team | Pts | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 9 | 6 | ||
| 4 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 4 | ||
| 2 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 6 | −1 | |
| 2 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 9 | −3 |
The points system worked as follows:
- 2 points for a win
- 1 point for a draw
Results
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