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.

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)

Results

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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

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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

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

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

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

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

Team:


Substitutes:

none


Unused Substitutes:
?


Scorers:
1-1 Edward McMorran (54')

Wales vs Ireland

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  Wales 1 – 2
(final score after 90 minutes)
  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:   Peter Doherty

Team:


Substitutes:

none


Unused Substitutes:
?


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

Scotland vs England

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

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Head coach:   Walter Winterbottom

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

Head coach:   Andy Beattie

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

Head coach:   Peter Doherty

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

Head coach:

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

References

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