57 Brilliant (And Timely) Vintage Photos Of England And Scotland’s Football Rivalry

Chris Wright

18th, September 2014

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By Chris Wright

With the big independence referendum imminent, Pies thought we’d take a timely look back at the vast schism that already exists between England and Scotland in football terms – beginning with the first ever fixture between the two countries in 1870 and ending with Gazza’s audacious, mercurial tomfoolery at Euro ’96…

A version of this post originally appeared on Pies in August 2013

Soccer - Kennington Oval

An artist’s impression (dated 1878) of the first ever international game ever played between England and a Scotland representative team played under floodlights at the Kennington Oval in 1870, as organised solely by the English FA.

However, it is the return leg at the Hamilton Crescent in 1872 (which finished 0-0) that is officially recognised as the first ever international fixture as the two sides were independently picked by the two corresponding Football Associations of England and Scotland

Soccer - Friendly - Scotland v England

An artist’s impression of a goalmouth scramble during the international “friendly” between England and Scotland, 1878

Soccer - Friendly - England v Scotland

The England team, circa 1893. On the far left of the back row is stood William McGregor, the founder of the Football League

Soccer - Home International Championship - England v Scotland - Goodison Park

The Scotland team, sporting a fine array of gentlemanly facial fashion, circa 1895

Soccer - Friendly - Scotland v England

Soccer - Friendly - Scotland v England

The wooden terracing at Ibrox after it collapsed during a Scotland-England game, killing 25 people and injuring around 500 more, 1902 (if you sang that last bit à la The Proclaimers then you’re officially as bad as us)

Soccer - Home International Championship - England v Scotland

A linesman in very fancy pantaloons marshals the game as England play Scotland at Bramall Lane, Sheffield in 1903

Soccer - Home International Championship - England v Scotland

Scotland goalkeeper Jack Lyall prepares to hoof the ball downfield during a match against England at Crystal Palace, 1905

Soccer - Home International Championship - England v Scotland

Up at the other end of the pitch, life for England goalkeeper Harry Linacre is an awful lot less stressful, 1905

Soccer - Home International Championship - England v Scotland - Stamford Bridge

Huge crowds swarm into Stamford Bridge for the England-Scotland Home International match which the home side eventually won 1-0, with Harry Hampton the scorer, 1913

PA-1147840

England captain David Jack shakes hands with his Scottish counterpart, Davie Meiklejohn, over the centre-spot at Wembley as Irish referee Williams McLean oversees, 1930. Who the bloke in the middle is we have no idea!

Soccer - International - England v Scotland - Wembley

The Duke of Gloucester is introduced to the England team by captain Ernie Blenkinsop before the game against Scotland at Wembley, 1932. England won the match 3-0

Soccer - Home International Championship - England v Scotland

Far below the camera blimp, England play Scotland at Wembley, 1932

Soccer - Wartime International - England v Scotland

Spectators arrive outside Wembley for the Wartime Friendly between England and Scotland, 1941

World War Two - UK & Commonwealth - The Home Front - Soccer - Wartime Friendly - England v Scotland - Wembley - 1941

Servicemen enjoy a front-row view at Wembley during the Wartime Friendly between England and Scotland specially organised by the FA, 1941

World War Two - UK & Commonwealth - Home Front - Soccer - Wartime International - England v Scotland - Wembley - 1944

Scotland captain Matt Busby shakes hands with grizzled England captain Stan Cullis before the Wartime Friendly between the two countries at Wembley, 1944

Soccer - Wartime international - England v Scotland

England goalkeeper Frank Swift rises to claim the ball confidently in front of the twin towers, 1944

Soccer - Home International Championship - England v Scotland

England’s Neil Franklin muscles in to dispossess Jimmy Delaney after the Scotland forward had beaten England goalkeeper Frank Swift (on ground) to a through ball, 1947

Soccer - Home International Championship - England v Scotland - Wembley Stadium

Two dustbin lids are used to ramp up the atmosphere at Wembley, 1947

Soccer - Home International Championship - Scotland v England

England’s Stanley Matthews jinks past Scotland defender George Young at Hampden Park, 1948

Soccer - British Home Championship - Trophy

The British Home Championship trophy (also known as the Home International trophy) which was competed for annually by the UK’s four national sides for 100 years from 1883/84 up until 1983/84, as photographed here in 1949

Soccer - England Training - Brighton and Hove Football Ground

England and Manchester City goalkeeper Frank Swift trains in the mud ahead of the Home International match at Wembley against Scotland, 1949

Soccer - Home International Championship - England v Scotland

Scotland centre-back George Young checks the solidity of the Wembley goalposts before a Home International match against England, 1949

Soccer - Home International Championship - England v Scotland

The two captains, England’s George Hardwick (left) and Scotland’s Jock Shaw (right), watch the referee’s coin toss intently, 1949

Soccer - Home International Championship - England v Scotland - Wembley - 1949

Scotland supporters clamber aboard a London bus and celebrate their team’s 3-1 victory over England, 1949

International Soccer - Home Championship - England v Scotland - Wembley

The two sides march out onto the Wembley Pitch ahead of the 1951 Home International game between England and Scotland

International Soccer - Home Championship - England v Scotland - Wembley

England’s inside-right Wilf Mannion is stretchered off the Wembley turf after suffering a fractured cheek bone during the game against Scotland, 1951

Soccer - Home International Championship - England v Scotland

The very definition of a “despairing dive”, Scotland goalkeeper Tom Cowan is beaten at his near post as England socre their first goal at Wembley, 1951

Soccer - Home International Championship - England v Scotland - England Training

England players including Nat Lofthouse, Stanley Matthews, Billy Wright and Don Revie train at Roehampton ahead of a Home International game against Scotland, 1955

Soccer - Home International Championship - England v Scotland - Wembley

Crowds spill out of the stadium and filter away down Wembley Way following England’s 7-2 friendly victory over Scotland, 1955

Soccer - Home International Championship - England v Scotland - England Practice - Stamford Bridge

Shouldn’t you be at school? A crowd of young boys gather to watch England train at Stamford Bridge before the following day’s Home International fixture against Scotland, 1959

Soccer - Home International Championship - England v Scotland

England captain Billy Wright is chaired off by his teammates after his 100th international appearance, a 1-0 victory over Scotland at Wembley, 1959

Soccer - Home International Championship - England v Scotland

Bodies are sprawled across the pitch after England’s Bobby Smith and Scotland’s Eric Caldow are involved in a nasty collision, 1963

Soccer - Home International Championship - England v Scotland

England’s Bryan Douglas and Jimmy Greaves treat injured teammate Bobby Smith with the magic sponge as Scotland’s Eric Caldow in tended to in the background, 1963

Soccer - Home International Championship - England v Scotland

Two jubilant Scotland fans are accosted by a police inspector as they attempt to unfurl the Scottish standard on the Wembley pitch following Scotland’s 2-1 win, 1963

Soccer -  England v Scotland  -

 Billy McNeill and Bobby Moore lead their boys out at Wembley, 1965

Soccer -  England v Scotland  -

Jimmy Greaves and the Charlton brothers line up before England’s game against Scotland at Wembley, 1965. The match finished 2-2; Greaves and Bobby Charlton scoring for England, Denis Law and Ian St John scoring for Scotland

Soccer - Home International Championship - England v Scotland

England’s Ray Wilson is stretchered away down the tunnel after picking up an injury against Scotland, 1965

Soccer -  England v Scotland  -

Scotland goalkeeper Bill Brown punches clear as England swing a corner into his area, 1965

Soccer -  England v Scotland - Wembley  -

Manchester United teammates Denis Law and Bobby Charlton swap shirts after the final whistle, 1965

Soccer - European Championship Qualifier and Home International Championship - England v Scotland - Wembley Stadium

Jim Baxter is hugged by delighted fans following Scotland’s 3-2 victory over England in the European Championship qualifier at Wembley, 1967

Soccer - European Championship Qualifier and Home International Championship - England v Scotland - Wembley Stadium

Scotland fans flood onto the Wembley pitch to celebrate the victory, 1967

Soccer - Home Championship & European Championship Qualifier - Scotland v England - Hampden Park

The Scotland team to play England, all looking a bit chilly, 1968

Great Britain London England vs Scotland

Joan Tench of England Ladies is sneakily kegged by Jean Ramsey of Scotland during an aerial duel in a women’s international friendly game in London, 1969

Soccer - Friendly International Scottish FA Centenary Match - Scotland v England - Hampden Park

In a game scheduled to mark the Scottish FA’s centenary year, Bobby Moore leads his team out before making his 100th international appearance for England against Billy Bremner’s Scotland at Hampden Park, 1973

Soccer - Home International Championship - Scotland v England - Hampden Park

Big Joe Jordan celebrates after knocking one in against England, scoring the opener in a 2-0 Home International win at Hampden Park, 1974

Soccer - Home International Championship - Scotland v England - Hampden Park - England Training

England manager Don Revie talks tactics with members of his squad at Troon as they prepare for a Home International match with Scotland. With him are, from left, Mick Channon, Stuart Pearson (no. 10), Ray Kennedy (no. 6), Peter Taylor, Gerry Francis and Kevin Keegan, 1976

Scots Run Wild On The Wembley Pitch.

Soccer - Home International Championship - England v Scotland

Rampant Scotland fans demolish the Wembley goalposts after watching their team beat England 2-1 at Wembley in a Home International, 1977

Soccer - Home International Championship - England v Scotland

Keggy celebrates scoring against Scotland at Wembley, 1979

Soccer - Home International Championship - England v Scotland

Scotland fans make their point with a banner referring to FA secretary Ted Croker, who banned the sale of tickets to Scottish fans ahead of 1981’s Home International fixture after their demolition job at Wembley four years prior.

The ticket ban was overturned in court and, hence…

Soccer - Home International Championship - Scotland v England

A small group of determined Scotland fans watch the Home International match against England through a gap in the corner of Hampden Park, 1985

Soccer - Rous Cup - England v Scotland - Wembley - London - 1988

Rival fans brawl at Wembley where England beat Scotland 1-0 in a Rous Cup match, 1988

Soccer - Euro 96 - Group A - England v Scotland - Wembley Stadium

Paul Gascoigne leaves a bamboozled Colin Hendry in his wake as he thunders in his fantastic goal against Scotland at Euro ’96…

Soccer - Euro 96 - Group A - England v Scotland

…and celebrates accordingly!

International Soccer - Euro 96  - England v Scotland

England-Scotland at Euro ’96 as seen from the skies above Wembley

SOCCER - Euro 96 - England v Scotland

No caption required

(Photos: PA)