1913–14 British Home Championship

1913–14 British Home Championship
Tournament details
Host countryEngland, Ireland, Scotland and Wales
Dates18 January – 5 April 1914
Teams4
Final positions
Champions Ireland (2nd title)
Runners-up Scotland
Tournament statistics
Matches played6
Goals scored13 (2.17 per match)
Top scorer(s)Ireland Billy Gillespie (3 goals)
Ireland v Wales during 1914 British Home Championship
Back(l-r): Val Harris, Fred McKee, Davy Rollo, Patrick O'Connoll
Front(l-r): Trainer, Ted Seymour, Sam Young, Billy Gillespie, Alex Craig, Bill Lacey, Louis Bookman, Bill McConnell

The 1913–14 British Home Championship was the last British Home Championship played before the First World War. The competition was played between January and April 1914 and won by Ireland with a team that included Patrick O’Connell, Billy Gillespie, Val Harris, Louis Bookman, Samuel Young and Bill Lacey.

1913–14 was the first time Ireland won the competition outright. The Irish had been the tournament's poorest performers over the years, but the previous year had demonstrated potential in beating England for the first time, in a 2–1 win at Windsor Park. Ireland began the 1914 tournament beating Wales 2–1 a in Wrexham on 19 January and then demolished England in England for the first time, winning 3–0 at Ayresome Park in Middlesbrough. Ireland clinched the title on 16 March, following a 1–1 draw with Scotland at Windsor Park, while England's away victory over Wales did not salvage their poor campaign as Scotland would eventually finish as runners up, beating England 3–1 at Hampden Park. It would be six years before the championship was again contested, and it would be with substantially different teams and in a different, increasingly global era of football.

The third-place finish by England represented that nation's lowest ever final position in the competition up to this point.

Table

Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
 Ireland (C) 3 2 1 0 6 2 +4 5
 Scotland 3 1 2 0 4 2 +2 4
 England 3 1 0 2 3 6 −3 2
 Wales 3 0 1 2 1 4 −3 1
Source: [1]
Rules for classification: 1) points. The points system worked as follows: 2 points for a win and 1 point for a draw.
(C) Champions

Results

Wales 1–2 Ireland
Jones 80' (pen.) Gillespie 11', 70'
Attendance: 5,000
Referee: Isaac Baker (England)
England 0–3 Ireland
  Lacey 5', 80'
Gillespie 36'
Attendance: 25,000
Referee: Alex Jackson (Scotland)
Scotland 0–0 Wales
   
Attendance: 10,000
Referee: Harold H. Taylor (England)
Ireland 1–1 Scotland
Young 89' Donnachie 70'
Attendance: 31,000
Referee: Herbert S. Bamlett (England)
Wales 0–2 England
  Smith 50'
Wedlock 70'
Attendance: 17,586
Referee: Jim Mason (England)
Scotland 3–1 England
Thomson 2'
McMenemy 50'
Reid 67'		 Fleming 15'
Attendance: 105,000
Referee: Herbert S. Bamlett (England)

Winning squad

Mural in Belfast celebrating the three outright wins of the British Home Championship by Ireland and Northern Ireland, including in 1914.
Name Apps/Goals by opponent Total
Wales
WAL[2] 		Scotland
SCO[3] 		England
ENG[4] 		Apps Goals
Bill Lacey 1 1 1/2 3 2
Sam Young 1 1/1 1 3 1
Alex Craig 1 1 1 3 0
Bill McConnell 1 1 1 3 0
Fred McKee 1 1 1 3 0
Pat O'Connell 1 1 1 3 0
Billy Gillespie 1/2 1/1 2 3
Dave Rollo 1 1 2 0
Mickey Hamill 1 1 2 0
Frank Thompson 1 1 2 0
Val Harris 1 1 2 0
Harry Hampton 1 1 0
Louis Bookman 1 1 0
Ted Seymour 1 1 0
Johnny Houston 1 1 0
Rab Nixon 1 1 0

References

  1. ^ "British Championship 1914". EU-Football. Retrieved 9 April 2020.
  2. ^ Wales vs Ireland, 19 January 1914, EU-Football.info
  3. ^ Ireland vs Scotland, 14 March 1914, EU-Football.info
  4. ^ England vs Ireland, 14 February 1914, EU-Football.info