1897–98 British Home Championship

1897–98 British Home Championship
Tournament details
Host countryEngland, Ireland, Scotland and Wales
Dates19 February – 2 April 1898
Teams4
Final positions
Champions England (8th title)
Runners-up Scotland
Tournament statistics
Matches played6
Goals scored23 (3.83 per match)
Top scorer(s)England Fred Wheldon
Scotland James Gillespie
(3 goals)

The 1897–98 British Home Championship was the fifteenth edition of the annual football tournament played between the British Home Nations. England won the title after whitewashing all three opponents and taking the maximum six points. Scotland came second after winning two of their games whilst Ireland came third following a close victory over Wales in Llandudno.

Ireland's win over Wales was the first match of the tournament and gave Ireland a short lived advantage in the competition. England ended this advantage in the second game with a close 3–2 win over the Irish in Belfast and Scotland joined the other two on two points with a 5–2 thrashing of the Welsh. Scotland then briefly took the lead with a win over Ireland in Belfast before England joined them by beating Wales by the same scoreline in Wrexham. In the final and deciding match, played at Celtic Park in Glasgow, the Scots were defeated by a fast and powerful England side who ran out 3–1 winners and took the championship.[1]

Table

Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
 England (C) 3 3 0 0 9 3 +6 6
 Scotland 3 2 0 1 9 5 +4 4
 Ireland 3 1 0 2 3 6 −3 2
 Wales 3 0 0 3 2 9 −7 0
Source: [2][3]
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 0 – 1 Ireland
  85' Jack Peden
Ireland 2 – 3 England
15' John Pyper
70' Joe McAllen		 37' Gilbert Smith
40' Charlie Athersmith
50' Tommy Morren
Scotland 5 – 2 Wales
James Gillespie 12', 20', 61'
James McKee 29', 40'		 44' Thomas Thomas
89' Morgan Morgan-Owen
Attendance: 3,500
Referee: William H. Stacey (England)
Ireland 0 – 3 Scotland
  Scottish FA 30' Tommy Robertson
42' Bob McColl
70' William Stewart
Attendance: 5,000
Referee: John Lewis (England)
Wales 0 – 3 England
  9', 75' Fred Wheldon
88' Gilbert Smith
Scotland 1 – 3 England
Jimmy Millar 48' 3' Fred Wheldon
23', 72' Steve Bloomer
Attendance: 40,000
Referee: Thomas Robertson (Scotland)

Winning squad

Name Apps/Goals by opponent Total
Wales
WAL[4] 		Ireland
IRE[5] 		Scotland
SCO[6] 		Apps Goals
Fred Wheldon 1/2 1 1/1 3 3
Gilbert Smith 1/1 1/1 1 3 2
Charlie Athersmith 1 1/1 1 3 1
Jack Robinson 1 1 1 3 0
William Oakley 1 1 1 3 0
Billy Williams 1 1 1 3 0
Frank Forman 1 1 2 0
Ernest Needham 1 1 2 0
Fred Spiksley 1 1 2 0
Steve Bloomer 1/2 1 2
Tommy Morren 1/1 1 1
Charles Wreford-Brown 1 1 0
Jimmy Turner 1 1 0
Charlie Richards 1 1 0
Ben Garfield 1 1 0
Tom Booth 1 1 0
John Goodall 1 1 0
Tom Perry 1 1 0

References

  1. ^ England Did It. The Scottish Referee, 4 April 1898, scan via London Hearts Supporters Club
  2. ^ Reyes, Macario; Morrison, Neil (1 October 1999). "British Home Championship 1884–1899". The Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved 17 August 2019.
  3. ^ "British Championships 1898". Scotland Football Stats. Retrieved 6 October 2022.
  4. ^ Monday, 28 March 1898 | Wales 0 England 3, England Football Online
  5. ^ Saturday, 5 March 1898 | Ireland 2 England 3 , England Football Online
  6. ^ Saturday, 2 April 1898 | Scotland 1 England 3, England Football Online
  • Guy Oliver (1992). The Guinness Record of World Soccer. Guinness. ISBN 0-85112-954-4.