The 1983 British Home Championship
In 1983, the British Home Championship was entering in its penultimate season.
As stated in the previous entry on this topic, there was pressure from the authorities to disband this nearly century old competition due to security concerns.
England and Scotland were more receptive to this idea.
The first match of the 1983 Home Championship was played on February 23rd, 1983, England hosted Wales at Wembley.
This was the first season of Bobby Robson in charge of England.
On the day of the match, Manchester United and Arsenal matchup was scheduled for the League Cup.
As a result, many eligible England players could not be called up, which included Captain Bryan Robson, as well as Ray Wilkins, Steve Coppell, Kenny Sansom, Tony Woodcock and Graham Rix.
The withdrawals allowed Robson to give first caps to Derek Statham and Gordon Cowans.
At the time, the attendance of 24,000 was Wembley’s lowest ever attendance, the cold weather may have contributed to that and even the ground was frozen.
England had not defeated Wales in 10 years.
Wales were near full strength and went ahead in the 14th minute against the run of the play.
Kevin Ratcliffe crossed into the box, Robbie James flicked it up , Davies got a touch and Ian Rush pounced on the loose ball.
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Photo From: Official Match Programme, Wales v Northern Ireland , 1984 (Ian Rush scoring, February 23, 1983, Home Championship, England 2-Wales 1) |
England levelled the score in the 39th minute. Luther Blisset went into the box, and after an entanglement, Alan Devonshirec took possession and crossed for Butcher, who was unmarked on the right side, to score his first ever International goal.
The second half was uneventful and England scored their winner in the 78thminute, through a penalty kick by Phil Neal, after debutant Cowans was fouled in the box by Flynn in the box after a one-two with the other debutant Statham.
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Photo From: World Soccer, April 1983 (England squad, top, left to right: Terence Ian Butcher, Alvin Edward Martin, Paul Mariner, Peter Leslie Shilton, Alan Ernest Devonshire, Bottom, left to right: Luther Loide Blissett, Samuel Lee, Derek James Statham, Phillip George Neal, Gary Vincent Mabbutt , Gordon Sidney Cowans, February 23, 1983, Home Championship, England 2-Wales 1) |
The next match took place three months later, on May 24, 1983 at Glasgow between Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Billy Bingham’s Northern Ireland were in full strength with many of the 1982 World Cup veterans. The only one missing was Norman Whiteside who missed all these matches.
Scotland were missing many regulars due to injuries and club commitments, such as Aberdeen’s Jim Leighton, Miller, McLeisch, Liverpool’s Dalglish, Hansen and Souness and Leeds’ Frank Gray.
In addition, Aberdeen’s Gordon Strachan only appeared after the break.
This was an experimental Scottish squad with Neil Simpson earning his first cap and Richard Gough and Charlie Nicholas both earning their second caps.
John Wark and David Narey were the only usual regulars that Jock Stein started with.
In an uneventful match, the Scottish were more dominant in the second half, but could find no way through the Northern Irish defense, despite a penalty appeal for a foul on Nicholas.
The third and fourth matches in the series took place on the same day, May 28th, 1983, when Northern Ireland hosted England at Windsor Park and Wales hosted Scotland at Cardiff,
England had many of its regulars back and Northern Ireland’s squad was similar to the one vs. Scotland a few days before.
Bobby Robson gave first caps to Graham Roberts and John Barnes.
Glenn Hoddle earned his first start under Robson.
Debutant Graham Roberts almost scored an own goal when he headed a cross by Armstrong towards his own goal, but Shilton saved with a quick reflex.
In general, Northern Ireland dominated without really being able to break through England’s defense.
In another scoreless draw for Northern Ireland, Sammy McIllroy and O’Neill were their best players, while Peter Shilton stood out for England.
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Photo From: Official Match Programme, Wales v Northern Ireland , 1984 (John McClelland, May 28, 1983, Home Championship, Northern Ireland 0-England 0) |
In the other match that day, Scotland earned their first victory in Wales in a decade.
Scotland were near full strength and made seven changes from their previous match and rested Charlie Nicholas.
Wales gave first caps to Slatter and Lowndes.
Scotland took the lead in the 11th minute. Gordon Strachan took a corner that McLeisch headed down towards the goal and Andy Gray turned it in right in front of the goal.
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Photo From: Official Match Programme, Scotland v Wales, 1984 (Andy Gray after scoring, May 28, 1983, Home Championship, Wales 0-Scotland 2) |
Scotland’s second was scored in the 67th minute. Souness sent a ball into the box for Gough that Southall was unable to control, Alan Brazil took the loose ball and scored his first ever goal for Scotland.
On May 31st, Northern Ireland hosted Wales at Windsor Park.
Wales gave first caps to Alan Davies and Jeff Hopkins.
Northern Ireland dominated for long spells and Gerry Armstrong even hit the post in the 5th minute, but just like the previous matches just could not score.
Wales went ahead in the 64th minute when Southall took a punt that Chris Nicholl failed to clear and Gordon Davies ran and chipped the ball over Jennings.
This result ended Northern Ireland’s four year unbeaten run at home.
The next day (June 1st) at Wembley: England hosted Scotland for their 101st meeting. The match was played in the evening at midweek to reduce any incidents of hooliganism.
Both squads were at full strength for this important annual matchup.
Scotland dominated the early exchanges, though England eventually took control.
England captain Bryan Robson was injured in an early tackle by Narey. Despite the pain he still stayed on.
In the 13th minute, Robson gave England the lead while still in pain.
Kenny Sansom’s throw in was headed on by Terry Butcher and tapped in by Robson.
Robson was replaced in the 25th minute by Mabbut, as he was unable to continue.
England scored the second early in the second half, after a Trevor Francis cross from the right, led to a scramble that involved Neal and Cowans. Cowans shot the loose ball and scored his first goal for England.
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Photo From: Official Match Programme, Scotland v England, 1984 (Phil Neal and Gordon Strachan, June 1, 1983, Home Championship, England 2-Scotland 0) |
Trevor Francis and Sammy Lee both had goals disallowed for infringements.
For Scotland, Charlie Nicholas was subbed off after an indifferent game. Many observers believed that his upcoming transfer from Celtic Glasgow to Arsenal was on his mind and he was unable to concentrate on the match at hand.
This was the last ever Home Championship won by England.
Home Championship Squads
England:
Players who took part in the matches:
Goalkeepers:
Peter Leslie Shilton (Southampton Football Club)
Raymond Neal Clemence (Tottenham Hotspur Football Club-London) (non-playing substitute)
Defenders:
Phillip George Neal (Liverpool Football Club)
Derek James Statham (West Bromwich Albion Football Club)
Graham Paul Roberts (Tottenham Hotspur Football Club-London)
Terence Ian Butcher (Ipswich Town Football Club)
Derek James Statham (West Bromwich Albion Football Club)
Graham Paul Roberts (Tottenham Hotspur Football Club-London)
Terence Ian Butcher (Ipswich Town Football Club)
Alvin Edward Martin (West Ham United Football Club-London)
Kenneth Graham Sansom (Arsenal Football Club-London)
Russel Charles Osman (Ipswich Town Football Club) (non-playing substitute)
Midfielders / Forwards:
Samuel Lee (Liverpool Football Club)
Gary Vincent Mabbutt (Tottenham Hotspur Football Club-London)
Gordon Sidney Cowans (Aston Villa Football Club-Birmingham)
Glenn Hoddle (Tottenham Hotspur Football Club-London)
Bryan Robson (Manchester United Football Club)
John Charles Bryan Barnes (Watford Football Club)
Trevor John Francis (Unione Calcio Sampdoria –Genova / Italy)
Bryan Robson (Manchester United Football Club)
John Charles Bryan Barnes (Watford Football Club)
Trevor John Francis (Unione Calcio Sampdoria –Genova / Italy)
Peter Withe (Aston Villa Football Club-Birmingham)
Paul Mariner (Ipswich Town Football Club)
Luther Loide Blissett (Associazione Calcio Milan / Italy)
Alan Ernest Devonshire (West Ham United Football Club-London)
Paul Anthony Walsh (Luton Town Football Club) (non-playing substitute)
Coach: Robert William Robson
Scotland:
Players who took part in the matches:
Goalkeepers:
James Leighton (Aberdeen Football Club Limited)
William Thomson (Saint-Mirren Football Club-Paisley)
Defenders:
Alistair Dawson (Rangers Football Club- Glasgow)
Charles ‘Richard’ Gough (Dundee United Football Club)
Paul Anthony Hegarty (Dundee United Football Club)
David Narey (Dundee United Football Club)
Francis Tierney Gray (Leeds United Association Football Club / England)
Alexander McLeish (Aberdeen Football Club Limited)
William Fergus Miller (Aberdeen Football Club Limited)
Midfielders / Forwards:
Graeme James Souness (Liverpool Football Club / England)
Gordon David Strachan (Aberdeen Football Club Limited)
Neil Simpson (Aberdeen Football Club Limited)
John Wark (Ipswich Town Football Club / England)
Eamonn John Bannon (Dundee United Football Club)
Andrew Mullen Gray (Wolverhampton Wanderers)
Thomas Burns (The Celtic Football Club-Glasgow)
Charles Nicholas (The Celtic Football Club-Glasgow)
Alan Bernard Brazil (Ipswich Town Football Club / England)
Coach: John ‘Jock’ Stein
Northern Ireland:
Players who took part in the matches:
Goalkeepers:
Patrick Anthony Jennings (Arsenal Football Club-London / England)
James Archibald Platt (Middlesbrough Football Club / England) (non-playing substitute)
Defenders:
James Michael Nicholl (Toronto Blizzard / Canada)
Malachy Martin Donaghy (Luton Town Football Club / England)
Christopher John Nicholl (Southampton Football Club / England)
John McClelland (Rangers Football Club-Glasgow / Scotland)
Nigel Worthington (Notts County Football Club-Nottingham / England) (non-playing substitute)
James Hagan (Birmingham City Football Club / England) (non-playing substitute)
Midfielders / Forwards:
Gerald Mullan (Glentoran Football Club-Belfast)
Noel Brotherston (Blackburn Rovers Football Club / England)
James Cleary (Glentoran Football Club-Belfast)
John Patrick O'Neill (Leicester City Football Club / England)
Samuel Baxter McIlroy (Stoke City Football Club / England)
William Robert Hamilton (Burnley Football Club / England)
Ian Edwin Stewart (Queens Park Rangers Football Club-London / England)
Martin Hugh Michael O'Neill (Norwich City Football Club / England)
Gerard Joseph Armstrong (Watford Football Club / England)
Coach: William Laurence Bingham
Wales:
Players who took part in the matches:
Goalkeepers:
Neville Southall (Everton Football Club-Liverpool / England)
David Felgate (Lincoln City Football Club / England) (non-playing substitute)
Defenders:
Jeffrey Hopkins (Fulham Football Club-London / England)
George Frederick Berry (Stoke City Football Club / England)
Joseph Patrick Jones (Chelsea Football Club-London / England)
Kevin Ratcliffe (Everton Football Club-Liverpool / England)
Robert Mark James (Swansea City Football Club / Wales, registered in English League)
Paul Terence Price (Tottenham Hotspur Football Club-London / England)
Neil John Slatter (Bristol Rovers Football Club / England)
Stephen Lowndes (Newport County Football Club / England)
Midfielders / Forwards:
Jeremy Melvyn Charles (Swansea City Football Club / Wales, registered in English League)
John Francis Mahoney (Swansea City Football Club / Wales, registered in English League)
Leighton James (Sunderland Association Football Club / England)
Kenneth Francis Jackett (Watford Football Club / England)
Brian Flynn (Burnley Football Club / England)
Michael Reginald ‘Mickey’ Thomas (Stoke City Football Club / England)
David Charles Giles (Crystal Palace Football Club-London / England)
Ian James Rush (Liverpool Football Club / England)
Gordon John Davies (Fulham Football Club-London / England)
Alan Davies (Manchester United Football Club / England)
Nigel Mark Vaughan (Newport County Football Club / England) (non-playing substitute)
Dudley Lewis (Swansea City Football Club / Wales, registered in English League) (non-playing substitute)
Peter Nicholas (Arsenal Football Club-London / England)
Coach: Harold Michael England
1983 Home Championship Matches:
February 23, 1983- London - Wembley Stadium
Referee: Robert Valentine (Scotland)
England 2-Wales 1 (Terry Butcher 39, Phil Neal 78 pen / Ian Rush 14)
England: 1- Peter Shilton (captain), 2- Phil Neal, 3- Derek Statham, 5- Alvin Martin, 6- Terry Butcher, 4- Sammy Lee, 7- Gary Mabbutt, 8- Luther Blissett, 9- Paul Mariner, 10- Gordon Cowans, 11- Alan Devonshire
Ian Rush, Mickey Thomas, John Mahoney (Leighton James 80th )
May 24, 1983- Glasgow - Hampden Park
Referee: Keith Hackett (England)
Scotland 0-Northern Ireland 0
Scotland: 1- William Thomson, 2-Alistair Dawson, 3- Richard Gough, 4-Neil Simpson (Gordon Strachan 65th ), 5-Paul Hegarty (captain), 6-David Narey, 7-John Wark, 8-Eamonn Bannon, 9-Andy Gray, 10-Tommy Burns, 11- Charlie Nicholas
May 28, 1983- Belfast -Windsor Park
Referee: Howard King (Wales)
Northern Ireland 0 -England 0
Northern Ireland: 1-Pat Jennings, 2-Jimmy Nicholl, 3-Mal Donaghy, 4-Chris Nicholl , 5-John McClelland, 6-Martin O'Neill , 7-Gerald Mullan (Noel Brotherston ), 8-Sammy McIlroy, 9-Gerry Armstrong, 10-Billy Hamilton, 11-Ian Stewart
Other Subs: 12-Jim Platt, 13-James Hagan, 14-Nigel Worthington, 16- James Cleary
England: 1-Peter Shilton (captain), 2- Phil Neal, 3- Kenny Sansom, 5-Graham Roberts, 6- Terry Butcher, 4- Glenn Hoddle, 7- Gary Mabbutt, 8- Trevor Francis, 9- Peter Withe, 10- Luther Blissett (16-John Barnes 69th ), 11- Gordon Cowans
Other Subs: 12-Russel Osman , 13-Ray Clemence, 14-Sammy Lee,15-Paul WalshMay 28, 1983- Cardiff-Ninian Park
Referee: Malcolm Moffat (Northern Ireland)
Wales 0-Scotland 2 (Andy Gray 11, Alan Brazil 67)
Wales: Neville Southall, Joey Jones, Neil Slatter, Brian Flynn (Stephen Lowndes 58th), Paul Price, Kevin Ratcliffe, Peter Nicholas, Kenny Jackett, Jeremy Charles, Mickey Thomas, Gordon Davies
Scotland: 1- Jim Leighton, 2- Richard Gough, 3- Frank Gray, 4-David Narey, 5- Alex McLeish, 6- Willie Miller, 7- Gordon Strachan, 8- Eamonn Bannon,
9-Andy Gray, 10-Alan Brazil, 11- Graeme Souness (captain) May 31, 1983- Belfast -Windsor Park
Referee: Hugh Alexander (Scotland)
Northern Ireland 0-Wales 1 (Gordon Davies 64)
Northern Ireland : Pat Jennings, Jimmy Nicholl, Mal Donaghy, Chris Nicholl, John McClelland, Sammy McIlroy (captain), Gerald Mullan, Noel Brotherston, Gerry Armstrong, Billy Hamilton, Ian Stewart (James Cleary 85th )
Other Subs: Jim Platt, James Hagan, Nigel Worthington, John Patrick O'Neill
Wales: Neville Southall, Jeffrey Hopkins, Kevin Ratcliffe, Joey Jones, Brian Flynn, Paul Price (David Giles 72nd ), Peter Nicholas, Gordon Davies, Jeremy Charles, Mickey Thomas, Alan Davies
Other Subs: David Felgate, Kenny Jackett, Nigel Vaughan, Dudley Lewis June 1, 1983- London - Wembley Stadium
Referee: Erik Fredriksson (Sweden)
England 2-Scotland 0 (Bryan Robson 12, Gordon Cowans 52)
England : 1-Peter Shilton, 2- Phil Neal, 3- Kenny Sansom, 5- Graham Roberts, 6- Terry Butcher, 4- Sammy Lee, 7- Bryan Robson (captain) (Gary Mabbutt 25th), 8- Trevor Francis, 9- Peter Withe (Luther Blissett 46th ), 10- Glenn Hoddle, 11- Gordon Cowans
Other Subs: Russel Osman , Ray Clemence, John Barnes
Scotland: 1- Jim Leighton, 2- Richard Gough, 3- Frank Gray, 4-David Narey, 5- Alex McLeish, 6- Willie Miller, 7- Gordon Strachan, 8- Graeme Souness (captain), 9-Andy Gray, 10-Charlie Nicholas (John Wark 67th), 11- Eamonn Bannon (Alan Brazil 53rd )
Final table P W D L GF GA GD Pts
1- England 3 2 1 0 4 1 +3 5
2- Scotland 3 1 1 1 2 2 0 3
3- Northern Ireland 3 0 2 1 0 1 –1 2
4-Wales 3 1 0 2 2 4 –2 2
