The
1979 British Home Championship
The
1979 edition of the British Home Championship took place while the Home Nations
were in the middle of the UEFA European Championship qualifiers of 1980.
In
fact the Home Nations had qualifiers and other friendlies in the upcoming month
of June and these annual series served as practice.
Incidentally
England and Northern Ireland had been drawn in the same Euros qualifying Group
and had played one another in a qualifier just months earlier at Wembley
(February 7, 1989, England 4-Northern Ireland 0).
England
were led by Kevin Keegan, who had just led SV Hamburg to the Bundesliga title
that season and was the Best player in Europe having won the Ballon d’Or the
previous December (He would win it again in December 1979).
Ron
Greenwood’s England had an upcoming qualifier on June 6th vs.
Bulgaria at Sofia followed by two away friendlies at Stockholm vs. Sweden (June
10th) and in Vienna vs. Austria (June 13th).
For
Scotland, Team Manager Jock Stein was beset by the unavailability of Celtic and
Rangers players, as League Matches were still being played.
Stein
had stated that he intended to experiment with new players.
In
June 2nd, they were to face defending World Cup Champions Argentina
at Glasgow (Argentina were about to introduce Diego Maradona to the European
Audience). Five days later, they were to face Norway in a qualifier at Oslo.
Likewise,
Northern Ireland and Wales had upcoming away qualifiers in June vs. Denmark and
Malta respectively.
None
of the teams could call upon Nottingham Forest players who were due to face
Malmoe in the Champions Cup Final. This meant no Peter Shilton, Viv Anderson,
Kenny Burns, Archie Gemmill, Tony Woodcock, Trevor Francis nor Martin O’Neill
The
1979 Edition kicked off on May 19, 1979 at Belfast with Northern Ireland
hosting England.
In
addition to the Nottingham contingent, England were missing Keegan.
The
Irish started better but the English scored early on to break any momentum.
In
the 9th minute, Coppell took a free kick from the right side that
was headed in by Dave Watson.
Coppell
himself doubled up the lead in the 16th minute, from a pass by
Wilkins. He finished up a move that had also included McDermott and Latchford.
England
generally controlled the rest of the match and could have scored more.
McDermott,
Wilkins and Currie controlled the midfield and dictated the play.
England
goalkeeper Ray Clemence was virtually untested.
 |
Photo
From: World Soccer , July 1979
(Dave Watson scoring, May 19, 1979, Home
Championship, Northern Ireland 0-England 2) |
On
the same day at Cardiff, Wales hosted Scotland. Scotland fielded four debutants
in what could be described as a horrible display by the Scots.
The
Liverpool pair of Graeme Souness and Alan Hansen were also singled out for
their poor performance.
Wales
outplayed and defeated Scotland through a John Toshack hat trick.
 |
Photo
From: Mondial, New series, issue 10, January 1981
(Team
captains Terry Yorath and Kenny Dalglish, May 19, 1979, Home Championship,
Wales 3-Scotland 0)
|
In
the 29th minute, Curtis released Toshack on the left side and he
easily went past Hansen and Hegarty to score.
Six
minutes later, Phillips passed down Mahoney’s throw-in, to Flynn who crossed to
Curtis who headed it across for Toshack. Alan Rough stopped his first attempt,
but Toshack scored from the rebound.
 |
Photo
From: Onze, Issue 61, January 1981
(Kenny
Dalglish, May 19, 1979, Home Championship, Wales 3-Scotland 0)
|
 |
Photo
From: Mondial, New series, issue 10, January 1981
(Bryan
Flynn, May 19, 1979, Home Championship, Wales 3-Scotland 0)
|
With
fifteen minutes remaining, a throw-in was taken reached Curtis on the right
side. Curtis crossed for Toshack who scored the third with a header. Wales
nearly scored a fourth, but Robbie James’ long-range effort hit the post.
 |
Photo
From: World Soccer , July 1979
(John Toshack scoring, May 19, 1979, Home
Championship, Wales 3-Scotland |
On
May 22nd, Scotland took on Northern Ireland in Glasgow. Stein made
changes from the Wales match. George Wood started in goal, and Gordon McQueen
and Joe Jordan also started in place of Alan Hansen and Ian Wallace.
Scottish striker Arthur Graham scored the only goal in a match where he had many chances, but found Pat Jennings in impressive form for the Irish.
Scottish striker Arthur Graham scored the only goal in a match where he had many chances, but found Pat Jennings in impressive form for the Irish.
 |
Photo
From: Official Match Programme, Northern
Ireland v Scotland , 1981
(May
22, 1979, Home Championship, Scotland 1-Northern Ireland 0)
|
Graham
scored, picking up a rebound after Jennings had stopped a Dalglish shot.
Graham
scored another goal just before the end that was ruled out due to an infraction
by Jordan.
 |
Photo
From: Official Match Programme,
Northern Ireland v Scotland , 1981
(May
22, 1979, Home Championship, Scotland 1-Northern Ireland 0)
|
 |
Photo
From: Official Match Programme,
Northern Ireland v Scotland , 1981
(May
22, 1979, Home Championship, Scotland 1-Northern Ireland 0)
|
The
following day, England hosted Wales at Wembley. Greenwood made a number of
changes. Corrigan, Cherry, Sansom,
Hughes, Keegan and Cunningham came into the side replacing Clemence, Neal,
Mills, Thompson, Coppell and Barnes.
Sansom
and Cunningham were making their International debuts.
It
was a balanced match with chances but not pleasant to watch and a scoreless
draw was an appropriate result.
 |
Photo
From: World Soccer , July 1979
(May
23, 1979, Home Championship, England 0-Wales 0)
|
 |
Photo
From: World Soccer , February 1980
(Kevin
Keegan, May 23, 1979, Home Championship, England 0-Wales 0)
|
 |
Photo
From: England, The Complete Post-War Record, Author Mike Payne (1)
(Joey Jones and Laurie Cunningham, May 23, 1979,
Home Championship, England 0-Wales 0) |
On
May 25th, Northern Ireland hosted the Welsh at Belfast. The match
ended as a one-one tie. Northern Ireland’s Derek Spence opened the scoring
after less than a minute.
In
the second half Robbie James tied up the match with along range effort.
On the following day, May 26th, the top billing
encounter between England a nd Scotland took place at Wembley.
England started with much the same lineup as their
first but with Keegan and Trevor Brooking starting.
For Scotland, Stein preferred to maintain Wood in
the net.
The pre-macth concerns revolved around the
security at the stadium, as there were continuous problems with visiting
Scottish fans.
The Scottish started the match better and
dominated much of the first half.
John Wark and Asa Hartford were good in midfield,
as were the striking duo of Dalglish and Graham.
Bob Latchford scored a goal for England that was
disallowed for an foul on Wood.
Scotland deservedly took the lead in the 21st
minute. From the right side, Graham sent in across the goal, Dalglish
controlled it and laid it back on for the unmarked Wark to score.
 |
Photo
From: Official Match Programme,
Scotland v England, 1984
(John
Wark after scoring, May 26, 1979, Home Championship, England 3-Scotland 1)
|
Scotland appeared to be headed for a halftime lead
when a drop in concentration led to the English equalizer in the first half
injury time (time added on after a drunk Scottish fan had invaded the pitch).
Jock Stein was walking towards the tunnel just before the
halftime whistle and many felt the Scottish players relaxed upon seeing that.
Keegan
passed the ball to Peter Barnes, who flicked it and took a low shot past Wood.
In
the Second half, the Scottish just collapsed and gave up and England took
control.
In
the 62nd minute, Mick Mills, from the middle, sent a pass across to
Wilkins on the right side. Wood parried Wilkins’ shot and Coppell scored from
the rebound.
 |
Photo
From: England, The Complete Post-War Record, Author Mike Payne
(Steve
Coppel scoring, May 26, 1979, Home Championship, England 3-Scotland 1)
|
In
the 70th minute, Coppell sent Keegan through, he charged from the
midway line towards the Scottish goal. He did a one-two with Brooking and
scored the third goal.
 |
Photo
From: Onze, Issue 52, April 1980
(Kevin
Keegan scoring the third, May 26, 1979, Home Championship, England 3-Scotland
1)
|
 |
Photo
From: Onze, Issue 52, April 1980
(Kevin
Keegan scoring the third, May 26, 1979, Home Championship, England 3-Scotland
1)
|
 |
Photo
From: England, Player By Player, Author Graham Betts
(Kevin
Keegan scoring the third, May 26, 1979, Home Championship, England 3-Scotland
1)
|
England
won this edition of the Home Championship where Scotland were unimpressive.
They
gave up three goals both to Wales and Scotland. In June, they would give up
three goals once more at home to Argentina.
England
as the strongest of the Home Nations would be the only one of the four to qualify
for the following year’s Euros.
Though
Scotland and Northern Ireland would manage to prepare teams that would qualify
for the 1982 World Cup.
Home
Championship Squads
England:
Players
who took part in the matches:
Goalkeepers:
Raymond
Neal Clemence (Liverpool Football Club)
Joseph
Thomas Corrigan (Manchester City Football Club)
Defenders:
Philip George Neal (Liverpool Football Club)
Michael Denis ‘Mick’ Mills (Ipswich Town Football Club)
Philip Bernard Thompson (Liverpool Football Club)
David Vernon Watson (Manchester City Football Club)
Philip George Neal (Liverpool Football Club)
Michael Denis ‘Mick’ Mills (Ipswich Town Football Club)
Philip Bernard Thompson (Liverpool Football Club)
David Vernon Watson (Manchester City Football Club)
Trevor
John Cherry (Leeds United Association Football Club)
Kenneth Graham Sansom (Crystal Palace Football Club-London)
Kenneth Graham Sansom (Crystal Palace Football Club-London)
Emlyn
Walter Hughes (Liverpool Football Club)
Anthony Williams Currie (Leeds United Association Football Club)
Anthony Williams Currie (Leeds United Association Football Club)
Midfielders/Forwards:
Stephen
James Coppell (Manchester
United Football Club)
Raymond Colin Wilkins (Chelsea Football Club-London)
Robert Dennis Latchford (Everton Football Club-Liverpool)
Terence McDermott (Liverpool Football Club)
Peter Simon Barnes (Manchester City Football Club)
Raymond Colin Wilkins (Chelsea Football Club-London)
Robert Dennis Latchford (Everton Football Club-Liverpool)
Terence McDermott (Liverpool Football Club)
Peter Simon Barnes (Manchester City Football Club)
Kevin
Joseph Keegan (Hamburger Sport Verein e.V.
/ West Germany)
David
Brooking (West
Ham United Football Club-London)
Lawrence Paul Cunningham (West Bromwich Albion Football Club)
Lawrence Paul Cunningham (West Bromwich Albion Football Club)
Coach:
Ronald Greenwood
Scotland:
Players
who took part in the matches:
Goalkeepers:
Alan
Roderick Rough (Partick Thistle Football Club-Glasgow)
George
Wood (Everton Football Club-Liverpool / England)
Defenders:
George
Elder Burley (Ipswich Town Football Club / England)
Francis
Tierney Gray (Leeds United Association Football Club / England)
Paul
Anthony Hegarty (Dundee United Football Club)
Alan
David Hansen (Liverpool Football Club / England)
David
Narey (Dundee United Football Club)
Gordon
McQueen (Manchester United Football Club / England)
Midfielders
/ Forwards:
John
Wark (Ipswich Town Football Club / England)
Kenneth
Mathieson Dalglish (captain) (Liverpool Football Club / England)
Richard
‘Asa’ Hartford (Manchester City Football Club / England)
Ian
Andrew Wallace (Coventry City Football Club / England)
Joseph
Jordan (Manchester United Football Club / England)
Graeme
James Souness (Liverpool Football Club / England)
Arthur
Graham (Leeds United Association Football Club / England)
Paul
Anthony Hegarty (Dundee United Football Club)
Francis
Peter McGarvey (Liverpool 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)
Defenders:
Patrick
James Rice (Arsenal Football Club –London / England)
Samuel Nelson (Arsenal Football Club –London / England)
James Michael Nicholl (Manchester United Football Club / England)
Christopher John Nicholl (Southampton Football Club / England)
Samuel Nelson (Arsenal Football Club –London / England)
James Michael Nicholl (Manchester United Football Club / England)
Christopher John Nicholl (Southampton Football Club / England)
Alan
Hunter (Ipswich Town Football Club / England)
Midfielders
/ Forwards:
Victor Moreland (Derby County Football Club / England)
Victor Moreland (Derby County Football Club / England)
Roland
Christopher McGrath (Manchester United Football Club / England) Bryan Hamilton (Swindon Town Football Club
/ England)
Samuel Baxter McIlroy (Manchester United Football Club / England)
Gerald Joseph Armstrong (Tottenham Hotspur Football Club –London / England)
William Thomas Caskey (Derby County Football Club / England)
George Terence Cochrane (Middlesborough Football Club / England)
Samuel Baxter McIlroy (Manchester United Football Club / England)
Gerald Joseph Armstrong (Tottenham Hotspur Football Club –London / England)
William Thomas Caskey (Derby County Football Club / England)
George Terence Cochrane (Middlesborough Football Club / England)
Derek
William Spence (Blackpool Football Club / England)
Peter
William Scott (Aldershot Town Football Club / England)
Thomas
Sloan (Manchester United Football Club / England)
David
McCreery (Manchester United Football Club / England)
Coach:
Robert Dennis ‘Danny’ Blanchflower
Wales:
Players
who took part in the matches:
Goalkeepers:
William
David Davies (Wrexham Football Club / Wales, registered in English League)
Defenders:
William Byron Stevenson (Leeds United Association Football Club / England)
William Byron Stevenson (Leeds United Association Football Club / England)
Joseph
Patrick Jones (Wrexham Football Club / Wales, registered in English League)
Leighton
Phillips (Swansea City Football Club / Wales, registered in English League)
Philip
John Dwyer (Cardiff City Football Club / Wales, registered in English League)
Midfielders
/ Forwards:
John
Francis Mahoney (Middlesbrough Football Club / England)
Terence
Charles Yorath (Coventry City Football Club / England)
Peter
Nicholas (Crystal Palace Football Club-London / England)
Brian
Flynn (Leeds United Association Football Club / England)
Robert
Mark James (Swansea City Football Club / Wales, registered in English League)
John
Benjamin Toshack (Swansea City Football Club / Wales, registered in English League)
Alan
Thomas Curtis (Swansea City Football Club / Wales, registered in English League)
Carl
Stephen Harris (Leeds United Association Football Club / England)
Coach:
Michael Smith
1979
Home Championship Matches:
May
19, 1979- Belfast-Windsor Park
Attendance:
35,000
Referee: Ian Foote (Scotland)
Northern Ireland 0-England 2 (Dave Watson 9, Steve Coppell
16)
Northern Ireland: Patrick Anthony Jennings,
Patrick James Rice, Samuel Nelson, James Michael Nicholl, Christopher John
Nicholl, Victor Moreland (Roland Christopher McGrath 57th), Bryan
Hamilton, Samuel Baxter McIlroy, Gerald Joseph Armstrong, William Thomas
Caskey, George Terence Cochrane (Derek William Spence 68th)
England: Raymond
Neal Clemence, Philip George Neal, Michael Denis ‘Mick’
Mills (captain), Philip Bernard
Thompson, David Vernon Watson, Anthony Williams Currie, Stephen James Coppell,
Raymond Colin Wilkins, Robert Dennis
Latchford, Terence McDermott, Peter Simon Barnes
May
19, 1979- Cardiff-Ninian Park
Attendance:
20,371
Referee: Patrick Partridge (England)
Wales 3-Scotland 0 (John Toshack 29,35,75)
Wales: 1-William David Davies, 2-William Byron
Stevenson, 3-Joseph Patrick Jones,
6-Leighton Phillips, 5-Philip John
Dwyer, 4-John Francis Mahoney, 7-Terence Charles Yorath (Captain) (14-Peter
Nicholas 89nd), 8-Brian Flynn, 9-Robert Mark
James, 10-John Benjamin Toshack, 11-Alan Thomas Curtis
Scotland: 1-Alan Roderick Rough, 2-George Elder Burley,
3-Francis Tierney Gray, 4-John Wark, 5-Paul Anthony Hegarty, 6-Alan David Hansen, 7-Kenneth Mathieson
Dalglish (captain), 10-Richard ‘Asa’ Hartford, 9-Ian Andrew Wallace (13-Joseph Jordan 55th), 8-Graeme
James Souness, 11-Arthur Graham
May
22, 1979- Glasgow -Hampden Park
Attendance:
28,524
Referee: Clive Thomas (Wales)
Scotland 1-Northern Ireland 0 (Arthur Graham 76)
Scotland: George Wood, George Elder Burley, Francis
Tierney Gray, John Wark (David Narey 46th), Gordon McQueen, Graeme
James Souness, Kenneth Mathieson Dalglish (captain), Richard ‘Asa’ Hartford,
Joseph Jordan, Paul Anthony Hegarty, Arthur Graham (Francis Peter McGarvey 85th)
Northern Ireland: Patrick Anthony Jennings, Patrick James Rice, Samuel Nelson, James Michael Nicholl, Alan Hunter, Victor
Moreland, Bryan Hamilton, Samuel Baxter McIlroy (Peter William Scott
62nd), Gerald Joseph Armstrong, Thomas Sloan, Derek William Spence (William Thomas Caskey
77th)
May
23, 1979- London – Wembley Stadium
Attendance:
70,220
Referee: Malcolm Moffat (Northern Ireland)
England 0-Wales 0
England: Joseph Thomas Corrigan, Trevor John Cherry, Kenneth Graham Sansom, Anthony Williams Currie, David Vernon Watson, Emlyn Walter Hughes
(captain), Kevin Joseph Keegan (Stephen James Coppell 68th), Raymond
Colin Wilkins (Trevor David Brooking
75th), Robert Dennis
Latchford, Terence McDermott, Lawrence Paul Cunningham
Wales:
William David Davies, William Byron Stevenson, Joseph Patrick Jones, Leighton
Phillips, Philip John Dwyer, John Francis Mahoney, Terence Charles Yorath,
Brian Flynn, Robert Mark James, John Benjamin Toshack (Carl Stephen Harris 80th),
Alan Thomas Curtis
May
25, 1979- Belfast -Windsor Park
Attendance:
6,500
Referee: John Homewood (England)
Northern Ireland 1-Wales 1 (Derek Spence (56 seconds) /
Robbie James 62)
Northern Ireland : Patrick Anthony Jennings, Patrick James Rice, Samuel Nelson, Alan Hunter,
Christopher John Nicholl, James
Michael Nicholl, David McCreery, Derek
William Spence (Thomas Sloan 46th), Gerald Joseph Armstrong, Samuel
Baxter McIlroy, Bryan Hamilton
Wales: William David Davies, William Byron Stevenson,
Joseph Patrick Jones, Leighton Phillips, Philip John Dwyer, John Francis
Mahoney, Terence Charles Yorath, Brian Flynn, Robert Mark James, John Benjamin
Toshack, Alan Thomas Curtis (Peter
Nicholas 76th)
May
26, 1979- London – Wembley Stadium
Attendance:
100,000
Referee: Antonio da Silva Garrido (Portugal)
England 3- Scotland 1 (Peter Barnes 45, Steve
Coppell 63, Kevin Keegan 70 / John Wark 21)
England: 1-Raymond Neal Clemence, 2-Philip George Neal, 3-Michael
Denis ‘Mick’ Mills, 4-Philip Bernard Thompson, 5-David Vernon Watson, 6-Raymond
Colin Wilkins, 7-Kevin Joseph Keegan
(captain), 8-Stephen James Coppell, 9-Robert Dennis Latchford,
10-Trevor David Brooking, 11-Peter Simon
Barnes
Scotland: 1-George Wood, 2-George Elder Burley,
3-Francis Tierney Gray, 4-John Wark, 5-Gordon McQueen, 6-Paul Anthony Hegarty,
7-Kenneth Mathieson Dalglish (captain), 8-Graeme James Souness, 9-Joseph
Jordan, 10-Richard ‘Asa’ Hartford, 11-Arthur Graham
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