The British Home Championship-Part Five

The 1980 British Home Championship

The 1980 edition of the British Home Championship came a month before the 1980 UEFA European Championships in Italy. England having qualified for the Tournament saw this edition of the Home Championship as extra match practice and perhaps experimentation to select its Final squad.

All in all it was going to be a very busy month for England, who only days before the Championship had hosted and defeated Diego Maradona’s Argentina (May 13^th, 3-1 score). At the end of the month the team was scheduled to Tour Australia and further experiment with the personnel.

The Home Championship kicked off on May 16^th at Belfast, with Northern Ireland taking on Scotland.

Due to security concerns, this was Scotland’s first visit to Belfast after ten years. They had been forced to travel under the threat of expulsion from the upcoming World Cup Qualifiers in the Fall. Due to the 1980 Champions Cup and Cup winners Cup Final commitments, Nottingham Forest and Arsenal contingent were missing for all the squads.

For Northern Ireland that meant the unavailability of starting goalkeeper Pat Jennings and Martin O’Neill.

As far as the match itself, the Irish played better and deservedly won through a Billy Hamilton strike in the 37^th minute.

Photo From: Official Match Programme,  Northern Ireland v England-Wales , 1981

(May 16, 1980, Home Championship, Northern Ireland 1-Scotland 0)

Photo From: Official Match Programme,  Northern Ireland v England-Wales , 1981

(Billy Hamilton scoring Northern Ireland’s winner, May 16, 1980, Home Championship, Northern Ireland 1-Scotland 0)

The following day, Wales hosted England at Wrexham.

Similarly England were missing Nottingham Forest players, as well as Bundesliga based stars Kevin Keegan (SV Hamburg) and Tony Woodcock (FC Koln).

Surprisingly, Nottingham Forest authorized and released defender Larry Lloyd for this match to help his England prospects. Unfortunately, this match would turn into a nightmare for Lloyd and England. Lloyd would go on to have such a poor performance that it effectively ended his England career.

This was Wales’ first match under new Manager Mike England.

It was England that struck first in this match. In the 15^th minute, Cherry sent in a cross from the left side, after a scramble Peter Barnes took a hard shot that hit Paul Mariner and deflected into the net.

Photo From: Official Match Programme,  England v Wales, 1981

(May 17, 1980, Home Championship, Wales 4-England 1)

Photo From: England, Player by Player, Author: Graham Betts

(Trevor Brooking, May 17, 1980, Home Championship, Wales 4-England 1)

Wales tied up the score just five minutes later. Leighton James sent a cross from the right side; Ian Walsh headed it down for Mickey Thomas to score from close range.

England defender Phil Neal was forced off due to injury. Kenny Sansom came in his place and was moved to the left flank and Cherry moved to the right to occupy Neal’ position.

Wales took advantage of England’s disorganization at the back and struck their second in the 30^th minute.

Photo From: Official Match Programme,  England v Wales, 1981

(May 17, 1980, Home Championship, Wales 4-England 1)

Photo From: Official Match Programme,  England v Wales, 1981

(Ian Walsh celebrating Wales’ second goal, May 17, 1980, Home Championship, Wales 4-England 1)

Leighton James went past Lloyd and crossed from right for Ian Walsh to head home. The unfortunate Lloyd was booked just before halftime.

In the second half England started to press more, especially through Glenn Hoddle but to no avail.

Wales scored their third in the 61^st minute. Jones picked up the ball and went on a long run and took a shot that Clemence parried, only for Leighton James to head in the rebound. Just six minutes later Wales scored the fourth goal. Giles attempted to cross from the right side, but Phil Thompson deflected it into his own net. The unlucky Larry Lloyd was substituted off injured with ten minutes to go by Ray Wilkins to end a miserable personal day. This was England’s first loss at Wales since 1955.

Photo From: Official Match Programme,  England v Wales, 1981

(May 17, 1980, Home Championship, Wales 4-England 1)

Three days later on May 20^th, England hosted Northern Ireland at Wembley. Northern Ireland made no changes from the Scotland match. England reshuffled its lineup. Corrigan started in the net for the English.

Kenny Sansom and Dave Watson started in defense in place of Thompson and Lloyd. In addition, Wilkins, McDermott, David Johnson, Reeves and Devonshire (making his debut) started in place of Hoddle, Ray Kennedy, Coppell, Barnes and Mariner.

Photo From: Official Match Programme,  England v Northern Ireland, 1982

(May 20, 1980, Home Championship, England 1-Northern Ireland 1)

Photo From: Official Match Programme,  England v Northern Ireland, 1982

(May 20, 1980, Home Championship, England 1-Northern Ireland 1)

England applied early pressure but afterwards the match settled for a stalemate. Corrigan made no saves in the first half. England dominated the second half as well, and deservedly went ahead with ten minutes remaining. Sansom moved along a cross by Emlyn Hughes, to Johnson waiting in the far post who scored. From the kickoff, Northern Ireland replied against the general run of play. In a breakaway Jimmy Nicholl passed to Cochrane who tied the score.

Photo From: England, The Complete Post-War Record, Author Mike Payne

(May 20, 1980, Home Championship, England 1-Northern Ireland 1)

Photo From: Official Match Programme,  Northern Ireland v England-Wales , 1981

(May 20, 1980, Home Championship, England 1-Northern Ireland 1)

The next day at Glasgow, Scotland faced Wales.

Scotland made a number of changes from their previous match. Alan rough took his usual spot between the posts in place of Thomson.

Munro, Hegarty, Miller and Jordan started in place of Burley, Narey, Souness and Archibald.

For the Welsh, the only change was the inclusion of Kevin Pontin for David Jones.

Early in the match, Ian Walsh had to be substituted due to injury. His replacement, Ian Rush became Wales’ second youngest cap at 18 years and 214 days old.

Shortly afterwards, in the 26^th minute, Scotland’s Willie Miller scored after exchanging passes with Dalglish. The match was generally uninspiring, though Strachan was praised for his performance.

Photo From: Official Match Programme,  Northern Ireland v England-Wales , 1981

(May 23, 1980, Home Championship, Wales 0-Northern Ireland 1)

For their third and Final match on May 23^rd at Cardiff, the Welsh hosted Northern Ireland. For the third straight match the Irish named an unchanged side.

For the Welsh Kevin Pontin and Ian Walsh were out and in their places Leighton Phillips and Ian Rush started.

The Northern Irish scored their winning goal in the 23^rd minute. Noel Brotherston scored from a low cross by Hamilton. The Irish did not relinquish the score despite pressure from Wales. Many felt the home side deserved an equalizer but the score remained unchanged and depending upon the score of the England-Scotland matchup the following day, the Irish were provisionally champions.

Scotland hosted England at Hampden needing a win. The only change in their lineup from the previous match was Roy Aitken starting in place of Peter Weir.

For the English, Corrigan, Hughes, Reeves and Devonshire were out, replaced by Clemence, Thompson, Coppell and Mariner. They were still without Keegan, Woodcock and Nottingham Forest’s Trevor Francis.

England scored as early as the 8^th minute. David Johnson crossed from right side into the far post for Mariner who headed across the goal for Brooking to tap in.

Scotland gradually took control of match, though Dalglish was guilty missing a number of good chances.

Photo From: Official Match Programme,  Scotland v England, 1984

(May 24, 1980, Home Championship, Scotland 0-England 2)

Photo From: Official Match Programme,  Scotland v England, 1984

(May 24, 1980, Home Championship, Scotland 0-England 2)

The restless Scottish supporters clamored for the introduction of Andy Gray the longer the match was going and seemed out of their grasp.

They got their wish early in the second half after he replaced an ineffective Aitken. Dalglish was moved back to the midfield.

For the English Coppell impressed the most. England nearly doubled the score when Mariner hit the post.

They eventually did score the second goal with quarter an hour left.

David Johnson, on the left side, found Brooking who back passed to Coppell.

Photo From: World Soccer, July 1980

(May 24, 1980, Home Championship, Scotland 0-England 2)

Photo From: World Soccer, July 1980

(May 24, 1980, Home Championship, Scotland 0-England 2)

He unleashed a hard shot that Rough parried but Coppell followed up on the rebound.

The score made Northern Ireland the 1980 Home Champions. This was their first title since 1914 and the division. 

The Northern Ireland Manager Billy Bingham had only taken charge of the squad that year from Danny Blanchflower. This win paved the way for this generation Of Northern Ireland to qualify to two World Cups (1982 and 1986).

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:
Phillip George Neal (Liverpool Football Club) 

Kenneth Graham Sansom (Crystal Palace Football Club-London)
Trevor John Cherry  (Leeds United Association Football Club)
Phillip Bernard Thompson (Liverpool Football  Club)
Laurence Valentine Lloyd (Nottingham Forest Football  Club)

David Vernon Watson (Southampton Football Club)

Midfielders/Forwards:

Raymond Colin Wilkins (Manchester United Football Club)
Glenn Hoddle (Tottenham Hotspur Football  Club-London)
Trevor David Brooking (West Ham United Football Club) -London)
Raymond Kennedy (Liverpool Football Club)
Stephen James Coppell (Manchester United Football Club)

Emlyn Walter Hughes (Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club)

Terence Mc Dermott (Liverpool Football Club)
Peter Simon Barnes (West Bromwich Albion Football Club)
Paul Mariner (Ipswich Town Football Club)

David Edward Johnson (Liverpool Football Club)
Kevin Phillip Reeves (Manchester City Football Club)
Alan Ernest Devonshire (West Ham United Football Club-London)

Coach: Ronald Greenwood

Scotland:

Players who took part in the matches:

Goalkeepers:

Alan Roderick Rough (Partick Thistle Football Club-Glasgow)

William Thomson (Saint-Mirren Football Club-Paisley)

Defenders:

George Elder Burley (Ipswich Town Football Club / England)

Daniel Fergus McGrain (The Celtic Football Club-Glasgow)

Alexander McLeish (Aberdeen Football Club Limited)

David Narey (Dundee United Football Club)

Alexander ‘Iain’ Fordyce Munro (Saint-Mirren Football Club-Paisley)

Paul Anthony Hegarty (Dundee United Football Club)

William Fergus Miller (Aberdeen Football Club Limited)

Midfielders / Forwards:

Gordon David Strachan (Aberdeen Football Club Limited)

Kenneth Mathieson Dalglish (Liverpool Football Club / England)

Robert Sime ‘Roy’ Aitken (The Celtic Football Club-Glasgow)

Graeme James Souness (Liverpool Football Club / England)

Joseph Jordan (Manchester United Football Club / England)

Steven Archibald  (Tottenham Hotspur Football Club –London / England)

Archibald Gemmill  (Birmingham City Football Club / England)

Peter Russell Weir (Saint-Mirren Football Club-Paisley)

David Alexander Provan (The Celtic Football Club-Glasgow)

Andrew Mullen Gray (Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club / England)

Coach: John ‘Jock’ Stein

Northern Ireland:

Players who took part in the matches:

Goalkeepers:

James Archibald Platt (Middlesbrough football Club / England)

Defenders:

James Michael Nicholl (Manchester United Football Club / England)

John Patrick O'Neill (Leicester City Football Club / England)

Christopher John Nicholl (Southampton Football Club / England)

Malachy Martin Donaghy (Luton Town Football Club / England)

Midfielders / Forwards:

Samuel Baxter McIlroy  (Manchester United Football Club / England)

Thomas Cassidy (Newcastle United Football Club / England)

David McCreery (Queens Park Rangers Football Club-London / England) 

Thomas Finney (Cambridge United Football Club / England)

Noel Brotherston (Blackburn Rovers Football Club / England)

William Robert Hamilton (Burnley Football Club / England)

John McClelland (Mansfield Town Football Club / England)

Gerard Joseph Armstrong  (Tottenham Hotspur Football Club-London / England)

George ‘Terence’ Cochrane (Middlesbrough Football Club / England)

Coach: William Laurence Bingham

Wales:

Players who took part in the matches:

Goalkeepers:

William David ‘Dai’ Davies (Wrexham Football Club / Wales, registered in  English League)  

Defenders:
Peter Nicholas (Crystal Palace Football Club-London / England)

Joseph Patrick Jones (Wrexham Football Club / Wales, registered in  English League)  

Paul Terence Price (Luton Town Football Club / England)

Terence Charles Yorath (Tottenham Hotspur Football Club-London / England)

David Jones (Norwich City Football Club / England) 

Kevin Pontin (Cardiff City Football Club / Wales, registered in  English League) 

Carl Stephen Harris (Leeds United Association Football Club / England)

Leighton Phillips (Swansea City Football Club / Wales, registered in  English League)  

Midfielders / Forwards:

Kevin Pontin (Cardiff City Football Club / Wales, registered in  English League)  

David Charles Giles (Swansea City Football Club / Wales, registered in  English League)  

Brian Flynn (Leeds United Association Football Club / England)

Ian Patrick Walsh (Crystal Palace Football Club-London / England)

Leighton James (Swansea City Football Club / Wales, registered in  English League)  

Michael Reginald ‘Mickey’ Thomas (Manchester United Football Club / England) 

Ian James Rush (Liverpool Football Club / England)

Coach: Harold Michael England

1980 Home Championship Matches:

May 16, 1980- Belfast-Windsor Park

Attendance: 8,000

Referee:  Clive Thomas (Wales)

Northern Ireland 1-Scotland 0 (Billy Hamilton 37)

Northern Ireland:  James Archibald Platt, James Michael Nicholl, John Patrick O'Neill, Christopher John Nicholl, Malachy Martin Donaghy, Samuel Baxter McIlroy (captain), Thomas Cassidy (David McCreery 70^th), Thomas Finney, Noel Brotherston, William Robert Hamilton (John McClelland 52^nd), Gerard Joseph Armstrong

Scotland:  William Thomson,  George Elder Burley, Daniel Fergus McGrain, Gordon David Strachan, Alexander McLeish, David Narey, Kenneth Mathieson Dalglish, Graeme James Souness (Joseph Jordan 59^th), Steven Archibald, Archibald Gemmill (captain), Peter Russell Weir  (David Alexander Provan 59^th)

Booked: Kenny Dalglish

May 17, 1980- Wrexham - Racecourse Ground

Attendance: 24,386

Referee:  Ian Foote (Scotland)

Wales 4-England 1 (Mickey Thomas 20, Ian Walsh 30- Leighton James 61, Phil Thompson (Own Goal) 67 / Paul Mariner 15)

Wales:  William David ‘Dai’ Davies, Peter Nicholas, Joseph Patrick Jones, Paul Terence Price, Terence Charles Yorath, David Jones (Kevin Pontin 46^th), David Charles Giles, Brian Flynn, Ian Patrick Walsh, Leighton James,  Michael Reginald ‘Mickey’ Thomas  

England:  Raymond Neal Clemence, Phillip George Neal Kenneth Graham Sansom 20^th), Trevor John Cherry , Phillip Bernard Thompson, Laurence Valentine Lloyd  (Raymond Colin Wilkins 80^th), Glenn Hoddle, Trevor David Brooking, Raymond Kennedy, Stephen James Coppell, Peter Simon Barnes, Paul Mariner

Booked: Larry Lloyd

May 20, 1980- London - Wembley

Attendance: 33,676

Referee:  Gwyn Pierce Owen (Wales)

England 1-Northern Ireland 1 (David Johnson 80 / Terry Cochrane 81)

England:  Joseph Thomas Corrigan, Trevor John Cherry, Kenneth Graham Sansom, David Vernon Watson, Emlyn Walter Hughes (Captain), Trevor David Brooking, Terence Mc Dermott, Raymond Colin Wilkins, David Edward Johnson, Kevin Phillip Reeves  (Paul Mariner 70^th), Alan Ernest Devonshire

Northern Ireland: James Archibald Platt, James Michael Nicholl, John Patrick O'Neill, Christopher John Nicholl, Malachy Martin Donaghy, Samuel Baxter McIlroy, Thomas Cassidy (David McCreery 73^rd), Thomas Finney, Noel Brotherston, William Robert Hamilton (George ‘Terence’ Cochrane  73^rd), Gerard Joseph Armstrong

May 21, 1980- Glasgow -Hampden Park

Attendance: 31,359

Referee:  Hugh Wilson (Northern Ireland)

Scotland 1-Wales 0 (Willie Miller 26)

Scotland:  1-Alan Roderick Rough, 3-Daniel Fergus McGrain, 21-Alexander ‘Iain’ Fordyce Munro, 4-Paul Anthony Hegarty, 5-Alexander McLeish, 13-William Fergus Miller, 18-Gordon David  Strachan, 10-Archibald Gemmill (captain), 7-Kenneth Mathieson Dalglish, 11-Joseph Jordan, 14-Peter Russell Weir (19-Robert Sime ‘Roy’ Aitken 85^th)

Booked: Iain Muro, Paul Hegarty

Wales: 1-William David ‘Dai’ Davies, 4-Peter Nicholas, 13-Kevin Pontin (6-Leighton Phillips 46^th), 2-Paul Terence Price, 3-Joseph Patrick Jones, 7-Brian Flynn, 8-Terence Charles Yorath, 10-David Charles Giles,  11-Michael Reginald ‘Mickey’ Thomas, 9-Ian Patrick Walsh  (15-Ian James Rush 15^th), 14-Leighton James

May 23, 1980- Cardiff –Ninian Park

Attendance: 31,359

Referee:  J.Hunter (England)

Wales 0-Northern Ireland 1 (Noel Brotherston 23)

Wales:  William David ‘Dai’ Davies, Joseph Patrick Jones,  Paul Terence Price, Leighton Phillips, Brian Flynn (Carl Stephen Harris  ), Peter Nicholas, Terence Charles Yorath (captain), Michael Reginald ‘Mickey’ Thomas, David Charles Giles,  Leighton James, Ian James Rush  

Northern Ireland : James Archibald Platt, James Michael Nicholl, Christopher John Nicholl, John Patrick O'Neill, Malachy Martin Donaghy, William Robert Hamilton (George ‘Terence’ Cochrane 56^th), Samuel Baxter McIlroy, Thomas Cassidy (David McCreery 62^nd), Noel Brotherston, Thomas Finney, Gerard Joseph Armstrong

May 24, 1980- Glasgow -Hampden Park    

Attendance: 85,500

Referee:  Antonio da Silva Garrido (Portugal)

Scotland 0-England 2 (Trevor Brooking 8, Steve Coppell 75)

Scotland:  1- Alan Roderick Rough, 2- Daniel Fergus McGrain, 3- Alexander ‘Iain’ Fordyce Munro (George Elder Burley 62^nd), 4-Paul Anthony Hegarty, 5-Alexander McLeish, 6-William Fergus Miller, 7-Gordon David Strachan, 8- Robert Sime ‘Roy’ Aitken (Andrew Mullen Gray 53^rd), 9- Kenneth Mathieson Dalglish, 10-Joseph Jordan,  11- Archibald Gemmill (captain)

England: 1- Raymond Neal Clemence, 2- Trevor John Cherry, 3- Kenneth Graham Sansom, 4- Phillip Bernard Thompson (captain),  5- David Vernon  Watson, 6- Raymond Colin Wilkins, 7- Stephen James Coppell, 11- Trevor David Brooking, 8- Terence Mc Dermott, 9- David Edward Johnson, 10- Paul Mariner (Emlyn Walter Hughes 71^st)

Final table               P     W   D   L  GF  GA  GD     Pts

1- Northern Ireland  3     2    1            0    3     1    +2       5

2- England                       3     1    1     1    4     5    -1       3

3- Wales                  3     1    0     2    4     3    +1       2

4- Scotland             3     1    0     2    1     3    –2        2

P-Played, W-Win, D-Draw, L-Loss, GF-Goals For, GA-Goals Against, GD-Goal Difference, Pts-Points