1966–67 British Home Championship
The 1966-67 British Home Championship has remained famous in the memories of British Home Nations football fans ever since the dramatic climatic match at Wembley Stadium, where an unfancied Scottish team beat England on the same turf they had won the 1966 FIFA World Cup a year before. England had comfortably disposed of Wales and Northern Ireland national football team in the earlier matches, whilst Scotland had struggled, drawing with Wales and only just beating the Irish. In the final match however, the Scots outplayed their illustrious opponents who were effectively reduced to 10 men with Jack Charlton hobbling and no substitutes allowed claiming a 3–2 victory, thus resulting in some over-enthusiastic Scottish supporters claiming to be "world champions with many of them invading the pitch, digging up much of the turf and stealing the goal woodwork after the game. In contrast to later pitch invasions, this was non-violent and resulted in no significant police action. The "World Champions" idea has since taken more tangible form in the Unofficial Football World Championships.
The contest was also important as it formed the first half of the qualifying stages for the 1968 UEFA European Football Championship, a competition England would eventually qualify for in the following 1968 British Home Championship and reach the semi-finals, ultimately securing third position overall.
Table
Team | Pts | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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5 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 4 | +2 |
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4 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 9 | 4 | +5 |
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2 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 6 | −4 |
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1 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 | −3 |
The points system worked as follows:
- 2 points for a win
- 1 point for a draw
Results
16 November 1966 |
Scotland ![]() |
2 – 1 | ![]() |
---|---|---|
Bobby Murdoch ![]() ![]() |
Jimmy Nicholson ![]() |
16 November 1966 |
England ![]() |
5 – 1 | ![]() |
---|---|---|
Geoff Hurst 2, Bobby Charlton, Jack Charlton, Terry Hennessey (Own Goal) |
Wyn Davies |
15 April 1967 |
England ![]() |
2 – 3 | ![]() |
---|---|---|
Jack Charlton ![]() ![]() |
Denis Law ![]() ![]() Jim McCalliog ![]() |
References
- Guy Oliver (1992). The Guinness Record of World Soccer. Guinness. ISBN 0-85112-954-4.