The 1883–84 British Home Championship was the inaugural international football tournament, played between the Home Nations of the British Isles which at the time made up the constituent nations of the United Kingdom; England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland. International football matches had begun with annual games played between England and Scotland in 1872 and they had been joined by Wales in 1876 and Ireland in 1882.
The tournament was played in an unusual layout, with Ireland playing all three of their games first, and losing heavily in each one. Then England and Scotland played what would eventually be the deciding match of the tournament, which Scotland won in a close fought contest.Scotland v England 1884, Before The 'D'...Association Football around the world, 1863–1937, 21 August 2017 Finally, Wales played both England and Scotland, losing heavily to each in turn and thus granting Scotland victory in the first British Home Championship. Scotland won the final match, even though many of the best Scottish players were absent playing for Queen's Park FC in the 1884 FA Cup Final, which took place on the same day.
Table
Results
Winning squad
NameApps/Goals by opponentTotal WALSat 29 Mar 1884 Scotland 4 Wales 1, London Hearts Supporters Club IRESat 26 Jan 1884 Ireland 0 Scotland 5, London Hearts Supporters Club ENGSat 15 Mar 1884 Scotland 1 England 0, London Hearts Supporters Club Apps GoalsJohn Forbes11130Joe Lindsay1/1121Frank Shaw1/1121Walter Arnott1120William McKinnon1120Robert S. Brown1120Sammy Thomson1120William Harrower1/212James Gossland1/212John Kay1/212John Smith1/111John Goudie1/111James McAulay110Charles Campbell110John McPherson110William Anderson110Robert Christie110John Inglis110John Graham110William Fulton110John Macaulay110Thomas Turner110Michael Paton110Sandy Kennedy110James McIntyre110
References