1901–02 British Home Championship
Tournament details
Host countryEngland, Ireland, Scotland and Wales
Dates22 February – 3 May 1902
Teams4
Final positions
Champions Scotland (11th title)
Runners-up England
Tournament statistics
Matches played6
Goals scored22 (3.67 per match)
Top scorer(s)Ireland Andy Gara
Scotland Robert Hamilton
(3 goals)
The collapsed Western Tribune Stand

The 1901–02 British Home Championship was an international football tournament between the British Home Nations which was meant to herald the arrival of the full professional game of football as both England and Scotland fielded fully professional teams for the first time. The championship was however dominated and overshadowed by a disaster during the final deciding match between England and Scotland at Ibrox Park, which claimed 25 lives.[1] Six minutes into the game, a section of the wooden West Tribune Stand suddenly collapsed due to heavy rainfall the night before.[2] Over 500 people were injured as the stadium was packed to its 68,000 capacity for the match. Although play was stopped in the immediate aftermath of the disaster as players, police and stewards rushed to aid the injured, it was later continued. The continued match finished 1–1 despite the players' reluctance and repeated pauses to allow police and injured spectators to cross the pitch. After the match the Scottish and English Football Associations decided to void the result, and the match was replayed at Villa Park.[3] All proceeds from the replay were contributed to the Disaster Fund set up to aid victims of the accident.[4]

Ireland kicked off the tournament in fine style, beating Wales 3–0 in Cardiff with a good performance. Their luck did not hold out in their second game however, thumped 5–1 by an impressive Scottish side in Greenock. Scotland continued their run of good form against Wales, with another 5–1 victory, setting them up as tournament favourites going into the final games. England had played poorly in their opening matches, drawing 0–0 with Wales and scrambling a 1–0 victory over the Irish. The final match up was marred by tragedy and the game was eventually relocated to England due to the turmoil in the Scottish football community as a result of the disaster. The match was fiercely fought and ended with a 2–2 draw, sharing the points but giving the championship to the Scots.

Table

Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
 Scotland (C) 3 2 1 0 12 4 +8 5
 England 3 1 2 0 3 2 +1 4
 Ireland 3 1 0 2 4 6 2 2
 Wales 3 0 1 2 1 8 7 1
Source:
Rules for classification: 1) points. The points system worked as follows: 2 points for a win and 1 point for a draw.
(C) Champions

Results

Wales 0–3 Ireland
  Gara 40', 60', 75'
Attendance: 10,000
Referee: Arthur Kingscot (England)

Ireland 1–5 Scotland
Milne 88' RC Hamilton 43', 70', 74'
Walker 49'
Albert Buick 76'
Attendance: 15,000
Referee: Frederick Bye (England)

Wales 0–0 England
   
Attendance: 10,000
Referee: Tom Robertson (Scotland)

Scotland 5–1 Wales
Robertson 38'
Buick 47'
Smith 50'
Walker 55'
Campbell 88'
Morgan-Owen
Attendance: 5,284
Referee: Joseph McBride (Ireland)

Ireland 0–1 England
  Settle 86'
Attendance: 12,000
Referee: Tom Robertson (Scotland)

Scotland Result Void
1–1
 England
Brown Settle


England 2–2 Scotland
Settle 65'
Wilkes 67'
Templeton 3'
Orr 28'
Attendance: 15,000
Referee: James Torrans (Ireland)

The match between Scotland and England was cancelled after being suspended at 51' (1-1) due to the 1902 Ibrox disaster. Days later the match was repeated (2-2).

Winning squad

Name Apps/Goals by opponent Total
Wales
WAL[5]
Ireland
IRE[6]
England
ENG[lower-alpha 1][8]
Apps Goals
Alex Smith 1/3 1 3 3 3
Bobby Walker 1 1/1 1 3 1
Jock Drummond 1 1 1 3 0
Harry Rennie 1 1 1 3 0
Jackie Robertson 1 1 1 3 0
Bob Hamilton 1 1/3 2 3
Albert Buick 1/1 1/1 2 2
John Campbell 1 1 2 0
Nicol Smith 1 1 2 0
Bobby Templeton 1/1 1 1
Ronald Orr[lower-alpha 1] 1/1 1 1
Andy Aitken 1 1 0
Bob McColl[lower-alpha 1] 1 1 0
Alex Raisbeck 1 1 0
Henry Allan 1 1 0
Sandy McMahon 1 1 0
Hughie Wilson 1 1 0
George Key 1 1 0
William McCartney 1 1 0

Notes

  1. 1 2 3 Caps against England refer to the replayed game in Birmingham (the team was largely the same as in the 'Ibrox disaster' match, but Bob McColl and Ronald Orr were selected in place of Sandy Brown and George Livingstone).[7]
  1. Ibrox Park and the greatest loss of all, scotsman.com Heritage & Culture, Retrieved 1 June 2007
  2. The Fatalities of the Ibrox Disaster of 1902 Archived 30 October 2008 at the Wayback Machine, Robert Shields, The Sports Historian 1998, Retrieved on 1 June 2007
  3. The Scotland Match at Ibrox Park in 1902, England Football Online, Peter Young, Retrieved 1 June 2007
  4. 1902 Newspaper Report, Scotland: The complete record 1872 to 2005, Retrieved 1 June 2007
  5. Sat 15 Mar 1902 Scotland 5 Wales 1, London Hearts Supporters Club
  6. Sat 01 Mar 1902 Ireland 1 Scotland 5, London Hearts Supporters Club
  7. Sat 05 Apr 1902 Scotland 1 England 1, London Hearts Supporters Club
  8. Sat 03 May 1902 England 2 Scotland 2, London Hearts Supporters Club

References

  • Guy Oliver (1992). The Guinness Record of World Soccer. Guinness. ISBN 0-85112-954-4.
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