 Newspaper advertisement for the first official international football match. | |
| Location | Europe |
|---|---|
| Teams |  England Scotland |
| First meeting | 30 November 1872 Friendly Scotland 0–0 England |
| Latest meeting | 12 September 2023 Friendly Scotland 1–3 England |
| Statistics | |
| Meetings total | 116 |
| Most wins | England (49) |
| All-time series | 49–41–26 for England |
| Largest victory | England 9–3 Scotland (15 April 1961) |
  England Scotland | |
TheEngland–Scotland football rivalry, between theEngland andScotland national football teams,[1][2] is the oldest international fixture in the world,first played in 1872 atHamilton Crescent, Glasgow. The first match took place at Hamilton Crescent, Glasgow, in 1872 and ended in a 0–0 draw.[3][4]Scottish nationalism has been a factor in the Scots' desire to defeat England above all other rivals, with Scottish sports journalists traditionally referring to the English as the "Auld Enemy".[5]
BBC Online commented that the games "have represented all that is good and all that is bad about football since the fixture began,"[1] whileThe Guardian newspaper once reported that "for millions across both sides of the border the encounter represents a chance for the ultimate victory over the enemy."[6] As of 2023, the teams have played 116 matches; England have won 49, Scotland 41, and there have been 26 draws.[7]
The rules of association football had been formalised and set down byThe Football Association in England in 1863.[8] By 1870C. W. Alcock, Secretary ofThe Football Association, issued public challenges in various Scottish newspapers,[9] includingThe Glasgow Herald, to Scottish players to play an international match against England. One of the few public responses that Alcock received from Scotland stated that "devotees of the 'association' rules will find no foeman worthy of their steel in Scotland."[10] Alcock ardently defended that the right to play in these matches "wasopen to every Scotchman whether his lines were castNorth or South of theTweed".[9] The first match was described in theGlasgow Herald as "the great international football match"[11] and there was acceptance by the same newspaper in 1871 that "both captains had been successful in the composition of elevens capable of efficiently representing their respective causes."[12]
Although the five matches played between 5 March 1870 and 24 February 1872 are not currently recognised byFIFA as official, they were organised under the auspices of the FA and were described as "international" byThe Scotsman newspaper. In 1870, Alcock had even suggested that the next international match should be held near the England-Scotland border as an easily accessible venue for both teams,[9] but this did not receive a response. Requests for Scotland-based players to partake were issued for each of these five matches, for example in November 1870:
any Scotch players who may be desirous of assisting their country ... may communicate with MessrsA F Kinnaird.[13]
The matches are notable not just for being thefirst international matches, but also for illustrating emerging team playing tactics. For example, in the November 1870 match onlookers were treated to a match with "many scientific points"[14] and in 1871 players (including Alcock) are noted to have been "acting in concert", leading to a goal"[15]
| Date | Venue | Result | Competition | Location | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 March 1870 | The Oval, London | 1–1 | Friendly | | Draw |
| 19 November 1870 | The Oval, London | 0–1 | Friendly | | |
| 25 February 1871 | The Oval, London | 1–1 | Friendly | | Draw |
| 17 November 1871 | The Oval, London | 1–2 | Friendly | | |
| 24 February 1872 | The Oval, London | 0–1 | Friendly | | |
In 1872 achallenge match was agreed with the Glasgow teamQueen's Park, who would represent Scotland. The FA's minutes of 3 October 1872 note that:
In order to further the interests of the Association in Scotland, it was decided that during the current season, a team should be sent to Glasgow to play a match v Scotland.
According toThe Scotsman newspaper of 2 December 1872, there were only about ten football clubs in Scotland. These early international matches helped to increase the popularity of association football in Scotland.[16] The first official match was held on 30 November 1872, on Scotland's national saint's day,St. Andrew's Day, and it took place atHamilton Crescent inPartick, home of theWest of Scotland Cricket Club.[17][18] The Scotland team was made up entirely of players fromQueen's Park,[17] the most successful Scottish club of the period.[18] The game ended a 0–0 draw, watched by a crowd of 4000 who had paid ashilling each for admission.[17][18]
The first goal between the two sides was scored by England'sWilliam Kenyon-Slaney[19] in the next game at The Oval, the first official match between the two in England, which the English won 4–2 on 8 March 1873.[16] Following this, the game became an annual event, being held in England or Scotland in alternate years.[16] Scotland took their first win in the fixture in the 1874 game, again played at Hamilton Crescent, where they defeated England 2–1.[20] Later in the 1870s Scotland won the fixture three times in a row, including a 7–2 victory in the 1878 game.[16]
Fromthe first match in late 1872,England andScotland played each other in the spring of every year (except duringWorld War I andWorld War II) until 1989. From 1884 until 1984, the match was the highlight of the annualBritish Home Championship played between England, Scotland,Wales andNorthern Ireland.[note 1] Due to the capacity ofHampden Park in the period, the fixture drew some of thelargest ever football crowds, including the enduring European record attendance of 149,415 in 1937 (even though there was little to play for in that match: Wales had already wonthe series).[21] After the British Home Championship ended in 1984, the annual England v Scotland fixture continued in the form of theRous Cup until 1989.
The only exception to this pattern of annual fixtures in the spring was in 1973, when there were two games. The first game that year was afriendly match that marked the centenary of theScottish Football Association. There were also two fixtures staged in 1902, but this was because the first game had to be abandoned due to the firstIbrox disaster. The British Home Championship also acted as qualifiers for three majortournaments – the1950 World Cup, the1954 World Cup and the1968 European Championship.
The 1928 Scotland team which defeated England 5–1 atWembley was nicknamed theWembley Wizards.[17] The match had an unusual background; England and Scotland were the two traditionally dominant countries in theBritish Home Championship, yet neither side had managed to beat eitherIreland orWales in their first two games ofthat year's Championship.
v Scotland| 31 March 19281927–28 British Home Championship | England | 1–5 | Scotland | Middlesex |
| 12:30 | Kelly 89' | Jackson 3',65',85' James 44',74' | Stadium:Wembley Stadium Attendance: 80,868 Referee: William Bell (Scotland) |
The game played in 1961 saw Scotland suffer their heaviest defeat in the fixture. The performance of ScotlandgoalkeeperFrank Haffey contributed towards the Englishstereotype of bad Scottish goalkeepers.[22][23] "What time is it?" "Nine past Haffey", was a popular joke for many years.[24] England playersJimmy Armfield andJohnny Haynes insisted that the result was more due to the quality of their forward play, and that Haffey could not have done much else to prevent most of the goals.[25]
v Scotland| 15 April 19611960–61 British Home Championship | England | 9–3 | Scotland | Middlesex |
| Robson 9' Greaves 21',30',83'Douglas 55'Smith 73',85'Haynes 78',82' | Report (page 9) | Mackay 48' Wilson 53',75'[note 2] | Stadium:Wembley Stadium Attendance: 97,350 Referee:Marcel Lequesne (France) |
England had won the1966 FIFA World Cup at Wembley less than a year before the 1967 game, and were undefeated in 19 games.[17][26] Despite fielding four of theCelticside that went on to win theEuropean Cup a month later and stars such asDenis Law,Jim Baxter andBilly Bremner, Scotland were massiveunderdogs going into the match.[17] Scotland took an early lead through a goal by Law, andBobby Lennox put Scotland 2–0 up with just 12 minutes remaining.[17] England were somewhat hampered by the fact thatJack Charlton suffered an injury early in the game.[17][26] At that time, the rules governing international football prevented the EnglandmanagerAlf Ramsey fromsubstituting Charlton, so he decided to use him in the unfamiliar role ofcentre forward.[17][26] Ironically, Charlton scored England's first goal.[17] Scotland soon reestablished a two-goal lead, however, withJim McCalliog making the score 3–1.[17]Geoff Hurst scored a late goal to make the final score 3–2 to Scotland.[17]
Baxter played "keepie uppie" as Scotland toyed with their opponents late in the game.[17][26][27] The Scots playfully claimed afterwards that the victory made themunofficial world champions.[17] Ultimately, however, it was England who qualified forthe 1968 European Championship because of results in the other matches.[26][28]
v Scotland| 15 April 19671966–67 British Home Championship | England | 2–3 | Scotland | London |
| J. Charlton 84' Hurst 88' | Report (page 4) | Law 27' Lennox 78'McCalliog 87' | Stadium:Wembley Stadium Attendance: 99,063 Referee:Gerhard Schulenburg (West Germany) |
At the end of the 1977 match, theScottish fansinvaded the pitch, ripping up large sections of it and tearing down the goalposts.[29]The match itself was a triumph for the new Scotland managerAlly MacLeod and contributed to the sense of optimism that built towards Scotland's participation in the1978 FIFA World Cup.Gordon McQueen opened the scoring late in the first half with a powerful header from acrossedfree-kick from the left-hand side.Kenny Dalglish doubled Scotland's advantage with a scrambled effort, before England scored a late consolation goal from apenalty kick taken byMick Channon. The defeat hastened the end ofDon Revie's tenure as England manager.
v Scotland| 4 June 19771976–77 British Home Championship | England | 1–2 | Scotland | London |
| Channon 87' (pen.) | Report (page 16) | McQueen 42' Dalglish 60' | Stadium:Wembley Stadium Attendance: 98,103 Referee:Károly Palotai (Hungary) |
In December 1995, despite media rumours thatUEFA would deliberately keep the two apart in the draw,[30] England and Scotland were both drawn in the same group for the forthcomingEuropean Championship, to be hosted by England in the summer of 1996. This draw excited much comment and anticipation in the build-up to the championship, especially as it would be the first meeting between the two sides for seven years, and tickets for the game sold out within two days of the draw being made.[31] The match assumed even greater significance for both teams when both England and Scotland drew their opening fixtures, againstSwitzerland andthe Netherlands respectively, meaning both were even more in need of a win to further their chances of progressing in the tournament.
The match was played at Wembley Stadium on Saturday 15 June 1996. Before the game,Scotland's national anthem,Flower of Scotland, was completely drowned out by booing from English spectators.[32] The first half was closely fought, ending 0–0, although Scotland had the better of the chances.[33] The introduction ofJamie Redknapp into the England team as a substitute for the second half helped to turn the match in England's favour,[34][35] and they took the lead through a headed goal byAlan Shearer.[34] Scotland were awarded apenalty kick in the 76th minute after a foul byTony Adams onGordon Durie, butGary McAllister's kick was saved by the England goalkeeperDavid Seaman.[35] Shortly afterwards,Paul Gascoigne, who played in Scotland for the Glasgow clubRangers, scored a second goal for England, afterchipping the ball over Scottish defenderColin Hendry.[36] In 2006, the year before he becamePrime Minister,Gordon Brown drew criticism in Scotland when he was reported as saying that Gascoigne's goal was one of his favourite moments in football,[37] although Brown subsequently denied saying this.[38]
Scotland eventually went out of the championship on goals scored, but would have proceeded beyond the first round of a tournament for the first time in their history had England not conceded a late goal in their 4–1 victory over the Netherlands in their final group game.The Guardian newspaper later commented that "England fans' joy was complete whenPatrick Kluivert stole a late goal for theDutch team – and thereby deprived Scotland of a place in the quarter-finals".[39]
v England| 15 June 1996Euro '96 | Scotland | 0–2 | England | London[note 3] |
| 15:00 | (Report) | Shearer 53' Gascoigne 79' | Stadium:Wembley Stadium Attendance: 76,684 Referee:Pierluigi Pairetto (Italy) |
TheEuro 96 game had encouraged some to call for the resumption of regular matches between the two, but this did not happen.[40] The teams did not meet again until three years later, in 1999, when they were again drawn together in the European Championship; this time in aqualifying play-off for the2000 tournament, after both teams had finished as runners-up in their respective qualifying groups.[41]
The tie took place over two legs, the first in Scotland at Hampden Park on Saturday 13 November 1999, with the return leg at Wembley four days later. The first leg was the first match contested by the two sides in Scotland for ten years. England won that match 2–0, with both goals scored byPaul Scholes.[42] There was crowd trouble following the game, and 51 people were arrested in the city centre of Glasgow after battles between fans.[43] Scotland had the better of the second match, winning 1–0 with a goal fromDon Hutchison and coming close to a second goal, but England progressed to the finals of the tournament, winning 2–1 on aggregate.[44]
v England| 13 November 1999Euro 2000 playoffs | Scotland | 0–2 | England | Glasgow |
| 15:00 | (Report) | Scholes 21',41' | Stadium:Hampden Park Attendance: 50,132 Referee:Manuel Diaz Vega (Spain) |
v Scotland| 17 November 1999Euro 2000 playoffs | England | 0–1 (2–1agg.) | Scotland | London |
| 19:45 | (Report) | Hutchison 39' | Stadium:Wembley Stadium Attendance: 76,848 Referee:Pierluigi Collina (Italy) |
In the early 21st century there were suggestions that theBritish Home Championship should be restored to the schedule, or at least for the England v Scotland fixture to be played more regularly.[45][46] There was some speculation that England would invite Scotland to be their first opponents whenWembley Stadium was re-opened in 2007,[47] but this did not happen. There was further talk of organising a one-off England v Scotland match at the end of the 2007–08 season,[48] but the Scotland managerGeorge Burley was opposed to this timing and the match was not arranged.[49] On 16 June 2012,The Football Association announced that England would play Scotland in August 2013 as part of their 150th anniversary celebrations.[50][51] England won an entertaining friendly fixture by 3–2, after Scotland had twice taken the lead.[52]
v Scotland| 14 August 2013Friendly | England | 3–2 | Scotland | London |
| 20:00 | Walcott 29' Welbeck 53'Lambert 70' | Report | Morrison 11' Miller 49' | Stadium:Wembley Stadium Attendance: 80,485 Referee:Felix Brych (Germany) |
It was announced in July 2014 that a return match would be played atCeltic Park on 18 November 2014, as an option for a return match had been included in the contract for the August 2013 friendly.[53]Wayne Rooney scored twice in a 3–1 victory for England.[54][55]
v England| 18 November 2014Friendly | Scotland | 1–3 | England | Glasgow |
| 20:00 | Robertson 83' | Report | Oxlade-Chamberlain 32' Rooney 47',85' | Stadium:Celtic Park Attendance: 55,000 Referee:Jonas Eriksson (Sweden) |
The two teams were drawn together for2018 FIFA World Cup qualification, inUEFA Group F.[56][57]
v Scotland| 11 November 2016 (2016-11-11)2018 World Cup qualification | England | 3–0 | Scotland | London |
| 20:45 (19:45UTC±0) | Sturridge 23' Lallana 50'Cahill 61' | Report | Stadium:Wembley Stadium Attendance: 87,258 Referee:Cüneyt Çakır (Turkey) |
v England| 10 June 20172018 World Cup qualification | Scotland | 2–2 | England | Glasgow |
| 17:00 | Griffiths 87',90' | Report | Oxlade-Chamberlain 70' Kane 90+3' | Stadium:Hampden Park Attendance: 48,520 Referee:Paolo Tagliavento (Italy) |
The teams met on 18 June 2021 at Wembley inGroup D of theUEFA Euro 2020 finals, which had been delayed by theCOVID-19 pandemic.[58][59] The match ended in an uninspiring goalless draw, the first scoreless draw in an England-Scotland match since the 1987 Rous Cup match at Hampden Park.
v Scotland| 18 June 2021 (2021-06-18)Euro 2020 Group D | England | 0–0 | Scotland | London |
| 21:00(20:00UTC+1) | Report | Stadium:Wembley Stadium Attendance: 20,306 Referee:Antonio Mateu Lahoz (Spain) |
In November 2022, a friendly game was announced for 12 September 2023 to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the first official international fixture between Scotland and England, to take place at Hampden Park.[60] Due to the2022 FIFA World Cup being played in the winter, the match could not be played during the 2022 November international break as intended, so was instead arrange for the following year 151 years after the first international.[61] The game finished 3–1 to England, withHarry Kane,Jude Bellingham andPhil Foden getting on the scoresheet for England, andHarry Maguire scoring an own goal for Scotland.
v England| 12 September 2023 (2023-09-12)150th Anniversary Heritage Match | Scotland | 1–3 | England | Glasgow |
| 20:45(19:45UTC+1) | Report |
| Stadium:Hampden Park Attendance: 49,129 Referee: Davide Massa (Italy) |
England andScotland have played each other more than any other nation, playing 116 official matches.[62][63] England have the better record overall in the fixture, with 49 wins to Scotland's 41.[64] There have been 26 draws, only four of them goalless, with 98 years separating the first and second of those matches.[64] England have scored 206 goals to 175 by Scotland.[64] The record margin of victory in the fixture was England's 9–3 win in1961,[64] while Scotland's biggest victory was 7–2 in 1878.[64] The record attendance of 149,415, which is also a European record attendance, was set atHampden Park in1937.[17]
Scotland long held an advantage in terms of wins, as they recorded ten wins in the first 16 matches. Scotland, the far smaller country in terms of population, were superior during this period because passing football developed earlier there, as shown by theScotch Professors who moved to play in the nascentEnglish professional league during the late 1880s (although those players themselves were not eligible, as Scotland refused to pick England-based Scots until 1896).[65][66] Scotland were also dominant in the 1920s and 30s, and prior to theSecond World War had 29 wins in the series to England's 19. England reversed the dominance after the war, and Scotland have only won 12 matches since then. The Scots did win three games out of four from 1974 to 1977, but lost every other meeting in the 1970s, and have only won three times (compared to 14 English wins) since 1977. England pulled ahead for the first time in the history of the fixture with their win in1983.
| Date | Venue | Result | Competition | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30 November 1872 | Hamilton Crescent,Partick | 0–0 | Friendly | |
| 8 March 1873 | The Oval, London | 2–4 | Friendly | |
| 7 March 1874 | Hamilton Crescent, Partick | 2–1 | Friendly | |
| 6 March 1875 | The Oval, London | 2–2 | Friendly | |
| 4 March 1876 | Hamilton Crescent, Partick | 3–0 | Friendly | |
| 3 March 1877 | The Oval, London | 3–1 | Friendly | |
| 2 March 1878 | Hampden Park (I),Crosshill, Glasgow | 7–2 | Friendly | |
| 5 April 1879 | The Oval, London | 4–5 | Friendly | |
| 13 March 1880 | Hampden Park (I), Crosshill | 5–4 | Friendly | |
| 12 March 1881 | The Oval, London | 6–1 | Friendly | |
| 11 March 1882 | Hampden Park (I), Crosshill | 5–1 | Friendly | |
| 10 March 1883 | Bramall Lane,Sheffield | 3–2 | Friendly | |
| 15 March 1884 | Cathkin Park, Crosshill | 1–0 | 1884 British Home Championship | |
| 21 March 1885 | The Oval, London | 1–1 | 1885 British Home Championship | |
| 27 March 1886 | Hampden Park (II),Glasgow | 1–1 | 1886 British Home Championship | |
| 19 March 1887 | Leamington Road,Blackburn | 3–2 | 1887 British Home Championship | |
| 17 March 1888 | Hampden Park (II), Glasgow | 0–5 | 1888 British Home Championship | |
| 13 April 1889 | The Oval, London | 3–2 | 1889 British Home Championship | |
| 5 April 1890 | Hampden Park (II), Glasgow | 1–1 | 1890 British Home Championship | |
| 4 April 1891 | Ewood Park, Blackburn | 1–2 | 1891 British Home Championship | |
| 2 April 1892 | Ibrox Park (I),Govan | 1–4 | 1892 British Home Championship | |
| 1 April 1893 | Athletic Ground,Richmond | 2–5 | 1893 British Home Championship | |
| 7 April 1894 | Celtic Park, Glasgow | 2–2 | 1894 British Home Championship | |
| 6 April 1895 | Goodison Park,Liverpool | 0–3 | 1895 British Home Championship | |
| 4 April 1896 | Celtic Park, Glasgow | 2–1 | 1896 British Home Championship | |
| 3 April 1897 | Crystal Palace National Sports Centre, London | 2–1 | 1897 British Home Championship | |
| 2 April 1898 | Celtic Park, Glasgow | 1–3 | 1898 British Home Championship | |
| 8 April 1899 | Villa Park,Birmingham | 1–2 | 1899 British Home Championship | |
| 7 April 1900 | Celtic Park, Glasgow | 4–1 | 1900 British Home Championship | |
| 30 March 1901 | Crystal Palace, London | 2–2 | 1901 British Home Championship | |
| 3 May 1902 | Villa Park, Birmingham | 2–2 | 1902 British Home Championship | [note 4] |
| 4 April 1903 | Bramall Lane, Sheffield | 2–1 | 1903 British Home Championship | |
| 9 April 1904 | Celtic Park, Glasgow | 0–1 | 1904 British Home Championship | |
| 1 April 1905 | Crystal Palace, London | 0–1 | 1905 British Home Championship | |
| 7 April 1906 | Hampden Park, Glasgow | 2–1 | 1906 British Home Championship | |
| 6 April 1907 | St James' Park,Newcastle | 1–1 | 1907 British Home Championship | |
| 4 April 1908 | Hampden Park, Glasgow | 1–1 | 1908 British Home Championship | |
| 3 April 1909 | Crystal Palace, London | 0–2 | 1909 British Home Championship | |
| 2 April 1910 | Hampden Park, Glasgow | 2–0 | 1910 British Home Championship | |
| 1 April 1911 | Goodison Park, Liverpool | 1–1 | 1911 British Home Championship | |
| 23 March 1912 | Hampden Park, Glasgow | 1–1 | 1912 British Home Championship | |
| 5 April 1913 | Stamford Bridge, London | 0–1 | 1913 British Home Championship | |
| 4 April 1914 | Hampden Park, Glasgow | 3–1 | 1914 British Home Championship | [note 5] |
| 10 April 1920 | Hillsborough Stadium, Sheffield | 4–5 | 1920 British Home Championship | [note 5] |
| 9 April 1921 | Hampden Park, Glasgow | 3–0 | 1921 British Home Championship | |
| 8 April 1922 | Villa Park, Birmingham | 1–0 | 1922 British Home Championship | |
| 14 April 1923 | Hampden Park, Glasgow | 2–2 | 1923 British Home Championship | |
| 12 April 1924 | Wembley Stadium (I), London | 1–1 | 1924 British Home Championship | |
| 4 April 1925 | Hampden Park, Glasgow | 2–0 | 1925 British Home Championship | |
| 17 April 1926 | Old Trafford,Manchester | 1–0 | 1926 British Home Championship | |
| 2 April 1927 | Hampden Park, Glasgow | 1–2 | 1927 British Home Championship | |
| 31 March 1928 | Wembley Stadium (I), London | 5–1 | 1928 British Home Championship | |
| 13 April 1929 | Hampden Park, Glasgow | 1–0 | 1929 British Home Championship | |
| 5 April 1930 | Wembley Stadium (I), London | 2–5 | 1930 British Home Championship | |
| 28 March 1931 | Hampden Park, Glasgow | 2–0 | 1931 British Home Championship | |
| 9 April 1932 | Wembley Stadium (I), London | 0–3 | 1932 British Home Championship | |
| 1 April 1933 | Hampden Park, Glasgow | 2–1 | 1933 British Home Championship | |
| 14 April 1934 | Wembley Stadium (I), London | 0–3 | 1934 British Home Championship | |
| 6 April 1935 | Hampden Park, Glasgow | 2–0 | 1935 British Home Championship | [note 6] |
| 4 April 1936 | Wembley Stadium (I), London | 1–1 | 1936 British Home Championship | |
| 17 April 1937 | Hampden Park, Glasgow | 3–1 | 1937 British Home Championship | |
| 9 April 1938 | Wembley Stadium (I), London | 1–0 | 1938 British Home Championship | |
| 15 April 1939 | Hampden Park, Glasgow | 1–2 | 1939 British Home Championship | [note 7] |
| 12 April 1947 | Wembley Stadium (I), London | 1–1 | 1947 British Home Championship | [note 7] |
| 10 April 1948 | Hampden Park, Glasgow | 0–2 | 1948 British Home Championship | |
| 9 April 1949 | Wembley Stadium (I), London | 3–1 | 1949 British Home Championship | |
| 15 April 1950 | Hampden Park, Glasgow | 0–1 | 1950 British Home Championship | [note 8] |
| 14 April 1951 | Wembley Stadium (I), London | 3–2 | 1951 British Home Championship | |
| 5 April 1952 | Hampden Park, Glasgow | 1–2 | 1952 British Home Championship | |
| 18 April 1953 | Wembley Stadium (I), London | 2–2 | 1953 British Home Championship | |
| 3 April 1954 | Hampden Park, Glasgow | 2–4 | 1954 British Home Championship | [note 9] |
| 2 April 1955 | Wembley Stadium (I), London | 2–7 | 1955 British Home Championship | [note 10] |
| 14 April 1956 | Hampden Park, Glasgow | 1–1 | 1956 British Home Championship | |
| 6 April 1957 | Wembley Stadium (I), London | 1–2 | 1957 British Home Championship | |
| 19 April 1958 | Hampden Park, Glasgow | 0–4 | 1958 British Home Championship | |
| 11 April 1959 | Wembley Stadium (I), London | 0–1 | 1959 British Home Championship | |
| 9 April 1960 | Hampden Park, Glasgow | 1–1 | 1960 British Home Championship | |
| 15 April 1961 | Wembley Stadium (I), London | 3–9 | 1961 British Home Championship | |
| 14 April 1962 | Hampden Park, Glasgow | 2–0 | 1962 British Home Championship | |
| 6 April 1963 | Wembley Stadium (I), London | 2–1 | 1963 British Home Championship | |
| 11 April 1964 | Hampden Park, Glasgow | 1–0 | 1964 British Home Championship | |
| 10 April 1965 | Wembley Stadium (I), London | 2–2 | 1965 British Home Championship | |
| 2 April 1966 | Hampden Park, Glasgow | 3–4 | 1966 British Home Championship | |
| 15 April 1967 | Wembley Stadium (I), London | 3–2 | 1967 British Home Championship | [note 11] |
| 24 February 1968 | Hampden Park, Glasgow | 1–1 | 1968 British Home Championship | [note 11] |
| 10 May 1969 | Wembley Stadium (I), London | 1–4 | 1969 British Home Championship | |
| 25 April 1970 | Hampden Park, Glasgow | 0–0 | 1970 British Home Championship | [note 12] |
| 22 May 1971 | Wembley Stadium (I), London | 1–3 | 1971 British Home Championship | |
| 27 May 1972 | Hampden Park, Glasgow | 0–1 | 1972 British Home Championship | |
| 14 February 1973 | Hampden Park, Glasgow | 0–5 | Friendly | [note 13] |
| 19 May 1973 | Wembley Stadium (I), London | 0–1 | 1973 British Home Championship | |
| 18 May 1974 | Hampden Park, Glasgow | 2–0 | 1974 British Home Championship | |
| 24 May 1975 | Wembley Stadium (I), London | 1–5 | 1975 British Home Championship | |
| 15 May 1976 | Hampden Park, Glasgow | 2–1 | 1976 British Home Championship | |
| 4 June 1977 | Wembley Stadium (I), London | 2–1 | 1977 British Home Championship | |
| 20 May 1978 | Hampden Park, Glasgow | 0–1 | 1978 British Home Championship | |
| 26 May 1979 | Wembley Stadium (I), London | 1–3 | 1979 British Home Championship | |
| 24 May 1980 | Hampden Park, Glasgow | 0–2 | 1980 British Home Championship | |
| 23 May 1981 | Wembley Stadium (I), London | 1–0 | 1981 British Home Championship | |
| 29 May 1982 | Hampden Park, Glasgow | 0–1 | 1982 British Home Championship | |
| 1 June 1983 | Wembley Stadium (I), London | 0–2 | 1983 British Home Championship | |
| 26 May 1984 | Hampden Park, Glasgow | 1–1 | 1984 British Home Championship | |
| 25 May 1985 | Hampden Park, Glasgow | 1–0 | 1985 Rous Cup | |
| 23 April 1986 | Wembley Stadium (I), London | 1–2 | 1986 Rous Cup | |
| 23 May 1987 | Hampden Park, Glasgow | 0–0 | 1987 Rous Cup | |
| 21 May 1988 | Wembley Stadium (I), London | 0–1 | 1988 Rous Cup | |
| 27 May 1989 | Hampden Park, Glasgow | 0–2 | 1989 Rous Cup | |
| 15 June 1996 | Wembley Stadium (I), London | 0–2 | UEFA Euro 1996 Group A | |
| 13 November 1999 | Hampden Park, Glasgow | 0–2 | UEFA Euro 2000 qualifying play-offs | [note 14] |
| 17 November 1999 | Wembley Stadium (I), London | 1–0 | UEFA Euro 2000 qualifying play-offs | [note 14] |
| 14 August 2013 | Wembley Stadium, London | 2–3 | Friendly | [note 15] |
| 18 November 2014 | Celtic Park, Glasgow | 1–3 | Friendly | |
| 11 November 2016 | Wembley Stadium, London | 0–3 | 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification – UEFA Group F | |
| 10 June 2017 | Hampden Park, Glasgow | 2–2 | 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification – UEFA Group F | |
| 18 June 2021 | Wembley Stadium, London | 0–0 | UEFA Euro 2020 Group D | |
| 12 September 2023 | Hampden Park, Glasgow | 1–3 | Friendly | [note 16] |
As well as the rivalry between the national sides,English andScottish club teams have also met on numerous occasions in the variousEuropean club competitions. These matches are frequently described by the media as being a "Battle of Britain", irrespective of the clubs involved.[67][68][69][70] Matches between English and Scottish club sides in the late 19th century were big events, such asthe meeting in 1895 of English league championsSunderland and Scottish league championsHeart of Midlothian in a game grandly described as theChampionship of the World.[71] The most important club meeting was whenCeltic andLeeds United met in the semi-final of the1969–70 European Cup, which was the first contest to be popularly described as a "Battle of Britain".[72] Celtic won the first leg atElland Road 1–0, and the second leg was played atHampden Park to allow a bigger crowd to attend than could be held atCeltic Park.Billy Bremner opened the scoring early on to level the aggregate score, but Celtic came back to win the match 2–1 and the tie 3–1.[73]
Rangers defeated Leeds United home and away to qualify for the firstChampions League group stage in1992–93. Celtic lost on theaway goals rule toLiverpool in the1997–98UEFA Cup, but they beatBlackburn Rovers and Liverpool on their run to the2003 UEFA Cup Final.[72] Celtic andManchester United were drawn together twice in theChampions League group phase in quick succession, in 2006–07 and 2008–09,[72] whileArsenal beat Celtic 5–1 on aggregate in the 2009–10 qualifiers.
Until 2007, the Scottish clubs held their own in meetings with English clubs, winning 13 and losing 12 of the 37 matches.[74] Since 2007, the English clubs have been unbeaten in these fixtures.[74] After a goalless draw between Manchester United and Rangers in the 2010–11 Champions League,The Daily Telegraph reporter Roddy Forsyth commented that the growing financial disparity between the two leagues was reflected in a below capacity attendance atOld Trafford, the defensive tactics used by Rangers, and the weakened team selection by United.[70]Hearts suffered a record defeat againstTottenham in the2011–12 UEFA Europa League,[75][76] but performed more creditably againstLiverpool in2012–13.[77] The most recent competitive meeting of clubs from the two countries was betweenRangers andManchester United in the2024–25 UEFA Europa League league phase.[78]
There have also been a number of other competitions between English and Scottish clubs. BeforeEuropean competition started in 1955, theCoronation Cup was staged in 1953, to mark the coronation ofQueen Elizabeth II. Four prominent clubs from each country participated in a knockout tournament, with Celtic andHibernian defeating two English clubs each to reach the final, which Celtic won 2–0 at Hampden.[79] A similar competition called theEmpire Exhibition Trophy was staged in 1938, with Celtic defeatingEverton 1–0 in the final atIbrox.[80] Back in 1902, the four-teamBritish League Cup was staged, with both Rangers and Celtic defeating their English opponents to set up a final between them (this was before theOld Firm term came into use).[81]
In the 1970s, Americanoil giantTexaco sponsored theTexaco Cup, which was a knockout competition for clubs that had failed to qualify for the main European competitions.[82] Interest in the competition soon waned, however, and Texaco withdrew their sponsorship after the 1974–75 season.[82] The competition continued for a few years in the form of theAnglo-Scottish Cup, but it was discontinued in 1981.[82]
The rivalry between the two nations has not prevented their respective nationals from playing in each other's domestic leagues, in certain cases to high renown. Historically, the trend has been for Scottish players to play in the richer English league, although many English players have also played in Scotland.
Many great English sides have been built around Scottish players.The double-winningSpurs team of1961 includedBill Brown,Dave Mackay andJohn White.Denis Law is the second greatest goalscorer in the history ofManchester United. The greatLiverpool teams of the 1970s and 1980s were built aroundKenny Dalglish,Graeme Souness andAlan Hansen, whileNottingham Forest's doubleEuropean Cup-winning side includedArchie Gemmill,John McGovern,John Robertson, andFWA Footballer of the YearKenny Burns. The great Leeds United side of the 1960s and 1970s included several great Scottish players such asBilly Bremner,Peter Lorimer andEddie Gray. Manchester United and Liverpool became the most successful clubs in English football, largely due to the efforts of Scottish managersMatt Busby andBill Shankly, respectively.
By the late 2000s, the flow of Scottish players to major English clubs had dried up, due to theScotland team being less competitive at international level and the EnglishPremier League attracting stars from all over the world, rather than just from theBritish Isles.[83] This trend has been somewhat reversed more recently, with the Scottish national side managed bySteve Clarke featuring few home-based players and several playing in the upper levels of English football, namelyAndy Robertson,John McGinn andBilly Gilmour.[84]
There have been fewer notable English players who have played in Scotland.Joe Baker was the first player to play for England without having played in theFootball League, but his was an isolated example because he played at a time when a player was only allowed to play for the country of his birth.[85] Those rules were subsequently relaxed and the sons or even grandsons of Scots are now allowed to play for Scotland. This means that some footballers born in England have played inand for Scotland, includingAndy Goram andStuart McCall.
There was a temporary influx of English players to the Scottish league during the late 1980s, while English clubs were banned from European competition due to theHeysel disaster.[86] Prominent England players includingTerry Butcher,Trevor Steven,Gary Stevens,Chris Woods andMark Hateley all moved toRangers. During this time, Rangers had a higher turnover than Manchester United and could therefore offer wages that could compare with even the biggest English clubs.[86] Since the inception of thePremier League, however, the English clubs have become wealthier than Rangers andCeltic.[87] No prominent England player has played in Scotland in recent years,[when?] althoughChris Sutton andAlan Thompson played a significant part in Celtic's run to the2003 UEFA Cup Final. The most recent player to be capped by England while playing in Scotland was Celtic goalkeeperFraser Forster.[citation needed]
Scottishmanagers, includingBill Shankly andMatt Busby, have enjoyed great success in England football.Alex Ferguson dominated thePremier League with Manchester United until his retirement in 2013.[88] Ferguson claimed in 2010 that he had turned down approaches bythe FA to manage England, partly because it would have been a "tremendous handicap" for any Scot to manage England.[89] English managers have also worked at Scottish clubs, withJohn Barnes andTony Mowbray managing Celtic for short periods, andSteven Gerrard andMichael Beale at Rangers.
The rivalry also manifests itself in the fact that manyScottish people support England's opponents[90] and vice versa, as when English journalistRod Liddle announced, "I already have my Ukraine flag ready for Scotland's next fixture",[91][92][93] despite the fact that England and Scotland are bothcountries of the United Kingdom. Whether Scots should support England against other national teams is routinely a matter of heated debate.[94][95][96] Some Scotland fans sing, "Stand up if you hate England"[97] and, "If you hate the fucking English, clap your hands",[98] while some English fans reciprocate these sentiments with, "Stand up if you hate Scotland",[99] or "Scotlandget battered, everywhere they go".[100] However, the phenomenon of Scots wishing England well in international tournaments is not unknown, with a survey on the eve of the2002 World Cup finding that one Scot in three intended to support England, while only one in six intended to support England's opponents.[101] A survey before the2010 World Cup found a more even divide, with 24% on each side.[96] The largest group in both surveys did not offer an opinion either way.[96][101]
Scotland fans booed "God Save the King" during the 150th anniversary game on 12 September 2023. The rivalry has long been tied up with questions of Scottish national identity and political sentiment towards England.[102][103]
England fans' joy was complete when Patrick Kluivert stole a late goal for the Dutch – and thereby deprived Scotland of a place in the quarter-finals.
Euphoria after the fantastic crowd behaviour at England v Scotland. The match could indeed be reinstated on a regular basis, but the fixture schedule is much heavier nowadays and you must consider the very heavy security arrangements that were in place. Would this need to be repeated?
Under Ferguson, United dominated the Premier League, as inaugural champions of the rebranded top tier in 1993 and its most visible presence for the next 20 years
