On this day: First International Football Match

Sunday, 30th November 2014 by

On this day in 1872, the first bona fide international  football match took place on St Andrew’s Day between Scotland and England at the West of Scotland’s Cricket Ground in the Partick area of Glasgow.

Cricket Ground

Although a series of games between the two countries had been played over the previous couple of years, there was resentment in Scotland that its players were mostly from the London area. After some negotiation it was agreed than an England XI would take a Scottish side made up of players from Queen’s Park, the best team in the country at the time.

While reports have Scotland dominating the first half, and England the second, some 4000 spectators watched the teams play to a goalless draw.

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About the author

Ian Brown lives in Ottawa, Canada, and spends his spare time perusing maps to find new routes to ride on his orange bicycle.