Scotland v England: Ten defining games from the oldest fixture in the world

Oliver Lines

Scotland v England: Ten defining games from the oldest fixture in the world image

England face Scotland at Hampden Park on Saturday in what will be the 114th meeting between the two sides.

The Three Lions boast 48 wins in the fixture, whilst Scotland have 41 victories and there have been 24 draws, but Gareth Southgate's side will be hoping to build upon their record of seven wins in the last eight clashes against the Scots.

All-time England-Scotland XI

The first time the two countries met was 145 years ago, although the first match wasn't quite the spectacle fans were hoping for. Here, Goal takes a look back at some of the key meetings between the two old rivals.


30/11/1872: SCOTLAND 0-0 ENGLAND


Not the most interesting of matches by any means, as is the case with most stalemates, but this has its place in history as the first official international game ever. Scotland’s entire team were made up of players from the country’s leading club, Queens Park, and played a formation of two full-backs, two centre-halves, and six forwards. England, meanwhile, had players from nine different clubs and played just one full-back, one centre-back, and eight forwards.

Neither team had any clear chances, but Scotland went closest to winning the game in the final minutes when Robert Leckie’s shot landed on top of the tape used to represent the crossbar.


08/02/1873: ENGLAND 4-2 SCOTLAND


Scarcely more than three months later and the two sides met again, but this time it was a more enthralling encounter. The honour of the first ever international goal went to William Kenyon-Slaney, who opened the scoring inside the second minute. Henry Bonsor made it 2-0 after 10 minutes and the drubbing was on, but Henry Renny-Tailyour and William Gibb struck soon after to level the game up.

However, the Auld Enemy’s fitness was too much for Scotland as Kenyon-Slaney and Charley Chenery both registered in the second half to give England the first ever win between the two sides.


10/04/1920: ENGLAND 5-4 SCOTLAND


Following the end of World War I, Wales won the first Home Championships - an annual tournament involving the four UK nations that began in 1883. But the Dragons could not have done it without a little help from England, who they needed to beat Scotland at Hillsborough in the final match to take the crown. Although the hosts led twice in the opening 15 minutes, Scotland raced into a 4-2 half-time lead and looked well on their way to another Home Championships title. England had other ideas, though, as a Fred Morris goal in the middle of a Bob Kelly brace secured them an unlikely victory.


31/03/28: ENGLAND 1-5 SCOTLAND


“We could have had ten!” joked Scotland striker Alex James after Scotland’s victory over their rivals south of the border. Nicknamed the Wembley Wizards, Scotland got off to a flying start when Alex Jackson headed home after three minutes, but despite dominating, they couldn’t find a second until James fired past Ted Hufton on 44 minutes.

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The next 45 minutes saw the Scots completely dismantle the English defence, with another James goal sandwiched between Jackson converting two more crosses to take it to 5-0, making Bob Kelly’s free-kick scant consolation for the hosts.


15/04/61: ENGLAND 9-3 SCOTLAND


Jimmy Greaves England

When Bobby Robson opened the scoring for England inside the opening 10 minutes, few could have seen the rout that followed. Jimmy Greaves doubled the lead 10 minutes later and grabbed his second on 29 minutes, but strikes from Dave Mackay and Davie Wilson made it 3-2 early on in the second period.

Bryan Douglas and Bobby Smith put the game to bed before Patrick Quinn’s 75th minute strike for Scotland. The Three Lions were not done, however, and four goals in seven devastating minutes, including Greaves' third, gave the hosts their biggest win over their rivals – and was part of the reason Scotland keeper Frank Haffey emigrated to Australia soon after.


15/04/67: ENGLAND 2-3 SCOTLAND


Without a shadow of a doubt, this is Scotland’s most famous win over England, and is one that lives long in the memory for the Tartan Army. Reigning world champions England were unbeaten in 19 matches and, although Scotland were no pushovers, they were far from favourites to win.

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Denis Law’s first-half goal was all that separated the two sides for much of the match until Bobby Lennox added a second with 12 minutes left. Bobby Charlton, deployed as a striker after picking up an injury early on, clawed one back before Jim McCalliog’s strike made sure that Geoff Hurst’s late goal was meaningless.


04/06/77: ENGLAND 1-2 SCOTLAND


Kenny Dalglish Scotland

This fixture is more infamous than famous, although any win on opposition territory in this fixture will always be celebrated by the victor.

Scotland won the match 2-1, with Gordon McQueen’s powerful header and Kenny Dalglish’s scrambled effort giving the visitors a deserved lead. Mick Channon’s late penalty for England was not enough to deny the Scots another Home Championship title, which the fans celebrated by rushing onto the pitch and tearing down the goalposts, as well as tearing up the pitch.

One fan even claims to have the exact bit of the pitch from which Dalglish scored Scotland’s winner!


13/11/99 & 17/11/99: ENGLAND 2-1 SCOTLAND (AGGREGATE SCORE)


Paul Scholes England Scotland 1999

Both sides finished second in their Euro 2000 qualifying groups and, as fate would have it, they were drawn to play each other in the play-offs. England had stumbled their way there, drawing half of their eight group games, whilst Scotland were comfortably runners-up with 18 points in 10 games.

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A Paul Scholes double at Hampden Park gave England a 2-0 cushion going into the second leg, but Don Hutchison headed home after 39 minutes at Wembley to make things interesting. The hosts held out despite failing to register a single shot on target, as Scotland did everything except score again.


14/08/13: ENGLAND 3-2 SCOTLAND


Rickie Lambert England Scotland 2013

After calls for the Home Championship to be reintroduced never came to fruition, the rivalry was renewed for the FA’s 150th anniversary celebrations as the two countries met for the first time in 14 years - and it had a fairytale finish to boot.

James Morrison gave the visitors an unlikely lead as his rasping shot squeezed in, but parity was restored on the half-hour mark when Theo Walcott fired home.

Kenny Miller sent the travelling thousands into delirium with a 49th minute strike, although Danny Welbeck made it 2-2 just minutes later. Enter 31-year-old Rickie Lambert; with his first touch in international football, the Southampton striker powered home a header to give England a famous win.


11/11/16: ENGLAND 3-0 SCOTLAND


Daniel Sturridge England Scotland 2016

Drawn together in World Cup qualifying for the first time ever, England showed there was no love lost between the two sides as they eased towards reaching the finals in Russia with a 3-0 win. Daniel Sturridge’s stooping header gave the hosts a deserved lead at the break, although they were let off when Grant Hanley headed over from 10 yards whilst in acres of space.

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Adam Lallana made it 2-0 just minutes into the second period and, whilst Scotland had chances, the game was killed off when Gary Cahill flicked home with his head to keep England top of the group.

Oliver Lines