1960–61 British Home Championship

April 2022 October 2023 1960–61 British Home Championship England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales 8 October 1960 – 15 April 1961 4 ENG WAL 6 40 ENG Jimmy Greaves(7) 1959–60 1961–62 The 1960–61 British Home Championship international football tournament saw a series of high scoring games, with 40 goals scored in six matches. England took the British title after a final match at Wembley in which they put nine goals past Scotland, who returned with three of their own. Teams in this period frequently fielded as many as five strikers, hoping to outscore opponents rather than rely on heavy defence. This tactic paid dividends, particularly for England, whose haul of 19 included seven for Jimmy Greaves, whilst both Bobby Charlton and Bobby Smith each scored in each of England's three games. England had begun the tournament well, winning 5–2 against Ireland in Belfast, whilst the Welsh beat a tough Scottish side at home. Welsh hopes of tournament success were disabused in their second match, where England took them apart 5–1, whilst the Irish were again on the reverse of a heavy defeat, losing 5–2 in Glasgow against Scotland. In the tournament's final games, Wales beat Ireland 5–1 to claim second spot, leading to England and Scotland's dramatic finale. Players at the tournament included a medley of stars from the 1950s, and young players who would take the 1960s by storm. This line-up included Danny Blanchflower and Peter McParland for Ireland, Ivor Allchurch and John Charles for Wales, Denis Law and Dave Mackay for Scotland and an England team including Bobby Charlton, Johnny Haynes, Jimmy Greaves and Bobby Robson, some of whom would later win the 1966 FIFA World Cup. Table main WDL n 2 ENG England WAL Wales SCO Scotland NIR NIR Ireland 3 0 0 19 6 C 2 0 1 8 6 1 0 2 8 13 0 0 3 5 15 #ccffcc C complete 1) points. The points system worked as follows: 2 points for a win and 1 point for a draw. Results 8 October 1960 NIR Ireland 2–5 England McAdams Greaves Charlton Smith Douglas Windsor Park, Belfast 22 October 1960 Wales 2–0 Scotland C. Jones Vernon   Ninian Park, Cardiff 9 November 1960 Scotland 5–2 NIR Ireland Brand Young Law Caldow pen. Blanchflower McParland Hampden Park, Glasgow 23 November 1960 England 5–1 Wales Greaves Charlton Smith Haynes Ken Leek Wembley Stadium, London 12 April 1961 NIR Ireland 1–5 Wales Dougan C. Jones Allchurch Leek Charles Windsor Park, Belfast 15 April 1961 England 9–3 Scotland Greaves Smith Haynes Douglas Robson Mackay Wilson The Scottish Football Association https://www.scottishfa.co.uk/international-matches/?mid=57676 International Matches: England 9-3 Scotland Scottish FA 2026-05-14 credits the 3rd Scotland goal in the 9–3 match to Davie Wilson, and footage from the match (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4XEoTkHcdOU England v Scotland 1961 YouTube 2026-05-14 and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cl6r1JWfXuI England 9-3 Scotland 1961 YouTube 2026-05-14) appears to confirm this; most sources (and the contemporary commentary on the footage) credit the goal to Pat Quinn Wembley Stadium, London Notes References Sources Guy Oliver The Guinness Record of World Soccer 1992 Guinness 0-85112-954-4 1960–61 Home Championship Category:1960–61 in European men's international football Category:1960–61 in Welsh football Category:1960–61 in Scottish football Category:1960–61 in Northern Ireland association football