1892–93 in English football: Difference between revisions

[[The Football League]] and the [[Football Alliance]] formally merged, and so the [[Football League Second Division]] was formed, consisting mostly of Football Alliance clubs. The existing League clubs, minus [[Darwen F.C. (1870)|Darwen]] (who were relegated) plus three of the strongest Alliance clubs ([[Nottingham Forest F.C.|Nottingham Forest]], [[Manchester United F.C.|Newton Heath]] and [[Sheffield Wednesday F.C.|The Wednesday]], who would later be renamed Manchester United and Sheffield Wednesday respectively), comprised the Football League First Division.{{citation needed|date=July 2020}}

The Second Division comprised the remaining Football Alliance teams, plus [[Northwich Victoria F.C.|Northwich Victoria]], [[Port Vale F.C.|Burslem Port Vale]] and [[Sheffield United F.C.|Sheffield United]].{{citation needed|date=July 2020}}

England totally dominated the match itself with [[Walter Gilliat]] scoring three times in the first 30 minutes, although Ireland had levelled the scores shortly after England's first goal. Further goals from [[G.O. Smith]], [[William Winckworth]] and [[Rupert Sandilands]] enabled England to run out convincing 6–1 victors.<ref>{{cite web |title=England 6 Ireland 1 (25 February 1893) |url=http://www.englandfootballonline.com/Seas1872-00/1892-93/M0047Ire1893.html |website=englandfootballonline |accessdateaccess-date=12 July 2018 |date=12 May 2018}}</ref> Gilliat thus became one of only five players to have scored a [[Hat-trick#Association football|hat-trick]] in his only appearance in an England shirt.

For the match against [[Wales national football team|Wales]] at [[Stoke-on-Trent]] two weeks later, the selectors chose a team consisting entirely of professional players, of which four were making their début. In goal they selected [[John Willie Sutcliffe]] of [[Bolton Wanderers F.C.|Bolton Wanderers]], for the first of his 5 appearances; Sutcliffe had previously made an appearance for the [[England national rugby union team|English rugby union side]]. [[Jimmy Turner (English footballer)|Jimmy Turner]] ([[Bolton Wanderers F.C.|Bolton Wanderers]]) and [[Jimmy Whitehead]] ([[Blackburn Rovers F.C.|Blackburn Rovers]]) made their débuts at left half and inside right respectively. The fourth débutante was [[Fred Spiksley]] of [[Sheffield Wednesday F.C.|The Wednesday]] who made the first of seven England appearances at outside left, from where he scored seven goals during his England career, including a hat-trick on his debut.<ref>{{cite web |title=England players: Fred Spiksley |url=http://www.englandfootballonline.com/TeamPlyrsBios/PlayersS/BioSpiksleyF.html |website=englandfootballonline |accessdateaccess-date=12 July 2018 |date=20 March 2017}}</ref>

Once again, England were comfortable victors, with further goals from [[Billy Bassett]], [[John Goodall]] and [[Jack Reynolds (1869-1917)|Jack Reynolds]] as England easily defeated the Welsh 6–0.<ref>{{cite web |title=England 6 Wales 0 (13 March 1893) |url=http://www.englandfootballonline.com/Seas1872-00/1892-93/M0048Wal1893.html |website=englandfootballonline |accessdateaccess-date=12 July 2018 |date=14 May 2018}}</ref>

England ultimately enjoyed another comfortable victory; [[R. Cunliffe Gosling|Gosling]] scored after 15 minutes, but Scotland went ahead with goals after 30 and 55 minutes. A goal from [[List of England national football team captains|captain]] [[George Cotterill (footballer)|George Cotterill]] brought England level after 65 minutes. [[Fred Spiksley]] then scored twice in two minutes before completing his hat-trick after 84 minutes, thus enabling England to continue their fine run against the Scots.<ref>{{cite web |title=England 5 Scotland 2 (1 April 1893) |url=http://www.englandfootballonline.com/Seas1872-00/1892-93/M0049Sco1893.html |website=englandfootballonline |accessdateaccess-date=12 July 2018 |date=18 May 2018}}</ref>

|[[R. Cunliffe Gosling]] ([[Old Etonians F.C.|Old Etonians]]) (15 mins), [[George Cotterill (footballer)|George Cotterill]] ([[Old Brightonians F.C.|Old Brightonians]]) (65 mins) & [[Fred Spiksley]] ([[Sheffield Wednesday F.C.|Sheffield Wednesday]]) (78, 80 & 84 mins)

|[[1892–93 Football League First Division|First Division]]||[[Sunderland A.F.C.|Sunderland]] (2*)

|[[1892–93 Football League Second Division|Second Division]]||[[Birmingham City F.C.|Small Heath]]

{{More footnotes needed|date=April 2009}}

*[httphttps://www.rsssf.comorg/tablesb/bhc1884-99.html#1893 British Home Championship results on RSSSF]