1961 British Home Championship
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The 1961 British Home Championship remained long in the memories of British football fans after four top class attacking teams tore through each other in high scoring games, netting forty times in just six matches, a ratio of 6.66 goals a game. England took the British title after an amazing final match performance at Wembley where they put 9 goals past Scotland, who refused to surrender and returned with three of their own in a stunning climax. It is useful to note that 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, particulaly for England, whose haul of 19 included nine for Greaves, whilst both Charlton and Smith each scored in each of England's three games.
England had begun the tournament well, administering a 5-2 thrashing of Northern 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 hapless Irish were again on the reverse of a heavy defeat, losing 5-2 in Galsgow. The tournaments final games were equally dramatic, the Welsh storming past Northern Ireland 5-1 to claim second spot, leading to England and Scotland's dramamtic finale. The tournament is also notable for those present, which 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 Northern 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.
[edit] Table
| Team | Pts | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 England |
6 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 19 | 6 | +13 |
 Wales |
4 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 6 | +2 |
 Scotland |
2 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 8 | 13 | -5 |
 Northern Ireland |
0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 15 | -10 |
The points system worked as follows:
- 2 points for a win
- 1 point for a draw
[edit] Results
| October 8, 1960 | |||
| Northern Ireland |
2–5 | England |
Windsor Park, Belfast |
| Billy McAdams 2 | Jimmy Greaves 2, Bobby Charlton, Bobby Smith, Bryan Douglas |
| October 22, 1960 | |||
| Wales |
2–0 | Scotland |
Ninian Park, Cardiff |
| Cliff Jones, Roy Vernon |
| November 9, 1960 | |||
| Scotland |
5–2 | Northern Ireland |
Hampden Park, Glasgow |
| Ralph Brand 2, Alex Young, Denis Law, Eric Caldow (P) |
Danny Blanchflower, Peter McParland |
| November 23, 1960 | |||
| England |
5–1 | Wales |
Wembley Stadium, London |
| Jimmy Greaves 2, Bobby Charlton, Bobby Smith, Johnny Haynes |
Ken Leek |
| April 12, 1961 | |||
| Northern Ireland |
1–5 | Wales |
Windsor Park, Belfast |
| Derek Dougan | Cliff Jones 2, Ivor Allchurch, Ken Leek, Mel Charles |
| April 15, 1961 | |||
| England |
9–3 | Scotland |
Wembley Stadium, London |
| Jimmy Greaves 3, Bobby Smith 2, Johnny Haynes 2, Bobby Charlton, Bobby Robson |
Dave Mackay, David Wilson, Patrick Quinn |
