1887 British Home Championship

The 1887 British Home Championship was the fourth international football tournament between the British Home Nations. Played during the second half of the 1886/87 football season, the competition was won by Scotland for the fourth consecutive time (although they had once shared victory with England). Ireland also achieved their first placing above the bottom of the table, finishing above Wales due to victory at home in their final match.

England and Ireland began the competition in early February, England comprehensively defeating their visitors 7-0 in Sheffield and taking the initial tournament lead. Scotland joined them with a strong victory over Ireland in their first game, but England again seized the top slot with their own defeat of Wales. In their final match, Ireland succeeded in achieving their first ever international victory with a 4-1 win over Wales in Belfast, to put them in third position. England and Scotland then played a deciding match in Blackburn, Scotland only just running out 3-2 winners after a very tough game. In the final match, Scotland beat Wales in Wrexham to outstrip England's points total and win the trophy.

Table

The points system worked as follows:
* 2 points for a win
* 1 point for a draw

Results

footballbox
date = February 5, 1887
team1 = fb-rt|ENG
score = 7–0
team2 = fb|IRE
goals1 = Tinsley Lindley 3, Fred Dewhurst 2, William Cobbold 2
goals2 =
stadium = Bramall Lane, Sheffield----footballbox
date = February 19, 1887
team1 = fb-rt|SCO
score = 4–1
team2 = fb|IRE
goals1 = William Watt, Thomas Jenkinson, William Johnstone, James Lowe
goals2 = Frederick Browne
stadium = Cathkin Park, Glasgow----footballbox
date = February 28, 1887
team1 = fb-rt|ENG
score = 4–0
team2 = fb|WAL
goals1 = Tinsley Lindley 2, William Cobbold, Own Goal
goals2 =
stadium = Kennington Oval, London----footballbox
date = March 12, 1887
team1 = fb-rt|IRE
score = 4–1
team2 = fb|WAL
goals1 = Olphie Stanfield, Frederick Browne, John Peden, Joe Sherrard
goals2 = Henry Sabine
stadium = Oldpark Avenue, Belfast----footballbox
date = March 19, 1887
team1 = fb-rt|ENG
score = 2–3
team2 = fb|SCO
goals1 = Tinsley Lindley, Fred Dewhurst
goals2 = James McCall, Leitch Keir, James Allan
stadium = Leamington Road, Blackburn----footballbox
date = March 21, 1887
team1 = fb-rt|WAL
score = 0–2
team2 = fb|SCO
goals1 =
goals2 = James Allan, William Robertson
stadium = Racecourse Ground, Wrexham

References

*cite book
author= Guy Oliver| title=The Guinness Record of World Soccer
date=1992
publisher=Guinness
id=ISBN 0-851129-54-4