1899 British Home Championship

The 1899 British Home Championship was an international football tournament between the British Home Nations. A very high scoring affair, the competition featured the highest scoreline ever achieved in the Home Championships when England defeated Ireland 13-2 in Sunderland. It was the first of two particulaly heavy defeats for the Irish side, who nevertheless still managed to finish third, courtesy of a victory over Wales.

England's win over the Ireland was the start of the tournament and placed them immediately on top of the table, a position Ireland joined them in with their 1-0 victory over Wales in the second game. Scotland began their bid for the title in the third match with a strong 6-0 win over Wales in Wrexham. Wales' poor competition was finished in their next game when England again took top position by beating them 4-0. In the penultimate game, Scotland joined England at the top of the table with a 9-1 demolition of Ireland, who had conceded 21 goals in two games but still finished third. In the deciding match, England and Scotland both played a strong game but England eventually proved stronger, winning 2-1.

Table

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

Results

footballbox
date = 18 February, 1899
team1 = fb-rt|ENG
score = 13–2
report= [http://www.englandstats.com/matchreport.php?mid=66 (Match summary)]
team2 = fb|IRE
goals1 = Gilbert Smith 4, Jimmy Settle 3, Steve Bloomer 2, Fred Forman 2, Frank Forman, Charlie Athersmith
goals2 = Joe McAllen, James Campbell
stadium = Roker Park, Sunderland----footballbox
date = March 4, 1899
team1 = fb-rt|IRE
score = 1–0
team2 = fb|WAL
goals1 = J. Meldon
goals2 =
stadium = Grosvenor Park, Belfast----footballbox
date = March 18, 1899
team1 = fb-rt|WAL
score = 0–6
team2 = fb|SCO
goals1 =
goals2 = Bob McColl 3, John Campbell 2, Henry Marshall
stadium = Racecourse Ground, Wrexham----footballbox
date = March 20, 1899
team1 = fb-rt|ENG
score = 4–0
team2 = fb|WAL
goals1 = Steve Bloomer 2, Fred Forman, Ernest Needham
goals2 =
stadium = Ashton Gate, Bristol----footballbox
date = March 25, 1899
team1 = fb-rt|SCO
score = 9–1
team2 = fb|IRE
goals1 = Bob McColl 3, John Campbell 2, Bob Hamilton, Alexander Christie, Jack Bell
goals2 = Archie Goodall
stadium = Celtic Park, Glasgow----footballbox
date = April 8, 1899
team1 = fb-rt|ENG
score = 2–1
team2 = fb|SCO
goals1 = Gilbert Smith, Billy Bassett
goals2 = Bob Hamilton
stadium = Villa Park, Birmingham

References

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