The Battle of Britain: England-Scotland matches 1872-2023


Introduction
Official Matches
Overviews

Introduction

The first ever international match ended goalless, but after England won the second at home, the Scots took control. After the fifth encounter, in which they claimed their second victory, they held the overall lead, and as that win marked the start of a series of nine matches between 1876 and 1884 in which the northerners emerged victorious on eight occasions (while losing the only other match by the odd goal in nine), that lead soon appeared insurmountable.

At the start of World War II, when the Auld Enemies had met on 63 occasions, Scotland were leading by 10 wins (29 against 19), and after the war it took the southerners 35 years to restore the balance, something they finally achieved in 1980, after lagging behind for more than a century. Soon after, interest in the fixture waned, at least on the southern side; the Home Championship (also involving Wales and (Northern) Ireland) was discontinued after hundred years of existence in 1984, and five years later the annual meeting between England and Scotland at the end of the league season disappeared from the calendar as well.

Since then, the two old rivals met only nine more times, usually in a competitive match, with Scotland only winning once and thus relinquishing their former dominance; meanwhile England lead the series by 8 wins after 116 matches.


Official Matches

All matches friendlies (this includes Home Championship and Rous Cup matches) unless otherwise stated.

 Nr.	Date      Venue		             Result                   Remark

  1.  30-11-1872  Glasgow (H.C.)    Scotland   0-0 England    
  2.   8- 3-1873  London (Oval)     England    4-2 Scotland   
  3.   7- 3-1874  Glasgow (H.C.)    Scotland   2-1 England    
  4.   6- 3-1875  London (Oval)     England    2-2 Scotland   
  5.   4- 3-1876  Glasgow (H.C.)    Scotland   3-0 England    
  6.   3- 3-1877  London (Oval)     England    1-3 Scotland   
  7.   2- 3-1878  Glasgow (Hampden) Scotland   7-2 England    
  8.   5- 4-1879  London (Oval)     England    5-4 Scotland   
  9.  13- 3-1880  Glasgow (Hampden) Scotland   5-4 England     
 10.  12- 3-1881  London (Oval)     England    1-6 Scotland   
 11.  11- 3-1882  Glasgow (Hampden) Scotland   5-1 England    
 12.  10- 3-1883  Sheffield (B.L.)  England    2-3 Scotland   
 13.  15- 3-1884  Glasgow (Cathkin) Scotland   1-0 England    
 14.  21- 3-1885  London (Oval)     England    1-1 Scotland   
 15.  27- 3-1886  Glasgow (Hampden) Scotland   1-1 England    
 16.  19- 3-1887  Blackburn (L.R.)  England    2-3 Scotland   
 17.  17- 3-1888  Glasgow (Hampden) Scotland   0-5 England    
 18.  13- 4-1889  London (Oval)     England    2-3 Scotland   
 19.   5- 4-1890  Glasgow (Hampden) Scotland   1-1 England     
 20.   6- 4-1891  Blackburn (E.P.)  England    2-1 Scotland   
 21.   2- 4-1892  Glasgow (Ibrox)   Scotland   1-4 England    
 22.   1- 4-1893  Richmond          England    5-2 Scotland   
 23.   7- 4-1894  Glasgow (Celtic)  Scotland   2-2 England    
 24.   6- 4-1895  Liverpool         England    3-0 Scotland   
 25.   4- 4-1896  Glasgow (Celtic)  Scotland   2-1 England    
 26.   3- 4-1897  London (Palace)   England    1-2 Scotland   
 27.   2- 4-1898  Glasgow (Celtic)  Scotland   1-3 England    
 28.   8- 4-1899  Birmingham        England    2-1 Scotland   
 29.   7- 4-1900  Glasgow (Celtic)  Scotland   4-1 England    
 30.  30- 3-1901  London (Palace)   England    2-2 Scotland     
  -.   5- 4-1902  Glasgow (Ibrox)   Scotland   abd England          [abandoned at 1-1 after 30'; Ibrox disaster]
 31.   3- 5-1902  Birmingham        England    2-2 Scotland      
 32.   4- 4-1903  Sheffield (B.L.)  England    1-2 Scotland   
 33.   9- 4-1904  Glasgow (Celtic)  Scotland   0-1 England    
 34.   1- 4-1905  London (Palace)   England    1-0 Scotland   
 35.   7- 4-1906  Glasgow (Hampden) Scotland   2-1 England    
 36.   6- 4-1907  Newcastle         England    1-1 Scotland   
 37.   4- 4-1908  Glasgow (Hampden) Scotland   1-1 England    
 38.   3- 4-1909  London (Palace)   England    2-0 Scotland   
 39.   2- 4-1910  Glasgow (Hampden) Scotland   2-0 England     
 40.   1- 4-1911  Liverpool         England    1-1 Scotland   
 41.  23- 3-1912  Glasgow (Hampden) Scotland   1-1 England    
 42.   5- 4-1913  London (Stamford) England    1-0 Scotland   
 43.   4- 4-1914  Glasgow (Hampden) Scotland   3-1 England    
 44.  10- 4-1920  Sheffield (Hb.)   England    5-4 Scotland    
 45.   9- 4-1921  Glasgow (Hampden) Scotland   3-0 England    
 46.   8- 4-1922  Birmingham        England    0-1 Scotland   
 47.  14- 4-1923  Glasgow (Hampden) Scotland   2-2 England    
 48.  12- 4-1924  London (Wembley)  England    1-1 Scotland   
 49.   4- 4-1925  Glasgow (Hampden) Scotland   2-0 England    
 50.  17- 4-1926  Manchester        England    0-1 Scotland   
 51.   2- 4-1927  Glasgow (Hampden) Scotland   1-2 England    
 52.  31- 3-1928  London (Wembley)  England    1-5 Scotland   
 53.  13- 4-1929  Glasgow (Hampden) Scotland   1-0 England    
 54.   5- 4-1930  London (Wembley)  England    5-2 Scotland    
 55.  28- 3-1931  Glasgow (Hampden) Scotland   2-0 England    
 56.   9- 4-1932  London (Wembley)  England    3-0 Scotland   
 57.   1- 4-1933  Glasgow (Hampden) Scotland   2-1 England    
 58.  14- 4-1934  London (Wembley)  England    3-0 Scotland   
 59.   6- 4-1935  Glasgow (Hampden) Scotland   2-0 England    
 60.   4- 4-1936  London (Wembley)  England    1-1 Scotland   
 61.  17- 4-1937  Glasgow (Hampden) Scotland   3-1 England    
 62.   9- 4-1938  London (Wembley)  England    0-1 Scotland   
 63.  15- 4-1939  Glasgow (Hampden) Scotland   1-2 England     
 64.  12- 4-1947  London (Wembley)  England    1-1 Scotland   
 65.  10- 4-1948  Glasgow (Hampden) Scotland   0-2 England    
 66.   9- 4-1949  London (Wembley)  England    1-3 Scotland   
 67.  15- 4-1950  Glasgow (Hampden) Scotland   0-1 England          World Cup Qualifier [+]  
 68.  14- 4-1951  London (Wembley)  England    2-3 Scotland   
 69.   5- 4-1952  Glasgow (Hampden) Scotland   1-2 England    
 70.  18- 4-1953  London (Wembley)  England    2-2 Scotland   
 71.   3- 4-1954  Glasgow (Hampden) Scotland   2-4 England          World Cup Qualifier [+]
 72.   2- 4-1955  London (Wembley)  England    7-2 Scotland   
 73.  14- 4-1956  Glasgow (Hampden) Scotland   1-1 England    
 74.   6- 4-1957  London (Wembley)  England    2-1 Scotland   
 75.  19- 4-1958  Glasgow (Hampden) Scotland   0-4 England    
 76.  11- 4-1959  London (Wembley)  England    1-0 Scotland   
 77.   9- 4-1960  Glasgow (Hampden) Scotland   1-1 England    
 78.  15- 4-1961  London (Wembley)  England    9-3 Scotland   
 79.  14- 4-1962  Glasgow (Hampden) Scotland   2-0 England    
 80.   6- 4-1963  London (Wembley)  England    1-2 Scotland   
 81.  11- 4-1964  Glasgow (Hampden) Scotland   1-0 England    
 82.  10- 4-1965  London (Wembley)  England    2-2 Scotland   
 83.   2- 4-1966  Glasgow (Hampden) Scotland   3-4 England    
 84.  15- 4-1967  London (Wembley)  England    2-3 Scotland         European Champ Qual. [+]
 85.  24- 2-1968  Glasgow (Hampden) Scotland   1-1 England          European Champ Qual. [+]
 86.  10- 5-1969  London (Wembley)  England    4-1 Scotland   
 87.  25- 4-1970  Glasgow (Hampden) Scotland   0-0 England     
 88.  22- 5-1971  London (Wembley)  England    3-1 Scotland   
 89.  27- 5-1972  Glasgow (Hampden) Scotland   0-1 England    
 90.  14- 2-1973  Glasgow (Hampden) Scotland   0-5 England    
 91.  19- 5-1973  London (Wembley)  England    1-0 Scotland   
 92.  18- 5-1974  Glasgow (Hampden) Scotland   2-0 England    
 93.  24- 5-1975  London (Wembley)  England    5-1 Scotland   
 94.  15- 5-1976  Glasgow (Hampden) Scotland   2-1 England    
 95.   4- 6-1977  London (Wembley)  England    1-2 Scotland   
 96.  20- 5-1978  Glasgow (Hampden) Scotland   0-1 England    
 97.  26- 5-1979  London (Wembley)  England    3-1 Scotland   
 98.  24- 5-1980  Glasgow (Hampden) Scotland   0-2 England     
 99.  23- 5-1981  London (Wembley)  England    0-1 Scotland   
100.  29- 5-1982  Glasgow (Hampden) Scotland   0-1 England    
101.   1- 6-1983  London (Wembley)  England    2-0 Scotland   
102.  26- 5-1984  Glasgow (Hampden) Scotland   1-1 England    
103.  25- 5-1985  Glasgow (Hampden) Scotland   1-0 England    
104.  23- 4-1986  London (Wembley)  England    2-1 Scotland   
105.  23- 5-1987  Glasgow (Hampden) Scotland   0-0 England    
106.  21- 5-1988  London (Wembley)  England    1-0 Scotland   
107.  27- 5-1989  Glasgow (Hampden) Scotland   0-2 England     
108.  15- 6-1996  London (Wembley)  England    2-0 Scotland         European Championship
109.  13-11-1999  Glasgow (Hampden) Scotland   0-2 England          European Champ Qual.
110.  17-11-1999  London (Wembley)  England    0-1 Scotland         European Champ Qual.
111.  14- 8-2013  London (Wembley)  England    3-2 Scotland   
112.  18-11-2014  Glasgow (Celtic)  Scotland   1-3 England    
113.  11-11-2016  London (Wembley)  England    3-0 Scotland         World Cup Qualifier
114.  10- 6-2017  Glasgow (Hampden) Scotland   2-2 England          World Cup Qualifier
115.  18- 6-2021  London (Wembley)  England    0-0 Scotland         European Championship
116.  12- 9-2023  Glasgow (Hampden) Scotland   1-3 England    

[+] also counted for Home Championship


Overviews

Total record:

England            116 49 26 41 206-175 124
Scotland           116 41 26 49 175-206 108

Some more stats:

(E=England wins, S=Scotland wins, EG/SG English/Scottish goals resp.) 

                    Pd  E  D  S  EG-SG

In England:         58 28 12 18 123-90 
   London:                                45 23  9 13  97-68
      Wembley (old):                          30 16  5  9  68-41
      Wembley (new):                           3  2  1  0   6- 2
      Kennington Oval:                         7  2  2  3  16-21
      Crystal Palace:                          4  2  1  1   6- 4 
      Stamford Bridge:                         1  1  0  0   1- 0
   Birmingham:                             3  1  1  1   4- 4  [all at Villa Park]
   Sheffield:                              3  1  0  2   8- 9
      Bramall Lane:                            2  0  0  2   3- 5
      Hillsborough:                            1  1  0  0   5- 4
   Blackburn:                              2  1  0  1   4- 4
      Ewood Park:                              1  1  0  0   2- 1
      Leamington Road:                         1  0  0  1   2- 3
   Liverpool:                              2  1  1  0   4- 1  [both at Goodison Park]
   Manchester:                             1  0  0  1   0- 1  [at Old Trafford]
   Newcastle:                              1  0  1  0   1- 1  [at St. James' Park]
   Richmond [now part of London]:          1  1  0  0   5- 2  [at Athletic Ground]

In Scotland:        58 21 14 23  83-85
   Glasgow:                               58 21 14 23  83-85
      Hampden Park:                           47 17 12 18  67-68
      Celtic Park:                             6  3  1  2  11-10
      Hamilton Crescent:                       3  0  1  2   1- 5
      Cathkin Park:                            1  0  0  1   0- 1 
      Ibrox Park:                              1  1  0  0   4- 1  

                    Pd  E  D  S  EG-SG

1872-1880            9  2  2  5  19-28
1881-1890           10  1  3  6  16-24
1891-1900           10  6  1  3  24-16
1901-1910           10  3  4  3  12-12
1911-1920            5  2  2  1   9- 9
1921-1930           10  2  2  6  11-19
1931-1940            9  3  1  5  11-12
1941-1950            4  2  1  1   5- 4
1951-1960           10  6  3  1  26-13
1961-1970           10  3  3  4  23-18
1971-1980           11  8  0  3  23- 9
1981-1990            9  5  2  2   9- 4
1991-2000            3  2  0  1   4- 1
2001-2010            no matches
2011-2020            4  3  1  0  11- 5
2021-2030            2  1  1  0   3- 1


England - List of International Matches
Scotland - List of International Matches


About this document

Thanks to Roberto Di Maggio

Prepared and maintained by Simon Gleave and Karel Stokkermans for the Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation

Authors: Simon Gleave and Karel Stokkermans
Last updated: 19 Sep 2023

(C) Copyright Simon Gleave, Karel Stokkermans and RSSSF 1996/2023
You are free to copy this document in whole or part provided that proper acknowledgement is given to the authors. All rights reserved.