Scotland national football team results (1872–1914) explained

The Scotland national football team represents Scotland in international association football and is controlled by the Scottish Football Association. It is the joint-oldest national football team in the world, alongside England, Scotland's opponents in what is now recognised as the world's first international football match, which took place at Hamilton Crescent in Glasgow in November 1872. Prior to this, a series of matches had been played between teams representing the two countries, but the Scottish team was drawn almost entirely from players based in and around London and these games are now not regarded as full international matches.^[1] The lack of involvement by players from Scottish clubs in these matches led to some controversy, which was resolved when The Football Association arranged to send a team to play in Glasgow, where the English players took on a Scotland team composed entirely of players from the Queen's Park club.^[2]

Between 1872 and 1914, when competitive football was interrupted by the First World War, Scotland played 113 international matches, resulting in 70 victories, 23 draws and 20 defeats. This total does not include a match in 1902 which was declared void after a disaster at Ibrox Park in which 25 spectators died. Scotland played an annual friendly against England each year until 1883, and added a regular game against Wales in 1876. These two teams remained Scotland's only opponents until the British Home Championship was instituted in 1884, consisting of a round-robin tournament between England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland.^[3] Of the 31 tournaments staged prior to the war, Scotland won 10 outright and 6 jointly. Scotland's 11 - 0 defeat of Ireland in 1901 is the national team's biggest win, and the 6–1 victory over England at Kennington Oval in 1881 remains the team's biggest win away to fierce rivals England. Scotland's games with England during this period drew extremely large crowds, with five matches prior to the First World War attracting crowds of over 100,000 spectators. The compilers of the World Football Elo Ratings retrospectively consider Scotland to have been ranked at number 1 during much of the early period of international football.^[4]

Key

Key to matches:

• Att. = Match attendance
• (H) = Home ground
• (A) = Away ground

Key to record by opponent:

• P = Games played
• W = Games won
• D = Games drawn
• L = Games lost
• GF = Goals for
• GA = Goals against

Results

Scotland's score is shown first in each case.

Match number	Date	Venue	Opponents	Score	Competition	class=unsortable	Scotland scorers	Att.	class=unsortable	Ref.
1		Hamilton Crescent, Partick (H)		align=center bgcolor=lightyellow	0–0	Friendly		3,000	^[5]
2		Kennington Oval, Lambeth (A)		align=center bgcolor=lightpink	2–4	Friendly	Henry Renny-Tailyour, William Gibb	3,000
3		Hamilton Crescent, Partick (H)		align=center bgcolor=lightgreen	2–1	Friendly	Frederick Anderson, Angus MacKinnon	7,000
4		Kennington Oval, Lambeth (A)		align=center bgcolor=lightyellow	2–2	Friendly	Henry McNeil, Peter Andrews	2,000
5		Hamilton Crescent, Partick (H)		align=center bgcolor=lightgreen	3–0	Friendly	Billy MacKinnon, Henry McNeil, Thomas Highet	15,000
6		Hamilton Crescent, Partick (H)		align=center bgcolor=lightgreen	4–0	Friendly	John Ferguson, Jimmy Lang, Billy MacKinnon, Henry McNeil	17,000
7		Kennington Oval, Lambeth (A)		align=center bgcolor=lightgreen	3–1	Friendly	John Ferguson (2), James Richmond	2,000
8		Racecourse Ground, Wrexham (A)		align=center bgcolor=lightgreen	2–0	Friendly	Own goal, Charles Campbell	4,000
9		Hampden Park [I], Crosshill (H)		align=center bgcolor=lightgreen	7–2	Friendly	John McDougall (3), John McGregor, Henry McNeil (2), Billy MacKinnon	10,000
10		Hampden Park [I], Crosshill (H)		align=center bgcolor=lightgreen	9–0	Friendly	Peter Campbell (2), Jerry Weir (2), John Ferguson (2), John Baird, James Watson, Jimmy Lang	6,000
11		Kennington Oval, Lambeth (A)		align=center bgcolor=lightpink	4–5	Friendly	Billy MacKinnon (2), John McDougall, John Smith	4,500
12		Racecourse Ground, Wrexham (A)		align=center bgcolor=lightgreen	3–0	Friendly	John Smith (2), Peter Campbell	2,000
13		Hampden Park [I], Crosshill (H)		align=center bgcolor=lightgreen	5–4	Friendly	George Ker (3), John Baird, John Kay	12,000
14		Hampden Park [I], Crosshill (H)		align=center bgcolor=lightgreen	5–1	Friendly	David Davidson, William Beveridge, Joseph Lindsay, J. McAdam, John Campbell	2,000
15		Kennington Oval, Lambeth (A)		align=center bgcolor=lightgreen	6–1	Friendly	John Smith (3), George Ker (2), David Hill	8,500	^[6]
16		Racecourse Ground, Wrexham (A)		align=center bgcolor=lightgreen	5–1	Friendly	George Ker (2), Henry McNeil, two own goals	1,500
17		Hampden Park [I], Crosshill (H)		align=center bgcolor=lightgreen	5–1	Friendly	George Ker (2), William Harrower, John Kay, Robert McPherson	10,000
18		Hampden Park [I], Crosshill (H)		align=center bgcolor=lightgreen	5–0	Friendly	Eadie Fraser (2), John Kay, George Ker, James McAulay	5,000
19		Bramall Lane, Sheffield (A)		align=center bgcolor=lightgreen	3–2	Friendly	John Smith (2), Eadie Fraser	7,000
20		Racecourse Ground, Wrexham (A)		align=center bgcolor=lightgreen	3–0	Friendly	John Smith, Eadie Fraser, William Anderson	2,000
21		Ulster Cricket Ground, Belfast (A)		align=center bgcolor=lightgreen	5–0	British Home Championship	James Gossland (2), William Harrower (2), John Goudie	2,000
22		Cathkin Park [I], Crosshill (H)		align=center bgcolor=lightgreen	1–0	British Home Championship	John Smith	10,000
23		Cathkin Park [I], Crosshill (H)		align=center bgcolor=lightgreen	4–1	British Home Championship	John Kay (2), Joseph Lindsay, Francis Shaw	5,000
24		Hampden Park [II], Crosshill (H)		align=center bgcolor=lightgreen	8–2	British Home Championship	Alexander Higgins (3), Alexander Barbour, W. Lamont, Willie Turner, John Marshall, Robert Calderwood	6,000
25		Kennington Oval, Lambeth (A)		align=center bgcolor=lightyellow	1–1	British Home Championship	Joseph Lindsay	8,000
26		Racecourse Ground, Wrexham (A)		align=center bgcolor=lightgreen	8–1	British Home Championship	Joseph Lindsay (3), Robert Calderwood (2), William Anderson (2), David Allan	4,000
27		Ulster Cricket Ground, Belfast (A)		align=center bgcolor=lightgreen	7–2	British Home Championship	Charles Heggie (4), James Kelly, James Gourlay, Michael Dunbar	3,000
28		Hampden Park [II], Crosshill (H)		align=center bgcolor=lightyellow	1–1	British Home Championship	George Somerville	11,000
29		Hampden Park [II], Crosshill (H)		align=center bgcolor=lightgreen	4–1	British Home Championship	Bob McCormick, James McCall, David Allan, William Harrower	5,500
30		Hampden Park [II], Crosshill (H)		align=center bgcolor=lightgreen	4–1	British Home Championship	William Watt, Tom Jenkinson, William Johnstone, James Lowe	1,000
31		Leamington Road, Blackburn (A)		align=center bgcolor=lightgreen	3–2	British Home Championship	James McCall, Leitch Keir, James Allan	12,000
32		Racecourse Ground, Wrexham (A)		align=center bgcolor=lightgreen	2–0	British Home Championship	William Robertson, James Allan	2,000
33		Hibernian Park, Edinburgh (H)		align=center bgcolor=lightgreen	5–1	British Home Championship	Alex Latta (2), William Paul, Neil Munro, Willie Groves	8,000
34		Hampden Park [II], Crosshill (H)		align=center bgcolor=lightpink	0–5	British Home Championship		10,000
35		Solitude Ground, Belfast (A)		align=center bgcolor=lightgreen	1010–2	British Home Championship	William Dickson (4), Geordie Dewar, Thomas Breckenridge, Allan Stewart, Neil McCallum, Ralph Aitken, own goal	5,000
36		Ibrox Park [I], Govan (H)		align=center bgcolor=lightgreen	7–0	British Home Championship	Willie Groves (3), Frank Watt (2), David Black, Tom McInnes	6,000
37		Kennington Oval, Lambeth (A)		align=center bgcolor=lightgreen	3–2	British Home Championship	Neil Munro, Jimmy Oswald, James McLaren	10,000
38		Racecourse Ground, Wrexham (A)		align=center bgcolor=lightyellow	0–0	British Home Championship		6,000
39		Underwood Park, Paisley (H)		align=center bgcolor=lightgreen	5–0	British Home Championship	William Paul (4), Hughie Wilson	7,500
40		Ulster Cricket Ground, Belfast (A)		align=center bgcolor=lightgreen	4–1	British Home Championship		5,000
41		Hampden Park [II], Crosshill (H)		align=center bgcolor=lightyellow	1–1	British Home Championship	John McPherson	26,379
42		Racecourse Ground, Wrexham (A)		align=center bgcolor=lightgreen	4–3	British Home Championship	Bob Boyd (2), James Logan, Robert Buchanan	4,000	^[7]
43		Celtic Park [I], Glasgow (H)		align=center bgcolor=lightgreen	2–1	British Home Championship	James Low, Tom Waddell	8,000
44		Ewood Park, Blackburn (A)		align=center bgcolor=lightpink	1–2	British Home Championship	Frank Watt	31,000
45		Solitude Ground, Belfast (A)		align=center bgcolor=lightgreen	3–2	British Home Championship	Alexander Keillor, William Lambie, Dave Ellis	10,500
46		Tynecastle Park, Edinburgh (H)		align=center bgcolor=lightgreen	6–1	British Home Championship	James Hamilton (2), John McPherson (2), Davie Baird, William Thomson	600
47		Ibrox Park [I], Govan (H)		align=center bgcolor=lightpink	1–4	British Home Championship	Jack Bell	20,000
48		Racecourse Ground, Wrexham (A)		align=center bgcolor=lightgreen	8–0	British Home Championship	Jake Madden (4), John Barker (3), William Lambie	4,500
49		Celtic Park, Glasgow (H)		align=center bgcolor=lightgreen	6–1	British Home Championship	William Sellar (2), James Kelly, James Hamilton, own goal	12,000
50		Athletic Ground, Richmond (A)		align=center bgcolor=lightpink	2–5	British Home Championship	William Sellar (2)	16,000
51		Rugby Park, Kilmarnock (H)		align=center bgcolor=lightgreen	5–2	British Home Championship	Davidson Berry, John Barker, Thomas Chambers, David Alexander, John Johnstone	10,000
52		Solitude Ground, Belfast (A)		align=center bgcolor=lightgreen	2–1	British Home Championship	Jack Taylor, own goal	6,000
53		Celtic Park, Glasgow (H)		align=center bgcolor=lightyellow	2–2	British Home Championship	William Lambie, Sandy McMahon	45,017
54		Racecourse Ground, Wrexham (A)		align=center bgcolor=lightyellow	2–2	British Home Championship	Jake Madden, John Divers	4,000
55		Celtic Park, Glasgow (H)		align=center bgcolor=lightgreen	3–1	British Home Championship	John Walker (2), William Lambie	15,000
56		Goodison Park, Liverpool (A)		align=center bgcolor=lightpink	0–3	British Home Championship		42,500
57		Carolina Port, Dundee (H)		align=center bgcolor=lightgreen	4–0	British Home Championship	Robert Neil (2), Alexander Keillor, Daniel Paton	11,700
58		Solitude Ground, Belfast (A)		align=center bgcolor=lightyellow	3–3	British Home Championship	Robert Smyth McColl (2), Patrick Murray	8,000
59		Celtic Park, Glasgow (H)		align=center bgcolor=lightgreen	2–1	British Home Championship	William Lambie, Jack Bell	56,500
60		Racecourse Ground, Wrexham (A)		align=center bgcolor=lightyellow	2–2	British Home Championship	John Ritchie, John Walker	5,000
61		Ibrox Park [I], Govan (H)		align=center bgcolor=lightgreen	5–1	British Home Championship	John McPherson (2), Neil Gibson, Robert Smyth McColl, Alexander King	15,000
62		Crystal Palace, London (A)		align=center bgcolor=lightgreen	2–1	British Home Championship	Tommy Hyslop, Jimmy Millar	35,000
63		Fir Park, Motherwell (H)		align=center bgcolor=lightgreen	5–2	British Home Championship	James Gillespie (3), James McKee (2)	3,500
64		Solitude Ground, Belfast (A)		align=center bgcolor=lightgreen	3–0	British Home Championship	Thomas Robertson, Robert Smyth McColl, William Stewart	5,000
65		Celtic Park, Glasgow (H)		align=center bgcolor=lightpink	1–3	British Home Championship	Jimmy Millar	40,000
66		Racecourse Ground, Wrexham (A)		align=center bgcolor=lightgreen	6–0	British Home Championship	Robert Smyth McColl (3), John W. Campbell (2), Henry Marshall	12,000
67		Celtic Park, Glasgow (H)		align=center bgcolor=lightgreen	9–1	British Home Championship	Robert Smyth McColl (3), John W. Campbell (2), Robert Hamilton (2), Jack Bell, Alex Christie	12,000
68		Villa Park, Aston (A)		align=center bgcolor=lightpink	1–2	British Home Championship	Robert Hamilton	25,590
69		Pittodrie, Aberdeen (H)		align=center bgcolor=lightgreen	5 - 2	British Home Championship	Davie Wilson (2), Jack Bell, Alexander Smith, Robert Hamilton	12,500
70		Solitude Ground, Belfast (A)		align=center bgcolor=lightgreen	3 - 0	British Home Championship	Alexander Smith, John J. Campbell (2)	6,000
71		Celtic Park, Glasgow (H)		align=center bgcolor=lightgreen	4 - 1	British Home Championship	Robert Smyth McColl (3), Jack Bell	63,000
72		Celtic Park, Glasgow (H)		align=center bgcolor=lightgreen	1111 - 0	British Home Championship	Sandy McMahon (4), Robert Hamilton (4), John W. Campbell (2), Davie Russell	15,000	^[8]
73		Racecourse Ground, Wrexham (A)		align=center bgcolor=lightyellow	1 - 1	British Home Championship	John Robertson	5,000
74		Crystal Palace, London (A)		align=center bgcolor=lightyellow	2 - 2	British Home Championship	John J. Campbell, Robert Hamilton	18,520
75		Grosvenor Park, Belfast (A)		align=center bgcolor=lightgreen	5 - 1	British Home Championship	Robert Hamilton (3), Robert Walker, Albert Buick	15,000
76		Cappielow Park, Greenock (H)		align=center bgcolor=lightgreen	5 - 1	British Home Championship	John Robertson, Albert Buick, Alec Smith, Robert Walker, John J. Campbell	5,284
77		Villa Park, Aston (A)		align=center bgcolor=lightyellow	2 - 2	British Home Championship	Bobby Templeton, Ronald Orr	15,000
78		Arms Park, Cardiff (A)		align=center bgcolor=lightgreen	1 - 0	British Home Championship	Finlay Speedie	11,000
79		Celtic Park, Glasgow (H)		align=center bgcolor=lightpink	0 - 2	British Home Championship		17,000
80		Bramall Lane, Sheffield (A)		align=center bgcolor=lightgreen	2 - 1	British Home Championship	Finlay Speedie, Robert Walker	32,000
81		Dens Park, Dundee (H)		align=center bgcolor=lightyellow	1 - 1	British Home Championship	Robert Walker	12,000
82		Dalymount Park, Dublin (A)		align=center bgcolor=lightyellow	1 - 1	British Home Championship	Robert Hamilton	1,000
83		Celtic Park, Glasgow (H)		align=center bgcolor=lightpink	0 - 1	British Home Championship		45,000
84		Racecourse Ground, Wrexham (A)		align=center bgcolor=lightpink	1 - 3	British Home Championship	John Robertson	6,000
85		Celtic Park, Glasgow (H)		align=center bgcolor=lightgreen	4 - 0	British Home Championship	Charles Thomson (2 pens.), Bobby Walker, Jimmy Quinn	35,000
86		Crystal Palace, London (A)		align=center bgcolor=lightpink	0 - 1	British Home Championship		32,000
87		Tynecastle Park, Edinburgh (H)		align=center bgcolor=lightpink	0 - 2	British Home Championship		25,000
88		Dalymount Park, Dublin (A)		align=center bgcolor=lightgreen	1 - 0	British Home Championship	Thomas Fitchie	8,000
89		Hampden Park, Glasgow (H)		align=center bgcolor=lightgreen	2 - 1	British Home Championship	James Howie (2)	102,741
90		Racecourse Ground, Wrexham (A)		align=center bgcolor=lightpink	0 - 1	British Home Championship		7,715
91		Celtic Park, Glasgow (H)		align=center bgcolor=lightgreen	3 - 0	British Home Championship	Frank O'Rourke, Robert Walker, Charles Thomson (pen.)	26,000
92		St James' Park, Newcastle (A)		align=center bgcolor=lightyellow	1 - 1	British Home Championship	Own goal	35,829
93		Dens Park, Dundee (H)		align=center bgcolor=lightgreen	2 - 1	British Home Championship	Alex Bennett, Willie Lennie	18,000
94		Dalymount Park, Dublin (A)		align=center bgcolor=lightgreen	5 - 0	British Home Championship	Jimmy Quinn (4), James Galt	10,000
95		Hampden Park, Glasgow (H)		align=center bgcolor=lightyellow	1 - 1	British Home Championship	Andrew Wilson	121,452
96		Racecourse Ground, Wrexham (A)		align=center bgcolor=lightpink	2 - 3	British Home Championship	Robert Walker, Harold Paul	6,000
97		Ibrox Park, Govan (H)		align=center bgcolor=lightgreen	5 - 0	British Home Championship	James McMenemy (2), Sandy MacFarlane, Alexander Thomson, Harold Paul	24,000
98		Crystal Palace, London (A)		align=center bgcolor=lightpink	0 - 2	British Home Championship		27,000
99		Rugby Park, Kilmarnock (H)		align=center bgcolor=lightgreen	1 - 0	British Home Championship	Archie Devine	22,000
100		Windsor Park, Belfast (A)		align=center bgcolor=lightpink	0 - 1	British Home Championship		17,000
101		Hampden Park, Glasgow (H)		align=center bgcolor=lightgreen	2 - 0	British Home Championship	Jimmy McMenemy, Jimmy Quinn	106,205
102		Ninian Park, Cardiff (A)		align=center bgcolor=lightyellow	2 - 2	British Home Championship	Robert Hamilton (2)	14,000	^[9]
103		Celtic Park, Glasgow (H)		align=center bgcolor=lightgreen	2 - 0	British Home Championship	William Reid, James McMenemy	32,000
104		Goodison Park, Liverpool (A)		align=center bgcolor=lightyellow	1 - 1	British Home Championship	Alexander Higgins	38,000
105		Tynecastle Park, Edinburgh (H)		align=center bgcolor=lightgreen	1 - 0	British Home Championship	James Quinn	32,000
106		Windsor Park, Belfast (A)		align=center bgcolor=lightgreen	4 - 1	British Home Championship	Walter Aitkenhead (2), William Reid, Bobby Walker	12,000
107		Hampden Park, Glasgow (H)		align=center bgcolor=lightyellow	1 - 1	British Home Championship	Andrew Wilson	127,307
108		Racecourse Ground, Wrexham (A)		align=center bgcolor=lightyellow	0 - 0	British Home Championship		8,000
109		Dalymount Park, Dublin (A)		align=center bgcolor=lightgreen	2 - 1	British Home Championship	William Reid, Alex Bennett	12,000
110		Stamford Bridge, Chelsea (A)		align=center bgcolor=lightpink	0 - 1	British Home Championship		52,500
111		Celtic Park, Glasgow (H)		align=center bgcolor=lightyellow	0 - 0	British Home Championship		10,000
112		Windsor Park, Belfast (A)		align=center bgcolor=lightyellow	1 - 1	British Home Championship	Joseph Donnachie	31,000
113		Hampden Park, Glasgow (H)		align=center bgcolor=lightgreen	3 - 1	British Home Championship	Charles Thomson, James McMenemy, William Reid	105,000

Notes

• A. This match replaced the original England - Scotland game, played at the new Ibrox Park on 5 April, which was declared void after a disaster in which 25 spectators died.

British Home Championship record by season

Year	Placing
1883 - 84	1st
1884 - 85	1st
1885 - 86	1st (joint)
1886 - 87	1st
1887 - 88	2nd
1888 - 89	1st
1889 - 90	1st (joint)
1890 - 91	2nd
1891 - 92	2nd
1892 - 93	2nd
1893 - 94	1st
1894 - 95	2nd (joint)
1895 - 96	1st
1896 - 97	1st
1897 - 98	2nd
1898 - 99	2nd
1899 - 1900	1st
1900 - 01	2nd
1901 - 02	1st
1902 - 03	1st (joint)
1903 - 04	3rd (joint)
1904 - 05	3rd (joint)
1905 - 06	1st (joint)
1906 - 07	3rd
1907 - 08	1st (joint)
1908 - 09	3rd
1909 - 10	1st
1910 - 11	2nd
1911 - 12	1st (joint)
1912 - 13	2nd (joint)
1913 - 14	2nd

External links

• Scottish FA: National Team Archive

Notes and References

1. Book: Warsop, Keith. The Early FA Cup Finals and the Southern Amateurs. 2004. SoccerData. 1-899468-78-1. 55 .
2. Book: Soar, Phil. Martin Tyler . Encyclopedia of British Football. 1983. Willow Books. 0-00-218049-9. 65–66.
3. Book: Rollin, Jack. Soccer: The Records. Guinness Books. 1985. 0-85112-449-6. 25.
4. Web site: World Football Elo Ratings: Scotland. 2 March 2011. World Football Elo Ratings.
5. Web site: Scotland – International Matches 1872–1880. 12 June 2016 . 17 March 2016. Alan. Brown. Tossani . RSSSF. Gabriele .
6. Web site: Scotland – International Matches 1881–1890. 12 June 2016. 26 May 2016. Alan. Brown. Tossani . . Gabriele .
7. Web site: Scotland – International Matches 1891-1900 . 12 June 2016. 17 March 2016. Alan. Brown. Tossani . RSSSF. Gabriele .
8. Web site: Scotland – International Matches 1901-1910. 12 June 2016. 14 April 2016 . Alan . Brown . Tossani . RSSSF. Gabriele .
9. Web site: Scotland – International Matches 1911-1920. 12 June 2016. 14 April 2016 . Alan . Brown . Tossani . RSSSF. Gabriele .