1902–03 British Home Championship
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2020}}
{{Infobox international football competition
|tourney_name=1902–03 British Home Championship
|image =
|size =
|caption =
|country =England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales
|dates =14 February – 4 April 1903
|num_teams =4
|champion_other={{fb|ENG}}
{{fb|SCO}}
{{fb|EIR}} (shared)
|attendance =
|matches =6
|goals =15
|top_scorer ={{fbicon|ENG}} Vivian Woodward {{nowrap|(4 goals)}}
|prevseason =1901–02
|nextseason =1903–04
}}
The 1902–03 British Home Championship was an international football tournament between the British Home Nations.
Unusually, the trophy was shared by three of the Home Nations all of whom scored four points. At the time, goal difference was not used to differentiate teams. In addition to the usual favourites of England and Scotland, Ireland also took their first ever share of the championship, after scoring their first ever victory over the Scots with a 2–0 win in Glasgow and subsequently beating Wales. The tournament was played under the shadow of the previous year's finale, when a wooden stand at Ibrox Stadium had given way under the mass of supporters and 26 people had fallen to their deaths.
Ireland and England began the competition, with the English scoring four without reply to take an early lead. England extended their advantage in the second match with a 2–1 victory over Wales and seemed to be on course for the championship. Scotland began their challenge against Wales in a match they narrowly won before stumbling against Ireland in a match the Irish dominated in front of the Scottish home support. Just two years previously at the same stadium, Scotland had beaten Ireland 11–0 in what is still their record win. On the back of this result, Ireland beat Wales 2–0 ending a miserable tournament for the Welsh who had scored only one goal and failed to gain a single point. In the final match between England and Scotland, Scotland needed a win to draw level with Ireland and England whilst England needed only a draw to take the championship outright. In a tough match in Sheffield both sides played well, but Scotland eventually won 2–1 taking their share of the title.
Table
|show_positions=n
|winpoints=2
|team1=ENG|name_ENG={{fb|ENG}}
|team2=EIR|name_EIR={{fb|EIR}}
|team3=SCO|name_SCO={{fb|SCO}}
|team4=WAL|name_WAL={{fb|WAL|1807}}
|win_ENG=2|draw_ENG=0|loss_ENG=1|gf_ENG=7|ga_ENG=3|status_ENG=C
|win_EIR=2|draw_EIR=0|loss_EIR=1|gf_EIR=4|ga_EIR=4|status_EIR=C
|win_SCO=2|draw_SCO=0|loss_SCO=1|gf_SCO=3|ga_SCO=3|status_SCO=C
|win_WAL=0|draw_WAL=0|loss_WAL=3|gf_WAL=1|ga_WAL=5
|status_text_C=Co-champions
|col_C=#ccffcc|text_C=
|result1=C|result2=C|result3=C
|update=complete|source=[https://www.rsssf.org/tablesb/bhc1900-14.html#1903 RSSSF]
|class_rules = 1) points. The points system worked as follows: 2 points for a win and 1 point for a draw.
}}
Results
{{football box
| date = 14 February 1903
| team1 = {{fb-rt|ENG}}
| score = 4–0
| team2 = {{fb|EIR}}
| goals1 = Woodward {{goal|19||52|}}
Davis {{goal|87}}
Sharp {{goal|63}}{{cite web |title=England v Ireland |url=https://eu-football.info/_match.php?id=4458 |website=EU Football |accessdate=5 April 2020}}
| goals2 =
| stadium = Molineux Stadium, Wolverhampton
| attendance = 24,240
| referee = William Munnerley (Wales)
}}
----
{{football box
| date = 2 March 1903
| team1 = {{fb-rt|ENG}}
| score = 2–1
| team2 = {{fb|WAL|1807}}
| goals1 = Bache {{goal|12}}
Woodward {{goal|78}}
| goals2 = Watkins {{goal|54}}
| stadium = Fratton Park, Portsmouth
| attendance = 5,000
| referee = Tom Robertson (Scotland)
}}
----
{{football box
| date = 9 March 1903
| team1 = {{fb-rt|WAL|1807}}
| score = 0–1
| team2 = {{fb|SCO}}
| goals1 =
| goals2 = Speedie {{goal|25}}
| stadium = Cardiff Arms Park, Cardiff
| attendance = 11,000
| referee = Frederick Thomas Kirkham (England)
}}
----
{{football box
| date = 21 March 1903
| team1 = {{fb-rt|SCO}}
| score = 0–2
| team2 = {{fb|EIR}}
| goals1 =
| goals2 = Connor {{goal|9}}
Kirwan {{goal|83}}
| stadium = Celtic Park, Glasgow
| attendance = 17,000
| referee = Frederick Thomas Kirkham (England)
}}
----
{{football box
| date = 28 March 1903
| team1 = {{fb-rt|EIR}}
| score = 2–0
| team2 = {{fb|WAL|1807}}
| goals1 = Goodall {{goal|76}}
Sheridan {{goal|88}}
| goals2 =
| attendance = 14,000
| referee = Fred Kirkham (England)
}}
----
{{football box
| date = 4 April 1903
| team1 = {{fb-rt|ENG}}
| score = 1–2
| team2 = {{fb|SCO}}
| goals1 = Woodward {{goal|10}}
| goals2 = Speedie {{goal|57}}
Walker {{goal|59}}
| stadium = Bramall Lane, Sheffield
| attendance = 32,000
| referee = William Nunnerley (Wales)
}}
Winning squads
- {{fb|ENG}}
| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align: center;" |
| rowspan=2|Name
! colspan=3|Apps/Goals by opponent ! colspan=2|Total |
|---|
| {{fbicon|WAL|1807}} WAL[http://www.englandfootballonline.com/Seas1900-39/1902-03/M0078Wal1903.html Monday, 2 March 1903 {{!}} England 2 Wales 1], England Football Online ! {{fbicon|IRE}} ! {{fbicon|SCO}} ! Apps ! Goals |
| align=left|Vivian Woodward
|1/1 |1/2 |1/1 |3 |4 |
| align=left|Harry Davis
|1 |1/1 |1 |3 |1 |
| align=left|Harry Johnson
|1 |1 |1 |3 |0 |
| align=left|George Molyneux
|1 |1 |1 |3 |0 |
| align=left|Tom Baddeley
| |1 |1 |2 |0 |
| align=left|Bob Crompton
|1 | |1 |2 |0 |
| align=left|Albert Houlker
|1 | |1 |2 |0 |
| align=left|Joseph Bache
|1/1 | | |1 |1 |
| align=left|Jack Sharp
| |1/1 | |1 |1 |
| align=left|Tom Booth
| | |1 |1 |0 |
| align=left|Percy Humphreys
| | |1 |1 |0 |
| align=left|Arthur Capes
| | |1 |1 |0 |
| align=left|Jack Cox
| | |1 |1 |0 |
| align=left|Rex Corbett
|1 | | |1 |0 |
| align=left|Frank Forman
|1 | | |1 |0 |
| align=left|William Garraty
|1 | | |1 |0 |
| align=left|J. W. Sutcliffe
|1 | | |1 |0 |
| align=left|Harry Hadley
| |1 | |1 |0 |
| align=left|Tom Holford
| |1 | |1 |0 |
| align=left|Arthur Lockett
| |1 | |1 |0 |
| align=left|Jimmy Settle
| |1 | |1 |0 |
| align=left|Howard Spencer
| |1 | |1 |0 |
- {{fb|IRE}}
| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align: center;" |
| rowspan=2|Name
! colspan=3|Apps/Goals by opponent ! colspan=2|Total |
|---|
| {{fbicon|WAL|1807}} WAL[https://eu-football.info/_match.php?id=4463 Ireland v Wales, 28 March 1903], EU-Football.info ! {{fbicon|SCO}} ! {{fbicon|ENG}} ! Apps ! Goals |
| align=left|Jack Kirwan
|1 |1/1 |1 |3 |1 |
| align=left|James Sheridan
|1/1 |1 |1 |3 |1 |
| align=left|Johnny Darling
|1 |1 |1 |3 |0 |
| align=left|Billy Scott
|1 |1 |1 |3 |0 |
| align=left|Archie Goodall
|1/1 | |1 |2 |1 |
| align=left|Joe Connor
|1 |1/1 | |2 |1 |
| align=left|Jimmy Maxwell
|1 | |1 |2 |0 |
| align=left|Bob Milne
| |1 |1 |2 |0 |
| align=left|Peter Boyle
|1 |1 | |2 |0 |
| align=left|Alec McCartney
|1 |1 | |2 |0 |
| align=left|Hughie Maginnis
|1 |1 | |2 |0 |
| align=left|Johnnie Mercer
|1 |1 | |2 |0 |
| align=left|James Campbell
| | |1 |1 |0 |
| align=left|Billy McCracken
| | |1 |1 |0 |
| align=left|George McMillan
| | |1 |1 |0 |
| align=left|Harold Sloan
| | |1 |1 |0 |
| align=left|Tom Shanks
| |1 | |1 |0 |
- {{fb|SCO}}
| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align: center;" |
| rowspan=2|Name
! colspan=3|Apps/Goals by opponent ! colspan=2|Total |
|---|
| {{fbicon|WAL|1807}} WAL[https://londonhearts.com/scotlandunoff/games/19030309.html Mon 09 Mar 1903 Wales 0 Scotland 1], London Hearts Supporters Club ! {{fbicon|IRE}} ! {{fbicon|ENG}} ! Apps ! Goals |
| align=left|Finlay Speedie
|1/1 |1 |1/1 |3 |2 |
| align=left|Bobby Walker
|1 |1 |1/1 |3 |1 |
| align=left|Alex Smith
|1 |1 |1 |3 |0 |
| align=left|Andy Aitken
|1 | |1 |2 |0 |
| align=left|Andy McCombie
|1 | |1 |2 |0 |
| align=left|Alex Raisbeck
|1 | |1 |2 |0 |
| align=left|Harry Rennie
|1 |1 | |2 |0 |
| align=left|Jackie Robertson
|1 | |1 |2 |0 |
| align=left|Bobby Templeton
|1 | |1 |2 |0 |
| align=left|Jimmy Watson
|1 | |1 |2 |0 |
| align=left|Ned Doig
| | |1 |1 |0 |
| align=left|Bob Hamilton
| | |1 |1 |0 |
| align=left|John Cross
| |1 | |1 |0 |
| align=left|Jock Drummond
| |1 | |1 |0 |
| align=left|Archie Gray
| |1 | |1 |0 |
| align=left|David Lindsay
| |1 | |1 |0 |
| align=left|Willie Orr
| |1 | |1 |0 |
| align=left|Willie Porteous
| |1 | |1 |0 |
| align=left|Peter Robertson
| |1 | |1 |0 |
| align=left|John Campbell
|1 | | |1 |0 |
References
{{Reflist}}
{{refbegin}}
- {{cite book
|author= Guy Oliver
|title=The Guinness Record of World Soccer
|year=1992
|publisher=Guinness
|isbn = 0-85112-954-4 }}
{{refend}}
{{British Home Championship}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Home Championship}}
Category:1903 in British sport