INTERNATIONALS AT WEMBLEY MAY 10th

 

Wembley was built by The FA, for "special" use in 1923. It has been used for a variety of events, but mainly soccer. 

The first international match held there was v Scotland  on April 12th 1924, a 1-1 draw, with just over 37,000 watching. Four years later, on March 31st 1928, the next international was again v Scotland, a 1-5 defeat with over 111,000 in the stadium. Scotland were the only opponents to play England at Wembley, biannual visits, until  April 1940 when Wales were allowed to visit, losing 0-1. This was a War Time international watched by 40,000. During the war years, games were played between England, Wales and Scotland (no Irish contests) to "raise spirits" at Wembley ans well as other regional grounds. Northern Ireland and Ireland only hosted games after 1945  and eventually travelled in 1947, firstly to Goodison Park- a 2-2.

In 1945 France visited Wembley for a "Victory International" on May 26th, a "diplomatic" 2-2 draw; 65,000 attended. In January 1946, Belgium came to play and lost 2-0 (85,000 att). In 1947 Scotland came to Wembley, a 1-1 draw 98.200 in the stadium. In 1949 there was one international at Wembley, a 1-3 defeat by Scotland.

On May 9th 1951, England's first international against ANY foreign, non-British, opposition was played at Wembley, v Argentina, ko 3pm in front of a 95,000 crowd that witnessed a 2-1 victory, with goals from Stanley Mortenson and Jackie Milburn. Prior to that most "foreign" internationals at home were played at "provincial" stadia, eg Goodison Park, Maine Rd, Highbury etc. From 1951, Wembley hosted internationals regularly, including the embarrassing 3-6 defeat by the Mighty Magyars, Hungary.

England played under the Wembley floodlights for the first time for the final 15 minutes of their friendly against Spain, on Wednesday November 30th 1955, a 4-1 win. 

Amazingly England didn't play a full 90 minutes under the Wembley floodlights until they played Northern Ireland in a Home International match on Wednesday November 20th 1963, which England won 8-3. Jimmy Greaves bagged 4, Terry Paine 3, Bobby Smith 1.

A month earlier on October 23rd 1963, England played a Rest of the World XI, to celebrate a hundred years since the FA was founded. England won 2-1,  in what was a "friendly". Paine and Greaves scored for England. I watched this on a black and white TV!

England's first match under floodlights though wasn't at Wembley but in the USA on Monday 8th June 1953 at New York's Yankee Stadium. Two goals apiece from Tom Finney and Nat Lofthouse helped England to a 6-3 victory over the United States.