1955–56 British Home Championship

1955–56 British Home Championship
	Supporter with a leek at the Wales–England game, Cardiff, 22 October 1955.
Tournament details
Host country	England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales
Dates	8 October 1955 – 14 April 1956
Teams	4
Final positions
Champions	England; Ireland; Scotland; Wales
Tournament statistics
Matches played	6
Goals scored	15 (2.5 per match)
Top scorer(s)	Dennis Wilshaw; Bobby Johnstone (2 each)
	← 1954–55 1956–57 →

The 1955–56 British Home Championship was a football tournament played during the 1955–56 season between the British Home Nations. It was the only occasion during the hundred-year run of the Home Championship in which all four teams finished level on points. As goal difference was not used to determine position until 1979, all four teams shared the trophy, holding it for three months each. Had goal difference or goal average been used to determine the winner, then England would have won.

The competition began unusually with victories by Wales and Ireland over England and Scotland in their opening matches. This gave added incentive to the favourites in the following matches, which England and Scotland both won easily. Nevertheless, all four teams stood a good chance of victory going into the final round, with both Wales and Ireland seeking a rare undisputed tournament success. However, the teams cancelled each other out, both matches resulting in 1–1 draws leaving all four equal on points and thus sharing the trophy.

Table

Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts
England (C)	3	1	1	1	5	3	+2	3
Scotland (C)	3	1	1	1	4	3	+1	3
Wales (C)	3	1	1	1	3	4	−1	3
Ireland (C)	3	1	1	1	3	5	−2	3

Source: ^{[citation needed]}
Rules for classification: 1) points. The points system worked as follows: 2 points for a win and 1 point for a draw.
(C) Co-champions

Results

8 October 1955

Ireland	2 – 1	Scotland
Jackie Blanchflower, Billy Bingham		Lawrie Reilly

Windsor Park, Belfast

22 October 1955

Wales	2 – 1	England
Derek Tapscott, Cliff Jones		Own Goal

Ninian Park, Cardiff

2 November 1955

England	3 – 0	Ireland
Dennis Wilshaw 2, Tom Finney

Wembley Stadium, London

9 November 1955^[1]

Scotland	2 – 0	Wales
Bobby Johnstone 2

Hampden Park, Glasgow

11 April 1956

Wales	1 – 1	Ireland
Roy Clarke		Jimmy Jones

Ninian Park, Cardiff

14 April 1956^[2]

Scotland	1 – 1	England
Graham Leggat (60)		Johnny Haynes (90)

Hampden Park, Glasgow

Attendance: 132,779

References

^ Special For Scotland - Scotland V Wales, video footage from official Pathé News archive
^ Poverty Of Forward Play in Hampden International, The Glasgow Herald, 16 April 1956, scan via London Hearts Supporters Club

Guy Oliver (1992). The Guinness Record of World Soccer. Guinness. ISBN 0-85112-954-4.

[pathe-1] Special For Scotland - Scotland V Wales, video footage from official Pathé News archive

[2] Poverty Of Forward Play in Hampden International, The Glasgow Herald, 16 April 1956, scan via London Hearts Supporters Club

[1]

[2]

v t e British Home Championship
Football in the United Kingdom: England Northern Ireland Scotland Wales
Competitors	England Ireland / Northern Ireland Scotland Wales
Seasons	1883–84 1884–85 1885–86 1886–87 1887–88 1888–89 1889–90 1890–91 1891–92 1892–93 1893–94 1894–95 1895–96 1896–97 1897–98 1898–99 1899–1900 1900–01 1901–02 1902–03 1903–04 1904–05 1905–06 1906–07 1907–08 1908–09 1909–10 1910–11 1911–12 1912–13 1913–14 First World War 1919–20 1920–21 1921–22 1922–23 1923–24 1924–25 1925–26 1926–27 1927–28 1928–29 1929–30 1930–31 1931–32 1932–33 1933–34 1934–35 1935–36 1936–37 1937–38 1938–39 Second World War 1945–46 1946–47 1947–48 1948–49 1949–50 1950–51 1951–52 1952–53 1953–54 1954–55 1955–56 1956–57 1957–58 1958–59 1959–60 1960–61 1961–62 1962–63 1963–64 1964–65 1965–66 1966–67 1967–68 1968–69 1969–70 1970–71 1971–72 1972–73 1973–74 1974–75 1975–76 1976–77 1977–78 1978–79 1979–80 1980–81 1981–82 1982–83 1983–84
Rous Cup Nations Cup Matches outside the British Home Championship