24.4.13

The 1870s : Scottish Dominance

An analysis of matches played between Scottish and English club sides in the 1870s reveals a significant Scots superiority.

Wins
Goals
Scottish
42
171
English
9
55
Drawn
3


Queen's Park
44% of these matches involved teams representing Queen's Park, and the dominance they enjoyed in Scottish football was extended into their encounters with English sides.


P
W
D
L
F
A
Queen’s Park
24
21
2
1
85
11

The English teams that played Scottish opponents during the decade represented both the 'gentleman amateurs' (eg: Wanderers, Cambridge University, Clapham Rovers,London Pilgrims, Old Etonians) and the northern and midland clubs that would be at the forefront of developing the professional game (eg: Darwen, Blackburn Rovers, Aston Villa, Nottingham Forest, Stoke). 
There was of course no league football in either England or Scotland during the 1870s. Aside from cup competitions the clubs relied on friendlies. 

Darwen
Here is a list of the club fixtures from 1872-79.








04.03.72 
Wanderers
0
0
Queen’s Park
Oval

30.01.75 
Queen’s Park
6
0
Notts County 
Hampden 1

08.03.75 
Notts County
1
2
Queen’s Park
Trent Bridge

09.10.75 
Queen’s Park
5
0
Wanderers
Hampden 1

06.02.76 
Wanderers
2
0
Queen’s Park
Oval

01.04.76 
Clydesdale    
2
0
The Wednesday
Kinning Park

08.04.76 
Alexandra Athletic
1
0
Sheffield Albion   
Alexandra Pk

07.10.76 
Queen’s Park
5
1
Notts County      
Hampden 1

04.11.76 
Wanderers
0
6
Queen’s Park
Oval

09.12.76 
Queen’s Park
3
0
Cambridge University  
Hampden 1

03.11.77 
Third Lanark RV.
1
1
Sheffield Heeley
Cathkin 1

10.11.77 
Partick
5
0
Darwen
Inchview Pk

17.11.77 
Queen’s Park
6
1
Notts County   
Hampden 1

08.12.77 
Calthorpe
0
8
Queen’s Park XI
Birmingham

10.12.77 
Stoke
0
1
Queen’s Park XI
Sweetings F

15.12.77 
Queen’s Park
0
0
Cambridge University  
Hampden 1

01.01.78 
Darwen
3
2
Partick
Barley Bank

01.01.78 
Sheffield  Albion
1
2
Alexandria Athletic
Sheffield

02.01.78 
Blackburn Rovers        
2
1
Partick
Alexandra M.

19.01.78 
Notts County
1
2
Queen’s Park  
Trent Bridge

09.02.78 
Queen’s Park XI
7
0
Calthorpe
Hampden 1

16.02.78 
Nottingham Forest
2
4
Glasgow Rangers     
Nottingham

18.02.78 
The Wednesday
1
2
Glasgow Rangers  
Sheaf House

13.04.78 
Wanderers
1
3
Vale of Leven  
Oval

20.04.78 
Glasgow Rangers
2
0
Nottingham Forest   
Kinning Park

22.04.78 
Ayr Thistle
0
3
Nottingham Forest    
Ayr

06.04.78 
Manchester Birch
0
6
Queen’s Park
Manchester

21.09.78 
Queen’s Park XI
4
1
Stoke
Hampden 1

25.10.78 
Clapham Rovers
1
5
Glasgow Rangers   
London

26.10.78 
Nottingham Forest
0
2
Glasgow Rangers      
Nottingham

09.11.78 
Partick
2
0
Blackburn Rovs          
Inchview Pk

09.11.78 
Queen’s Park
4
0
Notts County         
Hampden 1

01.01.79 
Sheffield Heeley     
0
2
Third Lanark RV.  
Sheffield

01.01.79 
Darwen
0
7
Partick
Barley Bank

02.01.79 
Blackburn Rovers
2
4
Partick
Alexandra M.

18.01.79 
Nottingham Forest
4
1
Edinburgh University
Nottingham

18.01.79 
Stoke
1
4
Queen’s Park XI
Victoria G

20.01.79 
Birmingham Select
1
4
Edinburgh University
Birmingham

20.01.79 
Aston Villa
1
2
Queen’s Park XI
Perry Barr

01.02.79 
Notts County
0
2
Queen’s Park
Trent Bridge

11.04.79 
Ayr FC
1
2
Calthorpe
Ayr

12.04.79 
Glasgow Rangers
3
0
Nottingham Forest  
Kinning Park

12.04.79 
Manchester Wrs
0
4
Queen’s Park
Manchester

12.04.79 
Mauchline            
3
0
Calthorpe
Mauchline

14.04.79 
Glasgow University
5
2
Calthorpe
Glasgow

25.10.79 
Blackburn Rovers
1
4
Glasgow Rangers      
Alexandra Med.

01.11.79 
Nottingham Forest
6
1
Edinburgh University
Nottingham

08.11.79 
London Pilgrims
0
2
Queen’s Park XI
London

10.11.79 
Stoke
1
2
Queen’s Park XI
Victoria Ground

15.11.79 
Queen’s Park
4
1
Notts County       
Hampden 1

15.11.79 
Aston Villa
4
2
Parkgrove FC              
Perry Barr

25.12.79 
Kilmarnock Ath. 
7
1
Nottingham St.James   
Kilmarnock

27.12.79 
Vale of Leven
5
2
Old Etonians           
Alexandria

30.12.79 
Edinburgh University
3
4
Old Etonians   
Edinburgh



What also began in the latter part of the 1870s was the trickle of Scottish players to join English clubs. Offered sinecure positions in local industries they were tacitly professional.
James Lang (Clydesdale- The Wednesday, 1876), Fergus Suter and Jimmy Love (Partick-Darwen, 1878) and Archie Hunter (Ayr Thistle- Aston Villa, 1878) are early examples. 



Scotland also enjoyed the advantage in the international matches played during the decade.



Wins
Goals
Scotland
4
23
England
2
15
Drawn
2


30.11.72     
Scotland
0
0
England
Hamilton Cres.

08 03.73     
England
4
2
Scotland
Oval

07.03.74     
Scotland
2
1
England
Hamilton Cres.

06.03.75     
England
2
2
Scotland
Oval

04.03.76
Scotland
3
0
England
Hamilton Cres.

03.03.77
England
1
3
Scotland
Oval

02.03.78
Scotland
7
2
England
Hampden 1

05.04.79
England
5
4
Scotland
Oval


Note: the unofficial England Scotland matches of  1870-72 and the Glasgow Sheffield series are not included.