May 27 – Alan Ball Upsets the Natives

UNTIL 1989 had England and Scotland faced off against each other in every non-war year since the pair played the first ever international game in 1872, notching up a total of 110 matches.

The recent lack of games (the last being in 1999), means it is therefore easy to forget how intense this rivalry use to be, especially in the years following England’s World Cup win in 1966 as the bitter Scots developed a rather large chip on their shoulder.

When the two sides met a Hampden Park today in 1972, 100 years after their first clash, England’s pint-sized midfielder Alan Ball had a nation baying for his blood after one of the more undiplomatic episodes of his career.

Stepping up to take a corner the then-Arsenal player wiped his nose on the Hampden corner flag which bore the St Andrew’s Cross. Needless to say, the 119,325-strong crowd did not take strongly to this, and Ball did well to leave the ground in one piece.

In fact, Ball would have the last laugh, as he scored the only goal in the 28th minute, meaning that England joined the Scots on top of the group table and ensuring the Home Championship title was shared between the two old rivals.

Ball’s manager, Sir Alf Ramsey, did little to diffuse the situation, greeting Ball in the dressing room by saying: “Alan, Alan, you really a very naughty boy.”

The television footage of the incident obviously didn’t make it out alive of Hampden that day, so you’ll have to make do with another classic between the two sides – the 1967 version, when Scotland got delusions of grandeur and thought that they should be allowed take the Jules Rimet trophy off England. For another landmark England story from today click here, otherwise join us tomorrow for more footballing history.