Connections - england....1

When an international break loomed up I thought it would be a good time to look at some of the connections / stories that the club have with the England team. I quickly discovered that the “recommended sources” often disagreed with each other. Therefore I had a choice I could go back 938 games to November 1872 and add the figures up myself, or rely on the site the FA themselves suggested. Then check other sources for uncontested information. I’ve omitted any stats that I couldn’t find a consensus. Figures given are before this weeks internationals. Please refer to footnote1.

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The fastest hat trick for England belongs to Tottenham’s Willie Hall. It came in less than four minutes against Ireland in 1938 at Old Trafford. He then slowed up scoring only twice more that day. Thus Willie is also one of only four players to have hit five in a England game. It was also the fastest hat trick in any international until 2000 (2).

England play Slovenia this week. England’s top scorer against them is Jermain Defoe. It might only be with two, but both were the winners. He did not play ninety minutes in either of these games, coming on in the first game and going off in the second. Aaron Lennon is the only other Spur to have played against them.

Tottenham with 70 players (802 caps) are the second highest provider to the national side. Only Aston Villa with 72 players have supplied more players. Their first cap came 21 years before us in 1882, the year we were formed. Behind us comes Liverpool with 67, Everton 66, United 62 and Arsenal 59. Other selected scores are City 45 and Chelsea 44 (that’s both less than Blackburn) and West Ham (the self proclaimed academy of football) have only produced 38 which puts them lower than West Brom and Sheffield Wednesday.

Fourteen of our players have played for the country just once. The list does however include names such as Steve Perryman, Bill Nicholson, Arthur Rowe and David Bentley. Recent additions to the group include Stephen Caulker and Jake Livermore.

With this weeks game in Scotland in mind. When they beat the Scots 9-3 in 1961. Jimmy Greaves got 3 goals and Bobby Smith 2. The third Spur on the pitch Scotland’s Dave Mackay was so upset by the result that when asked later if he had played in that game he said ‘I was on the pitch but I did not  play‘. He did thou score the Scots first goal to make it 3-1.

When Jimmy Dimmock played against Scotland in 1921 at the age of 20 years 125 days he became the youngest Spur to play for England. A record he held for 64 years. Have a thought for Micky Hazard who nearly played for England. He was a substitute V Scotland. He was sent out to warm up at half time, having being told ‘your going on’ and he spent the whole half doing so as the manager forgot to make the change.

The first Tottenham player to represent the country was Vivian Woodward. He won 21 caps whilst at Spurs, and two more later with Chelsea. In those 23 games he managed a staggering 29 goals, (27 as a Spur). That included two on debut as well as four hat tricks. He also managed to score 9 times in four days. On May 29th 1909, he put two past Hungary, two days later V Hungary again he got four and the very next day V Austria a hat trick. Austria should of known what was coming as he had hit three past them the year before. As well as our first England hat trick Woodward was also the first Spur to captain England. Doing so on 14 occasions. The captain of the GB Olympic gold medal winning team at the 1908 and 1912 games. He also turned out 30 times for the England amateur side. Woodward was the most capped Spur till Alf Ramsey overtook him in the 1950’s.

The club with most England goals is Manchester United with 214. Tottenham again sit in second place 21 behind. Liverpool are third 47 behind us. Arsenal are way back on only 80 (3).

The top England goal scorers as a Tottenham Player are - Jimmy Greaves 28, Woodward 27, Lineker & Defoe 19, Chivers & Smith  13, Hall, Peters and Sheringham 9 and Hoddle 8. 

Two of the top three in the all time (irrespective of club) list have Tottenham connections. Bobby Charlton is top with 49 (3 pens) at a rate of one goal every 193 minutes. In second place is Gary Lineker with 48 (4 pens) at a rate of 136 mins. Third place is Jimmy Greaves with 44 (with by far the lowest rate of 117 mins and no penalties). Back in 10th place is Vivian Woodward on 29. Only 90 years after the event some sources are now claiming that one of his goals should be re-classed an own goal (4). 

Stephen Caulker at 20y 321 days is the youngest Spur to have scored for England. Although Paul Walsh and Jimmy Greaves where faster, they achieved it before joining Spurs.


COYS
Keith Harrison
t-Keith16024542.

 Note 1 - The following therefore is placed before you in good faith. (that’s the disclaimer for the whole season). Its worth noting that some of these sources are not up to date. I can tell you that two of the top sites have since made corrections since I queried points. Keep up the good work lads we need you. A second Connections England is ready and will appear at an appropriate date.

2- Willie’s International record fell in 2000 when a Japanese striker did it against Brunei. Not quite the same ring as England V Ireland.

3- This is not from the site recommended by the FA.

4- An example of leading to confused records.