England national football B team
Nickname(s) | The Three Lions | ||
---|---|---|---|
Association | The Football Association | ||
Head coach | Richard Ellis Thomas | ||
Most caps | Joe Corrigan (10) | ||
Top scorer | Bedford Jezzard (6) | ||
Home stadium | N/A | ||
| |||
First international | |||
Switzerland 0–0 England (Geneva, Switzerland; 21 February 1947) | |||
Biggest win | |||
Singapore 0–8 England (Singapore; 18 June 1978) | |||
Biggest defeat | |||
France Espoirs 7–1 England (Le Havre, France; 22 May 1952) |
England B is a secondary football team run occasionally as support for the England national football team. At times they have played other nations' full teams; they have also played matches against 'B' teams from other football associations. Since the team's first use in 1947, there have been 54 official[1] and 3 unofficial[2] B team matches. It has been inactive since May 2007.
History
The frequency of the games depends almost entirely upon the
Both
Prestige and purpose
The aim of games has typically been to introduce younger or more inexperienced players into the national team set up, without giving them a full cap.[7] They may often be held before World Cups or other tournaments to give second choice players, injured players or possible choices an opportunity to have a full game to either keep their fitness or play their way into the first team.[1]
Attendances at matches and opponents have varied widely, with matches against first teams (the last of which was in 2007 against
Players have also sometimes expressed a dislike for the B team. When Chris Sutton was picked for England B before the 1998 FIFA World Cup, he refused to play for the team, claiming that it was a waste of time and that he should have been picked for the first team.[9] This boycott, however, ended Sutton's chances of ever playing for the full national team again. Furthermore, Matt Le Tissier, who scored a hat-trick for the England B team against Russia B in that match, controversially failed to make the 1998 FIFA World Cup squad.[7] On the other hand, Darren Anderton successfully returned to the first team squad via the B team after recovering from injury in 1998, whilst other players such as Paul Gascoigne have been brought to the full team via the Bs.[1]
In 2006, the England B team game was seen as being useful for giving a glimpse of potential future England players.[10] In particular, it proved useful for Aaron Lennon and Peter Crouch to stake their claims for places in the 2006 FIFA World Cup squad.[10] Furthermore, it provided match practice for Michael Owen and Sol Campbell, who were both returning from injury. Overall, 12 players from the 2006 B team squad[11] eventually made it to the final World Cup squad.[12] However, an injury picked up in the game prevented goalkeeper Robert Green from playing at the World Cup[13] and of the twelve players in both squads, five were established players with over 25 caps.
In the period since the most recent match in 2007, there has been little comment about the B team. Former England international goalkeeper David James in 2010 called for a return of regular matches,[14] but this call has not been repeated.
Statistics
Results and fixtures
The England B team has not played since 2007. Its most recent match was a 3–1 victory against Albania at Turf Moor, Burnley, 25 May 2007. There are no scheduled fixtures.
Historical statistics
- Highest attendance – 60,000 v Olympisch Stadion, Amsterdam
- Highest home attendance – 43 608 v Netherlands at Newcastle, 22 February 1950
- Biggest victory – 8–0 v Singapore, 18 June 1978 at National Stadium, Singapore
- Heaviest defeat – 1–7 v France espoirs, 22 May 1952, Le Havre
Overall match record:
- Played 57, Won 37, Drawn 10, Lost 9, Abandoned 1
- Versus national teams: P19 W15 D2 L2
- Versus national B teams: P26 W22 D8 L7 A1
- Versus others: P2 W1 D0 L1
Player records
Player records for the England B team come largely from groups of players who were involved with the side during short periods in which frequent games were played, notably between 1978 and 1981, and again between 1989 and 1994. These two periods count for 29, or just over half, of all England B games.[15]
Most appearances
Rank | Name | Caps | Goals | Years |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Joe Corrigan | 10 | 0 | 1978–1981 |
2 | Gary Pallister | 9 | 0 | 1989–1992 |
= | Gary Mabbutt | 9 | 1 | 1984–1992 |
4 | Brian Talbot | 8 | 3 | 1978–1980 |
5 | Gary Owen | 7 | 0 | 1978 |
= | Viv Anderson | 7 | 2 | 1978–1980 |
= | Alan Kennedy | 7 | 2 | 1978–1980 |
= | Paul Mariner | 7 | 2 | 1978–1980 |
= | Alan Sunderland | 7 | 1 | 1978–1981 |
= | Dave Beasant | 7 | 0 | 1989–1991 |
= | Tony Dorigo | 7 | 0 | 1989–1992 |
Top scorers
Rank | Name | Caps | Goals | Years |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Bedford Jezzard | 3 | 6 | 1954–1955 |
2 | Tommy Taylor | 2 | 4 | 1956 |
= | Gordon Hill | 6 | 4 | 1978 |
= | Alan Smith
|
4 | 4 | 1990–1992 |
5 | Jack Rowley | 1 | 3 | 1949 |
= | Brian Talbot | 8 | 3 | 1978–1980 |
= | Paul Merson | 4 | 3 | 1991–1998 |
= | Matt Le Tissier | 6 | 3 | 1990–1998 |
See also
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h "TheFA.com – 'B' International at Reading". Archived from the original on 2 December 2008. Retrieved 21 April 2018.
- ^ a b c d e England's B Team Matches englandfootballonline.com; 26 May 2006; Accessed 26 May 2006
- ^ England's Under 21 Matches englandfootballonline.com; 8 October 2006; Accessed 14 February 2007
- ^ "England B 3–1 Albania". BBC Sport. 26 May 2007. Retrieved 26 May 2007.
- ^ "England B to face Albania match". BBC Sport. 3 May 2007. Retrieved 6 May 2007.
- ^ a b "Owen is given England B captaincy". BBC Sport. 24 May 2007. Retrieved 25 May 2007.
- ^ a b Taylor wants return of B team BBC Sport; 10 November 2006; Accessed 14 February 2007
- ^ England B 3–1 Albania BBC Sport; 25 May 2007; accessed 26 May 2007
- ^ Chris Sutton biography ex-canaries.co.uk; Whitlam, Steve; 12 October 2006; Accessed 16 May 2006
- ^ a b World Cup scouting for England BBC Sport; McKenzie, Andrew; 26 May 2006; Accessed 14 February 2007
- ^ Skipper Owen to start for England BBC Sport; 24 May 2006; Accessed 14 February 2007
- ^ "TheFA.com – England's World Cup Squad". Archived from the original on 1 December 2008. Retrieved 21 April 2018.
- ^ Keeper Green set to miss finals BBC Sport; 25 May 2006; Accessed 14 February 2007
- ^ James, David (7 November 2010). "I have a bee in my bonnet – bring back the England B Team". London: The Observer. Retrieved 9 April 2013.
- ^ England – International Results B-Team – Details rsssf.org. Accessed 23 August 2010