News

Scotland return to Wembley next summer

Sunday, 17 June 2012

Scotland are on their way to Wembley for the first time since the famous 1-0 win against England in 1999.

The Scottish FA is delighted to announce that Craig Levein’s squad will resume the Auld Enemy rivalry on Wednesday, August 14, 2013 as part of The Football Association’s 150th anniversary celebrations.

Don Hutchison was the goalscoring hero the last time Scotland took on England, in the UEFA Euro 2000 play-off. Now, as part of preparations for the second half of FIFA World Cup Qualifying Group A, Scotland will play in the refurbished Wembley Stadium for the first time.

The National Team Coach, Craig Levein, believes his squad will relish the challenge of this historic fixture.

He said: “For any Scotland supporter, player or coach, Scotland versus England is the ultimate contest: it really is as good as it gets. I am thrilled that we have reached agreement with The FA to play at Wembley as part of their 150th Anniversary celebrations and I am sure the supporters will be there in their tens of thousands.

“Our match against Brazil at the Emirates Stadium in London last year was a tremendous spectacle and I was overwhelmed by the support we had that day. This is an even more mouth-watering prospect for all concerned and the players will be desperate to record another famous victory at Wembley.

“It will also be the best test possible before we resume our FIFA World Cup Qualifying campaign next year.”

Roy Hodgson, England National Team Coach, added:
“I am privileged to be manager of England at UEFA Euro 2012 and it will be another huge honour to lead our nation out against our oldest rivals. For us, England v Scotland is one of the finest fixtures in international football and I know what this game means to both sets of supporters.

“It will be a fitting part of The FA’s 150th anniversary celebrations and the supporters, the team and my coaching staff all look forward to welcoming Scotland to Wembley Stadium next year.”

England and Scotland are international football’s oldest opponents. They met in the first official match ever played.

The original staging of this fixture took place at the ground of the West of Scotland Cricket Club at Partick, on Saturday, 30 November 1872. In the previous month The FA Committee had formally agreed to send a representative team, “in order to further the interests of The Association in Scotland”.

Bell’s Life saw it as “one of the jolliest, one of the most spirited and most pleasant matches that has ever been played according to Association rules”. There was a crowd of nearly 4000 and it finished in a 0-0 draw.

The teams have now met on 110 occasions. England has won 45 times, Scotland 41 times and there have been 24 draws.

Scotland’s ‘Wembley Wizards’ were 5-1 winners in 1928 but an England side defeated Scotland 9-3, also at Wembley, to clinch the British Championship trophy in 1961. A colossal attendance of 149,547, still a British record, saw Scotland win 3-1 at Glasgow’s Hampden Park in 1937.

Details on how supporters can roar Scotland to victory at Wembley will be confirmed shortly, with exciting packages that will guarantee your visit to Wembley and your unique seat for all Scotland’s home matches in FIFA World Cup Qualifying Group A against Croatia, Serbia, Belgium, Macedonia and Wales.