When did the first England match take place?

A series of unofficial internationals, ‘England v Scotland’, were played at Kennington Oval in London between March 1870 and February 1872, initially prompted by Charles Alcock’s letter to The Sportsman.

It is accepted that the first official, and truly representative, match was played at the ground of the West of Scotland Cricket Club in Partick, Glasgow, on 30 November 1872. The FA had agreed to send an England team ‘in order to further the interests of the Association in Scotland’.

It finished Scotland 0 England 0 and a crowd of around 4,000 saw ‘one of the jolliest, one of the most spirited and most pleasant matches’.

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