Garage Football Find

You hear of Garage Finds of old cars but these are a few photos I have found in a major lockdown clearout. They were taken with a Kodak Brownie 127 at the famous England 9-3 win over Scotland on 15th April 1961. It has always been reported as the game where the Scotland goalkeeper Frank Haffey had a nightmare.

I remember it for the fact that England dominated the first half to go in 3 nil up at half time and that the group of Scottish supporters sat directly in front of us and who were out in party mood did not reappear for the second half. Perhaps the bright lights of the West End looked infinitely a better bet than the trouncing to come. But after 53 minutes Scotland were back at 3-2 and nothing looked certain, England though just ran away with it after that and my favourite Jimmy Greaves scored a hatrick.

I believe this to be England 8 Mexico 0 from 1961 when I was collected from school and taken to the game. England were completely dominant scoring 4 goals in each half with a hat trick from Bobby Charlton. If it is not that game it is England 2 Sweden 3 from 1959 but I don’t think we had the Brownie then. My memory from that match was my father lifting me up to look over the wall at the top of the terracing to see the throng of supporters outside streaming in, no wonder I don’t have a good head for heights.