Source: Page authors, Daily newspapers.

Olympic Games
Tuesday November 27 1956 Olympic Park, Melbourne, Australia Referee: Reginald Lund (New Zealand) Linesmen: Maurice Swain (New Zealand) and Robert Mann (England) Attendance: 3,568
AUSTRALIA Ron Lord, Bob Bignall (c), John Pettigrew, George Arthur, Alwyn Warren, Cliff Sander, Bruce Morrow, Frank Loughran, Jack Lennard, Graham McMillan, Ted Smith Coach: Len Young	2	-	0	Japan Yoshiro Furukawa, Yasuo Takamori, Ryuzo Hiraki, Waichiro Omura, Michihiro Ozawa, Hiroaki Sato, Masanori Tokita, Masao Uchino, Shigeo Yaegashi, Tadao Kobayashi, Isao Iwabuchi Coach: Shigemaru Takakoshi
Melbourne played host to the 1956 Olympics and with it the Olympic soccer tournament. Australia was forced to go into the tournament without a number of it's 'professional' players including defender Joe Marston and midfielders Tom Jack and Cliff Almond. Marston and Almond had just returned from playing professional football in the UK and in the eyes of the then amateur Olympic movement, both players were not considered to be amateur. Tom Jack was also considered professional having played league football in Scotland with Dunfermline. Australia's preparation was less than ideal although they surprised many with a spirited display in the first round match in front of a disappointing crowd.
Saturday December 1 1956 Olympic Park, Melbourne, Australia Referee: C.H.Wensveen (Indonesia) Linesmen: Robert Mann (England) and Maurice Swain (New Zealand) Attendance: 12,000
AUSTRALIA Ron Lord, Bob Bignall (c), John Pettigrew, George Arthur, Alwyn Warren, Cliff Sander, Frank Loughran, Jack Lennard, Bruce Morrow, Graham McMillan, Ted Smith Coach: Len Young Goals: Morrow 17, 41	2	-	4	India Peter Ramaswarmy Thangaraj, Syed Khaja Azizuddin, Abdul Thazhatheri Rahaman, Marianna Kempiah, Mohammed Abdul Salaam, Noor Mohammed, Pradip Kuma Banerjee, Samar Banerjee, Neville D'Souza, J.Krishna Kittu, Muhamed Kannayan Coach: Abdul Rahim Syed Goals: D'Souza 9, 33, 50, Kitta 80
Friendly Matches
Wednesday December 12 1956 Sydney Sports Ground, Moore Park, Sydney, Australia Referee: Herbert Imlay (Australia) Attendance: 3,000
AUSTRALIA Bill Henderson, Bob Bignall (c), John Pettigrew, George Arthur, Alwyn Warren, Peter Stone, Frank Loughran, Jack Lennard, Colin Kitching, Graham McMillan, Brian Vogler Coach: Len Young Goal: Vogler	1	-	7	India Shanker Subramaniam Narayan (Peter Ramaswarmy Thangaras 50'), Syed Khwaja Azizuddin, Shaikh Abdul Latif, Marianna Kempiah, Mohammad Abdul Saleem, Noor Mohammed, Pradip Kumar Banerjee, Samar Banerjee, Neville D'Souza, J.Krishnaswamy Kittu, Muhammed Kannayan Coach: Abdul Rahim Syed Goals: P.K.Banerjee (x2), D'Souza (x2), Kittu (x2), S.Banerjee
This match was organised after the Olympic tournament was over and the Indian side proved their win in Melbourne was no fluke. The heavier Australian players looked tired and were no match for an agile Indian outfit.
Match Day Programme

Last updated: 17 November 2021.