AUSTRALIA VS ENGLAND - 1937

In 1931 the English FA made a monetary loan to the Australian FA to assist in the development of the game in Queensland and NSW. Part of the money was spent 6 years later in bringing an English Amatuer team to Australia for a 10 game tour. During the tour, the Australian side gained 2 notable victories - the first in Sydney on July 10th, when a crowd of 37,295 saw them win 5-4 and later at Newcastle, with 4-3 victory. The tour proved a financial windfall for the Australian FA with $32,000 being taken in gate receipts.

However, more than the results themselves, was the lasting legacy left by the exposure to the modern English coaching and tactical methods employed on the tour. Since 1887, the system or formation used in Australian soccer was a goalkeeper, 2 full backs, 3 half backs and 5 forwards.

In England, during the 1920s and 30s, a coach by the name of Herbert Chapman introduced what was known as the 'third back' system as well as advanced coaching and tactical methods, still employed today. This was the new era of the qualified coach. And 2 years later in 1939, Sydney club Gladesville- Ryde signed the 1st full time professional football coach in Australia.

The English FA recognises these games a 'B' Internationals.

The 1937 touring team comprised :

July 3 - England 3 - NSW 1

July 6 - England 5 - Northern District 4

July 10 - Australia 5 - England 4 (test) @ Sydney

This match was played infront of 45,000 spectators and Australia scored in the 1st minute, and was never trailing. It must be said at once that though tagged, and really were, amatuers, the English players were not inferior to professional ones.

"The game", said one reporter, "must have been an eye opener to those that had never seen a first class international before." The match was played a furios pace, and it was as fast in the last finve minutes, as it was in the beginning.

But those who had been converted to Chapman's newly invented '3rd back' game had to do some rethinking when they saw how the 'old scottish' style had defeated it. Smith, of Australia, constantly beat Joy, England's third back, as he constantly flicked headers sideways to his inside men, Hughes and Price.

At the same time Crowhurst did a lot of damage to the English side from the touchline with passes and accurate crosses. At the back, Evans and Harris headed away, and kicked away every dangerous ball out of their area, and when once this failed, Evans even fisted away a ball for penalty that was then converted by Eastham.

But it was Morgan who really saved the result, when the Australia goalkeeper took the ball from Finch's feet as the Englishman was about tp put it in the sack.

It was said that England's technical brilliance was offset by the physical play of the Australians, although the heavt shoulder charges were always within the rules of the game.

Australia : Bill Morgan, Jack Evans,T Harris, Ray Bryant, Bill Coolahan, Jock Parkes, Roy Crowhurst, Jack Hughes, George Smith, Billy Price, Harold Whitelaw

Goals : Smith*2, Hughes*2, Price

England : AC Woolcock, GA Strasser, HS Robbins, JW Lewis, Bernard Joy, TH Leak, FW Collins, F Eastham, RJ Matthews, LC Thornton, LC Finch

Goals : Matthews*2, Eastham*2

July 14 - England 2- Queensland 1

July 17 - Australia 0 - England 4 (test) @ Brisbane

Australia : Bill Morgan, George Smith, Ray Bryant, Jock Parkes, Parry, Jack Hughes, Billy Price, Bill Coolahan, Jack Evans, T Harris, Roy Crowhurst

England : AH Woolcock, GA Strasser, HS Robins, TH Leek, Bernard Joy, J Sutcliffe, WW Parr, JW Lewis, RJ Mathews, S Eastham, LC Finch

July 20 - Australia 4 - England 3 (test) @ Newcastle

Australia : Jimmy McNabb, Jack Evans, J McDougall, Bill Coolahan, J Davidson, A Murray, Jim Wilkinson, Jack Hughes, George Smith (c), Billy Price, A Teece

Goals : Smith*3, Hughes

England : AC Woolcock, GA Strasser, HS Robbins, JW Lewis, TH Leek (c), J Sutcliffe, KC Collins, S Eastham, RJ Matthews, F Riley, FR Davies

Goals : Riley, Matthews*2

July 24 - England 4 - Australian XI 3

July 26 - England 6 - Victoria 1

July 29 - England 10 - South Australia 0

Aug 2 - England 6 - West Australia 1