Battle of Highbury
The "Battle of Highbury" was the name given to the football match between England and Italy, that took place on November 14, 1934 at Arsenal Stadium, Highbury, London. England won 3-2 in a what was a hotly contested and frequently violent match, hence the name.
This was Italy's first match since they had won the
that summer, although England had not taken part as the Football Association had left FIFA in 1928. England were still considered one of the strongest teams in Europe at the time, and the match was billed in England at least as the "real" World Cup final. The match was important enough to the Italians that Benito Mussolini had reportedly offered each player an Alfa Romeo car and the equivalent of £150 if they beat the English.
The match set a record, in that it was the first and so far only time where seven players from the same club (namely Arsenal) started for England[1]. Coincidentally, the match was played at Arsenal's home stadium, Highbury. In addition to the seven Arsenal players (Frank Moss, George Male, Eddie Hapgood, Wilf Copping, Ray Bowden, Ted Drake and Cliff Bastin), a young Stanley Matthews won his third cap for the side; Cliff Britton, Jack Barker and Eric Brook were the other three players. The England side was largely inexperienced, with every player having less than ten caps for his country.
The match started violently; the Italian centre half Luis Monti broke his foot after tangling with Drake, and had to withdraw after only two minutes. With no substitutes allowed in those days, the Italians had to play the rest of the game with 10 men. Enraged by Monti's treatment, the visitors repeatedly retaliated against their English opponents: Eddie Hapgood had his nose broken (and had to be withdrawn for 15 minutes), while Bowden damaged his ankle, Drake was punched and Brook had his arm fractured.
Brook missed a first-minute penalty, but promptly turned from villain to hero as he scored twice, with a header and a free kick. Ted Drake added a third before half-time to make it 3-0. However, Italy were not World Champions for nothing, and after half time took the game to England. Giuseppe Meazza scored twice, and was only denied an equaliser by the woodwork and a series of saves from England's athletic goalkeeper, Frank Moss. England's "hardman" Wilf Copping took the man of the match award with a strong fighting and tackling display in midfield.
The match settled nothing; although the English could claim a win and unofficially crown their young and inexperienced side World Champions, the Italians could claim they had been handicapped for virtually the entire match by being a man down. One thing that could not be contested was the violent nature of the match; the FA considered withdrawing from all internationals as a result, while Stanley Matthews would later recount that it was the most violent match of his long career.
England: (3-4-3) Moss, Male, Hapgood (c), Britton, Barker, Copping, Matthews, Bowden, Drake, Bastin, Brook.
Italy: (2-5-3) Ceresoli, Monzeglio, Allemandi, Ferraris (c), Monti, Bertolini, Guaita, Serantoni, Meazza, Ferrari, Orsi.
Scorers: Brook 3', 10', Drake 12'; Meazza 58', 62'.
Referee: Otto Olsson (Sweden).
Attendance: 73,000.
Footnotes
- ^ The only other occasion when seven players from the same club have been on the pitch for England was on March 28, 2001, when Manchester United's Teddy Sheringham came on as a susbtitute against Albania in the 84th minute; five other United players had started the match, and Wes Brown had come on as a sub earlier.