England B national football team
Encyclopedia
England B is a secondary football team run occasionally as support for the England national football team
. At times they have played other nations' full teams; they have also played matches against 'B' teams from other football associations. Since the team's first use in 1947, there have been 54 official and 3 unofficial B team matches (as of May 2007).
, the current stepping stone to the national team, did not exist until 1976.). He organised the first recorded game held under the name of 'England B', which was played in Geneva
on 21 February 1947 against Switzerland B team. The match finished 0-0. The games proved useful as an introduction to the national team and the first official England B team game came in 1949 in a 4-0 victory over Finland
The frequency of the games depends almost entirely upon the head coach
of the England squad. For example, there were no B team internationals under Sir Alf Ramsey or Don Revie
; indeed there were none between 1957 and 1978. Ron Greenwood reintroduced them and Bobby Robson
used them regularly - there were nine B team internationals in 1989 and 1990. This period saw the likes of Paul Gascoigne
enter the England team via the B squad.
Sven-Göran Eriksson
arranged just one B team match during his time in charge, held on 25 May 2006 against Belarus
as a World Cup warm-up game. England lost 2-1, with a goal from Jermaine Jenas
. Theo Walcott
debuted for England B as the youngest player for them, but as it was a B international, this does not count towards official records, and had to wait until the 3-1 friendly victory against Hungary
to break the official record, aged 17 years and 75 days.
Steve McClaren
's only match with the B team was against the Albania full side
on 25 May 2007 at Burnley's Turf Moor
ground, which they won 3-1, as preparation for England's
Euro 2008 qualifier against Estonia
on 6 June 2007. The squad included a recovering Michael Owen
, who captained the side, as well as seven uncapped players, five of whom have since gone on to receive full international caps. Current England head coach, Fabio Capello
, has yet to arrange a B team match.
), Olympics
teams and other B team squads. The most recent game against Albania had an attendance of 22,500 at Turf Moor
. Prior to the two high attendances for the games in 2006 and 2007, the previous time that the B team had played in front of more than 20,000 people was in 1978 in a match in Singapore
, against their national team
, when 40,000 people attended.
The highest attendances for England B games were in a series of matches against the Netherlands
and Netherlands B in the 1950s, when the Olympisch Stadion
in Amsterdam
saw three matches with an attendance of 60,000. The highest attendance at home for the B team was 43,068 at St James' Park
, Newcastle, again against the Netherlands on 22 February 1950.
or other tournaments to give second choice players, injured players or possible choices an opportunity to have a full game to either keep their fitness or play their way into the first team.
However, some fans and footballers see the games as slightly pointless, as indicated by the low attendances of the games during the 1980s and 1990s, when as few as 4,000 fans would watch home games. When Chris Sutton
was picked for England B before the 1998 FIFA World Cup
, he refused to play for the team, claiming that it was a waste of time and that he should have been picked for the first team. This boycott, however, ended Sutton's chances of ever playing for the full national team again. Furthermore, Matt Le Tissier, who scored a hat-trick
for the England B team against Russia B in that match, controversially failed to make the 1998 FIFA World Cup
squad. On the other hand, Darren Anderton
successfully returned to the first team squad via the B team after recovering from injury
in 1998, whilst other players such as Paul Gascoigne have been brought to the full team via the Bs.
In 2006, the England B team game was seen as being useful for giving a glimpse of potential future England players. In particular, it proved useful for Aaron Lennon
and Peter Crouch
to stake their claims for places in the 2006 FIFA World Cup
squad. Furthermore, it provided match practice for Michael Owen
and Sol Campbell
, who were both returning from injury. Overall, 12 players from the 2006 B team squad eventually made it to the final World Cup squad. That said, an injury picked up in the game prevented goalkeeper Robert Green
from playing at the World Cup and of the twelve players in both squads, five were established players with over 25 caps.
, Burnley
, 25 May 2007
Overall match record:
on 25 May 2007. The squad, with the players' clubs as on the date of the game, consisted of:
Goalkeepers
Defenders
Midfielders
Strikers
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
. At times they have played other nations' full teams; they have also played matches against 'B' teams from other football associations. Since the team's first use in 1947, there have been 54 official and 3 unofficial B team matches (as of May 2007).
History
Walter Winterbottom first proposed B team matches as a way of bringing players through into the national side (the Under 21 teamEngland national under-21 football team
England's national Under-21 football team, also known as England Under-21s or England U21, is considered to be the feeder team for the England national football team....
, the current stepping stone to the national team, did not exist until 1976.). He organised the first recorded game held under the name of 'England B', which was played in Geneva
Geneva
Geneva In the national languages of Switzerland the city is known as Genf , Ginevra and Genevra is the second-most-populous city in Switzerland and is the most populous city of Romandie, the French-speaking part of Switzerland...
on 21 February 1947 against Switzerland B team. The match finished 0-0. The games proved useful as an introduction to the national team and the first official England B team game came in 1949 in a 4-0 victory over Finland
Finland national football team
The Finland national football team represents Finland in international football competitions and is controlled by the Football Association of Finland....
The frequency of the games depends almost entirely upon the head coach
Head coach
A head coach, senior coach or manager is a professional at training and developing athletes. They typically hold a more public profile and are paid more than other coaches...
of the England squad. For example, there were no B team internationals under Sir Alf Ramsey or Don Revie
Don Revie
Donald George 'Don' Revie, OBE, , was an English footballer who played for Leicester City, Hull City, Sunderland, Manchester City and Leeds United as a deep-lying centre forward. After managing Leeds United he managed England from 1974 until 1977...
; indeed there were none between 1957 and 1978. Ron Greenwood reintroduced them and Bobby Robson
Bobby Robson
Sir Robert William "Bobby" Robson, CBE was an English footballer and manager, who coached seven European clubs and the England national team during his career....
used them regularly - there were nine B team internationals in 1989 and 1990. This period saw the likes of Paul Gascoigne
Paul Gascoigne
Paul John Gascoigne , commonly referred to as Gazza, is a retired English professional footballer.Playing in the position of midfield, Gascoigne's career included spells at Newcastle United, Tottenham Hotspur, Lazio, Rangers, Middlesbrough, Everton and Gansu Tianma, where he scored at least a goal...
enter the England team via the B squad.
Sven-Göran Eriksson
Sven-Göran Eriksson
Sven-Göran Eriksson , in Sweden commonly referred to just by his nickname Svennis, is a Swedish ex-football manager. From October 2010 to October 2011 he managed Football League Championship side Leicester City....
arranged just one B team match during his time in charge, held on 25 May 2006 against Belarus
Belarus national football team
The Belarus national football team represents Belarus in association football and is controlled by the Football Federation of Belarus, the governing body for football in Belarus. Belarus' home ground is Dinamo Stadium in Minsk...
as a World Cup warm-up game. England lost 2-1, with a goal from Jermaine Jenas
Jermaine Jenas
Jermaine Anthony Jenas is an English footballer who plays for Aston Villa in the Premier League on loan from Tottenham Hotspur. He is of mixed African-Caribbean and English descent.-Nottingham Forest:...
. Theo Walcott
Theo Walcott
Theo James Walcott is an English footballer of Jamaican descent who plays for Arsenal and the England national team. Walcott is a product of the Southampton F.C. Academy. He is a striker who is usually deployed on the right wing as a wide forward to exploit his speed...
debuted for England B as the youngest player for them, but as it was a B international, this does not count towards official records, and had to wait until the 3-1 friendly victory against Hungary
Hungary national football team
The Hungary national football team represents Hungary in international football and is controlled by the Hungarian Football Federation....
to break the official record, aged 17 years and 75 days.
Steve McClaren
Steve McClaren
Stephen "Steve" McClaren is an English football manager and former player.McClaren was previously manager of VfL Wolfsburg in Germany between May 2010 and February 2011, having left his post at Dutch side FC Twente, with whom he won the club's first Eredivisie championship in the 2009–10 season...
's only match with the B team was against the Albania full side
Albania national football team
The Albania national association football team is the national association football team of Albania and is controlled by the Football Association of Albania...
on 25 May 2007 at Burnley's Turf Moor
Turf Moor
Turf Moor is a football stadium in Burnley, Lancashire. It is the home ground of Burnley Football Club, which has played there since moving from its Calder Vale ground in 1883. The stadium, which is situated on Harry Potts Way, named so after the club's longest serving Manager, has a capacity of...
ground, which they won 3-1, as preparation for England's
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
Euro 2008 qualifier against Estonia
Estonia national football team
The Estonia national football team represents Estonia in international association football. Team members are selected by the head coach of Estonian Football Association . Estonia play their home matches at the A. Le Coq Arena in Tallinn, Estonia....
on 6 June 2007. The squad included a recovering Michael Owen
Michael Owen
Michael James Owen is an English professional footballer who plays as a striker for Manchester United.The son of former footballer Terry Owen, Owen began his senior career at Liverpool in 1996. He progressed through the Liverpool youth team and scored on his debut in May 1997...
, who captained the side, as well as seven uncapped players, five of whom have since gone on to receive full international caps. Current England head coach, Fabio Capello
Fabio Capello
Fabio Capello is an Italian football manager and former player. He is the manager of the England national football team.Capello has the distinction of winning the domestic league title with every club he has coached throughout his career...
, has yet to arrange a B team match.
Attendance
Attendances and opponents have varied widely, with some games against first teams (the last of which was in 2007 against AlbaniaAlbania national football team
The Albania national association football team is the national association football team of Albania and is controlled by the Football Association of Albania...
), Olympics
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
teams and other B team squads. The most recent game against Albania had an attendance of 22,500 at Turf Moor
Turf Moor
Turf Moor is a football stadium in Burnley, Lancashire. It is the home ground of Burnley Football Club, which has played there since moving from its Calder Vale ground in 1883. The stadium, which is situated on Harry Potts Way, named so after the club's longest serving Manager, has a capacity of...
. Prior to the two high attendances for the games in 2006 and 2007, the previous time that the B team had played in front of more than 20,000 people was in 1978 in a match in Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
, against their national team
Singapore national football team
The Singapore national football team is the national association football team of Singapore. The team comes under the organization of the Football Association of Singapore...
, when 40,000 people attended.
The highest attendances for England B games were in a series of matches against the Netherlands
Netherlands national football team
The Netherlands National Football Team represents the Netherlands in association football and is controlled by the Royal Dutch Football Association , the governing body for football in the Netherlands...
and Netherlands B in the 1950s, when the Olympisch Stadion
Olympisch Stadion (Amsterdam)
The Olympisch Stadion is a stadium built as the main stadium for the 1928 Summer Olympics in Amsterdam. When completed, the stadium had a capacity of 31,600. Following the completion of the rival De Kuip stadium in Rotterdam in 1937, the Amsterdam authorities decided to increase the capacity of the...
in Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
saw three matches with an attendance of 60,000. The highest attendance at home for the B team was 43,068 at St James' Park
St James' Park
St James' Park, known for sponsorship reasons as the Sports Direct Arena, is an all-seater stadium in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. It is the home of Newcastle United Football Club and is the sixth largest football stadium in the United Kingdom with a capacity of between 52,387 and 52,409.St James'...
, Newcastle, again against the Netherlands on 22 February 1950.
Popularity and use
The games are generally seen as being a way of bringing younger or more inexperienced players into the national team set up, without giving them a full cap. They may often be held before World CupsFIFA World Cup
The FIFA World Cup, often simply the World Cup, is an international association football competition contested by the senior men's national teams of the members of Fédération Internationale de Football Association , the sport's global governing body...
or other tournaments to give second choice players, injured players or possible choices an opportunity to have a full game to either keep their fitness or play their way into the first team.
However, some fans and footballers see the games as slightly pointless, as indicated by the low attendances of the games during the 1980s and 1990s, when as few as 4,000 fans would watch home games. When Chris Sutton
Chris Sutton
Christopher Roy "Chris" Sutton is an English football manager and former player.In his career, Sutton played for Norwich City, Blackburn Rovers, Chelsea, Celtic, Birmingham City and Aston Villa. Sutton scored over 150 career goals in over 400 league appearances spanning 16 years in the English...
was picked for England B before the 1998 FIFA World Cup
1998 FIFA World Cup
The 1998 FIFA World Cup, the 16th FIFA World Cup, was held in France from 10 June to 12 July 1998. France was chosen as host nation by FIFA on 2 July 1992. The tournament was won by France, who beat Brazil 3-0 in the final...
, he refused to play for the team, claiming that it was a waste of time and that he should have been picked for the first team. This boycott, however, ended Sutton's chances of ever playing for the full national team again. Furthermore, Matt Le Tissier, who scored a hat-trick
Hat-trick
A hat-trick or hat trick in sport is the achievement of a positive feat three times during a game, or other achievements based on threes. The term was first used in 1858 in cricket to describe HH Stephenson's feat of taking three wickets in three balls. A collection was held for Stephenson, and he...
for the England B team against Russia B in that match, controversially failed to make the 1998 FIFA World Cup
1998 FIFA World Cup
The 1998 FIFA World Cup, the 16th FIFA World Cup, was held in France from 10 June to 12 July 1998. France was chosen as host nation by FIFA on 2 July 1992. The tournament was won by France, who beat Brazil 3-0 in the final...
squad. On the other hand, Darren Anderton
Darren Anderton
Darren Robert Anderton is a retired English footballer who spent most of his career with Tottenham Hotspur as a midfielder. He played 30 times for the England national football team, scoring 7 goals.-Career:...
successfully returned to the first team squad via the B team after recovering from injury
Injury
-By cause:*Traumatic injury, a body wound or shock produced by sudden physical injury, as from violence or accident*Other injuries from external physical causes, such as radiation injury, burn injury or frostbite*Injury from infection...
in 1998, whilst other players such as Paul Gascoigne have been brought to the full team via the Bs.
In 2006, the England B team game was seen as being useful for giving a glimpse of potential future England players. In particular, it proved useful for Aaron Lennon
Aaron Lennon
Aaron Justin Lennon is an English footballer who plays as a right winger for Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League and the England national team.-Early life:...
and Peter Crouch
Peter Crouch
Peter James Crouch is an English footballer who plays as a striker for Premier League club Stoke City and the England national team.Crouch started his career as a trainee with Tottenham Hotspur...
to stake their claims for places in the 2006 FIFA World Cup
2006 FIFA World Cup
The 2006 FIFA World Cup was the 18th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football world championship tournament. It was held from 9 June to 9 July 2006 in Germany, which won the right to host the event in July 2000. Teams representing 198 national football associations from all six...
squad. Furthermore, it provided match practice for Michael Owen
Michael Owen
Michael James Owen is an English professional footballer who plays as a striker for Manchester United.The son of former footballer Terry Owen, Owen began his senior career at Liverpool in 1996. He progressed through the Liverpool youth team and scored on his debut in May 1997...
and Sol Campbell
Sol Campbell
Sulzeer Jeremiah "Sol" Campbell is an English footballer who is currently a free agent. A central defender, Campbell has played for Tottenham Hotspur, Arsenal, Portsmouth, Notts County and Newcastle United, as well as the English national team.Born in East London to Jamaican parents, Campbell's...
, who were both returning from injury. Overall, 12 players from the 2006 B team squad eventually made it to the final World Cup squad. That said, an injury picked up in the game prevented goalkeeper Robert Green
Robert Green
Robert Paul Green is an English footballer who plays for West Ham United and the England national football team as a goalkeeper.-Norwich City:...
from playing at the World Cup and of the twelve players in both squads, five were established players with over 25 caps.
Recent results
The England B team has not played since 2007: England B 3 - 1 at Turf MoorTurf Moor
Turf Moor is a football stadium in Burnley, Lancashire. It is the home ground of Burnley Football Club, which has played there since moving from its Calder Vale ground in 1883. The stadium, which is situated on Harry Potts Way, named so after the club's longest serving Manager, has a capacity of...
, Burnley
Burnley
Burnley is a market town in the Burnley borough of Lancashire, England, with a population of around 73,500. It lies north of Manchester and east of Preston, at the confluence of the River Calder and River Brun....
, 25 May 2007
Historical Statistics
- Highest attendance - 60 000 v NetherlandsNetherlands national football teamThe Netherlands National Football Team represents the Netherlands in association football and is controlled by the Royal Dutch Football Association , the governing body for football in the Netherlands...
and Netherlands B (3 times) at Olympisch StadionOlympisch Stadion (Amsterdam)The Olympisch Stadion is a stadium built as the main stadium for the 1928 Summer Olympics in Amsterdam. When completed, the stadium had a capacity of 31,600. Following the completion of the rival De Kuip stadium in Rotterdam in 1937, the Amsterdam authorities decided to increase the capacity of the...
, AmsterdamAmsterdamAmsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population... - Highest home attendance - 43 608 v Netherlands at St James' ParkSt James' ParkSt James' Park, known for sponsorship reasons as the Sports Direct Arena, is an all-seater stadium in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. It is the home of Newcastle United Football Club and is the sixth largest football stadium in the United Kingdom with a capacity of between 52,387 and 52,409.St James'...
, Newcastle, 22 February 1950 - Biggest victory - 8-0 v SingaporeSingapore national football teamThe Singapore national football team is the national association football team of Singapore. The team comes under the organization of the Football Association of Singapore...
, 18 June 1978 at National StadiumNational Stadium, SingaporeThe Singapore National Stadium was located in Kallang. Opened in July 1973, the National Stadium was officially closed on 30 June 2007 and has demolished to make way for the Singapore Sports Hub and New Singapore National Stadium which is expected to open in 2014.The stadium has played host to...
, Singapore - Heaviest defeat - 1-7 v France espoirs, 22 May 1952, Le HavreLe HavreLe Havre is a city in the Seine-Maritime department of the Haute-Normandie region in France. It is situated in north-western France, on the right bank of the mouth of the river Seine on the English Channel. Le Havre is the most populous commune in the Haute-Normandie region, although the total...
Overall match record:
- Played 57, Won 37, Drawn 10, Lost 9, Abandoned 1
- Versus national teams: P19 W15 D2 L2
- Versus national B teams: P26 W22 D8 L7 A1
- Versus others: P2 W1 D0 L1
Most recent squad
The most recent England B team squad was selected for a game against AlbaniaAlbania national football team
The Albania national association football team is the national association football team of Albania and is controlled by the Football Association of Albania...
on 25 May 2007. The squad, with the players' clubs as on the date of the game, consisted of:
Goalkeepers
| Name | DOB | Club On Date Of Match |
England B Caps (goals) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scott Carson Scott Carson Scott Paul Carson is an English footballer who plays for Bursaspor as a goalkeeper.He joined the Leeds United football academy in 2002, making his full first team debut for Leeds against Manchester United in February 2004... |
3 September 1985 |  LiverpoolLiverpool F.C. Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups... |
2 (0) |
| Robert Green Robert Green Robert Paul Green is an English footballer who plays for West Ham United and the England national football team as a goalkeeper.-Norwich City:... |
18 January 1980 | West Ham United West Ham United F.C. West Ham United Football Club is an English professional football club based in Upton Park, Newham, East London. They play in The Football League Championship. The club was founded in 1895 as Thames Ironworks FC and reformed in 1900 as West Ham United. In 1904 the club relocated to their current... |
1 (0) |
| Paul Robinson Paul Robinson (goalkeeper) Paul William Robinson is an English footballer who plays for Blackburn Rovers as a goalkeeper in the Premier League. He had also been an England international and he earned 41 caps between 2003 and 2007 before his retirement from international football in August 2010.He joined Leeds United at 16... |
15 October 1979 | Tottenham Hotspur Tottenham Hotspur F.C. Tottenham Hotspur Football Club , commonly referred to as Spurs, is an English Premier League football club based in Tottenham, north London. The club's home stadium is White Hart Lane.... |
0 (0) |
Defenders
| Name | DOB | Club |
Caps (goals) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Michael Dawson | 18 November 1983 | Tottenham Hotspur Tottenham Hotspur F.C. Tottenham Hotspur Football Club , commonly referred to as Spurs, is an English Premier League football club based in Tottenham, north London. The club's home stadium is White Hart Lane.... |
2 (0) |
| Phil Neville Philip Neville Philip John "Phil" Neville is an English footballer who captains Premier League club Everton. Neville also played for England from 1996 until 2007... |
21 January 1977 | Everton Everton F.C. Everton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football... |
1 (0) |
| Ledley King Ledley King Ledley Brenton King is an English footballer who plays for Tottenham Hotspur. He is the longest serving player at the club and captained Spurs since 2005. He is currently contracted to Tottenham until 2012... |
12 October 1980 | Tottenham Hostpur Tottenham Hotspur F.C. Tottenham Hotspur Football Club , commonly referred to as Spurs, is an English Premier League football club based in Tottenham, north London. The club's home stadium is White Hart Lane.... |
1 (0) |
| Nicky Shorey Nicky Shorey Nicholas "Nicky" Robert Shorey is an English footballer who currently plays for West Bromwich Albion in the Premier League as a left-back.-Leyton Orient:... |
19 February 1981 | Reading Reading F.C. Reading Football Club is an English association football club based in the town of Reading, Berkshire who currently play in the Championship... |
1 (0) |
| Phil Jagielka Phil Jagielka Philip Nikodem "Phil" Jagielka is an English international footballer who plays for Everton in the Premier League. He played regularly in central midfield for his previous club Sheffield United, but generally plays in central defence for Everton... |
17 August 1982 | Sheffield United Sheffield United F.C. Sheffield United Football Club is a professional English football club based in the city of Sheffield, South Yorkshire.They were the first sporting team to use the name 'United' and are nicknamed 'The Blades', thanks to Sheffield's worldwide reputation for steel production... |
1 (0) |
| Steven Taylor Steven Taylor (footballer) Steven Vincent Taylor is an English footballer, currently playing for Premier League club Newcastle United. He is a versatile central defender who can play at right back or, on rare occasions, at left back... |
23 January 1986 | Newcastle United Newcastle United F.C. Newcastle United Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear. The club was founded in 1892 by the merger of Newcastle East End and Newcastle West End, and has played at its current home ground, St James' Park, since the merger... |
1 (0) |
| Joleon Lescott Joleon Lescott Joleon Patrick Lescott is an English footballer who currently plays for Manchester City. He plays as a centre-back, though he has played in various other positions across the defensive line, in particular left-back.... |
16 August 1982 | Everton Everton F.C. Everton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football... |
1 (0) |
Midfielders
| Name | DOB | Club On Date Of Match |
Caps (goals) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stewart Downing Stewart Downing Stewart Downing is an English footballer who plays for Liverpool and the England national team. Primarily a winger, Downing has previously played for Aston Villa, Middlesbrough and Sunderland.-Middlesbrough:... |
22 July 1984 | Middlesbrough Middlesbrough F.C. Middlesbrough Football Club , also known as Boro, are an English football club based in Middlesbrough, who play in the Football League Championship. Formed in 1876, they have played at the Riverside Stadium since August 1995, their third ground since turning professional in 1889... |
2 (2) |
| Jermaine Jenas Jermaine Jenas Jermaine Anthony Jenas is an English footballer who plays for Aston Villa in the Premier League on loan from Tottenham Hotspur. He is of mixed African-Caribbean and English descent.-Nottingham Forest:... |
18 February 1983 | Tottenham Hotspur Tottenham Hotspur F.C. Tottenham Hotspur Football Club , commonly referred to as Spurs, is an English Premier League football club based in Tottenham, north London. The club's home stadium is White Hart Lane.... |
2 (1) |
| Aaron Lennon Aaron Lennon Aaron Justin Lennon is an English footballer who plays as a right winger for Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League and the England national team.-Early life:... |
16 April 1987 | Tottenham Hotspur Tottenham Hotspur F.C. Tottenham Hotspur Football Club , commonly referred to as Spurs, is an English Premier League football club based in Tottenham, north London. The club's home stadium is White Hart Lane.... |
2 (0) |
| Owen Hargreaves Owen Hargreaves Owen Lee Hargreaves is a professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for English Premier League club Manchester City and the English national football team.... |
20 January 1981 |  Bayern MunichFC Bayern Munich FC Bayern Munich , is a German sports club based in Munich, Bavaria. It is best known for its professional football team, which is the most successful football club in Germany, having won 22 national titles and 15 cups.... |
1 (0) |
| Gareth Barry Gareth Barry Gareth Barry is an English footballer who plays for Manchester City and the England national football team.Barry moved to Aston Villa from Brighton & Hove Albion as a youngster, and spent 12 years at the club. He captained Aston Villa, and, at the end of his career with the club, lay eighth in... |
23 February 1981 | Aston Villa Aston Villa F.C. Aston Villa Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Witton, Birmingham. The club was founded in 1874 and have played at their current home ground, Villa Park, since 1897. Aston Villa were founder members of The Football League in 1888. They were also founder... |
1 (0) |
| David Bentley David Bentley David Michael Bentley is an English footballer who plays for West Ham United as a winger, on loan from Tottenham Hotspur.... |
27 August 1984 | Blackburn Rovers Blackburn Rovers F.C. Blackburn Rovers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the town of Blackburn, Lancashire. The team currently competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football.... |
1 (0) |
| Scott Parker Scott Parker (footballer) Scott Matthew Parker is an English footballer who plays for Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur and the England national team. He is the FWA Footballer of the Year for the 2010–11 season. He has represented England at every level from under-16 to senior. Uniquely, he won his first four England... |
1 October 1980 | Newcastle United Newcastle United F.C. Newcastle United Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear. The club was founded in 1892 by the merger of Newcastle East End and Newcastle West End, and has played at its current home ground, St James' Park, since the merger... |
0 (0) |
| Kieron Dyer Kieron Dyer Kieron Courtney Dyer is an English footballer who plays for Queens Park Rangers. Born in Ipswich, he is an attacking midfielder who played youth football for his home club before going on to make nearly 100 league appearances for the club's first team... |
29 December 1978 | Newcastle United Newcastle United F.C. Newcastle United Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear. The club was founded in 1892 by the merger of Newcastle East End and Newcastle West End, and has played at its current home ground, St James' Park, since the merger... |
3 (0) |
| Matt Taylor Matthew Taylor (footballer) Matthew Simon "Matty" Taylor is an English footballer who plays for West Ham United. He is noted for his powerful long-range strikes.-Early career:... |
27 November 1981 | Portsmouth Portsmouth F.C. Portsmouth Football Club is an English football club based in the city of Portsmouth. The club is nicknamed Pompey. Portsmouth's home matches have been played at Fratton Park since the club's formation in 1898. The team currently play in the Football League Championship after being relegated from... |
1 (0) |
| Alan Smith | 28 October 1980 | Manchester United Manchester United F.C. Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958... |
1 (1) |
Strikers
| Name | DOB | Club On Date Of Match |
Caps (goals) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Michael Owen Michael Owen Michael James Owen is an English professional footballer who plays as a striker for Manchester United.The son of former footballer Terry Owen, Owen began his senior career at Liverpool in 1996. He progressed through the Liverpool youth team and scored on his debut in May 1997... |
14 December 1979 | Newcastle United Newcastle United F.C. Newcastle United Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear. The club was founded in 1892 by the merger of Newcastle East End and Newcastle West End, and has played at its current home ground, St James' Park, since the merger... |
2 (0) |
| Jermain Defoe Jermain Defoe Jermain Colin Defoe is an English footballer who plays as a striker for English Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur, and the England national football team.... |
7 October 1982 | Tottenham Hotspur Tottenham Hotspur F.C. Tottenham Hotspur Football Club , commonly referred to as Spurs, is an English Premier League football club based in Tottenham, north London. The club's home stadium is White Hart Lane.... |
1 (0) |
| David Nugent David Nugent David James Nugent is an English footballer striker, who currently plays for Leicester City . Before joining Leicester, Nugent made a total of 228 appearances in the Football League playing for Bury, Preston North End and Portsmouth... |
2 May 1985 | Preston North End Preston North End F.C. Preston North End Football Club is an English professional football club located in the Deepdale area of the city of Preston, Lancashire, currently playing in the third tier of English league football, League One... |
0 (0) |
Player records
Player records for the England B team come largely from groups of players who were involved with the side during short periods in which a number of games were played, notably between 1978 and 1981, and again between 1989 and 1994. These two periods count for 29, or just over half, of all England B games.Most appearances
| Rank | Name | Caps | Goals | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Joe Corrigan Joe Corrigan Joseph Thomas Corrigan , is a former football goalkeeper who played for Manchester City and England.-Career:... |
10 | 0 | 1978–1981 |
| 2 | Gary Pallister Gary Pallister Gary Andrew Pallister is an English former footballer, most noted for his nine-year spell at Manchester United from 1989 until 1998... |
9 | 0 | 1989–1992 |
| = | Gary Mabbutt Gary Mabbutt Gary Mabbutt MBE is an English former professional footballer who made more than 600 appearances in the Football League and Premier League playing for Bristol Rovers and Tottenham Hotspur, and won 16 caps for the England national team. He was most regularly seen in central defence but was a... |
9 | 1 | 1984–1992 |
| 4 | Brian Talbot Brian Talbot Brian Ernest Talbot is an English football manager and former player. His son is Daniel Talbot.-Playing career:... |
8 | 3 | 1978–1980 |
| 5 | Gary Owen Gary Owen Gary Owen may refer to:* Gary Owen , Welsh snooker player* Gary Owen , English footballer* Gary Owen , Welsh playwright* Gary Owens , American disc jockey and voice actor... |
7 | 0 | 1978 |
| = | Viv Anderson Viv Anderson Vivian Alexander "Viv" Anderson MBE is an English football player and coach, who played for clubs including Nottingham Forest, Arsenal, Manchester United and Sheffield Wednesday in the 1970s and 1980s... |
7 | 2 | 1978–1980 |
| = | Alan Kennedy Alan Kennedy Alan Phillip Kennedy is a former footballer who played for Liverpool during their halcyon days in the late 1970s and early 1980s and had a knack of scoring in major cup finals.... |
7 | 2 | 1978–1980 |
| = | Paul Mariner Paul Mariner Paul Mariner is an English football coach, manager, and retired player, who is currently with Toronto FC.A striker during his playing days, Mariner began his career with Chorley. He became a professional player in 1973 with Plymouth Argyle, where he scored 61 goals in 155 appearances and is... |
7 | 2 | 1978–1980 |
| = | Alan Sunderland Alan Sunderland Alan Sunderland is an English former footballer who played in the Football League for Wolverhampton Wanderers, Arsenal and Ipswich Town. He was capped once for England.-Career:... |
7 | 1 | 1978–1981 |
| = | Dave Beasant Dave Beasant David John "Dave" Beasant, is a retired English football goalkeeper who began his career in the late 1970s. A well-travelled player, Beasant's former clubs include Wimbledon, Newcastle United, Chelsea, Southampton, Nottingham Forest, Portsmouth, Tottenham Hotspur, Brighton & Hove Albion and Wigan... |
7 | 0 | 1989–1991 |
| = | Tony Dorigo Tony Dorigo Anthony Robert Dorigo is a retired English football player who played for Aston Villa, Chelsea, Leeds United and the England national side as a left-back.-Career:... |
7 | 0 | 1989–1992 |
Top scorers
| Rank | Name | Caps | Goals | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bedford Jezzard Bedford Jezzard Bedford Alfred George Jezzard, , was a football player. Jezzard's teenage years coincided with the Second World War, and he began football as an amateur with Croxley Boys and later Watford, for whom he made three FA Cup appearances... |
3 | 6 | 1954–1955 |
| 2 | Tommy Taylor Tommy Taylor Thomas "Tommy" Taylor was an English footballer, who was known for his aerial ability. He was one of the eight Manchester United players who lost their lives in the Munich air disaster.... |
2 | 4 | 1956 |
| = | Gordon Hill | 6 | 4 | 1978 |
| = | Alan Smith | 4 | 4 | 1990–1992 |
| 5 | Jack Rowley Jack Rowley John Frederick "Jack" Rowley was an English football striker from the 1930s to the 1950s, mainly remembered for playing for Manchester United. He was nicknamed "The Gunner" because of his prolific and explosive goalscoring, achieving scoring statistics with United of 208 goals in 422 appearances... |
1 | 3 | 1949 |
| = | Brian Talbot Brian Talbot Brian Ernest Talbot is an English football manager and former player. His son is Daniel Talbot.-Playing career:... |
6 | 3 | 1978–1980 |
| = | Paul Merson Paul Merson Paul Charles Merson is a retired English football player, and former player-manager of Walsall. His playing career has included spells at Arsenal, Middlesbrough, Aston Villa, Portsmouth and finishing his playing career at Tamworth. He also played for England 21 times... |
4 | 3 | 1991–1998 |
| = | Matthew le Tissier Matthew Le Tissier Matthew "Matt" Le Tissier is a retired English footballer who played for Southampton and England.An attacking midfielder with exceptional technical skills, Le Tissier is the second-highest ever scorer for Southampton behind Mick Channon and was voted PFA Young Player of the Year in 1990. He was... |
6 | 3 | 1990–1998 |