Matches to mark Government Reorganisation

[HibeeJibee]

*Keep politics out of it please*


With the UK leaving the EU in a few weeks I'm reminded of the supranational game which took place at Wembley on Wednesday 3rd January 1973, to mark the admission of Denmark, Eire and the United Kingdom into the EEC.

It was billed "Common Market Match" - "The Three" v "The Six"... in other words a Denmark/Eire/UK select against a Belgium/France/Italy/Luxembourg/Netherlands/West Germany select. In front of a crowd of 36,500 it finished The Three 2-0 The Six with the second goal coming from Colin Stein of Coventry City & Scotland. Peter Lorimer of Leeds Utd & Scotland also featured. (Going by the programme cover the English Channel was also drained and the outer islands drastically reshaped):




Fast-forward to Saturday 10th May 1975 and the abolition of the old Edinburgh Corporation on formation of Lothian Regional Council was marked by Hearts 2-2 Newcastle United in a challenge match at Tynecastle (crowd 8,500):




Many other examples down the years?

[highlandcowden]

did many turn out to watch these titanic contests?

without wall to wall tv footy in those simpler times I assume many probably did

[The Master]

In the event of no-deal we could have a home nations tournament and call it The Hunger Games. 

[HibeeJibee]

2 hours ago, highlandcowden said:

did many turn out to watch these titanic contests?

without wall to wall tv footy in those simpler times I assume many probably did

As I mentioned there was a crowd of 36,500 for "The Three" v "The Six" although it was poor weather. There were a host of international stars on display including Jennings, Moore, Charlton, Zoff, Beckenbauer, Vogts, Neeskens, Netzer, Bereta, Muller, and - eh - Gary Sprake . Billy Bremner withdrew.

Before kickoff the National Anthem preceded the EEC Hymn.

Comparatively modest crowd of 8,500 turned-out for Hearts v Newcastle; there were 70,000 at the Glasgow Cup Final. Shortly afterwards Hearts embarked upon a tour of... Inverness-shire.