When the 2 countries met at The Oval the following March the Scotland XI included Kinnaird, Renny-Tailyour and Blackburn (also of the Royal Engineers).
Scotland played another 56 internationals before they next selected a player from an English club.
The reasons for this are twofold.
Firstly the quality of Scottish football. With home based players the Scots dominated the international matches that were played up until 1885 (w 9 d 3 l 2). Secondly the fact that In 1885 professionalism was legalised in English football. The Scottish stance on professionalism was strict to the degree that players who had played with or against professionals were liable to be banned. Renton were expelled from the League for having played a friendly against a professional team, and the Scotland England international fixture itself was in jeopardy as the Scottish FA could not stomach the notion of playing against an England XI that contained professionals. During the late 1870s of course Scottish players had began to drift south, and, with the arrival of open professionalism , large numbers of Scottish players joined English clubs.
In the early days of covert professionalism the Scottish FA had simply overlooked the players who had moved to England- the likes of Nick Ross, Fergus Suter et al were good players, but they did not represent a serious depletion of Scottish resources. With the advent of professionalism it was assumed that any Scotsman moving to England and playing football must be a professional, and even if they weren't then they certainly played with and against professionals. The Scottish FA therefore extended a blanket ban to all players engaged with English clubs.
The results from the era when England permitted professionalism and Scotland remained amateur reveal a shift in power. From 1886- 1893 Scotland beat England twice, with 2 draws and 4 defeats.
In 1893 the Scottish FA finally allowed professionalism to be practiced openly. Professionals engaged with English clubs were now selected to represent Scotland. So, after 23 years, Scotland looked south again.
The team that beat England 2-1 at Celtic Park on April 4th 1896 included Ned Doig (Sunderland), Thomas Brandon (Blackburn Rovers), James Cowan (Aston Villa ), Tommy Hyslop (Stoke) and Jack Bell (Everton).
James Cowan (Aston Villa , 3 caps 1896-98)
Hughie Gallacher (Newcastle United, Chelsea, Derby County, 20 caps, 1925-35)
Alex Jackson (Huddersfield Town, 17 caps, 1925-30)
James McMullan ( Manchester City, 16 caps, 1920-29)
Season
|
Players selected
|
English based
|
%
|
|
1896-97
|
29
|
3
|
10.34
|
English based players v England only
|
1897-98
|
28
|
4
|
14.28
|
|
1898-99
|
17
|
3
|
17.64
|
|
1899-1900
|
22
|
1
|
4.54
|
|
1900-01
|
19
|
2
|
10.52
|
|
1901-02*
|
23
|
7
|
30.43
|
|
1902-03**
|
24
|
6
|
25
|
|
1903-04
|
26
|
8
|
30.76
|
English based players v England only
|
1904-05
|
25
|
9
|
36
|
|
1905-06
|
25
|
8
|
32
|
|
1906-07
|
24
|
10
|
41.66
|
|
1907-08
|
24
|
7
|
29.16
|
|
1908-09
|
25
|
8
|
32
|
|
1909-10
|
21
|
4
|
19
|
|
1910-11
|
18
|
9
|
50
|
|
1911-12
|
19
|
9
|
47.36
|
|
1912-13
|
21
|
7
|
33.33
|
|
1913-14
|
18
|
5
|
27.77
|
|
1919-20
|
20
|
6
|
30
|
|
1920-21
|
19
|
7*
|
36.84
|
*Including Cardiff City
|
1921-22
|
24
|
9*
|
37.5
|
|
1922-23
|
18
|
5*
|
27.77
|
|
1923-24
|
25
|
7*
|
28
|
*Including Cardiff City &
Llanelly
|
1924-25
|
14
|
1*
|
7.14
|
*Cardiff City
|
1925-26
|
21
|
7*
|
33.33
|
* Hugh Gallacher capped from both
Airdrieonians and Newcastle Utd
|
1926-27
|
21
|
4
|
19
|
|
1927-28
|
22
|
10*
|
45.45
|
*Including Cardiff City
|
1928-29
|
28
|
5
|
17.85
|
|
1929-30
|
26
|
7*
|
26.92
|
*Including Cardiff City
|
1930-31
|
32
|
2
|
6.25
|
No English based players in BHC
|
1931-32
|
26
|
1
|
3.84
|
|
1932-33
|
25
|
4
|
16
|
|
1933-34
|
34
|
12
|
35.29
|
|
1934-35
|
21
|
6
|
28.57
|
|
1935-36
|
16
|
4
|
25
|
|
1936-37
|
23
|
11
|
47.82
|
* Includes the abandoned Ibrox Disaster match.
** Includes the relief fund match v Ireland in
August 02
