Today's I'm going back 26 years to 1996 and England's pre-Euro96 Friendly International against Hungary at the old Wembley Stadium. The game was watched by a disgracefully low attendance of just 34,184. I do hope that the majority of the stayaways were unable to get tickets for England's games in the latter stages of that Summer's tournament and paid a price for their lack of loyalty.
The programme cover is another one of those that I feel is a poor effort. Somehow the programme editor managed to use a photograph taken through someone's bathroom window! The game was apparently not a Friendly International but was, instead, a Green Flag International. Green Flag, a vehicle breakdown recovery and repair business, apparently sponsored England to the tune of £4 Million between 1994 and 1998 and the firm, part of the Direct Line insurance group, continues to exist to this day.
The featured game was England's 720th International ever as Manager Terry Venables prepared for competitive football that Summer following two years without caused by England having been selected to host the 1996 European Championships. One further friendly remained before the Wembley opener against Switzerland and that was the little matter of a trip to the Workers Stadium, Beijing to play China, a game that England won 3-0. That particular trip is probably better remembered for the drinking exploits of the England players when visiting the infamous "Dentists Chair" in Hong Kong. The adventure was sensationalised by the tabloid press at the time who did their very best to undermine the England squad before hypocritically getting behind "Our Boys" as they made headway in the tournament.
Possibly thanks to that lack of competitive action, England's FIFA World Ranking had slipped to 23rd whilst their opponents were ranked 74th. The score line in the featured match rather supported these rankings as England ran out comfortable winners. England's first goal was made in Tottenham as Teddy Sheringham crossed for Darren Anderton to slide in at the far post and convert before halftime. England's second came from a quickly taken free kick which put captain David Platt clean through. Platt was rather fortuitous that his initial shot was parried by the keeper but ricocheted back off him straight into the net as he slid in. Remarkably it was Platt's 27th and final goal for England scored from a total of 62 International appearances. The third and final goal of the night was another scored by Darren Anderton, part of his only brace scored for his country.
Early in the game England defender Mark Wright had had to go off with an injury and his 12 minute appearance proved to be his last for England. Wright earned a total of 45 caps, scoring just once but that goal was crucial as it came against Egypt in the 1990 World Cup and took England through to the knockout stages of a tournament that they would come close to winning. The game also marked the debut of Jason Wilcox of Blackburn Rovers who started the game, his first of three caps in total. The Spurs pairing of Sol Campbell and Ian Walker came on as substitutes in the 65th minute, each earning their first cap. Walker would go on to earn four caps whereas Campbell established himself at the heart of England's defence and would go on to earn 73 caps, scoring one goal.
CRB Match No. 1036
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