5.12.13

England from the spot...

It is worth remembering that the penalty kick was the brainchild of an Irishman.  Supporters of England in the modern era have every reason to dislike the free kick from eleven metres, but it seems that England's fear of the penalty kick is almost as old as the penalty kick itself.
The first thing that struck me when looking at the stats was the relatively low frequency with which penalties seem to have been awarded in internationals. Only 13 kicks awarded in the 167 internationals that England played between the introduction of the penalty in August 1891 and the summer of 1937, when our coverage of football history ends. 5 goals in 13 attempts represents a 38% success rate.

Date

Player
Opponents
Venue
18.02.99
 X
Jimmy Crabtree
(Aston Villa)
Ireland
Roker Park

18.03.01
  
Ernest Needham
(Sheffield United)
Wales
St.James Park

30.03.01
 X 
Ernest Needham
(Sheffield United)
Scotland 
Crystal Palace
Saved
03.03.02
 X 
Ernest Needham
(Sheffield United)
Wales
Racecourse Wrexham

13.06.08
  
George Hilsdon
(Chelsea)
Bohemia
Stadión Letná Prague

13.02.09
  
George Hilsdon
(Chelsea)
Ireland
Park Avenue

21.05.21
 X  
George Jud Harrison
(Everton)
Belgium
Stade du Daring
Brussels
Missed from the spot on debut, played just 2 internationals and never scored for England 

08.12.24
 X 
Billy Walker (Aston Villa)
Belgium
The Hawthorns

28.11.27
X  
Roy Goodall
(Huddersfield Town)
Wales
Turf Moor

19.10.29
 ✔
Ernest Hine
(Leicester City)
Ireland
Windsor Park

20.10.30
 X 
Alf Strange
(Sheffield Wednesday)
Ireland
Bramall Lane

16.05.31
  
Eric Coog  Houghton
(Aston Villa)
Belgium
Stade du Daring
Brussels

14.11.34
X 
Eric Brook
(Manchester City)
Italy
Highbury
Saved - This came in the first minute of the infamous Battle of Highbury match. Brook scored twice in the first ten minutes regardless.

13
 X
8

 ✔
5


Ernest Needham
George 'Gattling Gun' Hilsdon 

Ernest Hine 


Coog Houghton