Tuesday 15th March 1966: QPR (Under 19) v England Youth X1

Teams: Spratley, Inkpen, Finch, Moughton, Clement, Parker, Morgan (I), Davies (A), Leach, Wilks, Morgan (R)

Used Subs: Daniels, Adams, Andrews

England Youth: Wicks, Craggs, Bentley, Sibley, Hazell, Lindsay, Barton, Bernard, Reynolds, Piper, Berkeley?

I attended the match, but unusually for that time, I didn’t add any notes to my programme. I do remember that we won 1-0 and being very proud to see two Rangers players representing their country.

However, Ray Marno has informed me that the R’s made three changes during the match. Daniels came on for Spratley in goal, whilst Lew Adams and Colin Andrews replaced Alan Wilks and Roger Morgan respectively.

Ray also passed on the five changes made to the England side that had been listed in the programme.

The Club notes (by Ranger) in the Exeter City programme the previous Saturday announced that:

‘England Are Here – Next Tuesday we entertain the England Youth team here in a preparation match for the Little World Cup at Whitsun.

Our Under 19’s will play an England X1, which will include Rangers stars Frank Sibley and Tony Hazell.

It’s been some time since supporters have been able to see Rangers players in England shirts, so come along and make this match a success for the R’s.

Probable Rangers team will be……………’

On the night, ‘Ranger’ opened his Club notes as follows:

‘Tonight we express our welcome to the officials and players of the England Youth team. The match is in preparation for the International Youth Tournament in Yugoslavia at Whitsun.

The International Youth Tournament was inaugurated in 1948 and in its first year England were outright winners. Since then England have had two more wins and last year were runners up.

Pat Welton, the ex-Rangers goalkeeper, took over the managership of the team in 1962/63. Under his management the team have reached the final each year and have been outright winners twice.

In recent years the R’s have supplied five players for England Youth, Peter Springett, Mike Leach, Roger Morgan, Tony Hazell and Frank Sibley. Both Frank and Tony will be in England shirts again this evening.

Naturally we want to take this opportunity of congratulating them both, and trust tonight’s match will be a stepping stone for something bigger in the future.

It is a great tribute to the ability of Frank Sibley that England should make him captain for the game at Bristol and again this evening.

Take a line through previous captains of the England Youth team and you will see that such players as Bobby Moore, Ron Harris and Howard Kendall have previously held the honour.’

I have two very short match reports, firstly, Willie Evans wrote this the following day under the title; ‘Sub Torpedoes England – Alec Stock’s teenage stars gave England’s youth team a real testing last night and thoroughly deserved to win a grand game.

Lew Adams, who came on as substitute in the second-half at inside-left, got the winning goal ten minutes from time. It was a game dominated by defences.

Neither set of forwards could find the gaps to create real goal chances.’

The other one is headlined: ‘Morgans dazzle – Pat Welton, England Youth team manager, has to conjure up ideas and cohesion if his current squad is to follow up the string of success in the Little World Cup.

Rangers were far more impressive. Indeed, the sparkle of twins Roger and Ian Morgan on the wings was worth more than the 80th minute goal by substitute Lew Adams.’

At the end of the month the R’s Youth team were up against Arsenal in the 1st leg of the FA Youth Cup semi-final.

Steve Russell

(My thanks to Ray Marno for his assistance)

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