[1] Following public challenges issued in Glasgow and Edinburgh newspapers by The Football Association (FA) secretary Charles Alcock, the first encounter of five matches between teams representing England and Scotland took place in London on 5 March 1870 at The Oval, resulting in a 1–1 draw.

The only player affiliated to a Scottish club was Robert Smith of Queen's Park, Glasgow, who played in the November 1870 match and both of the 1871 games.

First, I assert that of whatever the Scotch eleven may have been composed the right to play was open to every Scotchman [Alcock's italics] whether his lines were cast North or South of the Tweed and that if in the face of the invitations publicly given through the columns of leading journals of Scotland the representative eleven consisted chiefly of Anglo-Scotians ... the fault lies on the heads of the players of the north, not on the management who sought the services of all alike impartially.

[4]Alcock then proceeded to offer another challenge with a Scottish team drawn from Scotland and proposed the north of England as a venue.

He appeared to be particularly concerned about the number of players in Scottish football teams at the time, adding: "More than eleven we do not care to play as it is with greater numbers it is our opinion the game becomes less scientific and more a trial of charging and brute force ... Charles W Alcock, Hon Sec of Football Association and Captain of English Eleven".

But it may not be generally well known that Mr Alcock is a very leading supporter of what is called the 'association game' ... devotees of the 'association' rules will find no foemen worthy of their steel in Scotland".

The match was arranged for 30 November (St Andrew's Day), and the West of Scotland Cricket Club's ground at Hamilton Crescent in Partick was selected as the venue.

[7] Scotland had hoped to obtain the services of Arthur Kinnaird of The Wanderers and Henry Renny-Tailyour of Royal Engineers but both were unavailable.

[13] On a pitch that was heavy due to the continuous rain over the previous three days, the smaller and lighter Scottish side pushed their English counterparts hard.

Scotland came closest to winning the match when, in the closing stages, a Robert Leckie shot landed on top of the tape.

[citation needed] The sport magazine The Field wrote that "The result was received with rapturous applause by the spectators and the cheers proposed by each XI for their antagonists were continued by the onlookers until the last member of the two sides had disappeared" and that "The match was in every sense a signal success, as the play was throughout as spirited and a pleasant as can possibly be imagined.