To celebrate the 90th anniversary of the Football Association, on 21 October 1953, England played a Rest of the World side picked by a FIFA Select Committee.

After being 3-1 down following goals by László Kubala and Giampiero Boniperti, Alf Ramsey scored a last minute penalty to draw the game 4-4.

Albion had also finished second in the league behind Wolves, while defending champions Arsenal slipped to 12th this season.

Liverpool, the first postwar champions of the English league, were relegated to the Second Division in bottom place.

[1] They also became the first Third Division side since the war to reach the semi-final of the FA Cup, losing to West Bromwich Albion.