Kenny Sansom
Debut – 23rd May 1979 V Wales
Caps – 86
Goals – 1
Kenny Sansom is arguably one of the greatest attacking full backs England has ever produced. He bursted into the limelight in the early 80’s. Kenny Sansom made his England football debut against Wales in 1979, his debut was considered by Kevin Keegan as the greatest ever for England. Sansom became a permanent fixture in the England side in the early 80’s and played in all but one of their 1982 world cup finals matches. Kenny Sansom replaced Ray Wilson as the most capped England full back of all time when he won his 64th football cap for England, in a match against Mexico in May 1986. Sansom played in all of England’s matches during the 1986 world cup finals and played a part in the 1988 European Football championships held in West Germany.

 

Trevor Francis
Debut – 9th February 1977 V Holland
Caps – 52
Goals – 12
Prior to the 1982 world cup finals Trevor Francis had played with eight different striking partners in the 27 international matches he played in. He played a large part in England’s 1982 world cup campaign; some of his football was second to none, scoring against France and Kuwait en route to the quarter finals. He also played for England in the 1980 European football championships.

 

Ray Wilkins
Debut – 28th may 1976 V Italy
Caps – 84
Goals – 3
Ray Wilkins cultured passing game brought a touch of class to England’s midfield for over a decade. Most of Wilkin’s 84 caps came while he was playing his club football for Manchester United. He was arguably England’s best player during the 1980 European Football Championships, and was an important player for England during the 1982 and 1986 world cup finals. In 1982 Ray Wilkins was appointed captain of England national football team by Bobby Robson.

 

Terry Butcher
Debut – 31st may 1980
Caps – 77
Goals – 3
The first of terry Butcher’s 77 football caps for England came under Ron Greenwood. Butcher was regarded as a world class defender during the 1982 world cup finals in Spain; the English defence only conceded one goal in the five matches of the 1982 world cup finals. When Bobby Robson took over the England manager post, he made Terry butcher the backbone of his defence for the next eight years. In his first 25 internationals playing for England he was on the losing side on only 4 occasions. The first of the 3 goals he scored in his time for England came in a 2-1 victory over Wales in February 1983. The most memorable moment in Butcher’s international career came during a vital world cup qualifier against Sweden in September 1989, Butcher refused to leave the football pitch despite clashing heads with another football player that left his shirt soaked in blood. Butcher also starred for England in their heroic 1990 world cup performances as they reached the semi- finals.

 

Glenn Hoddle
Debut – 22nd November 1979 V Bulgaria
Caps – 53
Goals -8
Ron Greenwood first selected Hoddle to play for England in 1979, however he did not become a regular in the side for another five years. Hoddle was denied the chance to prove himself on the highest stage when he spent most of the 1982 world cup finals on the bench. In the 1986 world cup finals, Hoddle used his wizardry to help England progress to the quarter finals in Mexico. Hoddle also appeared in the 1988 European football championships for England; however that proved to be his final period playing football for England after they bowed out in the group stage losing all three matches.