Dave the OAP
Well-known member
I once got talking to Ron Pickering ( RIP) about this very subject.
His answer was that as the English/Scottish/Welsh and Irish all have separate FA affiliations, they are not allowed to send a GB team. At the time ( late 70's) when England and the rest of the home nations were doing so poorly at footy, it was muted that amalgamating into a GB team would be sensible, but the internal politics at each of the the FA's stopped it.
There is still ranklings at EUFA level over Welsh clubs being allowed to play in the English FA. Sepp Blatter wanted to change this last season!
His answer was that as the English/Scottish/Welsh and Irish all have separate FA affiliations, they are not allowed to send a GB team. At the time ( late 70's) when England and the rest of the home nations were doing so poorly at footy, it was muted that amalgamating into a GB team would be sensible, but the internal politics at each of the the FA's stopped it.
There is still ranklings at EUFA level over Welsh clubs being allowed to play in the English FA. Sepp Blatter wanted to change this last season!