Double headers have become a fixture in the international calendar for qualifying matches and football clubs are reaping the benefits from the move instigated by UEFA.
As things stand at present, players involved with their national teams will only be away for a few days and that way there will be less domestic league matches postponed.
England played San Marino last night and will face Poland next Tuesday.
This will be the 27th time the Three Lions have had to play two matches – European Championship or World Cup qualifiers – in the space of five days.
Results have gone for and against:
September 7 and 11, 2012: Away vs Moldova 5-0; Home vs Ukraine 1-1.
September 2 and 6, 2011: Away vs Bulgaria 3-0; Home vs Wales 1-0.
September 3 and 7, 2010: Home vs Bulgaria 4-0; Away vs Switzerland 3-1.
October 10 and 15, 2010: Away vs Ukraine 0-1; Home vs Belarus 3-0.
June 6 and 9, 2009: Away vs Kaz-akhstan 4-0; Home vs Andorra 6-0.
October 11 and 15, 2008: Home vs Kazakhstan 5-1; Away vs Belarus 3-1.
September 6 and 10, 2008: Away vs Andorra 2-0; Away vs Croatia 4-1.
October 13 and 17, 2007: Home vs Estonia 3-0; Away vs Russia 0-3.
September 8 and 12, 2007: Home vs Israel 3-0; Home vs Russia 3-0.
March 24 and 28, 2007: Away vs Israel 0-0; Away vs Andorra 3-0.
October 7 and 11, 2006: Home vs Macedonia 0-0; Away vs Croatia 0-2.
September 2 and 6, 2006: Home vs Andorra 5-0; Away vs Macedonia 1-0.
October 8 and 12, 2005: Home vs Austria 1-0; Home vs Poland 2-1.
September 3 and 7, 2005: Away vs Wales 1-0; Away vs Northern Ireland 0-1.
March 26 and 30, 2005: Home vs N. Ireland 4-0; Home vs Azerbaijan 2-0.
October 9 and 13, 2004: Home vs Wales 2-0; Away vs Azerbaijan 1-0.
September 4 and 8, 2004: Away vs Austria 2-2; Away vs Poland 2-1.
September 6 and 10, 2003: Away vs Macedonia 2-1; Home vs Liechtenstein 2-0.
March 29 and April 2, 2003: Away vs Liechtenstein 2-0; Home vs Turkey 2-0.
October 12 and 16, 2002: Away vs Slovakia 2-1; Home vs Macedonia 2-2.
September 1 and 5, 2001: Away vs Germany 5-1; Home vs Albania 2-0.
March 24 and 28, 2001: Home vs Finland 2-1; Away vs Albania 3-1.
October 7 and 11, 2000: Home vs Germany 0-1; Away vs Finland 0-0.
November 13 and 17, 1999: Away vs Scotland 2-0; Home vs Scotland 0-1; Euro championships play-offs.
September 4 and 9, 1999: Home vs Luxembourg 6-0; Away vs Poland 0-0.
June 5 and 9, 1999: Home vs Sweden 0-0; Away vs Bulgaria 1-1.
October 10 and 14, 1998: Home vs Bulgaria 0-0; Away vs Luxembourg 3-0.
It’s the Poles again
The two group qualifiers against Poland for the 2014 World Cup will be the 9th and 10th time for England to play the eastern Europeans in the qualifying stages of a major tournament.
There were also a World Cup finals match and two friendlies involving these same two teams as this list shows:
January 5, 1966: Friendly at Goodison Park 1-1.
July 5, 1966: Friendly in Chorzow 1-0.
June 6, 1973: World Cup qualifier in Chorzow 0-2.
October 17, 1973: World Cup qualifier at Wembley 1-1.
June 11, 1986: World Cup finals in Monterrey, Mexico 3-0.
June 3, 1989: World Cup qualifier at Wembley 3-0.
October 11, 1989: World Cup qualifier in Chorzow 0-0.
October 17, 1990: Euro Championship qualifier at Wembley 2-0.
November 13, 1991: Euro Championship qualifier in Poznan 1-1.
May 29, 1993: World Cup qualifier in Katowice 1-1.
September 8, 1993: World Cup qualifier at Wembley 3-0.
Today’s fixtures in England
League One
Bournemouth-L. Orient
Carlisle-Notts County
Colchester-Stevenage
Crawley-Bury
Hartlepool-Doncaster
Portsmouth-Crewe
Scunthorpe-Brentford
Sheffield United-Oldham
Swindon-Coventry
Tranmere-Yeovil
League Two
Wimbledon-Cheltenham
Barnet-Plymouth
Bradford City-York
Burton-Bristol Rovers
Chesterfield-Dagenham
Fleetwood-Wycombe
Gillingham-Aldershot
Northampton-Exeter
Rochdale-Morecambe
Rotherham-Southend
Torquay-Accrington