to be released by their club teams more frequently, triggered a resurgence during the 1930s. The side won the 1932–33 British Home Championship, with the newly refurbished Racecourse attracting 25,000 fans (a record crowd in North Wales) to a goalless draw with England. Wales retained the championship the following year, and another record crowd of 40,000 saw the side defeat Scotland 3–2 at Ninian Park in the first Cardiff match in four years. Although Robbins was reluctant to agree to a match in the city due to his belief that the FAW could earn more in North Wales, pressure from Western Mail reporter Harry Ditton and the promise of a free publicity campaign changed his mind. England's September 1934 visit was the first Wales home match with an attendance of over 50,000, and the increased crowds at Ninian Park made it the choice for Wales's biggest matches. This was despite the main grandstand at the ground being destroyed by a fire in January 1937, when thieves used explosives to open a safe holding gate receipts from an FA Cup match. When competitive football was halted during the Second World War, Wales played eight unofficial matches against England; all but one were held at Ninian Park. Post-war success and decline (1946–1990) Wales returned to the Racecourse in October 1946 for the side's first official post-war international. Football was a great attraction to the public, and the match was sold out in advance. After returning to Ninian Park the following year, the side was scheduled to play at Vetch Field in Swansea for the first time since 1928, against Northern Ireland. The FAW moved the match to the Racecourse, however, saying that "the appropriate authorities at Swansea had not found it convenient to meet with the wishes of the council." Large numbers of fans attended international matches in the early post-war era, with the British Home Championship now also being used as qualifying for the FIFA World Cup; the Racecourse hosted more than 30,000 spectators for the first time in 1946, and Ninian Park over 60,000 in 1950. The previous year Ninian Park hosted the first foreign international side to visit Wales, when Belgium was defeated 5–1 and Trevor Ford scored a hat-trick. Portugal and Switzerland travelled to Wales for friendlies soon afterwards. In 1952, Wales returned to Vetch Field for the first time in nearly 25 years to play Northern Ireland