1952–53 Football League Explained

Nextseason:1953–54

The 195253 season was the 54th completed season of The Football League.

Final league tables

The tables below are reproduced here in the exact form that they can be found at The Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation website[1] and in Rothmans Book of Football League Records 1888–89 to 1978–79,[2] with home and away statistics separated.

Beginning with the season 1894–95, clubs finishing level on points were separated according to goal average (goals scored divided by goals conceded), or more properly put, goal ratio. In case one or more teams had the same goal difference, this system favoured those teams who had scored fewer goals. The goal average system was eventually scrapped beginning with the 1976–77 season.

From the 1922–23 season, the bottom two teams of both Third Division North and Third Division South were required to apply for re-election.

First Division

Competition:First Division
Season:1952–53
Winners:Arsenal
7th English title
League Topscorer:Charlie Wayman
(24 goals)[3] [4]
Biggest Home Win:
(25 December 1952)

(18 February 1953)

(21 February 1953)
Biggest Away Win:
(20 September 1952)

(18 October 1952)
Highest Scoring:
(27 September 1952)
Matches:462
Total Goals:1508
Prevseason:1951–52
Nextseason:1953–54

Arsenal won their second league title of the postwar era, finishing ahead of runners-up Preston North End on goal average - denying them a first league title since they won the first two English Football League titles more than 60 years earlier. Wolverhampton Wanderers bounced back after two disappointing seasons to finish third, three points short of the title. They finished one point ahead of their local rivals West Bromwich Albion. Defending champions Manchester United, in a period of transition as the team captained by Johnny Carey started to make way for a younger generation of players, finished eighth.

Stoke City and Derby County, who had been among the First Division's leading lights in the first few postwar seasons, went down to the Second Division after several seasons of gradually declining form. Liverpool, the 1947 champions, avoided the drop by just two points.

Maps

Second Division

Competition:Second Division
Season:1952–53
Winners:Sheffield United
Promoted:Sheffield United
Huddersfield Town
Relegated:Southampton
Barnsley
League Topscorer:Arthur Rowley
(39 goals)
Matches:462
Total Goals:1535
Prevseason:1951–52
Nextseason:1953–54

Maps

Third Division North

Competition:Football League
Third Division North
Season:1952–53
Winners:Oldham Athletic (1st title)
League Topscorer:Jimmy Whitehouse (Carlisle United), 29
Continentalcup2:Failed re-election
Continentalcup2 Qualifiers:none
Matches:552
Total Goals:1604
Nextseason:1953–54

Maps

Third Division South

Competition:Football League
Third Division South
Season:1952–53
Winners:Bristol Rovers (1st title)
League Topscorer:Geoff Bradford (Bristol Rovers), 33
Continentalcup2:Failed re-election
Continentalcup2 Qualifiers:none
Matches:552
Total Goals:1745
Nextseason:1953–54

Maps

See also

References

Notes and References

  1. Web site: England 1952-53 . Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. 2010-02-24.
  2. Ian Laschke: Rothmans Book of Football League Records 1888–89 to 1978–79. Macdonald and Jane’s, London & Sydney, 1980.
  3. Obituary: Charlie Wayman: Small centre-forward, lethal in front of goal https://www.theguardian.com/news/2006/mar/07/guardianobituaries.football
  4. Web site: English League Leading Goalscorers. RSSSF. 2010-10-31.