SATURDAY 29TH MARCH, 1952
LEAGUE DIVISION TWO AT ST ANDREWS, BIRMINGHAM
BIRMINGHAM CITY 2 (Briggs, Smith) HULL CITY 2 (Harris, Carter)
Merrick; Green, Badham; Boyd (capt), Atkins, Warhurst;
Dailey, Briggs, Smith, Murphy, Wardle;
Bly; Hassall, Phillips; Jensen, Berry, Durham;
Harrison, Harris, Gerrie, Carter (capt), Burbanks;
Birmingham had centre half Arthur Atkins back after an absence of several weeks and Jim Dailey, normally a centre forward, deputised for the injured Jackie Stewart on the right wing. Hull, although still without their former England centre half Neil Franklin, welcomed the return of their former Manchester City left back, Ernie Phillips.
Carter won the toss and set Birmingham to face quite a strong wind. Hull made the first attacked helped considerably by this advantage and their bustling centre forward, Sid Gerrie, who went near with a good left foot drive; However, it was the home side who scored first. Following a corner, Hassall headed out from under the bar, but Briggs was on the spot to drive the ball home after 13 minutes.
Dailey was doing well on the right wing for Birmingham and from one of his dangerous centres Bly just beat Briggs to the ball in the air. After 19 minutes play Hull equalised. Atkins and Gerrie both missed the b all completely just inside the area and the Welshman, Harris, took the chance well to shoot past Merrick.
Seven minutes later Hull went ahead and it was the old maestro, Raich Carter himself who scored.
Following a throw in on the right wing, the ball bobbed about in the goalmouth for a while before running loose and Carter immediately cracked it into the net from the edge of the penalty area. A vintage Carter effort, reminiscent of his days in the England team just after the war. Play was fairly even and Hull hardly deserved their lead. Just before the interval Billy Bly went full length to save well from Tommy Briggs. Half time 1-2.
Rather surprisingly Hull came more into the game against the wind in the second half. The 'Tigers' were well prompted by the two wing halves, Vigo Jensen the Dane and Durham, and they gave the 'Blues' some anxious moments. However, gradually the home side gained control and after Smith had scored the equaliser they went close to getting the winning goal on several occasions.
SATURDAY 5TH APRIL, 1952
LEAGUE DIVISION ONE AT MOLINEUX, WOLVERHAMPTON
WOLVES 1 (Hancocks) BURNLEY 2 (Shannon, McIlroy)
Williams; Shorthouse, Gibbons; Crook, Chatham, Deeley;
Hancocks, Swinbourne, Pye, Broadbent, Mullen;
McNulty; Aird, Mather; Adamson, Cummings, Attwell;
Chew, Morris, Shannon, McIlroy, Elliott;
Yet another disappointing performance by Wolves who were languishing in the bottom half of the table. No Wolves centre forward has scored since January and they rely too much on the two wingers to score the goals. Hancocks managed another today, but Burnley were the better team and goals from Les Shannon and Irishman Jimmy McIlroy gave them the points.
WEDNESDAY 9TH APRIL, 1952
BIRMINGHAM COMBINATION AT VILLA PARK, BIRMINGHAM
ASTON VILLA 'A' 4 (Smith, Jerreries, Simpson, Powell og) WALSALL RESERVES 0
Cordell; Hunt, Hudman; Norman, Vinall (capt), Aston;
Bullock (F), Pollard, Jefferies, Simpson, Smith (A.R.);
Chilvers; Holding, Perry; Hodges, Poweel, Smith;
Barber, Scarlett, Giles (J), Wright, Maund;
GOOD FRIDAY 11TH APRIL, 1952 Attendance 32,000
LEAGUE DIVISION TWO AT ST ANDREWS, BIRMINGHAM
BIRMINGHAM CITY 3 (Green pen., Briggs, Sherwood og) CARDIFF CITY 2 (Grant, Chisholm)
Merrick; Green, Badham; Boyd (capt), Atkins, Warhurst;
Stewart, Briggs, Trigg, Murphy, Wardle;
Hughes; Rutter, Sherwood (capt); McLaughlin, Montgomery, Baker;
Tiddy, Williams, Grant, Chisholm, Edwards;
Referee:- Mr. A.W. Smith, Aldershot
A large contingent of Cardiff supporters had travelled up to see this vital promotion battle and the customary leeks were placed on the ground before the game, amid scenes of great enthusiasm.
Cardoff opened the scoring after only four minutes play, their centre foward Grant who is small in stature but whose brilliant ball control madu up for his lack of inches, scoring a grand goal from the edge of the area. Birmingham were not dismayed and fought back in fine style to take the lead.
Full back Ken Green scored the equaliser from the penalty spot and then the bustling Briggs put the home side ahead. The Blues inside forwards were were both playing well in contrast to their opponents, whose main attacking force centred around Grant who was not well supported.
Ken Chisholm, the burly, wandering Scot, equalised for Cardiff in what was certainly proving a thrilling first half. With the last kick before the interval, Alf Sherwood, the Welsh international and Cardiff skipper, sent a fierce back pass well wide of his goalkeeper to put Birmingham in the lead once more. With no more scoring in the second half this tragic mistake proved to be the winning goal of this exciting match.
SATURDAY 12TH APRIL, 1952
LEAGUE DIVISION TWO AT ST ANDREWS, BIRMINGHAM
BIRMINGHAM CITY 1 (Trigg) QUEENS PARK RANGERS 0
Merrick; Green, Badham; Boyd (capt), Atkins, Warhurst;
Stewart, Briggs, Trigg, Murphy, Wardle;
Brown; Powell, Ingham; Clayton, Spence (capt), Farrow;
Waugh, Smith, Addinall, Gilberg, Shepherd;
Referee:- Mr J.H. Clough, Bolton
After beating promotion rivals Cardiff City yesterday, Birmingham took on Queens Park Rangers, who are almost certain to be relegated. So on paper it looked like a convincing home victory, but thanks mainly to goalkeeper Harry Brown, the Londoners put up a great fight and Blues just scraped home by the only goal of the match.
Right from the start shots and headers rained in on Brown from the powerful home forward line, but he threw himself all over the place and brought off some really fantastic saves. Skipper Bill Spence, formerly with Portsmouth, was also doing great work in defence for the visitors who were fighting hard to retain their glimmer of hope of staying in the Second Division.
After half an hour's continual pressure, Birmingham were awarded a penalty and Ken Green, who took and scored his first ever penalty yesterday, again took the kick. Unfortunately this time he side-footed the ball inches over the bar.This let-off seemed to put heart into Rangers for they at once got in several dangerous attacks but they found Merrick just as safe as Brown at the other end. With no score at half time, Brown got a great cheer on leaving the field at the interval.
During the second half Birmingham became quite lethargic and the crowd were prompted to spur them on to greater effort. Rangers were still proving quite dangerous in attack, with inside forwards Conway Smith, formerly with Huddersfield Town, and Harry Gilberg always trying to get their speed little wingers going.
Eventually, with fifteen minutes remaining to play, Cyril Trigg got the vital goal which assured victory for Birmingham, thus keeping them in the promotion race, and also assured Queens Park Rangers of a place in the Third Division next season. See you at Fellows Park!
EASTER TUESDAY 15TH APRIL, 1952
LEAGUE DIVISION ONE AT VILLA PARK, BIRMINGHAM
ASTON VILLA 7 (Gibson 2, Dixon, Walsh, Goffin 3) CHELSEA 1 (Smith (J)
Jones; Lynn, Parkes; Blanchflower, Moss (F), Dorsett;
Gibson, Roberts, Walsh, Dixon, Goffin;
Robertson; Tickeridge, Willemse; Armstrong, Harris (capt), Mitchell;
Gray, Campbell, Randall, Leadbetter, Smith (J);
SATURDAY 19TH APRIL, 1952
LEAGUE DIVISION ONE AT MOLINEUX, WOLVERHAMPTON
WOLVES 2 (Swinbourne, Mullen) FULHAM 2 (Robson, Brennan)
Williams; Shorthouse, Gibbons; Baxter, Chatham, Wright (capt);
Hancocks, Deeley, Swinbourne, Broadment, Mullen;
Black; Dodgin, Lowe (R); Macauley, Taylor (capt), Lawlor;
Stevens, Robson, Jezzard, Brennan, Mitten;
Wolves emphasised their poor season by failing to beat Fulham who are about to be relegated.
Swinbourne did become the first Wolves centre forward to score since January but they struggled to beat a team which had been much changed as the season progressed. They paid big money for the former Manchester United winger Charlie Mitten after his trip to play in Colombia which was followed by suspension. He does not seem to have recovered the form that made him such as success at Old Trafford.
Bedford Jezzard is the clubs' leading goalscorer with only eight, but did miss three months of the season with a broken leg. Centre half Taylor is the mainstay of the defence but further signings seem necessary if they hope for a quick return to the top flight. Billy Wright has again been the main man for Wolves and fully deserved the award of Footballer of the Year.
MONDAY 21ST APRIL, 1952 Attendance 30,000
LEAGUE DIVISION ONE AT THE HAWTHORNS, WEST BROMWICH.
WEST BROMWICH ALBION 3 (Allen, Lee, Ryan) ARSENAL 1 (Lishman)
Heath; Rickaby, Millard; Dudley, Kennedy (capt), Barlow;
Griffin, Nicholls, Allen, Ryan, Lee;
Swindin; Barnes (capt), Wade; Forbes, Shaw, Bowen;
Milton, Goring Holton, Lishman, Robertson;
Albion, revealing their best form, virtually put an end to Arsenal's fading hopes of winning the elusive double of Cup and League. Arsenal's match at Old Trafford on Saturday is the last of the season for them and for Manchester United. In view of the fact that Manchester beat Chelsea tonight, Arsenal would have to win by a fantastic score to win the title on goal average. To win that game at all would seem highly improbable for Arsenal in their resent predicament with a large number of first team players on the injured list.
Their side tonight contained five reserves and therefore their performance can give little indication of their chances against Newcastle in the Cup Final in two week's time. All the blame for this defeat however, cannot be given to the reserves, as the Welsh international Barnes in particular had a very trying time against Albion's speedy left wing. A movement begun on this flank brought Albion's first goal after ten minutes play. Bowen attempting to clear could only slice the ball to Allen, who scored with a hard drive. Lee himself scored the second five minutes before half time from close range. Half Time 2-0.
Arsenal fought back and Lishman, the former Walsall player, scored following a right wing movement soon after the re-start, but their cumbersome attack could make little headway against Albion's magnificent defence in which Joe Kennedy was outstanding in his new centre half role. Albion continued to hammer away at the Arsenal goal and the final goal of the match came in 71 minutes when, from an overhead kick by Allen, the brains of the attack throughout, Ryan found the net.
SATURDAY 26TH APRIL, 1952
LEAGUE DIVISION TWO AT ST ANDREWS, BIRMINGHAM
BIRMINGHAM CITY 3 (Purdon, Stewart, Briggs) LUTON TOWN 1 (Warhurst og)
Merrick; Green, Martin; Boyd (capt), Ferris, Warhurst;
Stewart, Smith, Briggs, Purdon, Murphy;
Streten; Jones, Aherne; Morton, Owen (capt), Shanks;
Cullen, Stobbart, Moore, McJarrow, Mitchell;
Referee:- Mr W. J. Edwards, Yeovil
Birmingham, strongly challenging Cardiff City to join Sheffield Wednesday in being promoted to the First Division, hoped to win this match, their last of the season, by a considerable margin as there was a strong likelihood of the issue being settled by goal average. After Luton had got in the first attacking movements, the home side gradually took control of the game, being well prompted by their two wing halves, who both in splendid form. Luton's defence, in particular Streten and Owen, managed to hold out until forty minutes of the first half had gone. Then Purdon put the Blues ahead with a well taken goal. Half time 1-0.
Luton's defence again held out in the second half until thirteen minutes from the end of the game, when Birmingham suddenly scored two goals within a minute. The first one was scored by Stewart who hand wandered into the middle and the second by Briggs following a perfect through pass from Murphy. Streten alone saved Luton from a heavier defeat with a series of brilliant saves.
Then with only a minute left to play Luton scored a surprise goal. In a breakaway attack England 'B' player Mitchell found himself with only Merrick to beat, but the England goalkeeper parried the ball, only for Warhurst running back to help only succeeded in sending the ball into his own net!
(Birmingham had to wait until the following Saturday before having their promotion hopes shattered. Cardiff beat Leeds United at Ninian Park 3-1 in front of 55,000 spectators and were promoted with a goal average just 0.14 in excess of Birmingham's.)
So the season ended with Birmingham City probably the best performing West Midlands side of the season. In the first division Aston Villa proved to be the pick of the bunch finishing in sixth position.
West Bromwich Albion finished in thirteenth place and Wolves were three places below them, so a poor performance by both of them. Poor old Walsall were even worse finishing bottom of the Third Division South by four points and having to apply for re-election once more.
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