SATURDAY 28TH MARCH, 1953
LEAGUE DIVISION TWO AT ST ANDREWS, BIRMINGHAM
BIRMINGHAM CITY 2 (Stewart, Trigg pen) LINCOLN CITY 2 (Munro, Whittle)
Merrick; Hall, Green; Bannister, Badham, Boyd;
Stewart, Ferris, Trigg, Murphy, Wardle;
Jones; Green, Graham; Wright, Emery, Owen;
Munro, Garvin, Graver, Whittle, Kerr;
Referee:- Mr A Luty, Leeds
Lincoln showed much better form than their league position suggests and nearly brought off a surprise away win. Only a Cyril Trigg penalty, ten minutes from the end, after Bannister had been brought down, saved the Blues. Murphy had a poor game on his return from injury. Stewart had put Blues ahead after twenty one minutes deflecting a shot from Murphy past Jones. Ernie Whittle was the best forward afield. He put Munro through to crack in a splendid equaliser after forty two minutes.
This was his first goal since being signed from Oldham. Whittle then ran through himself to lob the ball over Merrick's head after fifty seven minutes. Earlier Merrick had made an amazing save from the little inside left. Kerr centred from the left and Whittle shot first time on the turn from ten yards and Merrick dived to push it round the post.
Wright and Owen at wing half were perhaps Lincoln's two best players. Boyd and Ferris switched places near the end in the hope they could force a winner but Lincoln were good value for the draw.
SATURDAY 4TH APRIL, 1953
LEAGUE DIVISION ONE AT MOLINEUX, WOLVERHAMPTON
WOLVERHAMPTON WANDERERS 3 (Wilshaw, Stockin 2) STOKE CITY 0
Sims; Short, Pritchard; Wright (capt), Shorthouse, Slater;
Hancocks, Stockin, Swinbourne, Wilshaw, Mullen;
Elliott; Sellars, McCue; Mountford, Thompson (capt), Johnstone;
Malkin, Bowyer, Brown, Martin, Oscroft;
Wolves had Wright at centre half and Stoke had wing half Sellars at full back and inside forward Johnstone at wing half. Both teams played only moderate football in the first half and in the second Stoke were playing real relegation stuff. Wolves were off form and missed several easy chances. They eventually took the lead when Swinbourne caused Elliott to punch clear quickly and Wilshaw ran in to score.
Thompson played very well at centre half for Stoke and Malkin was their best forward.
Stockin was the pick of the Wolves attack and scored a brilliant goal after beating three men and shooting while harassed by two more. He then headed the third from a Mullen centre. Stoke got really worried at times and Swinbourne hit the post before missing two easy chances. Sims, deputising for Bert Williams, had a good game in goal for Wolves.
EASTER MONDAY 6TH APRIL, 1953
LEAGUE DIVISION ONE AT MOLINEUX, WOLVERHAMPTON
WOLVES 4 (Hancocks, Stockin, Wilshaw 2) PORTSMOUTH 1 (Harris)
Sims; Short, Pritchard; Wright (capt), Shorthouse, Slater;
Hancocks, Stockin, Swinbourne, Wilshaw, Mullen;
Uprichard; Gunter, Wilson; Scoular (capt), Froggatt, Dickinson;
Harris, Phillips, Clarke, Henderson, Dale;
Wolves played in championship form, except for Swinbourne who missed several easy chances. Hancocks opened the scoring from a Mullen corner with a fierce drive and shortly afterwards Stockin scored the second. Portsmouth had a young full back Wilson, who looks a bit like Froggatt, and although beaten several times by Hancocks, gave a good, cool display. The half back line of Scoular, Froggatt and Dickinson all played up to their reputations and Henderson was the best forward for the visitors.
Half time 2-0.
Jack Froggatt who played for England at outside left and centre half.
He later left Portsmouth to play for Leicester City.
Wilshaw got two more goals in the second half, the second after Uprichard had brilliantly fisted out a Mullen cross. Short, the Wolves full back, was carried off on a stretcher but returned seven minutes later to play at inside left, with Wright moving to full back and Wilshaw at wing half.
Peter Harris eventually got a consolation goal for Portsmouth after cutting in from the wing. Phillips and Dale fiddled too much and made little progress. Mullen had a good game on the left wing for Wolves, but was inclined to loose his temper with the aggressive Scoular, often unjustly.
EASTER TUESDAY 7TH APRIL,1953
LEAGUE DIVISION ONE AT VILLA PARK, BIRMINGHAM
ASTON VILLA 1 (Walsh) WEST BROMWICH ALBION 1 (Allen)
Parsons; Parkes, Aldis; Canning, Moss (F) (capt), Moss (A);
Pace, Blanchflower, Walsh, Dixon, Roberts;
Sanders; Rickaby, Millard (capt); Dudley, Dugdale, Barlow;
Griffin, Ryan, Allen, Hodgkisson, Lee;
Referee:- B. M. Griffiths, Newport, Mon.
Albion introduced 20 year old inside forward Ken Hodgkisson and he was soon prominent as Albion started off very well. He started the move by which Ronnie Allen put Albion ahead. Griffin centred past Parsons and the centre forward had only to head the ball in.
Roberts gave a poor display for Villa, partly because of a knee injury. Joe Sanders did well in goal for Albion, especially in the second half when Villa gave a much better display. Frank Moss was on top form as was brother Amos in a very solid Villa defence in which Canning also did well.
Dave Walsh chased everything against his old team and gave Dugdale a worrying time. He eventually equalised with a fine shot. Barlow and Dudley were Albion's best players, but both sides missed chances to win the match, especially young Hodgkisson who should have scored at least one goal.
SATURDAY 11TH APRIL, 1953
LEAGUE DIVISION ONE AT THE HAWTHORNS, WEST BROMWICH
WEST BROMWICH ALBION 0 CHELSEA 1 (McNichol)
Sanders; Rickaby, Millard (capt); Dudley, Dugdale, Barlow;
Griffin, Ryan, Allen, Hodgkisson, Lee;
Robertson; Harris, Willemse; Armstrong, Greenwood, Dickson;
Parsons, McNichol, Bentley (capt), Edwards, Blunstone;
Referee:- G.W. Thorpe, Swindon
Ryan should gave won the match for Albion in the first minute. He broke through on his own, blocked Greenwood's clearance and had only Robertson to beat, but his shot struck the goaly and was cleared by John Harris. Hodgkisson was again prominent in Albion's attacks and Jim Sanders was also again in top form, brilliantly tipping an Edwards shot over the bar.
Frank Blunstone, from Crewe, showed that he is a very promising young player on the left wing. Dugdale often had the better of the wandering Bentley and the strong wind made ball control difficult for both sides. Robertson also had a good game in the Chelsea goal and Stan Willemse, with his vigorous tackles and hefty, but usually accurate clearances, was also prominent.
The only goal of the game came from inside forward John McNichol in a game where Albion were never at their best. Ron Greenwood was very good in the air for Chelsea, but a bit shaky on the ground against Allen. Bill Dickson, the Irish wing half, got through a lot of work as did Jimmy Dudley, who was Albion's best player.
THURSDAY 16TH APRIL, 1953
STAFFORDSHIRE SENIOR CUP FINAL AT FELLOWS PARK, WALSALL
WALSALL 3 (Duggins, Giles, Bridgett) WEST BROMWICH ALBION 0
The Staffordshire Cup Final was played between virtual reserve teams and was watch by Major Frank Buckley recently appointed as manager of Walsall. The veteran manager previously with Wolves and Leeds United has a hard task ahead of him and must be confident that bottom club Walsall will again be re-elected to the league.
Walsall started off with a bang, Duggins putting them one up with a fine shot from a pass by Bridgett. Giles then scored the second after Bridgett's header had gone wide. Albion improved at this stage with Nicholls and Evans combining well and interchanging positions. Godderidge at centre half kept a good hold on the lively Nicholls and was selected for the first team after this match.
Brookes at left half for Albion had a splendid shot from thirty yards but it went straight at Lewis. The Albion left back Mack was then injured and had to go onto the wing. Whitehouse, a lively winger, hit the post and Rowe cleared a Nicholls header off the line with an acrobatic leap which sent it over the laundry. Bridgett lobbed the third goal over Heath's head. All four wing halves Dean, Millington, Rawlings and Brookes played well as did Welshman Stuart Williams at full back.
SATURDAY 18TH APRIL, 1953
LEAGUE DIVISION ONE AT MOLINEUX, WOLVERHAMPTON.
WOLVES 5 (Wilshaw, Hancocks, Stockin 2, Mullen) BURNLEY 1 (Holden)
Williams; Gibbons, Pritchard; Flowers, Shorthouse (capt), Slater;
Hancocks, Stockin, Swinbourne, Wilshaw, Mullen;
Thompson; Aird, Winton; Rudman, Cummings (capt), Brown;
Stephenson, McIlroy, Holden, Shannon, Elliott;
Referee:- R.J. Leafe, Nottingham
Burnley had a reserve left back, Winton and two reserve wing halves, Rudman and Brown. They played quite well in the first half, particularly Winton, but cracked after Wolves second goal and then conceded three more in ten minutes. Wilshaw opened the score with a header from Hancocks' perfect centre. Burnley equalised ten minutes later when Stephenson caught the ball almost on the goal line, pushed it through Flowers' legs and centred for Holden to dive and head it in. This was the best goal of the match. Half time 1-1.
Thompson who was shaky on occasions in the Burnley goal dropped a Mullen centre, a scramble followed and Hancocks touched it in. Holden played well for Burnley but so did acting captain Shorthouse for Wolves. Cumming s held Swinbourne well throughout, with Wolves danger coming as ever from the the wings. Stockin had a poor day and was very lucky to score two gift goals, both following Hancocks-Mullen moves. Mullen himself got the fifth with a narrow angle shot.
Elliott was very fast on the left wing for Burnley, but could not always control the ball. Bill Slater was man of the match with a fine game against the clever McIlroy.
TUESDAY 21ST APRIL, 1953
BIRMINGHAM LEAGUE AT FELLOWS PARK, WALSALL
WALSALL RESERVES 1 (Bowen (E)) WOLVES 'A' 1 (Pearce)
Lewis; Freeman, Boyden; Smith, Godderidge (capt), Hodges;
Morris, Scarlett, Duggins, Wright, Bowen (E);
Owen; Showell, Spencer (M); Neale (capt), Wainwright, Bayley;
Dimmer, Stephenson, Jacobs, Murray, Pearce;
E. Bowen not to be confused with 'Toddy' Bowen, a first team regular, put Walsall ahead in the first half following a goalmouth scramble. Pearce, Wolves' outside left, moved to centre forward in the second half and equalised with a fine shot.
Wolves were well served by skipper Dick Neal, Wainwright a tall centre half and centre forward Jacobs. Owen was rather shaky in goal. For Walsall Lewis, Godderidge, Boyden, Hodges and Wright were the best players. Scarlett missed two easy chances which could have won the match for the home side.
THURSDAY 23RD APRIL, 1952
LEAGUE DIVISION THREE SOUTH AT FELLOWS PARK, WALSALL
WALSALL 1 (Bridgett) SWINDON TOWN 2 (Owen, Betteridge)
Chilvers; Rowe, Montgomery; Walters, Horne (capt), Millington;
Bowen (T), Green, Bridgett, Hughes, Giles;
Burton; Hunt, Elwell; Johnstone, Hudson, Williams;
Lunn, Betteridge (capt), Owen, Millar, Bain;
Referee:- S.V. Davis, Oxford
Supporters club official brought round a petition to support Walsall's application for re-election to the league. Among the spectators were current Wolves star Jimmy Mullen and former Wolves player Tom Galley. Walsall played well in the first half but fell off in the second. Thier main failures were Green and Hughes at inside forward.
Montgomery, Horne, Millington and Giles were Walsall's best players. Bridgett headed in Bowen's centre during the first half to give the Saddlers the lead, but Maurice Owen, a fine leader, equalised after a splendid solo run just on half time. Half time 1-1.
Swindon's defence was good, especially Hudson at centre half, who blotted out Bridgett. Horne also did well against the lively Owen and saved two certain goals. He dived full length to head a shot off the line with Chilvers out of goal in the first half, and kicked another out in the second half.
Both outside lefts (Bain and Giles) had quite good games, but it was Betteridge, the former West Bromwich reserve player, who gave a clever inside forward display and scored the winning goal in the very last minute, when put through by Owen.
SATURDAY 9TH MAY, 1953
F.A. YOUTH CUP FINAL (2nd Leg) AT MOLINEUX, WOLVERHAMPTON
WOLVES YOUTH 2 (Smith 2) MANCHESTER UNITED YOUTH 2 (Lewis, Whelan)
Owen; Hodgkiss, Clamp; Timmins, Russell (capt), Bolton;
Stephenson, Booth, Smith, Howells, Cooper;
Clayton; Fulton, Kennedy; Colman, Cope (capt), Edwards;
McFarlane, Whelan, Lewis, Pegg, Scanlon;
Referee:- R.J. Leafe, Nottingham
Wolves having lost the first leg 7-1, had very little chance of victory against a very powerful Manchester United side. However, they put up a much improved performance in front of a big crowd and did well to achieve a draw. Wolves had a powerful half back line and centre forward Smith, who scored both goals, and outside left Len Cooper were the pick of their side.
For United, with several Busby Babes who have already played first division football, Colman, the powerful Duncan Edwards and David Pegg were all outstanding. Wolves fans are not happy that Edwards, such an outstanding schoolboy player from nearby Dudley, was not signed by his local club and allowed to go to Manchester.
So ended a notable season for West Midlands football, all the clubs I watched had a good season, with one notable exception. Poor old Walsall finished bottom of the third division south by twelve points. They only won seven of their forty six matches and conceded 118 goals in the process.They were very fortunate to obtain re-election to the league yet again, which of course would not happen today. A few more seasons to go yet, but before the end of the decade their fortunes would improve dramatically.
The top teams all did well Wolves finishing third and West Bromwich fourth with only one point separating them. Arsenal just pipped Preston North End for the league title on goal average and Wolves were only three points behind. Villa finished half way in eleventh position which was quite respectable but their big following demands better.
Only nine home wins tells its own story.
Birmingham City had another good season in the second division but ended up in sixth place ten points behind Huddersfield Town who were promoted in second place and twelve points behind champions Sheffield United. Stoke and Derby were relegated to the second division and Southampton and Barnsley went down to the third.
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