SATURDAY 31ST JANUARY, 1953
LEAGUE DIVISION ONE AT MOLINEUX, WOLVERHAMPTON
WOLVES 3 (Hancocks pen, Wilshaw, Curtis og) SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY 1 (Marriott)
Williams; Short, Pritchard; Flowers, Shorthouse, Wright (capt);
Hancocks, Stockin, Swinbourne, Wilshaw, Mullen;
Capewell; Kenny, Curtis; Whitcomb, Turton (capt), Davies;
Marriott, Sewell, Dooley, Froggatt, Woodhead;
Wolves started off on the attack and Ron Stockin, the former Walsall forward, was soon prominent in his first match. He had bad luck not to score several times. Dooley, the tall and clumsy centre forward, proved a menace to the Wolves defence and when he gained a free kick Wednesday took the lead. Flowers headed Witcomb's free kick straight to Marriott, who gave Williams no chance. This was against the run of play, but Hancocks soon equalised for a penalty for hands.
Only a minute later Wolves were ahead when a shot from Mullen hit Curtis on its way into the net. A heavy snow storm caused play to be stopped, but after only three minutes the referee called the players back again. After making two brilliant saves goalkeeper Capewell was beaten when Wilshaw touched in a hard drive from Hancocks to make the game safe for Wolves.
Capewell and Sewell were Wednesday's best players and for Wolves Billy Wright had a very good game and Ron Stockin made a most promising debut.
The match programme detailed the progress of Wolves youth team who have progressed to the last eight of the new F.A. Youth Cup competition by beating Birmingham City 5-0 at St Andrews.
Sadly only two weeks later Derek Dooley's football career was over. A collision in a match at Preston led to the amputation of his right leg to save his life. The story is told below, but of course Dooley fought back with great courage to have a long and successful career in football management and administration with both Sheffield Wednesday and Sheffield United.
I feel privileged to have seen him play twice and to see him score the winning goal at West Bromwich in January 1953.
SATURDAY 7TH FEBRUARY 1953
LEAGUE DIVISION ONE AT THE HAWTHORNS, WEST BROMWICH
WEST BROMWICH ALBION 2 (Allen, Barlow) MANCHESTER CITY 1 (Revie)
Heath; Rickaby, Millard; Dudley, Kennedy (capt), Barlow;
Griffin, Nicholls, Allen, Ryan, Lee;
Trautmann; Branagan, Little; Revie, Ewing, Paul (capt);
Gunning, Spurdle, Williamson, Broadis, Cunliffe;
Broadis was soon in evidence in the City attack and was to prove their best player easily, although
Paul and Revie also played well. Once Allen got in a grand header but Trautmann made an incredible flying save, diving at full stretch to his right to catch the ball in mid-air. The Manchester backs and centre half Ewing were rather shaky and when Lee beat Branagan on the goal line and centred Allen threw himself full length and headed a brilliant goal.
Cunliffe was very fast on the left wing for City but rather inaccurate with his crosses (Hence the famous line from radio comedian Al Read - 'don't give it to Cunliffe'). After Heath had saved point blank from Williamson and Gunning, Revie shot through a crowd of players to level the score.
Ray Barlow scored a brilliant winning goal, receiving a pass from Allen, he played the ball back to him, took the return pass and then beat three men and shot into the net from twelve yards.
Manchester's light weight forwards were disappointing and although Spurdle was quite good, City would be much better if he and Revie changed places.
SATURDAY 21ST FEBRUARY, 1953
LEAGUE DIVISION ONE AT THE HAWTHORNS, WEST BROMWICH
WEST BROMWICH ALBION 3 (Allen 2, Lee) MIDDLESBOROUGH 0
Heath; Rickaby, Millard; Dudley, Dugdale, Barlow;
Mountford, Evans, Allen, Ryan, Lee;
Ugolini; Bilcliffe, Robinson; Bell, Whittaker, Mulholland;
Rayment, Delaphena, Edwards, Mannion, Fitzsimmons;
Albion took the lead after only five minutes when a pass from Barlow was crashed in by Ronnie Allen.
Mountford and Dugdale, the two young reserves, were both playing very well. Mountford once beat three men and Evans was clean through but Ugolini dived at this fee. Middlesborough were very shaky in defence, Bilcliffe had a very poor game at right back and both Whittaker and Bell had plenty to say to him. Half time 1-0.
In the second half Delaphena, who had done little right, changed places with Fitzsimmons. Soon after the re-start Evans crashed a twenty five yard shot against the post. Whittaker miss-kicked several times, he seems to have gone off a lot this season.
Mountford moved to centre forward for a spell and put Lee through brilliantly to score. Allen later returned to the centre to scored the third goal, in what proved to be an easy victory for Albion.
SATURDAY 28TH FEBRUARY, 1953
F.A. CUP SIXTH ROUND AT VILLA PARK, BIRMINGHAM
ASTON VILLA 0 EVERTON 1 (Hickson)
Parsons; Aldis, Parkes; Blanchflower, Moss (F), Dorsett;
Roberts, Thompson, Walsh, Dixon, Goffin;
O'Neill; Clinton, Lindsay; Farrell (capt), Jones, Lello;
Buckle, Cummins, Hickson, Parker, Eglington;
Six train loads and many more coaches brought thousands of blue and white clad Everton supporters to Villa Park to create an amazing atmosphere.All the gates had been shut twenty minutes before the start with over 60,000 expectant fans packed inside. A large crowd of thousands more were locked out and mounted the higher parts of Aston Park, behind the huge Holt End open terrace, hoping to gain a long distance view of the game. Everton got a much greater reception than the Villa. Every one of their supporters seemed to have a rattle and the noise was deafening.
Peter Farrell won the toss for Wverton, who made the first attacked which ended when Parsons saved a shot from Parker. 'Jock' Lindsay was soon prominent at left back for Everton. He played a splendid game for the whole ninety minutes. Eglington was very fast on the left wing and got across some dangerous centres but Frank Moss was in splend form for Villa and dominated the centre.. The home side madeseveral promising attacks but seemed to fade in the penalty are and O'Neill was not unduly troubled. The enthusiastic Hickson chased every ball but Moss kept him in check. Half time 0-0.
Everton started the second half with a bang, Hickson headed inches over the bar from Eglington's centre and then Parker did likewise. Cummins followed by hitting the bar as Everton continued to press. About quarter of an hour from the end Everton scored when Buckle moved over to the left and passed to Hickson. The blond centre foward beat Moss and passed back to Buckle. When he reached the edge of theare he put inside again and Hickson crashed it home.
The Everton crowd went mad1 You would have thought they had won the cup already. Athe the finish they ran on the filed mobbing Hickson and trying to chair hime off. He was rescued by two policemen who escorted him to the tunnel. A great cup tie made special by the incredible atmosphere created by the crowd.
SATURDAY 7TH MARCH, 1953
LEAGUE DIVISION ONE AT VILLA PARK,BIRMINGHAM
ASTON VILLA 4 (Walsh, Dorsett, Dixon, Thompson) LIVERPOOL 0
Jones; Aldis, Parkes; Blanchflower, Martin, Dorsett (capt);
Gibson, Thompson, Walsh, Dixon, Roberts;
Crossley; Lambert, Spicer; Saunders, Gerhardi, Maloney;
Taylor, Smyth, Bimpson, Payne, A'Court;
Referee:- B.J. Flanagan, Sheffield
Don Welch Liverpool's manager, walked over the pitch before the kick-off and looked around perhaps remembering previous visits as a Charlton player. Liverpool fielded a very inexperienced side, with a totally new half back line (pictured below), a centre forward Louis Bimpson making his debut, outside right Payne at inside left and only the two full backs have been regulars in recent seasons.
This gave Villa the opportunity to bounce back from last week's cup defeat by Everton. The Liverpool defence was overrun in this match by a forward line inspired by Irishman Dave Walsh and brilliantly prompted by Dick Dorsett and Danny Blanchflower in their contrasting styles at wing half.
Aston Villa 1952-53
Villa scored their first goal within fifteen seconds. Gibson streaked down the right wing and Walsh tapped the ball in after Lambert had tried to push it clear. They went further ahead when Dorsett scored with a terrific 35 yard drive. Half time 2-0.
Dixon and Thompson scored further goals in the second half, both from moves started by Walsh. Roberts also had a good game at outside left and Con Martin was firm in defence. The ungainly Bimpson was unlucky not to score, as he went close with headers on three occasions. Gerhardi, the six foot four South African centre half was able to beat Walsh in the air but not on the ground.
Saunders, Maloney, Taylor, Smyth (the former Wolves player) and Payne were Liverpool's best, but they looked a long way from the team of Balmer, Stubbins and Liddell. The latter is of course out injured at present. Maloney only made his debut last Wednesday at Anfield against Bolton in a 0-0 draw. Bimpson was only signed six weeks ago and scored a hat trick in a friendly with Burnley last week.
SATURDAY 14TH MARCH 1953
LEAGUE DIVISION THREE SOUTH AT FELLOWS PARK, WALSALL
WALSALL 2 (Dean, McIntosh) TORQUAY UNITED 0
Chilvers; Rowe, Walters; Dean, Horne (capt), Green;
Bowen, Knight, McIntosh, Wright, Giles;
Hays; Parfitt, Drinkwater; Lewis, Webber (capt), Norman;
Shaw, Collins, Edds, Mills, Thomas;
Referee;- R.E. Smith, Newport, Mon.
A rare visit for me to Walsall this season and indeed a very rare win for the home side. They are in a perilous position, bottom of the league by no less than eleven points behind Crystal Palace who have three games in hand! Their match last week was a 6-1 thrashing by Bristol City who are vying with neighbours Bristol Rovers for promotion.
Amazingly Walsall took the lead in only the first minute of the game. Bowen centred from the right to Dean, whose splendid shot was headed into the corner of the net by Torquay's player-manager Eric Webber. Dean nearly scored again when he shot just over the bar straight from the restart.
Torquay's forwards combined well but their shooting was not up to standard and when they did get on target Chilvers positioned himself well and made several good saves. Horne was outstanding in defence and although Webber was McIntosh's master in the air, the Scots tricky footwork often had him puzzled.
Knight was a failure at inside right, but Rowe gave a much improved performance at right back. Wright, Giles and Green formed a good left wing triangle. Hays played well in goal for Torquay and was unlucky to concede a second goal when McIntosh put the ball into the net after Knight's shot had been blocked. Hays made another splendid save from McIntosh just before the end.
So a much improved performance from Walsall as they face an uphill task in trying to avoid applying for re-election once again.
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