1946–47 Arsenal F.C. season

Arsenal
1946–47 season
Chairman Samuel Hill-Wood
Manager George Allison
(until 31 May 1947)
Tom Whittaker
(from 2 June 1947)
Division One 13th
FA Cup Third round
Top goalscorer League:
Reg Lewis (29)
All:
Reg Lewis (29)
Highest home attendance 60,643 v Derby County
(21 September 1946)
Lowest home attendance 23,785 v Everton
(31 May 1947)
← 1945–46 1947–48 →

In 1946 the Football League in the United Kingdom fully resumed on a national basis following the disruption caused by World War II. In the club's first post-war First Division match, on 31 August 1946; Arsenal lost 6–1 to Wolves, their biggest League defeat in nearly twenty years. Although the Gunners had been the dominant force in English football in the 1930s, they struggled in their first season after the war, only finishing 13th.

Players

Players returning after the break included Cliff Bastin, Bryn Jones, Reg Lewis,[1] Jimmy Logie, George Male, David Nelson and Laurie Scott. George Swindin established himself as Arsenal's undisputed No. 1, a position he would hold for the next six seasons. The squad included brothers Leslie Compton and Denis Compton both of whom also played Cricket for Middlesex. Ian McPherson made his Arsenal debut in the opening match against Wolves. He played 40 times that season on the right wing.

Dr. Kevin O'Flanagan made 14 First Division appearances and scored three goals. He made his first-class league debut[2] against Blackburn Rovers on 4 September and his last appearance for the senior team came on 28 December 1946 against Wolves. Bernard Joy played the first half of the 1946–47 season before deciding that his age (35) was counting against him; he retired from top-flight football in December 1946. George Curtis played 12 times in the 1946–47 season, but was sold to Southampton in part-exchange for Don Roper in summer 1947.

Joe Mercer made his Arsenal debut against Bolton Wanderers on 30 November 1946 and soon after became club captain. Everton boss Theo Kelly had brought Mercer's boots to the transfer negotiations to prevent Mercer having a reason to go back to say goodbye to the other players at Everton.[3] His transfer fee was set at £9,000 (2015: £337,000).

Arsenal were unsuccessful in their attempts to land Archie Macaulay, who signed with Brentford F.C. in October 1946.[4]

Despite being nearly 35 and having never played in the top flight, Ronnie Rooke was signed by Arsenal (Cyril Grant going in the other direction). The move was surprising, but Rooke immediately made an impact, scoring the winner on his debut against Charlton Athletic on 14 December. He scored 21 goals in just 24 League matches that season.

Matches

On 21 September 63,000 attended Highbury to see Arsenal beaten by Derby County.[5] Czech Champions, AC Sparta opened their tour of Britain with a 2–2 draw against Arsenal on 2 October with Albert Guðmundsson, later Iceland's Minister of Finance, playing inside forward for The Gunners.[6]

Despite leading at half time, Arsenal lost to Sheffield United in early November. Six changes were made for the match against Preston North End the following week: Walley Barnes replaced Joy at left back. With Jones still injured, Lewis was moved to inside forward and Cyril Grant made his Arsenal debut as centre forward.[7] However, the poor form continued and Arsenal lost 2–0.[8]

Each November between 1930 and 1962, Racing Club de Paris hosted a prestige game with Arsenal. In 1946 The London club were beaten 2–1 at Colombes Stadium.[9] In Mid November they beat Oxford University 6–0 with goals by Doug Farquhar, Morgan (2) and Whalley (3).[10]

Football League First Division

DateOpponentVenue ResultScore
F–A		Scorer(s) Attendance[11]
31 August 1946 Wolverhampton Wanderers A L 1–6 Lewis 50,845
4 September 1946 Blackburn Rovers H L 1–3 Lewis 28,700
7 September 1946 Sunderland H D 2–2 Lewis (2) 53,377
11 September 1946 Everton A L 2–3 Lewis (2) 40,000
14 September 1946 Aston Villa A W 2–0 Lewis, O'Flanagan 53,778
17 September 1946 Blackburn Rovers A W 2–1 Lewis (2) 24,563
21 September 1946 Derby County H L 0–1 60,643
28 September 1946 Manchester United A L 2–5 Lewis, McPherson 62,718
5 October 1946 Blackpool A L 1–2 Logie 24,039
12 October 1946 Brentford H D 2–2 Lewis, Logie 45,000
19 October 1946 Stoke City H W 1–0 O'Flanagan 60,266
26 October 1946 Chelsea A L 1–2 Lewis 56,568
2 November 1946 Sheffield United H L 2–3 Lewis, Logie 41,730
9 November 1946 Preston North End A L 0–2 29,971
16 November 1946 Leeds United H W 4–2 Lewis (2) (1 pen.), Logie, McPherson 36,377
23 November 1946 Liverpool A L 2–4 Lewis, Logie 51,435
30 November 1946 Bolton Wanderers H D 2–2 Lewis (pen.), O'Flanagan 42,522
7 December 1946 Middlesbrough A L 0–2 30,357
14 December 1946 Charlton Athletic H W 1–0 Rooke 38,606
21 December 1946 Grimsby Town A D 0–0 13,308
25 December 1946 Portsmouth H W 2–1 Rooke, Logie 32,108
26 December 1946 Portsmouth A W 2–0 Rooke (2) 38,000
28 December 1946 Wolverhampton Wanderers H D 1–1 Rooke 58,075
4 January 1947 Sunderland A W 4–1 Rooke (2), Lewis (2) 36,812
18 January 1947 Aston Villa H L 0–2 57,524
1 February 1947 Manchester United H W 6–2 Rooke (3), Rudkin, Logie, McPherson 29,145
8 February 1947 Blackpool H D 1–1 Rooke 31,111
22 February 1947 Stoke City A L 1–3 Rooke 30,000
1 March 1947 Chelsea H L 1–2 Rudkin 52,606
15 March 1947 Preston North End H W 4–1 Lewis (3), Rooke 45,775
22 March 1947 Leeds United A D 1–1 Lewis 32,000
4 April 1947 Huddersfield Town H L 1–2 Jones 46,105
5 April 1947 Bolton Wanderers A W 3–1 Rooke (2), Lewis 34,398
7 April 1947 Huddersfield Town A D 0–0 33,381
12 April 1947 Middlesbrough H W 4–0 Rooke (4) (1 pen.) 44,230
19 April 1947 Charlton Athletic A D 2–2 McPherson, Logie 57,983
26 April 1947 Grimsby Town H W 5–3 Lewis (4), D. Compton 42,100
10 May 1947 Derby County A W 1–0 Rooke 19,153
24 May 1947 Liverpool H L 1–2 McPherson 44,265
26 May 1947 Brentford A W 1–0 Sloan 17,599
31 May 1947 Everton H W 2–1 Rooke, Lewis 23,785
7 June 1947 Sheffield United A L 1–2 McPherson 14,939
Season League Top scorer[12]
Division P W D L F A Pts Pos
1946-47 Div 1 42 16 9 17 72 70 41 13th Reg Lewis 29

Results by round

Round123456789101112131415161718192021222324252627282930313233343536373839404142
GroundAHHAAAHAAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHHAHHAHAAHAHAHAHA
Result L L D L W W L L L D W L L L W L D L W D W W D W L W D L L W D L W D W D W W L W W L
Position 19 20 21 22 17 16 17 18 21 20 18 19 20 21 19 21 21 21 20 17 17 16 16 13 15 15 16 17 18 17 17 18 18 18 15 16 15 15 16 13 13 13

Source: Statto
Ground: A = Away; H = Home. Result: D = Draw; L = Loss; W = Win; P = Postponed.

FA Cup

Main article: 1946–47 FA Cup
Round DateOpponentVenue ResultScore
F–A		Scorer(s) Attendance
Third round 11 January 1947ChelseaA D1–1McPherson 70,195
Third round replay 15 January 1947ChelseaH D1–1 (a.e.t.)Rooke 53,350
Third round replay 20 January 1947ChelseaN L0–2 59,590

Player statistics

Players with name struck through and marked Left club during playing season left the club during the playing season.
Pos. Nat. Name First Division FA Cup Total[11][13]
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
DF  WAL Walley Barnes 26 0 3 0 29 0
FW  ENG Cliff Bastin Left club during playing season 6 0 — — 6 0
FW  ENG Alf Calverley 11 0 — — 11 0
MF  ENG Ernie Collett 6 0 — — 6 0
DF  ENG Leslie Compton 36 0 3 0 39 0
FW  ENG Denis Compton 1 1 — — 1 1
FW  ENG George Curtis 11 0 1 — 12 0
FW  ENG George Drury Left club during playing season 4 0 — — 4 0
DF  ENG Alf Fields 8 0 — — 8 0
FW  ENG Cyril Grant Left club during playing season 2 0 — — 2 0
FW  ISL Albert Guðmundsson Left club during playing season 2 0 — — 2 0
FW  ENG Cyril Hodges Left club during playing season 2 0 — — 2 0
FW  WAL Bryn Jones 26 1 2 0 28 1
DF  ENG Bernard Joy Left club during playing season 13 0 — — 13 0
FW  ENG Reg Lewis 28 29 3 0 31 29
FW  SCO Jimmy Logie 35 8 3 0 38 8
DF  ENG George Male 15 0 2 0 17 0
MF  SCO Ian McPherson 37 6 3 1 40 7
DF  ENG Joe Mercer 25 0 3 0 28 0
FW  WAL Stan Morgan 2 0 — — 2 0
MF  ENG David Nelson Left club during playing season 10 0 — — 10 0
FW  IRE
 IRE		 Kevin O'Flanagan 14 3 — — 14 3
GK  ENG Ted Platt 4 0 — — 4 0
FW  ENG Ronnie Rooke 24 21 3 1 27 22
FW  ENG Tommy Rudkin 5 2 — — 5 2
DF  ENG Laurie Scott 28 0 1 0 29 0
DF  IRE
 IRE		 Paddy Sloan 30 1 3 0 33 1
FW  ENG Alan Smith Left club during playing season 3 0 — — 3 0
GK  ENG George Swindin 38 0 3 0 41 0
DF  ENG Joe Wade 2 0 — — 2 0
DF  ENG Harry Waller 8 0 — — 8 0

References

  1. ↑ The Times, 30 August 1946; "Association Football: The New Season"
  2. ↑ Appearances in wartime leagues such as the Football League South are not counted as official first-class matches by statisticians, hence this is considered O'Flanagan's first-class league debut.
  3. ↑ Corbett, James (2003); p104 Everton:School of Science publ by MacMillan ISBN 0-330-42006-2
  4. ↑ The Times, Saturday, 16 November 1946; Association Football Some Championship Anxieties
  5. ↑ The Times, 23 September 1946; Association Football Four Unbeaten Clubs
  6. ↑ The Times, 3 October 1946; Association Football Sparta Draw With Arsenal
  7. ↑ The Times, 9 November 1946; Association Football Wolverhampton At Charlton
  8. ↑ The Times, 11 November 1946; Association Football Bad Day For Home Teams
  9. ↑ The Times, 12 November 1946; Association Football Changes In Welsh Team
  10. ↑ The Times, 15 November 1946; Association Football
  11. 1 2 Ollier, Fred (1995). Arsenal: A Complete Record (4th ed.). Breedon Books. p. 156. ISBN 1-85983-011-0.
  12. ↑ Goals in all competitions are counted.
  13. ↑ Kelly, Andy. "Arsenal First Team Line-Ups" (Select 1946–1947). Andy's Arsenal Resource Website.

External links

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