1946–47 Southampton F.C. season

The 1946–47 Southampton F.C. season was the club's 18th season in the Football League Second Division and their 20th in the Football League.[1] Southampton finished the season in 14th place in the league table, having won 15, drawn 9 and lost 18 of their 42 matches.[2] The club also made it to the fourth round of the FA Cup.[3] Inside forward Jack Bradley finished the season as the club's top scorer in the league with 14 goals,[4] while centre forward George Lewis finished as joint top scorer in all competitions alongside Bradley, with 15 goals.

Southampton F.C.
1946–47 season
ChairmanA. E. Jakes
ManagerBill Dodgin
StadiumThe Dell
Second Division14th
FA CupFourth round
Top goalscorerLeague:
Jack Bradley (14)
All:
Jack Bradley (15)
George Lewis (15)
Highest home attendance25,746 v Newcastle United (12 October 1946)
Lowest home attendance4,289 v Coventry City
(5 February 1947)
Average home league attendance16,039

League football in England resumed in 1946 following the Second World War.[5] The first post-war season was Southampton's first to feature Bill Dodgin as manager, who had previously played for the club during wartime and was appointed in March 1946.[6] In the summer the club signed a number of new players, including Bill Rochford and George Lewis, and due to the lack of official competition during wartime many first team players made their official debuts for the club during the campaign (including eight in the first game of the season).[5]

Pre-season

In preparation for the 1946–47 season, Southampton played two pre-season friendly matches.[5] On 14 August 1946 the Saints won 4–1 against Irish club Bohemians, with new signing George Lewis and Don Roper scoring two goals each.[7] They then beat French side Le Havre 7–0 at home thanks to a hat-trick from Don Roper, two goals from Doug McGibbon, and one each from Jack Bradley and Bobby Veck.[7]

14 August 1946 Friendly Bohemians 1–4 Southampton Dublin, Ireland
Lewis
Roper 		Stadium: Dalymount Park
23 August 1946 Friendly Southampton 7–0 Le Havre Southampton
Roper
McGibbon
Bradley
Veck 		Stadium: The Dell

Second Division
September–December 1946

Southampton began the 1946–47 season well with a 4–0 win over Swansea Town at home, with Doug McGibbon scoring a hat-trick.[5] The team dropped down to 10th in the table with a draw and a loss, before beating Nottingham Forest convincingly 5–2 thanks to goals from McGibbon (two), Alf Freeman (two) and Jack Bradley.[5] The Saints began to drop down the league table in October thanks to a winless run, but picked their form back up at the end of the month with wins over Newport County and Plymouth Argyle.[5][8] The club's fortunes continued to change week on week, although they finished the year off strongly with a 5–1 win over Newport County to remain in the top ten going into 1947.[8]

January–May 1947

The year began poorly for the Saints with three consecutive losses away from home in which the side conceded 11 goals,[8] prompting Dodgin to replace regular goalkeeper George Ephgrave with Len Stansbridge for much of the rest of the season.[4] Through February and March, the team won four out of seven matches to move away from the relegation zone and back up to the top ten, although four straight losses saw them drop back down to 15th in April.[9] Seven players were released by the club near the end of the month.[9] Three wins from their last six matches meant that Southampton finished 14th in the Second Division table, compared to 18th in the last pre-war season.[9]

Final league table
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GAv Pts
12 West Ham United 42 16 8 18 70 76 0.921 40
13 Luton Town 42 16 7 19 71 73 0.973 39
14 Southampton 42 15 9 18 69 76 0.908 39
15 Fulham 42 15 9 18 63 74 0.851 39
16 Bradford Park Avenue 42 14 11 17 65 77 0.844 39
Source:

Source: statto.com

Results by matchday
Round123456789101112131415161718192021222324252627282930313233343536373839404142
GroundHHAHAHAAHAAHAHAHAHAAHHAAAHHAHAHAAHHAHAAHHH
ResultWDLWLWLLDDWWLDLWDWLDDWLLLWLWLWLWLLLLWDLWWD
Position7810813101014141311101213141212911111191015161313111110121010101115111314121212
Source: statto.com
A = Away; H = Home; W = Win; D = Draw; L = Loss

Match results
4 September 1946 1 Southampton 4–0 Swansea Town Southampton
McGibbon  10', 25', 53'
Veck  41'		 Stadium: The Dell
Attendance: 8,000
7 September 1946 2 Southampton 1–1 Bury Southampton
Bradley  16' Kilshaw  68' Stadium: The Dell
Attendance: 23,000
9 September 1946 3 Tottenham Hotspur 2–1 Southampton London
Rundle  4'
Bennett  43'		 McGibbon  65' Stadium: White Hart Lane
Attendance: 22,153
14 September 1946 4 Southampton 5–2 Nottingham Forest Southampton
McGibbon  1', 65'
Freeman  8', 54'
Bradley  37'		 Edwards  32'
Johnston 		Stadium: The Dell
Attendance: 17,991
21 September 1946 5 Coventry City 2–0 Southampton Coventry
Gardner  10'
Lowrie  60'		 Stadium: Highfield Road
Attendance: 20,000
28 September 1946 6 Southampton 1–0 Birmingham City Southampton
Bradley  13' Stadium: The Dell
Attendance: 24,920
3 October 1946 7 Swansea Town 4–2 Southampton Swansea
Lockhart  31'
Bradley  85'		 Bates  44'
Ford  75', 80'
McCrory  89'		 Stadium: Vetch Field
Attendance: 21,523
5 October 1946 8 West Bromwich Albion 2–0 Southampton West Bromwich
Clarke  6'
Duggan 		Stadium: The Hawthorns
Attendance: 28,000
12 October 1946 9 Southampton 1–1 Newcastle United Southampton
Bates  61' Shackleton  56' Stadium: The Dell
Attendance: 25,746
19 October 1946 10 Luton Town 2–2 Southampton Luton
Connelly  58'
Daniel  72'		 Roper
Bevis  62'		 Stadium: Kenilworth Road
Attendance: 20,000
24 October 1946 11 Newport County 1–2 Southampton Newport
Carr  36' Lewis  51'
Bevis  69'		 Stadium: Rodney Parade
Attendance: 11,149
26 October 1946 12 Southampton 5–1 Plymouth Argyle Southampton
Bradley  9', 85'
Grant  35', 60'
McGibbon  82'		 Rawlings  52' (pen.) Stadium: The Dell
Attendance: 18,252
2 November 1946 13 Leicester City 2–0 Southampton Leicester
Dewis  3', 65' Stadium: Filbert Street
Attendance: 20,000
9 November 1946 14 Southampton 1–1 Chesterfield Southampton
McGibbon  26' Ottewell  73' Stadium: The Dell
Attendance: 18,006
16 November 1946 15 Milwall 3–1 Southampton London
Hurrell  20', 75'
Mansfield  48'		 Smith  40' Stadium: The Den
Attendance: 24,413
23 November 1946 16 Southampton 3–2 Bradford Park Avenue Southampton
Roper  5'
Bevis  47'
Stroud  75'		 Farrell  76' (pen.)
Danskin  85'		 Stadium: The Dell
Attendance: 16,249
30 November 1946 17 Manchester City 1–1 Southampton Manchester
Constantine  23' Bates  43' Stadium: Maine Road
Attendance: 24,867
7 December 1946 18 Southampton 4–2 West Ham United Southampton
Ellerington  19' (pen.)
McGibbon  59'
Bevis  61'
Roper  77'		 Bainbridge  53'
Payne  53'		 Stadium: The Dell
Attendance: 17,305
14 December 1946 19 Sheffield Wednesday 3–0 Southampton Sheffield
Dailey  10', 80'
Ward  86'		 Stadium: Hillsborough Stadium
Attendance: 10,000
25 December 1946 20 Barnsley 4–4 Southampton Barnsley
Pallister  (pen.)
Robledo
Morris
Bennett 		Stroud  32'
Bevis  67'
Lewis  70', 78'		 Stadium: Oakwell
Attendance: 16,200
26 December 1946 21 Southampton 1–1 Barnsley Southampton
Ramsey  88' (pen.) Morris Stadium: The Dell
Attendance: 21,556
28 December 1946 22 Southampton 5–1 Newport County Southampton
Lewis  6'
Bradley  23', 59'
Stroud  68'
Bevis  70'		 Rawcliffe  83' Stadium: The Dell
Attendance: 17,778
4 January 1947 23 Bury 2–1 Southampton Bury
Carter  70', 85' Lewis  37' Stadium: Gigg Lane
Attendance: 16,000
18 January 1947 24 Nottingham Forest 6–0 Southampton Nottingham
Lyman  5', 62'
Edwards  20'
Brown  43'
Barks  59'
Brigham  77'		 Stadium: City Ground
Attendance: 20,000
1 February 1947 25 Birmingham City 3–1 Southampton Birmingham
Trigg  17', 83'
Mulraney  41'		 Bradley  50' Stadium: St Andrew's
Attendance: 32,878
5 February 1947 26 Southampton 5–2 Coventry City Southampton
Lewis  18', 22'
Roper  67'
Bradley  69'
Day  89'		 Roberts  13', 17' Stadium: The Dell
Attendance: 4,289[lower-alpha 1]
8 February 1947 27 Southampton 0–1 West Bromwich Albion Southampton
Elliott  34' Stadium: The Dell
Attendance: 8,000
15 February 1947 28 Newcastle United 1–3 Southampton Newcastle upon Tyne
Pearson  16' Roper  3'
Day  66'
Stroud  82'		 Stadium: St James' Park
Attendance: 35,000
22 February 1947 29 Southampton 1–3 Luton Town Southampton
Roper  37' Driver  30'
Duggan  32', 50'		 Stadium: The Dell
Attendance: 11,700
1 March 1947 30 Plymouth Argyle 2–3 Southampton Plymouth
Watkins  33'
Thomas  70'		 Mallett  36'
Lewis  65', 84'		 Stadium: Home Park
Attendance: 24,071
22 March 1947 31 Southampton 1–2 Millwall Southampton
Lewis  15' Woodward  34'
Jinks  77'		 Stadium: The Dell
Attendance: 14,922
29 March 1947 32 Bradford Park Avenue 2–3 Southampton Bradford
Smith  46', 80' Lewis  27', 31'
Roper  53'		 Stadium: Horsfall Stadium
Attendance: 10,000
4 April 1947 33 Burnley 1–0 Southampton Burnley
Kippax  80' Stadium: Turf Moor
Attendance: 31,713
5 April 1947 34 Southampton 0–1 Manchester City Southampton
Smith  27' Stadium: The Dell
Attendance: 24,197
7 April 1947 35 Southampton 0–1 Burnley Southampton
Knight  75' Stadium: The Dell
Attendance: 19,319
12 April 1947 36 West Ham United 4–0 Southampton London
Neary  56'
Wood  50'
Parsons  71'		 Stadium: Boleyn Ground
Attendance: 21,000
19 April 1947 37 Southampton 3–1 Sheffield Wednesday Southampton
Bradley  2', 68'
Roper  77'		 Ward  10' Stadium: The Dell
Attendance: 13,514
26 April 1947 38 Fulham 0–0 Southampton London
Stadium: Craven Cottage
Attendance: 14,087
3 May 1947 39 Chesterfield 5–0 Southampton Chesterfield
Swinscoe  6', 89'
G. Milburn  76' (pen.), 81'
Oliver  88'		 Stadium: Saltergate
Attendance: 10,000
10 May 1947 40 Southampton 1–0 Tottenham Hotspur Southampton
Roper  12' Stadium: The Dell
Attendance: 12,436
24 May 1947 41 Southampton 2–0 Fulham Southampton
Bates  25'
Bradley  70'		 Stadium: The Dell
Attendance: 9,738
26 May 1947 42 Southampton 1–1 Leicester City Southampton
Bradley  39' Smith  83' Stadium: The Dell
Attendance: 9,905

FA Cup
Bury (11 January 1947)

Southampton entered the 1946–47 FA Cup in the third round, facing Bury at home on 11 January 1947. The Saints controlled the game from the early exchanges, with Jack Bradley, George Lewis and Billy Bevis scoring within the first 16 minutes to put the hosts 3–0 up.[10] Bury pulled one back before the break through a penalty, which was awarded due to a handball in the area by George Smith.[10] In the second half, the Saints quickly reasserted their dominance and made it 4–1 through a second goal from Lewis in the 52nd minute.[10] After he was initially denied by the crossbar earlier on, Lewis did later complete his hat-trick (the club's first in the competition proper) when he converted following a run by Eric Webber.[10]

Newcastle United (25 January 1947)

In the fourth round Southampton travelled to face Newcastle United, who were then second in the Second Division league table.[11] The Saints took the lead in the 11th minute, as Don Roper shot from the outside of the box and scored due to a deflection off centre-half Frank Brennan.[12] The lead remained until the break, before Charlie Wayman equalised for the hosts shortly after half-time.[12] Nine minutes later he scored again, heading in a Doug Wright free-kick.[12] Wayman completed his hat-trick later in the game to put Newcastle through to the fifth round.[12] The Magpies went on to make it to the semi-finals of the tournament, before being knocked out by eventual champions Charlton Athletic.[3]

11 January 1947 Round 3 Southampton 5–1 Bury Southampton
Bradley
Lewis  10', 52'
Bevis  16'		  32' (pen.) Stadium: The Dell
Attendance: 19,701
25 January 1947 Round 4 Newcastle United 3–1 Southampton Newcastle upon Tyne
Wayman  50', 59' Roper  11' Stadium: St James' Park
Attendance: 55,873

Squad statistics
Name Pos. Nat. League FA Cup Total
Apps. Gls. Apps. Gls. Apps. Gls.
Ted Bates FW 224 00 224
Jack Bradley FW 3814 21 4015
Stan Clements HB 20 00 20
Eric Day FW 192 20 212
Bill Ellerington FB 191 10 201
George Ephgrave GK 290 20 310
Wilf Grant FW 213 00 213
Jack Gregory FB 10 00 10
George Horsfall HB 20 00 20
George Lewis FW 2812 23 3015
Joe Mallett HB 131 00 131
Alf Ramsey FB 231 10 241
Bill Rochford FB 410 20 430
Don Roper FW 408 21 429
George Smith HB 341 20 361
Len Stansbridge GK 130 00 130
Bobby Veck FW 121 00 121
Eric Webber HB 400 20 420
Players with appearances who left the club before the end of the season
Billy Bevis FW 145 21 166
Bill Bushby HB 20 00 20
Harry Evans FW 10 00 10
Alf Freeman FW 72 00 72
Doug McGibbon FW 129 00 129
Bill Stroud HB 294 20 314

Most appearances
No. Name Pos. Nat. League FA Cup Total Mins.
1 Bill Rochford FB 412433,870
2 Don Roper FW 402423,780
Eric Webber HB 402423,780
4 Jack Bradley FW 382403,600
5 George Smith HB 342363,240
6 George Ephgrave GK 292312,790
Bill Stroud HB 292312,790
8 George Lewis FW 282302,700
9 Alf Ramsey FB 231242,160
10 Ted Bates FW 220221,980

Top goalscorers
No. Name Pos. Nat. League FA Cup Total
Gls. Apps. Gls. Apps. Gls. Apps. GPG
1 George Lewis FW 1228 32 15300.50
Jack Bradley FW 1438 12 15400.37
3 Doug McGibbon FW 912 00 9120.75
Don Roper FW 840 12 9420.21
5 Billy Bevis FW 514 12 6160.37
6 Ted Bates FW 422 00 4220.18
Bill Stroud HB 429 02 4310.12
8 Alf Freeman FW 27 00 270.28
Eric Day FW 219 02 2210.09

Transfers
Players transferred in
Date Pos. Name Club Fee Ref.
April 1946 GK George Ephgrave Swindon Town Free [13]
July 1946 FB Bill Rochford Portsmouth £550 [5]
July 1946 FW George Lewis Watford £1,000+[lower-alpha 2] [5]
September 1946 HB Bill Bushby Portsmouth Free [14]
October 1946 FW Wilf Grant Manchester City Free [15]
February 1947 HB Joe Mallett Queens Park Rangers £5,000[lower-alpha 3] [9]
Players transferred out
Date Pos. Name Club Fee Ref.
September 1946 FB Tom Emanuel Llanelli Free [17]
January 1947 FW Doug McGibbon Fulham £4,250 [18]
Players released
Date Pos. Name Subsequent club Join date Ref.
April 1947 FW Billy Bevis Winchester City September 1947 [9][19]
April 1947 HB Bill Bushby Cowes Sports Late 1947 [9][14]
April 1947 FW Harry Evans Exeter City June 1947 [9][20]
April 1947 HB Ken Fisher Watford August 1947 [9][21]
April 1947 FW Alf Freeman Crystal Palace August 1948 [9][22]
April 1947 HB Bill Stroud Leyton Orient June 1947 [9][23]

Footnotes
  1. 4,289 is Southampton's lowest post-war home league attendance.[8]
  2. Lewis's transfer fee is generally reported as "a four-figure fee".[5]
  3. Joe Mallett's £5,000 transfer fee was a club record at the time.[16]

References
  1. "Southampton Complete History". Statto.com. Archived from the original on 1 October 2016. Retrieved 29 May 2016.
  2. "Season 1946-47". English League Tables, 1888-2008. Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved 29 May 2016.
  3. "England FA Challenge Cup 1946-47". England FA Challenge Cup Finals. Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved 29 May 2016.
  4. Holley & Chalk 2003, p. 5
  5. Holley & Chalk 2003, p. 2
  6. Chalk, Holley & Bull 2013, p. 57
  7. Holley & Chalk 2003, p. 424
  8. Holley & Chalk 2003, p. 3
  9. Holley & Chalk 2003, p. 4
  10. Holley & Chalk 2003, p. 302
  11. "Newcastle United results for the 1946-47 season". statto.com. Retrieved 30 May 2016.
  12. Holley & Chalk 2003, p. 303
  13. Chalk, Holley & Bull 2013, p. 310
  14. Chalk, Holley & Bull 2013, p. 266
  15. Chalk, Holley & Bull 2013, p. 333
  16. Holley & Chalk 2003, p. 544
  17. Chalk, Holley & Bull 2013, p. 66
  18. Chalk, Holley & Bull 2013, pp. 121–122
  19. Chalk, Holley & Bull 2013, p. 14
  20. Chalk, Holley & Bull 2013, p. 311
  21. Holley & Chalk 2003, p. 612
  22. Chalk, Holley & Bull 2013, p. 320
  23. Chalk, Holley & Bull 2013, p. 474

Bibliography
  • Chalk, Gary; Holley, Duncan; Bull, David (November 2013), All the Saints: A Complete Players' Who's Who of Southampton FC, Bristol, England: Hagiology Publishing, ISBN 978-0-9926864-0-6
  • Holley, Duncan; Chalk, Gary (2003), Bull, David (ed.), In That Number: A Post-War Chronicle of Southampton FC, Bristol, England: Hagiology Publishing, ISBN 0-9534474-3-X
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