1953–54 Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C. season
This article does not cite any sources. (May 2019) |
1953–54 season | |||
---|---|---|---|
Chairman | Jimmy Baker | ||
Manager | Stan Cullis | ||
First Division | 1st (1st title) | ||
FA Cup | 3rd Round | ||
Top goalscorer | League: Dennis Wilshaw (25) All: Dennis Wilshaw (26) | ||
Highest home attendance | 56,590 (vs West Bromwich, 14 November 1953) | ||
Lowest home attendance | 19,617 (vs Bolton Wanderers, 23 March 1954) | ||
Average home league attendance | 36,340 (league only) | ||
| |||
The 1953–54 season was the 55th season of competitive league football in the history of English football club Wolverhampton Wanderers. They played in the First Division, then the highest level of English football.
The season was a major success as the team won the League championship for the first time in their history, pipping local rivals West Bromwich Albion. Winning the title was a breakthrough for the club after three times previously finishing runners-up.
Season review[]
After an opening day mauling away at Burnley, the team found its feet and enjoyed a run of five successive wins to reach second place. The table was led by their Black Country rivals West Bromwich Albion. Both teams kept up a relentless pace before Christmas, with Wolves producing a run that brought 31 points out of a possible 36, including defeating West Brom 1–0. At the halfway mark only Burnley and newly promoted Huddersfield Town were managing to keep pace with the top two.
Defeat in their Christmas fixture against Aston Villa lost Wolves the top spot they had gained for the first time a week earlier. The start of 1954 brought an instant exit from the FA Cup at the hands of fellow Midlanders Birmingham City, but also saw them return to the top of the table. A run of three defeats in four though – including the end of their 11-game unbeaten away record (a club record) – allowed West Brom to regain top spot.
While March saw Wolves suffer further defeats, their main rival's form proved even worse. A second Black Country derby victory for Wolves against them in early April brought them level on points at the summit, second only on goal average with only five games remaining. Wolves then claimed top spot for the first time since early January the following week after thrashing Charlton 5–0.
The Easter period proved the pivotal twist in the title race. A 4–0 thumping of Huddersfield gave Wolves' goal average a further boost, while West Brom were held to a draw by Aston Villa. As was then traditional, the fixtures were reversed the following day, with decisive results. Although both title chasers lost, West Brom's 1–6 hammering at Villa Park left their goal average far short of Wolves' with just a single game to play.
Only a huge loss for Wolves coupled with a big win for Albion could alter the outcome of the championship on the final day. In the event, neither happened, Albion went down to defeat at Portsmouth, while Wolves' 2–0 victory over Tottenham confirmed their first ever league championship.
Results[]
Football League First Division[]
A total of 22 teams competed in the First Division in the 1953–54 season. Each team would play every other team twice, once at their stadium, and once at the opposition's. Two points were awarded to teams for each win, one point per draw, and none for defeats.
19 August 1953 1 | Burnley | 4–1 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | showBurnley |
22 August 1953 2 | Manchester City | 0–4 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | showManchester |
26 August 1953 3 | Sunderland | 3–2 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | showSunderland |
29 August 1953 4 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 3–1 | Cardiff City | showWolverhampton |
31 August 1953 5 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 3–1 | Sunderland | showWolverhampton |
5 September 1953 6 | Arsenal | 2–3 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | showLondon |
7 September 1953 7 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 2–1 | Liverpool | showWolverhampton |
12 September 1953 8 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 4–3 | Portsmouth | showWolverhampton |
16 September 1953 9 | Liverpool | 1–1 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | showLiverpool |
19 September 1953 10 | Blackpool | 0–0 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | showBlackpool |
26 September 1953 11 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 8–1 | Chelsea | showWolverhampton |
3 October 1953 12 | Sheffield United | 3–3 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | showSheffield |
10 October 1953 13 | Newcastle United | 1–2 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | showNewcastle |
17 October 1953 14 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 3–1 | Manchester United | showWolverhampton |
24 October 1953 15 | Bolton Wanderers | 1–1 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | showBolton |
31 October 1953 16 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 1–0 | Preston North End | showWolverhampton |
7 November 1953 17 | Middlesbrough | 3–3 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | showMiddlesbrough |
14 November 1953 18 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 1–0 | West Bromwich Albion | showWolverhampton |
21 November 1953 19 | Charlton Athletic | 0–2 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | showLondon |
28 November 1953 20 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 4–1 | Sheffield Wednesday | showWolverhampton |
5 December 1953 21 | Tottenham Hotspur | 2–3 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | showLondon |
12 December 1953 22 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 1–2 | Burnley | showWolverhampton |
19 December 1953 23 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 3–1 | Manchester City | showWolverhampton |
24 December 1953 24 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 1–2 | Aston Villa | showWolverhampton |
26 December 1953 25 | Aston Villa | 1–2 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | showBirmingham |
2 January 1954 26 | Cardiff City | 1–3 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | showCardiff |
16 January 1954 27 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 0–2 | Arsenal | showWolverhampton |
23 January 1954 28 | Portsmouth | 2–0 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | showPortsmouth |
6 February 1954 29 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 4–1 | Blackpool | showWolverhampton |
13 February 1954 30 | Chelsea | 4–2 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | showLondon |
20 February 1954 31 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 6–1 | Sheffield United | showWolverhampton |
27 February 1954 32 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 3–2 | Newcastle United | showWolverhampton |
6 March 1954 33 | Manchester United | 1–0 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | showManchester |
20 March 1954 34 | Preston North End | 0–1 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | showPreston |
24 March 1954 35 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 1–1 | Bolton Wanderers | showWolverhampton |
27 March 1954 36 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 2–4 | Middlesbrough | showWolverhampton |
3 April 1954 37 | West Bromwich Albion | 0–1 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | showWest Bromwich |
10 April 1954 38 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 5–0 | Charlton Athletic | showWolverhampton |
17 April 1954 39 | Sheffield Wednesday | 0–0 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | showSheffield |
19 April 1954 40 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 4–0 | Huddersfield Town | showWolverhampton |
20 April 1954 41 | Huddersfield Town | 2–1 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | showHuddersfield |
24 April 1954 42 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 2–0 | Tottenham Hotspur | showWolverhampton |
- Final table
Pos | Club | Pld | W | D | L | F | A | GA | Pts |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 42 | 25 | 7 | 10 | 96 | 56 | 1.714 | 57 |
2 | West Bromwich Albion | 42 | 22 | 9 | 11 | 86 | 63 | 1.365 | 53 |
3 | Huddersfield Town | 42 | 20 | 11 | 11 | 78 | 61 | 1.279 | 51 |
- Results by round
W = Win; D = Draw; L = Loss
FA Cup[]
As a First Division team, Wolves entered the competition at the third round stage. The draw for this round was made on 14 December 1953.
9 January 1954 R3 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 1–2 | Birmingham City | showWolverhampton |
Players[]
Pos. | Nationality | Player | Football League | FA Cup | Total | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | England | Nigel Sims | 8 | 1 | 9 | 0 |
2 | England | Jack Short | 26 | 1 | 27 | 0 |
3 | England | Roy Pritchard | 27 | 1 | 28 | 0 |
4 | England | Bill Slater (footballer) | 39 | 1 | 40 | 2 |
5 | England | Bill Shorthouse | 40 | 1 | 41 | 0 |
6 | England | Billy Wright (c) | 39 | 1 | 40 | 0 |
7 | England | Johnny Hancocks | 42 | 1 | 43 | 24 |
8 | England | 6 | 0 | 6 | 0 | |
9 | England | Roy Swinbourne | 40 | 1 | 41 | 24 |
10 | England | Dennis Wilshaw | 39 | 1 | 40 | 26 |
11 | England | Jimmy Mullen | 38 | 1 | 39 | 7 |
12 | England | Peter Broadbent | 36 | 1 | 37 | 12 |
13 | England | Bert Williams | 34 | 0 | 34 | 0 |
14 | England | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
15 | England | Norman Deeley | 6 | 0 | 6 | 0 |
16 | England | Ray Chatham | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
17 | Scotland | Bill Baxter | 5 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
18 | England | Ron Flowers | 15 | 0 | 15 | 0 |
19 | England | Les Smith | 4 | 0 | 4 | 1 |
20 | England | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
21 | South Africa | Eddie Stuart | 12 | 0 | 12 | 0 |
22 | England | Eddie Clamp | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
Top scorer[]
P. | Nationality | Player | Position | Football League | FA Cup | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | England | Dennis Wilshaw | Forward | 25 | 1 | 26 |
2 | England | Johnny Hancocks | Forward | 24 | 0 | 24 |
3 | England | Roy Swinbourne | Forward | 24 | 0 | 24 |
4 | England | Peter Broadbent | Midfielder | 12 | 0 | 12 |
5 | England | Jimmy Mullen | Midfielder | 7 | 0 | 7 |
Most appearances[]
P. | Nationality | Player | Position | Football League | FA Cup | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | England | Johnny Hancocks | Forward | 42 | 1 | 43 |
2 | England | Bill Shorthouse | Defender | 40 | 1 | 41 |
3 | England | Roy Swinbourne | Forward | 40 | 1 | 41 |
4 | England | Bill Slater | Defender | 39 | 1 | 40 |
5 | England | Dennis Wilshaw | Forward | 39 | 1 | 40 |
Transfers[]
In[]
Date | Player | From |
---|---|---|
November 1953 | Bill Baxter | Aston Villa |
Out[]
Date | Player | To |
---|---|---|
January 1954 | Ray Chatham | Notts County |
- Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C. seasons
- English football clubs 1953–54 season
- English football championship-winning seasons