1953–54 in English football

{{Short description|74th season of competitive football in England}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2020}}

{{Use British English|date=July 2020}}

{{Infobox football country season

| country = England

| season = 1953–54

| division1 = First Division

| champions1 = Wolverhampton Wanderers

| division2 = Second Division

| champions2 = Leicester City

| domestic = FA Cup

| dchampions = West Bromwich Albion

| prevseason = 1952–53

| nextseason = 1954–55

| flagicon = yes

}}

The 1953–54 season was the 74th season of competitive football in England.

Overview

To celebrate the 90th anniversary of the Football Association, on 21 October 1953, England played a Rest of the World side picked by a FIFA Select Committee. After being 3-1 down following goals by László Kubala and Giampiero Boniperti, Alf Ramsey scored a last minute penalty to draw the game 4-4.{{cite web|title=England 4 Rest of the World 4|website=England Football Online|url=http://www.englandfootballonline.com/Seas1946-60/1953-54/M0282RoW1953.html|access-date=4 April 2020}} On 25 November 1953, the Marvellous Magyars Hungary national football team, led by prolific forward Ferenc Puskás, shocked football by defeating England 6–3 at Wembley Stadium. On 25 May 1954, England lost to Hungary again, in Budapest, suffering their heaviest defeat, 7-1.{{cite book|title=The Sunday Times Illustrated History of Football|publisher=Reed International Books Ltd|date= 1995|page=87|isbn=1-85613-847-X|last1=Nawrat|first1=Chris|last2=Hutchings|first2=Steve}}

On the domestic scene, Wolverhampton Wanderers, managed by former player Stan Cullis, won the league title for the first time, while their local rivals West Bromwich Albion lifted the FA Cup for the fourth time. Albion had also finished second in the league behind Wolves, while defending champions Arsenal slipped to 12th this season. Liverpool, the first postwar champions of the English league, were relegated to the Second Division in bottom place. Everton were promoted to the First Division after three seasons in the Second Division and have not been relegated since.{{cite magazine|magazine=When Saturday Comes|date=November 2019|page=46|title=Season in Brief|last=Weston|first=Rob}} Twenty-one years after winning the Third Division South, Brentford are relegated to the Third Division South for the first time and do not return to the second tier until 1992. In addition to the success of Midlands teams in the top division, Port Vale won Third Division North by 11 points, going unbeaten at home and conceding a record low of 21 goals. They also became the first Third Division side since the war to reach the semi-final of the FA Cup, losing to West Bromwich Albion.

Sam Bartram of Charlton Athletic set a League record on 6 March 1954 becoming the first player with 500 League appearances.

Honours

class="wikitable"
style="width:15em"|Competitionstyle="width:15em"|Winnerstyle="width:15em"|Runner-up
First DivisionWolverhampton Wanderers (1)West Bromwich Albion
Second DivisionLeicester CityEverton
Third Division NorthPort ValeBarnsley
Third Division SouthIpswich TownBrighton & Hove Albion
FA CupWest Bromwich Albion (4)Preston North End
Charity ShieldArsenalBlackpool
Home Championship{{Fb|ENG}}{{Fb|SCO}}

Notes = Number in parentheses is the times that club has won that honour. * indicates new record for competition

FA Cup

{{Main|1953–54 FA Cup}}

West Bromwich Albion defeated Preston North End 3–2 in the 1954 FA Cup Final to lift the FA Cup for the fourth time.

Football League

{{Main|1953–54 Football League}}

=First Division=

{{#invoke:sports table|main|style=WDL

|res_col_header=QR

|use_goal_ratio=y

|winpoints=2

|team1=WOL|name_WOL=Wolverhampton Wanderers

|team2=WBA|name_WBA=West Bromwich Albion

|team3=HUD|name_HUD=Huddersfield Town

|team4=MUN|name_MUN=Manchester United

|team5=BOL|name_BOL=Bolton Wanderers

|team6=BLP|name_BLP=Blackpool

|team7=BUR|name_BUR=Burnley

|team8=CHE|name_CHE=Chelsea

|team9=CHA|name_CHA=Charlton Athletic

|team10=CAR|name_CAR=Cardiff City

|team11=PNE|name_PNE=Preston North End

|team12=ARS|name_ARS=Arsenal

|team13=AST|name_AST=Aston Villa

|team14=POR|name_POR=Portsmouth

|team15=NEW|name_NEW=Newcastle United

|team16=TOT|name_TOT=Tottenham Hotspur

|team17=MCI|name_MCI=Manchester City

|team18=SUN|name_SUN=Sunderland

|team19=SHW|name_SHW=Sheffield Wednesday

|team20=SHU|name_SHU=Sheffield United

|team21=MID|name_MID=Middlesbrough

|team22=LIV|name_LIV=Liverpool

|win_WOL=25|draw_WOL=7|loss_WOL=10|gf_WOL=96|ga_WOL=56

|win_WBA=22|draw_WBA=9|loss_WBA=11|gf_WBA=86|ga_WBA=63

|win_HUD=20|draw_HUD=11|loss_HUD=11|gf_HUD=78|ga_HUD=61

|win_MUN=18|draw_MUN=12|loss_MUN=12|gf_MUN=73|ga_MUN=58

|win_BOL=18|draw_BOL=12|loss_BOL=12|gf_BOL=75|ga_BOL=60

|win_BLP=19|draw_BLP=10|loss_BLP=13|gf_BLP=80|ga_BLP=69

|win_BUR=21|draw_BUR=4|loss_BUR=17|gf_BUR=78|ga_BUR=67

|win_CHE=16|draw_CHE=12|loss_CHE=14|gf_CHE=74|ga_CHE=68

|win_CHA=19|draw_CHA=6|loss_CHA=17|gf_CHA=75|ga_CHA=77

|win_CAR=18|draw_CAR=8|loss_CAR=16|gf_CAR=51|ga_CAR=71

|win_PNE=19|draw_PNE=5|loss_PNE=18|gf_PNE=87|ga_PNE=58

|win_ARS=15|draw_ARS=13|loss_ARS=14|gf_ARS=75|ga_ARS=73

|win_AST=16|draw_AST=9|loss_AST=17|gf_AST=70|ga_AST=68

|win_POR=14|draw_POR=11|loss_POR=17|gf_POR=81|ga_POR=89

|win_NEW=14|draw_NEW=10|loss_NEW=18|gf_NEW=72|ga_NEW=77

|win_TOT=16|draw_TOT=5|loss_TOT=21|gf_TOT=65|ga_TOT=76

|win_MCI=14|draw_MCI=9|loss_MCI=19|gf_MCI=62|ga_MCI=77

|win_SUN=14|draw_SUN=8|loss_SUN=20|gf_SUN=81|ga_SUN=89

|win_SHW=15|draw_SHW=6|loss_SHW=21|gf_SHW=70|ga_SHW=91

|win_SHU=11|draw_SHU=11|loss_SHU=20|gf_SHU=69|ga_SHU=90

|win_MID=10|draw_MID=10|loss_MID=22|gf_MID=60|ga_MID=91

|win_LIV=9|draw_LIV=10|loss_LIV=23|gf_LIV=68|ga_LIV=97

|col_R=#FFCCCC|text_R=Relegated to the Second Division

|result21=R|result22=R

|update=complete

|class_rules=1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.

|source=[https://www.rsssf.org/engpaul/FLA/1953-54.html rsssf.com]

}}

=Second Division=

{{#invoke:sports table|main|style=WDL

|res_col_header=QR

|use_goal_ratio=y

|winpoints=2

|team1=LEI|name_LEI=Leicester City

|team2=EVE|name_EVE=Everton

|team3=BLB|name_BLB=Blackburn Rovers

|team4=NOT|name_NOT=Nottingham Forest

|team5=ROT|name_ROT=Rotherham United

|team6=LUT|name_LUT=Luton Town

|team7=BIR|name_BIR=Birmingham City

|team8=FUL|name_FUL=Fulham

|team9=BRR|name_BRR=Bristol Rovers

|team10=LEE|name_LEE=Leeds United

|team11=STK|name_STK=Stoke City

|team12=DON|name_DON=Doncaster Rovers

|team13=WHU|name_WHU=West Ham United

|team14=NTC|name_NTC=Notts County

|team15=HUL|name_HUL=Hull City

|team16=LIN|name_LIN=Lincoln City

|team17=Bury|name_Bury=Bury

|team18=DER|name_DER=Derby County

|team19=PLY|name_PLY=Plymouth Argyle

|team20=SWA|name_SWA=Swansea Town

|team21=BRE|name_BRE=Brentford

|team22=OLD|name_OLD=Oldham Athletic

|win_LEI=23|draw_LEI=10|loss_LEI=9|gf_LEI=97|ga_LEI=60

|win_EVE=20|draw_EVE=16|loss_EVE=6|gf_EVE=92|ga_EVE=58

|win_BLB=23|draw_BLB=9|loss_BLB=10|gf_BLB=86|ga_BLB=50

|win_NOT=20|draw_NOT=12|loss_NOT=10|gf_NOT=86|ga_NOT=59

|win_ROT=21|draw_ROT=7|loss_ROT=14|gf_ROT=80|ga_ROT=67

|win_LUT=18|draw_LUT=12|loss_LUT=12|gf_LUT=64|ga_LUT=59

|win_BIR=18|draw_BIR=11|loss_BIR=13|gf_BIR=78|ga_BIR=58

|win_FUL=17|draw_FUL=10|loss_FUL=15|gf_FUL=98|ga_FUL=85

|win_BRR=14|draw_BRR=16|loss_BRR=12|gf_BRR=64|ga_BRR=58

|win_LEE=15|draw_LEE=13|loss_LEE=14|gf_LEE=89|ga_LEE=81

|win_STK=12|draw_STK=17|loss_STK=13|gf_STK=71|ga_STK=60

|win_DON=16|draw_DON=9|loss_DON=17|gf_DON=59|ga_DON=63

|win_WHU=15|draw_WHU=9|loss_WHU=18|gf_WHU=67|ga_WHU=69

|win_NTC=13|draw_NTC=13|loss_NTC=16|gf_NTC=54|ga_NTC=74

|win_HUL=16|draw_HUL=6|loss_HUL=20|gf_HUL=64|ga_HUL=66

|win_LIN=14|draw_LIN=9|loss_LIN=19|gf_LIN=65|ga_LIN=83

|win_Bury=11|draw_Bury=14|loss_Bury=17|gf_Bury=54|ga_Bury=72

|win_DER=12|draw_DER=11|loss_DER=19|gf_DER=64|ga_DER=82

|win_PLY=9|draw_PLY=16|loss_PLY=17|gf_PLY=65|ga_PLY=82

|win_SWA=13|draw_SWA=8|loss_SWA=21|gf_SWA=58|ga_SWA=82

|win_BRE=10|draw_BRE=11|loss_BRE=21|gf_BRE=40|ga_BRE=78

|win_OLD=8|draw_OLD=9|loss_OLD=25|gf_OLD=40|ga_OLD=89

|col_P=#CCFFCC|text_P=Promoted to the First Division

|result1=P|result2=P

|col_R3S=#FFCCCC|text_R3S=Relegated to the Third Division South

|result21=R3S

|col_R3N=#FFCCCC|text_R3N=Relegated to the Third Division North

|result22=R3N

|update=complete

|class_rules=1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.

|source=[https://www.rsssf.org/engpaul/FLA/1953-54.html rsssf.com]

}}

=Third Division North=

{{#invoke:sports table|main|style=WDL

|res_col_header=QR

|use_goal_ratio=y

|winpoints=2

|team1=PTV|name_PTV=Port Vale

|team2=BAR|name_BAR=Barnsley

|team3=SCU|name_SCU=Scunthorpe & Lindsey United

|team4=GAT|name_GAT=Gateshead

|team5=BRA|name_BRA=Bradford City

|team6=CHF|name_CHF=Chesterfield

|team7=MAN|name_MAN=Mansfield Town

|team8=WRE|name_WRE=Wrexham

|team9=BPA|name_BPA=Bradford Park Avenue

|team10=STP|name_STP=Stockport County

|team11=SOU|name_SOU=Southport

|team12=BRW|name_BRW=Barrow

|team13=CRL|name_CRL=Carlisle United

|team14=TRA|name_TRA=Tranmere Rovers

|team15=ACC|name_ACC=Accrington Stanley

|team16=CRE|name_CRE=Crewe Alexandra

|team17=GRI|name_GRI=Grimsby Town

|team18=HAR|name_HAR=Hartlepools United

|team19=ROC|name_ROC=Rochdale

|team20=WRK|name_WRK=Workington

|team21=DAR|name_DAR=Darlington

|team22=YOR|name_YOR=York City

|team23=HAL|name_HAL=Halifax Town

|team24=CHE|name_CHE=Chester

|win_PTV=26|draw_PTV=17|loss_PTV=3|gf_PTV=74|ga_PTV=21

|win_BAR=24|draw_BAR=10|loss_BAR=12|gf_BAR=77|ga_BAR=57

|win_SCU=21|draw_SCU=15|loss_SCU=10|gf_SCU=77|ga_SCU=56

|win_GAT=21|draw_GAT=13|loss_GAT=12|gf_GAT=74|ga_GAT=55

|win_BRA=22|draw_BRA=9|loss_BRA=15|gf_BRA=60|ga_BRA=55

|win_CHF=19|draw_CHF=14|loss_CHF=13|gf_CHF=76|ga_CHF=64

|win_MAN=20|draw_MAN=11|loss_MAN=15|gf_MAN=88|ga_MAN=67

|win_WRE=21|draw_WRE=9|loss_WRE=16|gf_WRE=81|ga_WRE=68

|win_BPA=18|draw_BPA=14|loss_BPA=14|gf_BPA=77|ga_BPA=68

|win_STP=18|draw_STP=11|loss_STP=17|gf_STP=77|ga_STP=67

|win_SOU=17|draw_SOU=12|loss_SOU=17|gf_SOU=63|ga_SOU=60

|win_BRW=16|draw_BRW=12|loss_BRW=18|gf_BRW=72|ga_BRW=71

|win_CRL=14|draw_CRL=15|loss_CRL=17|gf_CRL=83|ga_CRL=71

|win_TRA=18|draw_TRA=7|loss_TRA=21|gf_TRA=59|ga_TRA=70

|win_ACC=16|draw_ACC=10|loss_ACC=20|gf_ACC=66|ga_ACC=74

|win_CRE=14|draw_CRE=13|loss_CRE=19|gf_CRE=49|ga_CRE=67

|win_GRI=16|draw_GRI=9|loss_GRI=21|gf_GRI=51|ga_GRI=77

|win_HAR=13|draw_HAR=14|loss_HAR=19|gf_HAR=59|ga_HAR=65

|win_ROC=15|draw_ROC=10|loss_ROC=21|gf_ROC=59|ga_ROC=77

|win_WRK=13|draw_WRK=14|loss_WRK=19|gf_WRK=59|ga_WRK=80

|win_DAR=12|draw_DAR=14|loss_DAR=20|gf_DAR=50|ga_DAR=71

|win_YOR=12|draw_YOR=13|loss_YOR=21|gf_YOR=64|ga_YOR=86

|win_HAL=12|draw_HAL=10|loss_HAL=24|gf_HAL=44|ga_HAL=73

|win_CHE=11|draw_CHE=10|loss_CHE=25|gf_CHE=48|ga_CHE=67

|col_P=#CCFFCC|text_P=Promoted to the Second Division

|result1=P

|col_RE=#CCCCCC|text_RE=Re-elected

|result23=RE|result24=RE

|update=complete

|class_rules=1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.

|source=[https://www.rsssf.org/engpaul/FLA/1953-54.html rsssf.com]

}}

=Third Division South=

{{#invoke:sports table|main|style=WDL

|res_col_header=QR

|use_goal_ratio=y

|winpoints=2

|team1=IPS|name_IPS=Ipswich Town

|team2=B&HA|name_B&HA=Brighton & Hove Albion

|team3=BRI|name_BRI=Bristol City

|team4=WAT|name_WAT=Watford

|team5=NOR|name_NOR=Northampton Town

|team6=SOU|name_SOU=Southampton

|team7=NWC|name_NWC=Norwich City

|team8=REA|name_REA=Reading

|team9=EXE|name_EXE=Exeter City

|team10=GIL|name_GIL=Gillingham

|team11=LEY|name_LEY=Leyton Orient

|team12=MIL|name_MIL=Millwall

|team13=TOR|name_TOR=Torquay United

|team14=COV|name_COV=Coventry City

|team15=NPC|name_NPC=Newport County

|team16=STD|name_STD=Southend United

|team17=ALD|name_ALD=Aldershot

|team18=QPR|name_QPR=Queens Park Rangers

|team19=B&BA|name_B&BA=Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic

|team20=SWI|name_SWI=Swindon Town

|team21=SHR|name_SHR=Shrewsbury Town

|team22=CRY|name_CRY=Crystal Palace

|team23=COL|name_COL=Colchester United

|team24=WAL|name_WAL=Walsall

|win_IPS=27|draw_IPS=10|loss_IPS=9|gf_IPS=82|ga_IPS=51

|win_B&HA=26|draw_B&HA=9|loss_B&HA=11|gf_B&HA=86|ga_B&HA=61

|win_BRI=25|draw_BRI=6|loss_BRI=15|gf_BRI=88|ga_BRI=66

|win_WAT=21|draw_WAT=10|loss_WAT=15|gf_WAT=85|ga_WAT=69

|win_NOR=20|draw_NOR=11|loss_NOR=15|gf_NOR=82|ga_NOR=55

|win_SOU=22|draw_SOU=7|loss_SOU=17|gf_SOU=76|ga_SOU=63

|win_NWC=20|draw_NWC=11|loss_NWC=15|gf_NWC=73|ga_NWC=66

|win_REA=20|draw_REA=9|loss_REA=17|gf_REA=86|ga_REA=73

|win_EXE=20|draw_EXE=8|loss_EXE=18|gf_EXE=68|ga_EXE=58

|win_GIL=19|draw_GIL=10|loss_GIL=17|gf_GIL=61|ga_GIL=66

|win_LEY=18|draw_LEY=11|loss_LEY=17|gf_LEY=79|ga_LEY=73

|win_MIL=19|draw_MIL=9|loss_MIL=18|gf_MIL=74|ga_MIL=77

|win_TOR=17|draw_TOR=12|loss_TOR=17|gf_TOR=81|ga_TOR=88

|win_COV=18|draw_COV=9|loss_COV=19|gf_COV=61|ga_COV=56

|win_NPC=19|draw_NPC=6|loss_NPC=21|gf_NPC=61|ga_NPC=81

|win_STD=18|draw_STD=7|loss_STD=21|gf_STD=69|ga_STD=71

|win_ALD=17|draw_ALD=9|loss_ALD=20|gf_ALD=74|ga_ALD=86

|win_QPR=16|draw_QPR=10|loss_QPR=20|gf_QPR=60|ga_QPR=68

|win_B&BA=16|draw_B&BA=8|loss_B&BA=22|gf_B&BA=67|ga_B&BA=70

|win_SWI=15|draw_SWI=10|loss_SWI=21|gf_SWI=67|ga_SWI=70

|win_SHR=14|draw_SHR=12|loss_SHR=20|gf_SHR=65|ga_SHR=76

|win_CRY=14|draw_CRY=12|loss_CRY=20|gf_CRY=60|ga_CRY=86

|win_COL=10|draw_COL=10|loss_COL=26|gf_COL=50|ga_COL=78

|win_WAL=9|draw_WAL=8|loss_WAL=29|gf_WAL=40|ga_WAL=87

|col_P=#CCFFCC|text_P=Promoted to the Second Division

|result1=P

|col_RE=#CCCCCC|text_RE=Re-elected

|result23=RE|result24=RE

|update=complete

|class_rules=1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.

|source=[https://www.rsssf.org/engpaul/FLA/1953-54.html rsssf.com]

}}

=Top goalscorers=

First Division

  • Jimmy Glazzard (Huddersfield Town) – 29 goals{{cite web|url=https://www.rsssf.org/tablese/engtops.html |title = English League Leading Goalscorers |website=RSSSF |access-date = 2017-06-04}}

Second Division

Third Division North

  • Alan Ashman (Carlisle United) – 30 goals{{cite web|url=https://www.rsssf.org/tablese/engtops.html |title = English League Leading Goalscorers |website=RSSSF |access-date = 2017-06-04}}

Third Division South

References

{{Reflist}}

{{English football seasons|1953}}

{{1953–54 in English football}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:1953-54 In English Football}}

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