The City Ground

SEASON: 1953-54

Prev Season: 1952-53
This Season: 1953-54
Next Season: 1954-55

DIVISION:: English Second Division (Tier 2)
MANAGER(s):: Billy Walker
FA Cup:: 3rd Round (Plymouth Argyle (A) 0-2)
League Cup:: Not started

Top Goalscorer:: Alan Moore, Tommy Capel (19 goals)

LEAGUE POSITIONS

SEASON END TABLE

SECOND DIVISION (Tier 2) - 1953-54								Home					Away								Results
Pos	Team	P	W	D	L	F	A	W	D	L	F	A	W	D	L	F	A	GD	Pts	Result	Home	Away
1	Leicester City	42	23	10	9	97	60	15	4	2	63	23	8	6	7	34	37	1.617	56	Promoted as Champions	3-1	0-1
2	Everton	42	20	16	6	92	58	13	6	2	55	27	7	10	4	37	31	1.586	56	Promoted	3-3	3-3
3	Blackburn Rovers	42	23	9	10	86	50	15	4	2	54	16	8	5	8	32	34	1.720	55		0-1	0-2
4	Nottingham Forest	42	20	12	10	86	59	15	5	1	61	27	5	7	9	25	32	1.458	52
5	Rotherham United	42	21	7	14	80	67	13	4	4	51	26	8	3	10	29	41	1.194	49		4-1	0-3
6	Luton Town	42	18	12	12	64	59	11	7	3	36	23	7	5	9	28	36	1.085	48		2-1	1-0
7	Birmingham City	42	18	11	13	78	58	12	6	3	49	18	6	5	10	29	40	1.345	47		1-1	2-2
8	Fulham	42	17	10	15	98	85	12	3	6	62	39	5	7	9	36	46	1.153	44		4-1	1-3
9	Bristol Rovers	42	14	16	12	64	58	10	7	4	32	19	4	9	8	32	39	1.103	44		3-1	0-1
10	Leeds United	42	15	13	14	89	81	12	5	4	56	30	3	8	10	33	51	1.099	43		5-2	2-0
11	Stoke City	42	12	17	13	71	60	8	8	5	43	28	4	9	8	28	32	1.183	41		5-4	1-1
12	Doncaster Rovers	42	16	9	17	59	63	9	5	7	32	28	7	4	10	27	35	.937	41		2-2	3-1
13	West Ham United	42	15	9	18	67	69	11	6	4	44	20	4	3	14	23	49	.971	39		4-0	1-1
14	Notts County	42	13	13	16	54	74	8	6	7	26	29	5	7	9	28	45	.730	39		5-0	1-1
15	Hull City	42	16	6	20	64	66	14	1	6	47	22	2	5	14	17	44	.970	38		2-0	0-3
16	Lincoln City	42	14	9	19	65	83	11	6	4	46	23	3	3	15	19	60	.783	37		4-2	2-2
17	Bury	42	11	14	17	54	72	9	7	5	39	32	2	7	12	15	40	.750	36		2-2	1-2
18	Derby County	42	12	11	19	64	82	9	5	7	38	35	3	6	12	26	47	.780	35		4-2	2-1
19	Plymouth Argyle	42	9	16	17	65	82	6	12	3	38	31	3	4	14	27	51	.793	34		3-0	0-1
20	Swansea Town	42	13	8	21	58	82	11	5	5	34	25	2	3	16	24	57	.707	34		2-1	1-2
21	Brentford	42	10	11	21	40	78	9	5	7	25	26	1	6	14	15	52	.513	31	Relegated	2-1	1-1
22	Oldham Athletic	42	8	9	25	40	89	6	7	8	26	31	2	2	17	14	58	.449	25	Relegated	1-1	3-1

Click here for all tables for 1953-54

Competitive Games:: 43
Competitive Goals:: 86
Goals per game:: 2.0
League Games:: 42
League Points:: 52 out of 84 (2 points per win)
Points Percentage:: 61.9%

GOALS
Goals scored, conceded and win and loss margins

Goal count:	1 goal	2 goals	3 goals	4 goals	5+ goals
Scored	10 times	10 times	7 times	5 times	3 times
Conceded	20 times	11 times	5 times	1 time
Won By	6 times	8 times	4 times	1 time	1 time
Lost By	6 times	3 times	2 times

LEAGUE POSITION ANALYSIS
Analysis of the league positions
This table shows:
(a) how many days we spent in each of the league positions
(b) how we did when we played teams in each of the league positions.

Position days

Record against teams in each position

Forest
Pos

Num Days

Opp
Pos

Points

Results (Green=win; Blue=draw; Red=loss)

Doncaster Rovers (2-2), Leicester City (3-1), Blackburn Rovers (0-1)

West Ham United (4-0), Everton (3-3)

124

Leicester City (0-1), Birmingham City (1-1), Birmingham City (2-2)

Lincoln City (2-2)

Rotherham United (0-3)

Leeds United (5-2), Fulham (4-1), Doncaster Rovers (3-1)

Stoke City (5-4), Bristol Rovers (3-1), Blackburn Rovers (0-2), Stoke City (1-1), Bristol Rovers (0-1)

Luton Town (1-0), Leeds United (2-0)

West Ham United (1-1)

Derby County (4-2)

Rotherham United (4-1)

Plymouth Argyle (3-0)

Luton Town (2-1), Brentford (1-1), Swansea Town (2-1), Notts County (1-1)

Hull City (2-0), Lincoln City (4-2), Bury (2-2), Derby County (2-1)

Swansea Town (1-2), Plymouth Argyle (0-1)

Brentford (2-1)

Hull City (0-3), Fulham (1-3), Notts County (5-0), Bury (1-2), Oldham Athletic (1-1),
GAMES

Manager for all games: Billy Walker
League

Week	Date	Opponent	H/A	Score	Result	Att	Pos	Scorers
1	Wed Aug 19, 1953	Everton	H	3-3	Draw	21,669	11	Capel (?, ?), Collindridge (?)
2	Sat Aug 22, 1953	Plymouth Argyle	H	3-0	Win	16,746	7	Moore (?), Martin (?), Leverton (?)
3	Wed Aug 26, 1953	Luton Town	A	1-0	Win	17,522	3	Capel (?)
4	Sat Aug 29, 1953	Swansea Town	A	1-2	Loss	11,242	4	Moore (?)
5	Wed Sep 02, 1953	Luton Town	H	2-1	Win	17,172	5	Moore (?), Leverton (?)
6	Sat Sep 05, 1953	Rotherham United	H	4-1	Win	22,502	2	Scott (?), Leverton (?, ?), Capel (?)
7	Mon Sep 07, 1953	Hull City	A	0-3	Loss	17,288	5
8	Sat Sep 12, 1953	Leicester City	A	0-1	Loss	29,939	11
9	Wed Sep 16, 1953	Hull City	H	2-0	Win	13,573	5	Collindridge (?, ?)
10	Sat Sep 19, 1953	Stoke City	H	5-4	Win	22,840	5	Burkitt (?), Moore (?, ?, ?), Leverton (?)
11	Sat Sep 26, 1953	Fulham	A	1-3	Loss	24,251	7	Moore (?)
12	Sat Oct 03, 1953	West Ham United	H	4-0	Win	23,167	6	Burkitt (?), Capel (?), Collindridge (?, ?)
13	Sat Oct 10, 1953	Notts County	H	5-0	Win	30,559	4	Gager (?), Thompson (?), Capel (?, ?), Collindridge (?)
14	Sat Oct 17, 1953	Lincoln City	A	2-2	Draw	21,936	5	Thompson (?), Capel (?)
15	Sat Oct 24, 1953	Bristol Rovers	H	3-1	Win	23,139	5	Moore (?), Thompson (?), Capel (?)
16	Sat Oct 31, 1953	Brentford	A	1-1	Draw	15,384	3	Latimer (? OG)
17	Sat Nov 07, 1953	Derby County	H	4-2	Win	31,397	2	Moore (?), Lemon (?), Capel (?, ?)
18	Sat Nov 14, 1953	Blackburn Rovers	A	0-2	Loss	16,549	4
19	Sat Nov 21, 1953	Doncaster Rovers	H	2-2	Draw	28,491	4	Thompson (?, ?)
20	Sat Nov 28, 1953	Bury	A	1-2	Loss	11,915	5	Moore (?)
21	Sat Dec 05, 1953	Oldham Athletic	H	1-1	Draw	16,798	6	Ardron (?)
22	Sat Dec 12, 1953	Everton	A	3-3	Draw	33,192	6	Gager (?), Moore (?), Thompson (?)
23	Sat Dec 19, 1953	Plymouth Argyle	A	0-1	Loss	17,491	6
24	Fri Dec 25, 1953	Leeds United	H	5-2	Win	19,745	5	Ardron (?, ?, ?), Capel (?), Moore (?)
25	Sat Dec 26, 1953	Leeds United	A	2-0	Win	22,135	5	Moore (?), Ardron (?)
26	Sat Jan 02, 1954	Swansea Town	H	2-1	Win	18,795	4	Ardron (?, ?)
27	Sat Jan 16, 1954	Rotherham United	A	0-3	Loss	14,325	6
28	Sat Jan 23, 1954	Leicester City	H	3-1	Win	34,423	4	Capel (?), McLaren (?, ?)
29	Sat Feb 06, 1954	Stoke City	A	1-1	Draw	17,346	4	McLaren (?)
30	Sat Feb 13, 1954	Fulham	H	4-1	Win	25,147	4	Capel (?, ?, ?), McLaren (?)
31	Sat Feb 20, 1954	West Ham United	A	1-1	Draw	20,400	3	McLaren (?)
32	Sat Feb 27, 1954	Notts County	A	1-1	Draw	36,988	5	Capel (?)
33	Sat Mar 06, 1954	Lincoln City	H	4-2	Win	20,986	4	Moore (?), McLaren (?), Collindridge (?), Green (? OG)
34	Sat Mar 13, 1954	Bristol Rovers	A	0-1	Loss	21,736	4
35	Sat Mar 20, 1954	Brentford	H	2-1	Win	15,700	4	Moore (?), Ardron (?)
36	Sat Mar 27, 1954	Doncaster Rovers	A	3-1	Win	13,441	4	Gager (?), Moore (?), Capel (?)
37	Sat Apr 03, 1954	Bury	H	2-2	Draw	17,215	4	Moore (?), Ardron (?)
38	Sat Apr 10, 1954	Derby County	A	2-1	Win	21,961	4	Moore (?), Ardron (?)
39	Fri Apr 16, 1954	Birmingham City	H	1-1	Draw	25,285	4	Gager (?)
40	Sat Apr 17, 1954	Blackburn Rovers	H	0-1	Loss	29,154	4
41	Mon Apr 19, 1954	Birmingham City	A	2-2	Draw	14,625	4	Gager (?), Thompson (?)
42	Sat Apr 24, 1954	Oldham Athletic	A	3-1	Win	8,301	4	Gager (?), Moore (?), Capel (?)

FA Cup

Date	Opponent	Round	Replay	Count	H/A	Score	Result	Att	Scorers
Sat Jan 09, 1954	Plymouth Argyle	3			A	0-2	Loss	21,630

Friendly

Date	Opponent	Country	H/A	Score	Result	Att	Scorers
Sat Jan 30, 1954	Aston Villa	England	H	0-2	Loss	8,249
Tue Apr 27, 1954	West Midlands XI	England	N	7-1	Win	-	Ardron (?, ?), Thompson (?, ?), Collindridge (?), Capel (?), Moore (?)
Wed Apr 28, 1954	Rushden Town	England	A	5-2	Win	-	Capel (?, ?), Thompson (?), McLaren (?), ? (? OG)

Testimonial

Date	Opponent	Country	H/A	Score	Result	Att	Scorers
Thu Apr 29, 1954	Gainsborough Trinity	England	A	4-1	Win	-	Moore (?, ?), Ardron (?), Walker (? pen)

TRANSFERS
Transfers before, during and immediately after the season.

In (1) - £0				Out (4) - £0
Date	Player	Details	Fee	Date	Player	Details	Fee
1953	Hugh McLaren	Bought			James Clarke	Sold
					Roland 'Tot' Leverton	Sold
				Apr 24, 1954	Collin Collindridge	Sold
				May 31, 1954	Tommy Capel	Sold

SQUAD

				Season Record (Competitive Games only)
Pos	Num	Country	Player	P	W	D	L	Goals	Yellows	Reds	Went Off	Came On	Unused Sub	Notes
Goalkeepers
GK		England	Harry Walker	31	15	9	7
GK		England	William Farmer	12	5	3	4
Defenders
D		England	Bill Whare	24	11	6	7
D		Scotland	Bob McKinlay	1		1
D		England	Geoff Thomas (1944-60)	29	13	10	6
D		England	Horace Gager	42	20	11	11	6
D		England	Jack Hutchinson	30	15	7	8
D		England	James Clarke	3	1	1	1
Midfielders
M		Scotland	Alan Orr	15	7	6	2
M		England	Jack Burkitt	40	18	11	11	2
M		England	Wally Ardron	15	7	5	3	10
Forwards
F		England	Alan Moore	43	20	12	11	19
F		Wales	Arthur Lemon	19	7	7	5	1
F		England	Brian Burton	1			1
F		England	Collin Collindridge	33	16	8	9	7
F		England	Freddie Scott	9	5	1	3	1
F		Scotland	Hugh McLaren	10	5	4	1	6
F		England	Jack French	28	13	6	9
F		Rep. of Ire.	Noel Kelly	14	7	4	3
F		England	Roland 'Tot' Leverton	11	6	1	4	5
F		England	Sid Thompson	14	5	6	3	7
F		Scotland	Tom Martin	11	5	3	3	1
F		England	Tommy Capel	35	18	9	8	19
F		England	Tommy Wilson	3	1	1	1

GOALSCORERS

Competitive goals only

Goals (Pens)	Player	Games
19	Alan Moore	43
19	Tommy Capel	35
10	Wally Ardron	15
7	Collin Collindridge	33
7	Sid Thompson	14
6	Horace Gager	42
6	Hugh McLaren	10
5	Roland 'Tot' Leverton	11
2	Jack Burkitt	40
2	Own Goals	43
1	Arthur Lemon	19
1	Freddie Scott	9
1	Tom Martin	11

LEAGUE DOUBLES
Home and away victories for the season

	Game 1			Game 2
Opponent	Date	H/A	Score	Date	H/A	Score
Derby County	Sat Nov 07, 1953	Home	4-2	Sat Apr 10, 1954	Away	2-1
Leeds United	Fri Dec 25, 1953	Home	5-2	Sat Dec 26, 1953	Away	2-0
Luton Town	Wed Aug 26, 1953	Away	1-0	Wed Sep 02, 1953	Home	2-1