1952–53 Blackpool F.C. season
# 1952–53 Blackpool F.C. season

The 1952–53 season was Blackpool F.C.'s 45th season (42nd consecutive) in the Football League. They competed in the 22-team Division One, then the top tier of English football, finishing seventh.

They were also the winners of the FA Cup, the only time they have done so to date, beating Bolton Wanderers 4–3 in the final. Although it subsequently became known as "The Matthews Final", Stan Mortensen, Blackpool's top scorer in all competitions that season, scored a hat-trick in the match. It remained the only such feat achieved in an FA Cup Final held at the original Wembley Stadium.

Stan Mortensen was the club's top scorer for the ninth consecutive season, with eighteen goals in all competitions. He shared the accolade in the league with Allan Brown. The two scored fifteen goals apiece.

## First-team squad

| Name | Position(s) | Place of birth | Date of Birth | Apps | Goals | Signed from | Date signed | Fee |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Goalkeepers ||||||||||
| George Farm | GK | Slateford | (1924-06-13)13 June 1924 (aged 27) | 177 | 0 | Hibernian | September 1948 | Free transfer |
| Willie Hall | GK | Walton-le-Dale | (1926-02-06)6 February 1926 (aged 26) | 0 | 0 | Preston North End | July 1949 | |
| Harry Sharratt | GK | Wigan | (1929-12-16)16 December 1929 (aged 22) | 0 | 0 | Wigan Athletic | May 1952 | |
| Full-backs ||||||||||
| John Crosland | FB | Lytham St Annes | (1922-11-10)10 November 1922 (aged 29) | 38 | 0 | Ansdell Rovers | May 1946 | |
| David Frith | FB | Liverpool | (1929-03-17)17 March 1929 (aged 23) | 0 | 0 | Apprentice | May 1949 | |
| Tommy Garrett | LB | South Shields | (1926-02-28)28 February 1926 (aged 26) | 114 | 0 | Horden Colliery Welfare | October 1944 | |
| Roy Gratrix | FB | Salford | (1932-02-09)9 February 1932 (aged 20) | 0 | 0 | Taylor Brothers | March 1953 | |
| Dai Powell | LB | Swansea | (1935-01-19)19 January 1935 (aged 17) | 0 | 0 | Apprentice | December 1952 | |
| Eddie Shimwell | RB | Birchover | (1920-02-27)27 February 1920 (aged 32) | 219 | 7 | Sheffield United | 20 December 1946 | £7,000 |
| Jackie Wright | FB | Atherton | (1926-08-11)11 August 1926 (aged 25) | 54 | 0 | Mossley | June 1946 | |
| Half-backs ||||||||||
| Jack Ainscough | CH | Adlington | (1926-03-26)26 March 1926 (aged 26) | 2 | 0 | Astley Bridge | August 1949 | |
| Ewan Fenton | RH | Dundee | (1929-11-17)17 November 1929 (aged 22) | 34 | 1 | Lochee Harp | November 1946 | |
| Stan Hepton | WH | Leeds | (1932-12-03)3 December 1932 (aged 19) | 0 | 0 | Ashley Road Methodists | March 1950 | |
| Harry Johnston | CH/LH/RH | Manchester | (1919-09-26)26 September 1919 (aged 32) | 297 | 11 | Droylsden | October 1936 | Free transfer |
| Hughie Kelly | LH | Valleyfield | (1923-07-23)23 July 1923 (aged 28) | 167 | 3 | Jeanfield Swifts | August 1944 | |
| Cyril Robinson | LH | Bulwell | (1929-03-04)4 March 1929 (aged 23) | 11 | 2 | Mansfield Town | September 1949 | |
| Forwards ||||||||||
| Allan Brown | IF | Kennoway | (1926-10-12)12 October 1926 (aged 25) | 61 | 19 | East Fife | December 1950 | £26,500 |
| Dave Durie | IF | Blackpool | (1931-08-13)13 August 1931 (aged 20) | 0 | 0 | Oxford Amateurs | May 1952 | |
| Sandy Harris | OR | Hong Kong | (1934-10-22)22 October 1934 (aged 17) | 0 | 0 | Scone | November 1951 | |
| Albert Hobson | OR | Glossop | (1925-04-07)7 April 1925 (aged 27) | 42 | 1 | Glossop | August 1945 | |
| Stanley Matthews | OR | Stoke-on-Trent | (1915-02-01)1 February 1915 (aged 37) | 164 | 5 | Stoke City | 10 May 1947 | £11,500 |
| George McKnight | IF | Newtownards | (1923-11-17)17 November 1923 (aged 28) | 41 | 10 | Coleraine | June 1946 | |
| Stan Mortensen | CF | South Shields | (1921-05-26)26 May 1921 (aged 31) | 242 | 170 | South Shields ex-schoolboys | May 1938 | |
| Jackie Mudie | IF | Dundee | (1930-04-10)10 April 1930 (aged 22) | 61 | 25 | Lochee Harp | May 1947 | |
| Bill Perry | OL | Johannesburg | (1930-09-10)10 September 1930 (aged 21) | 98 | 10 | Johannesburg Rangers | November 1949 | |
| Alan Withers | OL | Bulwell | (1930-10-20)20 October 1930 (aged 21) | 14 | 6 | Aspley Boys Club | 4 July 1949 | |
| Graham Williams | OF | Wrexham | (1936-12-31)31 December 1936 (aged 15) | 0 | 0 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | | |
| Billy Wright | OL | Blackpool | (1931-03-04)4 March 1931 (aged 21) | 5 | 1 | Apprentice | May 1950 | |
| Len Stephenson | CF | Blackpool | (1930-07-14)14 July 1930 (aged 21) | 4 | 1 | Highfield Youth Club | November 1948 | |
| Ernie Taylor | IF | Sunderland | (1925-09-02)2 September 1925 (aged 26) | 31 | 5 | Newcastle United | 10 October 1951 | £25,000 |

Source:

## Competitions

### Overall record

| Competition | First match | Last match | Starting round | Final position | Record | Record | Record | Record | Record | Record | Record | Record |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Competition | First match | Last match | Starting round | Final position | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Win % |
| First Division | 23 August 1952 | 25 April 1953 | Matchday 1 | 7th | 42 | 19 | 9 | 14 | 71 | 70 | +1 | 045.24 |
| FA Cup | 10 January 1953 | 2 May 1953 | Third round | Winners | 7 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 14 | 8 | +6 | 085.71 |
| Total | Total | Total | Total | Total | 49 | 25 | 10 | 14 | 85 | 78 | +7 | 051.02 |

Source: Competitions

### Football League First Division

**League table**

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GAv | Pts |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 5 | Charlton Athletic | 42 | 19 | 11 | 12 | 77 | 63 | 1.222 | 49 |
| 6 | Burnley | 42 | 18 | 12 | 12 | 67 | 52 | 1.288 | 48 |
| 7 | Blackpool | 42 | 19 | 9 | 14 | 71 | 70 | 1.014 | 47 |
| 8 | Manchester United | 42 | 18 | 10 | 14 | 69 | 72 | 0.958 | 46 |
| 9 | Sunderland | 42 | 15 | 13 | 14 | 68 | 82 | 0.829 | 43 |

**Results**

**In summary**

| Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Home | Home | Home | Home | Home | Home | Away | Away | Away | Away | Away | Away |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GAv | Pts | W | D | L | GF | GA | Pts | W | D | L | GF | GA | Pts |
| 42 | 19 | 9 | 14 | 71 | 70 | 1.014 | 47 | 13 | 5 | 3 | 45 | 22 | 31 | 6 | 4 | 11 | 26 | 48 | 16 |

Source:

**Results**

**By matchday**

| Matchday | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | 37 | 38 | 39 | 40 | 41 | 42 |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Ground | A | H | H | A | A | H | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | H | A | A | A | H | A | H | H | A | A | H | A | H | A | H | H | A | A | H | H | A |
| Result | W | D | W | W | L | W | W | W | W | L | W | L | L | D | L | W | D | D | W | L | W | D | L | L | L | D | D | W | W | L | W | W | L | L | W | W | W | D | L | D | W | L |
| Position | 1 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 6 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 7 | 5 | 4 | 7 |

## Squad statistics

### Appearances and goals

| Pos. | Nat. | Name | First Division | First Division | FA Cup | FA Cup | Total | Total |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Pos. | Nat. | Name | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| GK | | George Farm | 38 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 45 | 0 |
| GK | | Willie Hall | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| GK | | Harry Sharratt | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| DF | | John Crosland | 25 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 28 | 0 |
| DF | | David Frith | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0 |
| DF | | Tommy Garrett | 38 | 2 | 7 | 1 | 40 | 3 |
| DF | | Roy Gratrix | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| DF | | Dai Powell | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| DF | | Eddie Shimwell | 35 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 42 | 0 |
| DF | | Jackie Wright | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| MF | | Jack Ainscough | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| MF | | Ewan Fenton | 28 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 34 | 1 |
| MF | | Stan Hepton | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| MF | | Harry Johnston | 36 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 43 | 0 |
| MF | | Hughie Kelly | 31 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 34 | 0 |
| MF | | Cyril Robinson | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| FW | | Allan Brown | 26 | 15 | 5 | 2 | 31 | 17 |
| FW | | Dave Durie | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 1 |
| FW | | Sandy Harris | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| FW | | Albert Hobson | 17 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 17 | 2 |
| FW | | Stanley Matthews | 20 | 4 | 7 | 1 | 27 | 5 |
| FW | | George McKnight | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| FW | | Stan Mortensen | 34 | 15 | 2 | 3 | 36 | 18 |
| FW | | Jackie Mudie | 20 | 5 | 7 | 1 | 27 | 6 |
| FW | | Bill Perry | 36 | 12 | 7 | 3 | 43 | 15 |
| FW | | Alan Withers | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| FW | | Graham Williams | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| FW | | Billy Wright | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 |
| FW | | Len Stephenson | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| FW | | Ernie Taylor | 38 | 11 | 7 | 2 | 45 | 13 |
| Players used: | Players used: | 24 |
| Goals scored: | Goals scored: | 85 (including 3 own goals) |

### Goalscorers

| Rank | Pos. | Player | First Division | FA Cup | Total |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | FW | Stan Mortensen | 15 | 3 | 18 |
| 2 | FW | Allan Brown | 15 | 2 | 17 |
| 3 | FW | Bill Perry | 12 | 3 | 15 |
| 4 | FW | Ernie Taylor | 11 | 2 | 13 |
| 5 | FW | Jackie Mudie | 5 | 1 | 6 |
| 6 | FW | Stanley Matthews | 4 | 1 | 5 |
| 7 | DF | Tommy Garrett | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| 8 | FW | Albert Hobson | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| 9 | MF | Ewan Fenton | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 9 | MF | Stan Hepton | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 9 | FW | Dave Durie | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Own Goals | Own Goals | Own Goals | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| Total | Total | Total | 71 | 14 | 85 |

### Clean sheets

| Rank | Pos. | Player | First Division | FA Cup | Total |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | GK | George Farm | 10 | 1 | 11 |

## Transfers

### Transfers in

| Date | Pos. | Name | From | Fee |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| May 1952 | GK | Harry Sharratt | Wigan Athletic | — |
| May 1952 | IF | Dave Durie | Oxford Amateurs | — |
| December 1952 | LB | Dai Powell | Free agency | — |
| March 1953 | FB | Roy Gratrix | Taylor Brothers | — |
| | OF | Graham Williams | Wolverhampton Wanderers | — |

### Transfers out

| Date | Pos. | Nat. | Name | To | Fee |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| May 1952 | CH | | Eric Hayward | Retired | — |
