1932–33 Torquay United F.C. season

Torquay United
193233 season
Chairman England Charles Dear
Manager England Frank Brown
Third Division South 10th
FA Cup Second Round
Top goalscorer League:
George Stabb (24)
All:
George Stabb (26)
Highest home attendance 7,683 v Exeter City, 17 September 1932
(Third Division South)
Lowest home attendance 2,462 v Bristol Rovers, 26 April 1933
(Third Division South)
Average home league attendance 3,991
Home colours

The 193233 Torquay United F.C. season was Torquay United's sixth season in the Football League and their sixth consecutive season in Third Division South. The season runs from 1 July 1932 to 30 June 1933.

Overview

After finishing in 19th place in their previous Third Division South campaign, it was clear that Torquay United needed to make major changes if they had any intentions of challenging for promotion to the Second Division. However, believing the club lacked the ambition to do so, manager Frank Womack left Torquay at the end of the 193132 season.[1] His replacement was Frank Brown who had played for the Magpies in their non-League days and had subsequently become a trainer under Percy Mackrill and then Womack. His first task was to rebuild the team, replacing stalwarts such as Bob Smith, Jack Butler and Laurie Millsom with newer, younger faces. Of the team which lined up on the opening match of the season against Coventry City, eight out of the starting eleven were debutants, with new goalkeeper Percy Maggs and centre back Jack Tennant becoming ever-presents throughout the campaign, as was right half Ted Anderson who had joined the Magpies for the second half of the previous season.[2]

While two draws and two defeats in their opening four games suggested the unfamiliar team had yet to find their feet, an 81 victory over Southend United at Plainmoor in early September certainly helped the squad to settle into the new season. Torquay would prove to be particularly strong at home with only two defeats at Plainmoor throughout the entire season. However, away from home it was a slightly different story with the team suffering twelve losses and only four victories on the road. Nevertheless, by the penultimate game of the season, Torquay's excellent home form had propelled them up to 8th position in the table and a victory against Queens Park Rangers on the final day could have seen the club finish in an unprecedented 5th place. As it was, a 11 draw at the White City Stadium and with other results going against them, the Magpies had to ultimately settle for 10th place, which was still the club's best finish in the League to date.

Inevitably, with a much improved side, the Torquay players began attracting attention from other clubs. At the end of the season both Jack Tennant and Alf Gray were sold to First Division side Liverpool, while Ted Anderson was also lured away to Second Division West Ham United. Perhaps most heartbreaking of all to the Plainmoor faithful was the departure of Dartmouth born right winger Ralph Birkett. After 98 appearances and 20 goals for Torquay, the 20-year-old Birkett was sold to eventual First Division champions Arsenal, with manager Herbert Chapman willing to pay the significant amount of £1,588 to secure his services.[3] After later joining Middlesbrough, Birkett would go on to play for England in 1935.

Although losing such key players was a blow to the club, there was at least some hope for the future with the arrival of Don Welsh. The talented young centre half would soon develop into another Torquay legend and gave reason enough for Frank Brown to confident for the coming season.

League statistics

Third Division South

Pos Team Pld WDLGFGAGAvPtsPromotion or relegation
1Brentford (C) (P)422610690491.83762Promotion to the Second Division
2Exeter City422410888481.83358
3Norwich City422213788551.60057
4Reading42191310103711.45151
5Crystal Palace421981578641.21946
6Coventry City4219617106771.37744
7Gillingham421881672611.18044
8Northampton Town421881676661.15244
9Bristol Rovers4215141361561.08944
10Torquay United4216121472671.07544
11Watford4216121466631.04844
12Brighton & Hove Albion421781766651.01542
13Southend United4215111665820.79341
14Luton Town4213131678781.00039
15Bristol City4212131783900.92237
16Queens Park Rangers4213111872870.82837
17Aldershot4213101961720.84736
18Bournemouth & Boscombe4212121860810.74136
19Cardiff City421272369990.69731
20Clapton Orient428132159930.63429
21Newport County4211724611050.58129Re-elected to the Third Division South
22Swindon Town4291122601050.57129

Source: "Football Club History Database". 
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal average.
(C) = Champion; (R) = Relegated; (P) = Promoted

Results summary

OverallHomeAway
PldWDLGFGAGAvPtsWDLGFGAGAvWDLGFGAGAv
4216121472671.07544 127251261.961 451221410.512

Source:

Pld = Matches played; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; GF = Goals for; GA = Goals against; GAv = Goal average; Pts = Points

Results by round

Round123456789101112131415161718192021222324252627282930313233343536373839404142
GroundHAAHHHAHAHAHAHAAAHAHAHHAAHAHAHAHAHAHHAAHHA
Result D L L D W L L W W W L L D W L D L W W D L D D L L W L W D W D W L D W W W L W D W D
Position 11 18 20 20 15 20 21 18 13 9 13 15 16 15 16 16 18 16 12 12 15 16 14 16 17 16 17 15 15 13 12 11 12 13 13 13 13 13 10 10 8 10

Source:
Ground: A = Away; H = Home. Result: D = Draw; L = Loss; W = Win; P = Postponed.

Results

Third Division South

FA Cup

Main article: 1932–33 FA Cup

Club statistics

First team appearances

Nat Pos Player Total Third Division South FA Cup
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
England GK Percy Maggs 47 0 42 0 5 0
England DF Jack Tennant 47 1 42 0 5 1
England DF Lew Tapp 40 0 35 0 5 0
England DF Jack Fowler 7 1 7 1 0 0
England DF Wally Webster 5 0 4 0 1 0
England MF Ted Anderson 47 1 42 1 5 0
England MF Tom Robinson 29 0 24 0 5 0
England MF Alf Gray 22 1 22 1 0 0
England MF Fred Martin 16 0 11 0 5 0
England MF Don Welsh 16 0 16 0 0 0
England MF Don Hewitt 11 0 11 0 0 0
England FW Don Bird 45 10 40 9 5 1
England FW Albert Orr 45 6 41 6 4 0
England FW George Stabb 45 26 40 24 5 2
England FW Albert Hutchinson 38 17 34 15 4 2
England FW Ralph Birkett 35 9 32 8 3 1
England FW Fred Flavell 10 3 9 3 1 0
England FW Fred Avey 4 0 3 0 1 0
Republic of Ireland FW Tommy Davis 4 1 4 1 0 0
England FW Leslie Mills 2 1 2 1 0 0
Wales FW Maldwyn Owens 2 0 1 0 1 0

Source:[2]

Top Scorers

Place Position Nation Name Third Division South FA Cup Total
1 FW England George Stabb 24 2 26
2 FW England Albert Hutchinson 15 2 17
3 FW England Don Bird 9 1 10
4 FW England Ralph Birkett 8 1 9
5 FW England Albert Orr 6 0 6
6 FW England Fred Flavell 3 0 3
7 MF England Ted Anderson 1 0 1
= FW Republic of Ireland Tom Davis 1 0 1
= DF England Jack Fowler 1 0 1
= MF England Alf Gray 1 0 1
= MF England Leslie Mills 1 0 1
= DF England Jack Tennant 0 1 1
Own goals 2 0 2
TOTAL 72 7 79

Source:[2]

Transfers

In

First appearance Nat. Pos. Name From
27 August 1932 England FW Fred Avey Fulham
27 August 1932 England FW Don Bird Bury
27 August 1932 Republic of Ireland FW Tommy Davis Boston Town
27 August 1932 England MF Alf Gray Oldham Athletic
27 August 1932 England GK Percy Maggs Blackpool
27 August 1932 England MF Fred Martin Millwall
27 August 1932 England FW Albert Orr Chesterfield
27 August 1932 England DF Jack Tennant Stoke City
31 August 1932 England MF Tom Robinson Bury
5 November 1932 England FW Fred Flavell Oldham Athletic
15 December 1932 Wales FW Maldwyn Owens Unattached
4 February 1933 England FW Leslie Mills Unattached
4 February 1933 England MF Don Welsh R.N. Devonport

Out

Last appearance Nat. Pos. Name To
17 December 1932 Wales FW Maldwyn Owens Released
28 January 1933 England MF Fred Martin Released
11 February 1933 England MF Tom Robinson Retired
18 April 1933 England FW Ralph Birkett Arsenal
22 April 1933 England FW Fred Avey Tunbridge Wells
6 May 1933 England MF Ted Anderson West Ham United
6 May 1933 Republic of Ireland FW Tommy Davis New Brighton
6 May 1933 England MF Alf Gray Liverpool
6 May 1933 England DF Jack Tennant Liverpool
6 May 1933 England DF Wally Webster Rochdale

References

  1. Holgate, Mike (1999). Torquay United Football Club 1899-1999. Tempus Publishing. ISBN 0-7524-1814-9
  2. 1 2 3 Edwards, Leigh (1997). The Definitive Torquay United F.C.. The Association of Football Statisticians. ISBN 978-1-899468-09-6.
  3. Edwards, Leigh; Gibbes, Jon; Lovis, John (1999). Torquay United, The Official Centenary History, 1899-1999. Yore Publications. ISBN 1-874427-38-0

External links

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