Looking Back at Season….1947/48

Dipping back into the archives at another memorable Southern Football League season.

With football still edging it way back after the Second World War, season 1947/48 included the most teams since 1939 (18).

Millwall, having failed to complete their fixtures the previous season, left the Southern League during the summer of 1947 and, what seems amazing now, joined the Football League where they were placed in the Second Division!

But there were two newcomers to the ranks in Lovells Athletic and Torquay United reserves.

Having missed out on the championship the previous season by just two points, Merthyr Tydfil would make no mistake this time around, winning the title by 6 points from previous season`s winners, Gillingham.

Former player Albert Lindon replaced Jock McNeil as manager and included in the Martyrs` side that season were forwards Bill Hullett and Syd Howarth, both of whom would go on to be sold to Cardiff City and Aston Villa respectively.

Hullett commanded a fee of £6,000 in February 1947, whilst Villa paid £6,500 for Howarth in June 1947.

Incredibly, the Southern League Cup final was delayed for almost a year, not taking place until April 1949, but Merthyr would complete a rather unusual `double` by beating Colchester United 5-0.

Fourth-placed finishers Colchester would make national sporting headlines as a result of their FA Cup run to the last sixteen.

Having narrowly got the better of Birmingham Combination side Banbury Spencer 2-1 at Layer Road in the First Round, they went on to beat Wrexham in the Second Round to earn a Third Round home tie against First Division Huddersfield Town.

Although the Terriers were struggling at the time, despite possessing the fast-fading skills of former Manchester City star and future Northern Ireland boss Peter Doherty, a 16,000 crowd still looked on in disbelief as Bob Curry scored the only goal of the game 20 minutes from time to give the Southern Leaguers a famous victory.

The Fourth Round saw Colchester paired with Second Division Bradford Park Avenue, who had beaten the mighty Arsenal in the previous round.

The match at Layer Road attracted over 17,000 spectators and the score was 2-2 at half-time, with a Curry brace for the U`s, but Colchester got the winner in the second half through Fred Cutting.

The Fifth Round – last sixteen - saw Colchester away to First Division Blackpool.

There was to be no fairy tale that day as the Seasiders, with football legends Stan Mortensen and Stanley Matthews in their side, won 5-0.

The Newport-based works side Lovells Athletic, having re-joined the Southern League at the start of this season after previously being members from seasons 1928/29 to 1929/30 and for season 1939/40 headed the table in early November.

Their success was built around a solid defence, including ex-Wales and Liverpool goalkeeper George Poland and highly rated centre-half Harry Clarke.

The Toffeemen slipped down the table to finish sixth in the second half of the campaign but did have the consolation of winning the Welsh Cup for the first time, beating Shrewsbury Town in the final.

Within a year Harry Clarke had been sold to Tottenham Hotspur, going on to make 295 Football League appearances and win one full international cap for England in April 1954 against Scotland at Hampden Park in the British Home Championship.

Hereford United signed Charlie Thompson from Sheffield United and he soon made his mark, scoring 8 goals in an 11-0 FA Cup win over Staffordshire minnows Thynne`s Athletic.

Other newcomers at Edgar Street included former West Bromwich Albion pair Jimmy Duggan and George Tranter.

The Bulls topped the table in early December but faded in the second half of the season to finish in fifth place.

Eight Southern League clubs applied to join the Football League at the end of the season, battling against Brighton & Hove Albion, Norwich City, Halifax Town and New Brighton for a place.

Brighton, Norwich and Halifax all polled 47 votes and New Brighton 38.

The highest number of votes for a non-League club went to Midland League Shrewsbury Town, who got eight.

Of the Southern League applicants, Colchester`s cup success only earned them two votes which was the best of the bunch, as Gillingham and Worcester City only won two between them, whilst Bath City, Chelmsford City, Lovells Athletic, champions Merthyr and Yeovil Town all failed to register a single vote.