1934–35 Southampton F.C. season

August 2022 Southampton F.C. 1934–35 Sloane Stanley George Kay The Dell Second Division 19th FA Cup Fourth round Laurie Fishlock (7) Laurie Fishlock (9) 18,351 v Swansea Town(26 December 1934) 4,800 v Notts County(22 September 1934) 9,118 3–0 v Hull City(15 September 1934)4–1 v Bradford Park Avenue (10 November 1934) 1–6 v Sheffield United(16 February 1935) _red_stripes _redstripes2 _red_stripes _3whitehoops FFFFFF FFFFFF FFFFFF 003366 FF0000 1933–34 1935–36 The 1934–35 season was the 40th season of competitive football by Southampton, and the club's 13th in the Second Division of the Football League. The season was the Saints' worst league campaign since they were promoted to the second flight in 1923, as they finished in 19th place just two places and eight points above the relegation spots. With a lack of high-scoring forwards and injuries to players across the squad, the side struggled to pick up wins throughout the season; in the first half of the campaign, they continued their run without an away win that had encompassed the whole of the previous season, finally ending it after 33 winless fixtures with victory over Swansea Town on Christmas Day 1934. Southampton finished the season with 11 wins, 12 draws and 19 losses – their lowest win rate since the 1911–12 season. In the 1934–35 FA Cup, Southampton entered the third round with an away fixture against Third Division North side Walsall, who they beat 2–1 thanks to a brace from Laurie Fishlock. In their first fourth round fixture since 1926–27, the Saints lost 0–3 to First Division strugglers Birmingham, in front of a new club record attendance of 28,291. As in previous seasons, the club ended the season with two local tournaments: the Hampshire Combination Cup and the combined Benevolent and Rowland Hospital Cups. In the former, the Saints lost 2–4 at Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic in the semi-final. In the latter, they also lost to top-flight rivals Portsmouth, who scored the only goal of the game. Southampton's only friendly match during the 1934–35 campaign saw them drawing 2–2 with French side Le Havre AC in March. Southampton used 23 different players during the 1934–35 season and had 13 different goalscorers. Their top scorer was left winger Laurie Fishlock, who scored seven goals in the Second Division and two in the FA Cup. Centre-forward Norman Cole scored eight times in the league, followed by centre-half Johnny McIlwaine on seven league goals during the campaign. Nine players were signed by the club during the season, with six released and sold to other clubs. The average attendance at The Dell during the 1934–35 season was 9,118. The highest attendance of the season was 28,291 in the FA Cup against Birmingham; the highest attendance in the league was significantly lower – 18,351 against Swansea Town on Boxing Day. The lowest attendance of the season was 4,800 against Notts County on 22 September. Background and transfers With mounting financial problems, transfer activity was limited for Southampton ahead of the 1934–35 season. At the end of the previous campaign, two amateur players – inside-left Herbert Coates and inside-right Vivian Gibbins – left to join Athenian League side Leyton.https://www.saintsplayers.co.uk/player/rigger-coates/ Rigger Coates SaintsPlayers.co.uk 30 August 2022 https://www.saintsplayers.co.uk/player/viv-gibbins/ Viv Gibbins SaintsPlayers.co.uk 30 August 2022 Outside-left Ben Burley, who had made his first-team debut in the last two games of the previous season, also left in June for Grimsby Town, who had recently been promoted to the First Division.https://www.saintsplayers.co.uk/player/ben-burley/ Ben Burley SaintsPlayers.co.uk 30 August 2022 Another inside-left out of contention, Tom Ruddy, left for Spennymoor United in the North Eastern League the next month.https://www.saintsplayers.co.uk/player/tom-ruddy/ Tom Ruddy SaintsPlayers.co.uk 30 August 2022 Both left-sided forward positions were targeted as part of the club's only two signings prior to the start of the season – Alf Wheeler joined from Northampton Town in July and Doug Rowe moved to The Dell from Lincoln City in August.https://www.saintsplayers.co.uk/player/fred-wheeler/ Fred Wheeler SaintsPlayers.co.uk 30 August 2022 https://www.saintsplayers.co.uk/player/douglas-rowe/ Douglas Rowe SaintsPlayers.co.uk 30 August 2022 Southampton's headline signing came just after the start of the league campaign, however, as Laurie Fishlock was brought in from Millwall (who had been relegated from the Second Division last season) as first choice outside-left in September.https://www.saintsplayers.co.uk/player/laurie-fishlock/ Laurie Fishlock SaintsPlayers.co.uk 30 August 2022 James Horton also joined from Millwall around the same time, although only made one appearance during the season at centre-forward in the FA Cup fourth round against Birmingham the following January.https://www.saintsplayers.co.uk/player/sonny-horton/ Sonny Horton SaintsPlayers.co.uk 30 August 2022 Also in September, Joe Cummins – who had joined less than a year earlier but made just one appearance during the campaign before succumbing to injury – left to join French club CA Paris-Charenton.https://www.saintsplayers.co.uk/player/joe-cummins/ Joe Cummins SaintsPlayers.co.uk 30 August 2022 In October, after just two months at the club, Rowe also left for France when he joined US Tourquennoise, having lost in place in the starting lineup upon Fishlock's arrival. With the club struggling to score goals in the league, in December they signed Walter Pollard from Fulham, for whom he had failed to make an appearance; he played regularly in both inside-forward roles in the second half of the season, but only scored one goal.https://www.saintsplayers.co.uk/player/walter-pollard/ Walter Pollard SaintsPlayers.co.uk 30 August 2022 Bob Reid also joined on amateur terms from Southwick in Sussex, turning professional the next month and making one appearance in the FA Cup fourth round fixture.https://www.saintsplayers.co.uk/player/bob-reid/ Bob Reid SaintsPlayers.co.uk 30 August 2022 Players transferred in NameNationalityPos. Playing positionClubDateFeeRef.Alf WheelerEnglandFW ForwardENG Northampton TownJuly 1934UnknownDonovan BrowningEnglandFB Full-backENG Crystal PalaceAugust 1934FreeDonovan Browning initially joined on amateur terms in August 1934, before turning professional the following May.https://www.saintsplayers.co.uk/player/donovan-browning/ Donovan Browning SaintsPlayers.co.uk 1 September 2022 July 2026 InternetArchiveBot Doug RoweEnglandFW ForwardENG Lincoln CityAugust 1934UnknownLionel BowenEnglandFB Full-backENG Crystal PalaceSeptember 1934FreeLionel Bowen initially joined on amateur terms in September 1934, before turning professional the following month.https://www.saintsplayers.co.uk/player/lionel-bowen/ Lionel Bowen SaintsPlayers.co.uk 1 September 2022 Laurie FishlockEnglandFW ForwardENG MillwallSeptember 1934UnknownDoug HendersonEnglandFB Full-backENG Park AvenueSeptember 1934FreeDoug Henderson initially joined on amateur terms.https://www.saintsplayers.co.uk/player/doug-henderson/ Doug Henderson SaintsPlayers.co.uk 31 August 2022 James HortonEnglandFW ForwardENG MillwallSeptember 1934UnknownWalter PollardEnglandFW ForwardENG FulhamDecember 1934UnknownBob ReidEnglandFW ForwardENG SouthwickDecember 1934FreeBob Reid initially joined on amateur terms in December 1934, before turning professional in January 1935. Players transferred out NameNationalityPos. Playing positionClubDateFeeRef.Herbert CoatesEnglandFW ForwardENG LeytonSummer 1934FreeVivian GibbinsEnglandFW ForwardENG LeytonSummer 1934FreeBen BurleyEnglandFW ForwardENG Grimsby TownJune 1934UnknownTom RuddyEnglandFW ForwardENG Spennymoor UnitedJuly 1934UnknownJoe CumminsEnglandFW ForwardFRA CA Paris-CharentonSeptember 1934UnknownDoug RoweEnglandFW ForwardFRA US TourquennoiseOctober 1934Unknown Second Division 1934–35 Football League Southampton begun the 1934–35 league campaign as poorly as they had ended the previous, picking up just two points from their first five games in home draws with fellow mid-table sides Port Vale and Oldham Athletic, to find themselves at the bottom end of the table.https://www.11v11.com/league-tables/league-division-two/8-september-1934/ League Division Two table after close of play on 08 September 1934 11v11.com 30 August 2022 In the return leg against Port Vale at the Old Recreation Ground, debutant winger Laurie Fishlock scored the only Saints goal in a 1–4 loss, which was followed a few days later by a 0–4 thrashing at the hands of Bolton Wanderers.Chalk Holley 1987 93 The club's sole win in their first ten games came against Hull City, who they beat 3–0 thanks to goals from Bill Adams, Tom Brewis and Fishlock. A surprise 1–0 win over eventual league champions Brentford in October and a convincing 4–1 victory over Bradford Park Avenue a couple of weeks later (in which recent arrival Alf Wheeler scored a hat-trick) saw the team move away from the relegation spots, but by mid-December they were back just one point above the drop zone after picking up a solitary point from their next five fixtures.https://www.11v11.com/league-tables/league-division-two/15-december-1934/ League Division Two table after close of play on 15 December 1934 11v11.com 30 August 2022 In the Christmas week, Southampton beat Bury 2–1 at home, then ended their 33-game streak without an away win on Christmas Day, when they scored the only goal of the game against Swansea Town (a feat which they repeated at home the next day). After moving up to 12th in the league after a 2–0 win at Oldham Athletic on 5 January, Southampton began to plummet back down the league table with a winless run extending into late-March, including a 1–3 loss at bottom-ranked Notts County, a season-record 1–6 defeat at the hands of mid-table Sheffield United, and home losses against Barnsley and Nottingham Forest. By the time they won their next game, 1–0 against Plymouth Argyle at The Dell on 30 March 1935, Southampton were struggling in 20th place in the league table, just six points above the first relegation spot.https://www.11v11.com/league-tables/league-division-two/30-march-1935/ League Division Two table after close of play on 30 March 1935 11v11.com 30 August 2022 The club won their last three home fixtures of the season, against Newcastle United, Manchester United and Blackpool, to ensure their safety in the Second Division with a 19th-place finish. List of match results 1 25 August 1934 Burnley 3–0 Southampton Turf Moor Burnley 12,000 L 2 27 August 1934 Southampton 0–0 Port Vale The Dell Southampton 7,000 D 3 1 September 1934 Southampton 2–2 Oldham Athletic Rowe Cole The Dell Southampton 7,042 D 4 3 September 1934 Port Vale 4–1 Southampton Fishlock Old Recreation Ground Stoke-on-Trent 7,746 L 5 8 September 1934 Bolton Wanderers 4–0 Southampton Burnden Park Bolton 17,000 L 6 15 September 1934 Southampton 3–0 Hull City Adams Brewis Fishlock The Dell Southampton 6,500 W 7 22 September 1934 Southampton 1–1 Notts County Brewis The Dell Southampton 4,800 D 8 29 September 1934 Bradford City 1–1 Southampton Wheeler Valley Parade Bradford 9,000 D 9 6 October 1934 Southampton 1–1 Sheffield United Tully The Dell Southampton 9,913 D 10 13 October 1934 Barnsley 1–1 Southampton Cole Oakwell Barnsley 8,000 D 11 20 October 1934 Nottingham Forest 3–1 Southampton Cole City Ground Nottingham 10,000 L 12 27 October 1934 Southampton 1–0 Brentford Tully The Dell Southampton 10,415 W 13 3 November 1934 Fulham 3–3 Southampton McIlwaine Luckett Horton Craven Cottage London 20,000 D 14 10 November 1934 Southampton 4–1 Bradford Park Avenue Wheeler Fishlock The Dell Southampton 10,000 W 15 17 November 1934 Plymouth Argyle 4–0 Southampton Home Park Plymouth 17,501 L 16 24 November 1934 Southampton 1–4 Norwich City Wheeler The Dell Southampton 11,400 L 17 1 December 1934 Newcastle United 1–0 Southampton St James' Park Newcastle-upon-Tyne 13,000 L 18 8 December 1934 Southampton 2–2 West Ham United Cole Fishlock The Dell Southampton 8,500 D 19 15 December 1934 Blackpool 4–1 Southampton Fishlock Bloomfield Road Blackpool 10,000 L 20 22 December 1934 Southampton 2–1 Bury Cole The Dell Southampton 7,300 W 21 25 December 1934 Swansea Town 0–1 Southampton Fishlock Vetch Field Swansea 2,000 W 22 26 December 1934 Southampton 1–0 Swansea Town Wheeler The Dell Southampton 18,351 W 23 29 December 1934 Southampton 0–0 Burnley The Dell Southampton 11,257 D 24 1 January 1935 Manchester United 3–0 Southampton Old Trafford Manchester 15,174 L 25 5 January 1935 Oldham Athletic 0–2 Southampton Cole Boundary Park Oldham 7,000 W 26 19 January 1935 Southampton 1–2 Bolton Wanderers Neal The Dell Southampton 16,575 L 27 31 January 1935 Hull City 0–0 Southampton Boothferry Park Kingston upon Hull 5,130 D 28 2 February 1935 Notts County 3–1 Southampton Tully Meadow Lane Nottingham 11,000 L 29 9 February 1935 Southampton 1–1 Bradford City Holt The Dell Southampton 6,472 D 30 16 February 1935 Sheffield United 6–1 Southampton Pollard Bramall Lane Sheffield 5,000 L 31 23 February 1935 Southampton 0–1 Barnsley The Dell Southampton 5,625 L 32 2 March 1935 Southampton 1–2 Nottingham Forest McIlwaine The Dell Southampton 5,790 L 33 9 March 1935 Brentford 3–2 Southampton Neal Brewis Griffin Park London 13,111 L 34 16 March 1935 Southampton 1–1 Fulham McIlwaine The Dell Southampton 8,946 D 35 23 March 1935 Bradford Park Avenue 3–1 Southampton Neal Horsfall Stadium Bradford 5,000 L 36 30 March 1935 Southampton 1–0 Plymouth Argyle McIlwaine The Dell Southampton 7,271 W 37 6 April 1935 Norwich City 4–0 Southampton The Nest (football ground) Norwich 8,000 L 38 13 April 1935 Southampton 2–0 Newcastle United Tully McIlwaine The Dell Southampton 9,125 W 39 20 April 1935 West Ham United 2–1 Southampton Fishlock Boleyn Ground London 31,000 L 40 22 April 1935 Southampton 1–0 Manchester United McIlwaine The Dell Southampton 12,458 W 41 27 April 1935 Southampton 2–0 Blackpool Woodhouse McIlwaine The Dell Southampton 6,758 W 42 4 May 1935 Bury 4–1 Southampton Holt Gigg Lane Bury 5,000 L Final league table Second Division y SOU RSSSF Results by matchday table b Round Ground A / H / H / A / A / H / H / A / H / A / A / H / A / H / A / H / A / H / A / H / A / H / H / A / A / H / A / A / H / A / H / H / A / H / A / H / A / H / A / H / H / A Result L / D / D / L / L / W / D / D / D / D / L / W / D / W / L / L / L / D / L / W / W / W / D / L / W / L / D / L / D / L / L / L / L / D / L / W / L / W / L / W / W / L Position 20 / 15 / 18 / 19 / 20 / 18 / 19 / 18 / 18 / 17 / 17 / 18 / 18 / 15 / 17 / 19 / 19 / 20 / 20 / 17 / 14 / 12 / 13 / 14 / 12 / 14 / 14 / 15 / 15 / 16 / 17 / 18 / 19 / 19 / 20 / 20 / 20 / 19 / 19 / 19 / 18 / 19 Home Away green2 Win yellow2 Draw red2 Loss 1st 2nd 3rd red1 11v11.comhttps://www.11v11.com/league-tables/ 11v11 league table generator 11v11.com 25 August 2022 FA Cup 1934–35 FA Cup Southampton were drawn in the third round of the 1934–35 FA Cup against Third Division North side Walsall. The hosts went ahead through Gilbert Alsop, but the Saints responded through a Laurie Fishlock brace to win for the first time in the tournament since 1927.Chalk Holley 1987 92 In the fourth round, the Saints hosted First Division side Birmingham, attracting a new club record attendance of 28,291. With their top goalscorer Fishlock injured, however, the side lacked firepower as he was replaced by young amateur Bob Reid, who was described by club historians as "overawed by the experience". Birmingham won the game 3–0, scoring two goals in the first half and the third in the second, as Southampton were knocked out of the fourth round, to which they didn't return until after the Second World War. Round 3 12 January 1935 Walsall 1–2 Southampton Alsop Fishlock Fellows Park Walsall 14,475 W Round 4 26 January 1935 Southampton 0–3 Birmingham The Dell Southampton 28,291 L Other matches Outside of the league and the FA Cup, Southampton played three additional first-team matches during the 1934–35 season. The first was a friendly against French club Le Havre AC on 5 March 1935, which ended in a 2–2 draw including goals from Arthur Holt and Fred Tully.Chalk Holley 1987 213 The next month, the team played the semi-final of the third annual Hampshire Combination Cup against Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic at Dean Court. Despite struggling towards the bottom of the division below the Saints, the Third Division South hosts won the game 4–2 to advance to the final of the competition, with Johnny McIlwaine scoring both consolations for the visitors.Chalk Holley 1987 205 In the final game of the season, four days after the league had concluded, the Saints lost 0–1 at Portsmouth for the 1935 combined Hampshire Benevolent Cup and Rowland Hospital Cup. Septimus Rutherford scored the only goal of the game in front of a lacklustre crowd of 2,215, extending Southampton's winless run in the competition to six years.Juson Aldworth Bendel Bull 2004 133 Friendly 5 March 1935 Le Havre AC 2–2 Southampton Holt Tully Stade Jules Deschaseaux Le Havre, France D Hampshire CC Semi-Final 3 April 1935 Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic 4–2 Southampton McIlwaine Dean Court Bournemouth L Hampshire BC/Rowland HC 8 May 1935 Portsmouth 1–0 Southampton Fratton Park Portsmouth 2,215 L Player details thumb|right|Laurie Fishlock was Southampton's top scorer in 1934–35, with seven goals in the league and two in the FA Cup. Southampton used 23 different players during the 1934–35 season, thirteen of whom scored during the campaign. The team played in a 2–3–5 formation throughout, using two full-backs, three half-backs, two outside forwards, two inside forwards and a centre-forward. Outside-right Fred Tully appeared in all but two of the club's league games during the campaign, followed by right-back Charlie Sillett who played in 39 league and both FA Cup games. Outside-left Laurie Fishlock finished as the season's top scorer with seven goals in the Second Division and two in the FA Cup, followed by centre-forward Norman Cole on eight goals, then centre-half Johnny McIlwaine on seven. Squad statistics NamePos. Playing positionNat. NationalityLeagueFA CupTotalApps. AppearancesGls. GoalsApps. AppearancesGls. GoalsApps. AppearancesGls. GoalsBill AdamsHB Half-backENG25120271Arthur BradfordHB Half-backENG20000200Tom BrewisFW ForwardENG27300273Frank CampbellHB Half-backSCO100010Norman ColeFW ForwardENG24810258Laurie FishlockFW ForwardENG28712299James HortonFW ForwardENG001010Arthur HoltFW ForwardENG27220292Cyril KingHB Half-backENG13020150Billy LightGK GoalkeeperENG900090Bill LuckettHB Half-backENG38120401Johnny McIlwaineHB Half-backSCO24720267Dick NealFW ForwardENG22320243Walter PollardFW ForwardENG10100101Bob ReidFW ForwardENG001010Arthur RobertsFB Full-backENG16000160Bert ScrivenGK GoalkeeperENG33020350Charlie SillettFB Full-backENG39020410Fred TullyFW ForwardENG40420424Frank WardFB Full-backENG17000170Alf WheelerFW ForwardENG11600116Stan WoodhouseHB Half-backENG22100221Players with appearances who left before the end of the seasonDoug RoweFW ForwardENG210021 Most appearances RankNamePos. Playing positionLeagueFA CupTotalApps. Appearances% Percentage of totalApps. Appearances% Percentage of totalApps. Appearances% Percentage of total1Fred TullyFW Forward4095.242100.004297.672Charlie SillettFB Full-back3992.862100.004195.353Bill LuckettHB Half-back3890.482100.004093.024Bert ScrivenGK Goalkeeper3378.572100.003581.405Laurie FishlockFW Forward2866.67150.002967.44Arthur HoltFW Forward2764.292100.002967.447Tom BrewisFW Forward2764.2900.002762.79Bill AdamsHB Half-back2559.522100.002762.799Johnny McIlwaineHB Half-back2457.142100.002660.4710Norman ColeFW Forward2457.14150.002558.14 Top goalscorers RankNamePos. Playing positionLeagueFA CupTotalGls. GoalsGPG Goals per gameGls. GoalsGPG Goals per gameGls. GoalsGPG Goals per game1Laurie FishlockFW Forward70.2522.0090.312Norman ColeFW Forward80.3300.0080.323Johnny McIlwaineHB Half-back70.2900.0070.274Alf WheelerFW Forward60.5500.0060.555Fred TullyFW Forward40.1000.0040.106Dick NealFW Forward30.1400.0030.13Tom BrewisFW Forward30.1100.0030.118Arthur HoltFW Forward20.0700.0020.079Doug RoweFW Forward10.5000.0010.50Walter PollardFW Forward10.1000.0010.10Stan WoodhouseHB Half-back10.0500.0010.05Bill AdamsHB Half-back10.0400.0010.04Bill LuckettHB Half-back10.0300.0010.03 Footnotes References Bibliography Chalk Gary Holley Duncan A Complete Record of Southampton Football Club: 1885–1987 Derby, England Breedon Books 10 August 1987 978-0907969228 Chalk Gary Holley Duncan Bull David All the Saints: A Complete Who's Who of Southampton FC Bristol, England Hagiology Publishing 28 November 2013 978-0992686406 Juson Dave Aldworth Clay Bendel Barry Bull David Chalk Gary Saints v Pompey: A History of Unrelenting Rivalry Bristol, England Hagiology Publishing 10 November 2004 978-0953447459 External links Southampton F.C. official website Category:Southampton F.C. seasons Southampton