The 1931–32 Torquay United F.C. season was Torquay United's fifth season in the Football League and their fifth consecutive season in Third Division South. The season runs from 1 July 1931 to 30 June 1932.
| 1931–32 season | ||
|---|---|---|
| Chairman |  Charles Dear | |
| Manager | Frank Womack | |
| Third Division South | 19th | |
| FA Cup | First Round | |
| Top goalscorer | League: Billy Clayson (14) All: Billy Clayson (14) | |
| Highest home attendance | 6,000 v Southend United, 28 November 1931 (FA Cup) | |
| Lowest home attendance | 2,547 v Northampton Town, 5 December 1931 (Third Division South) | |
| Average home league attendance | 3,718 | |
|
| ||
Overview
editHaving just enjoyed their most successful season so far in the Football League, Torquay United were keen to build upon last season's achievements. Unfortunately, the season got off to a terrible start with an opening day 7–0 defeat at Crystal Palace. After conceding six goals to Watford in their second home game of the season, Torquay then had to endure a mortifying 10–2 defeat to Fulham at Craven Cottage. Results did slowly begin to improve after that humiliation but Torquay would never find themselves any higher than 15th in the League table all season. The team were also to make an early exit from the FA Cup, losing 3–1 at home to Southend United in the First Round.
Torquay also had to make do without last season's top goalscorer Jimmy Trotter for the second half of the season after he was sold to Watford in December.[1] Billy Clayson did his best to fill Trotter's boots, eventually becoming this season's top scorer. However, Cyril Hemingway, returning for his second spell at the club, could not recreate the form which saw him top Torquay's goalscoring charts for the 1928–29 season. Nevertheless, Paignton born striker George Stabb showed much potential after signing from Dartmouth United, while another local lad, Lew Tapp, was also a promising new addition to the defence.[1]
Torquay did at least have one memorable victory with an 8–1 defeat of Bristol Rovers on Easter Monday, but it was ultimately a hugely disappointing season for Frank Womack and the team. Finishing in 19th place and narrowly avoiding the need for re-election, it was clear that Torquay United were in desperate need of improvement.
League statistics
editThird Division South
edit
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GAv | Pts | Promotion or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17 | Swindon Town | 42 | 14 | 6 | 22 | 70 | 84 | 0.833 | 34 | |
| 18 | Bristol Rovers | 42 | 13 | 8 | 21 | 65 | 92 | 0.707 | 34 | |
| 19 | Torquay United | 42 | 12 | 9 | 21 | 72 | 106 | 0.679 | 33 | |
| 20 | Mansfield Town[a] | 42 | 11 | 10 | 21 | 75 | 108 | 0.694 | 32 | Transferred to the Third Division North |
| 21 | Gillingham | 42 | 10 | 8 | 24 | 40 | 82 | 0.488 | 28 | Re-elected |
Source: [citation needed]
Notes:
Notes:
- ^ New club in the league; elected from Midland League
Results summary
edit| Overall | Home | Away | |||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GAv | Pts | W | D | L | GF | GA | Pts | W | D | L | GF | GA | Pts |
| 42 | 12 | 9 | 21 | 72 | 106 | 0.679 | 33 | 9 | 6 | 6 | 49 | 39 | 24 | 3 | 3 | 15 | 23 | 67 | 9 |
Source: rsssf.com
Results by round
editResults
editThird Division South
edit| 29 Aug 1931 | Crystal Palace | 7 – 0 | Torquay United | Selhurst Park |
 |
Attendance: 18,479 |
| 2 Sep 1931 | Torquay United | 1 – 1 | Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic | Plainmoor |
| Trotter |
|
Attendance: 4,485 |
| 5 Sep 1931 | Torquay United | 3 – 6 | Watford | Plainmoor |
| Hutchinson Trotter |
|
Attendance: 4,559 |
| 7 Sep 1931 | Fulham | 10 – 2 | Torquay United | Craven Cottage |
| |
Hutchinson Stabb |
Attendance: 9,706 |
| 12 Sep 1931 | Mansfield Town | 2 – 4 | Torquay United | Field Mill |
| |
Birkett Trotter Hutchinson |
Attendance: 8,499 |
| 16 Sep 1931 | Torquay United | 2 – 3 | Fulham | Plainmoor |
| Birkett Trotter |
|
Attendance: 5,056 |
| 19 Sep 1931 | Torquay United | 1 – 1 | Brighton & Hove Albion | Plainmoor |
| Trotter |
|
Attendance: 4,590 |
| 26 Sep 1931 | Norwich City | 2 – 0 | Torquay United | The Nest |
| |
Attendance: 10,583 |
| 3 Oct 1931 | Torquay United | 2 – 1 | Swindon Town | Plainmoor |
| Waller Trotter |
Morris |
Attendance: 4,483 |
| 10 Oct 1931 | Clapton Orient | 1 – 3 | Torquay United | Lea Bridge Stadium |
| |
Stabb Birkett Clayson |
Attendance: 8,998 |
| 17 Oct 1931 | Thames | 1 – 1 | Torquay United | West Ham Stadium |
| |
Trotter |
Attendance: 2,491 |
| 24 Oct 1931 | Torquay United | 1 – 1 | Brentford | Plainmoor |
| Hutchinson |
|
Attendance: 4,650 |
| 31 Oct 1931 | Exeter City | 3 – 1 | Torquay United | St James Park |
| |
Fowler (pen.) |
Attendance: 8,489 |
| 7 Nov 1931 | Torquay United | 3 – 3 | Coventry City | Plainmoor |
| Fowler (pen.) Hemingway |
|
Attendance: 3,065 |
| 14 Nov 1931 | Gillingham | 1 – 1 | Torquay United | Priestfield |
| |
Fowler (pen.) |
Attendance: 3,919 |
| 21 Nov 1931 | Torquay United | 1 – 2 | Luton Town | Plainmoor |
| Birkett |
|
Attendance: 3,490 |
| 5 Dec 1931 | Torquay United | 4 – 1 | Northampton Town | Plainmoor |
| Trotter Hutchinson Fowler Clayson |
|
Attendance: 2,547 |
| 12 Dec 1931 | Reading | 4 – 1 | Torquay United | Elm Park |
| |
Trotter |
Attendance: 5,507 |
| 19 Dec 1931 | Torquay United | 2 – 1 | Southend United | Plainmoor |
| Cooper Hemingway |
|
Attendance: 2,900 |
| 25 Dec 1931 | Torquay United | 2 – 3 | Queens Park Rangers | Plainmoor |
| Clayson Birkett |
|
Attendance: 4,999 |
| 26 Dec 1931 | Queens Park Rangers | 3 – 1 | Torquay United | White City Stadium |
| |
Hutchinson |
Attendance: 24,133 |
| 2 Jan 1932 | Torquay United | 3 – 1 | Crystal Palace | Plainmoor |
| Hemingway Waller Clayson |
|
Attendance: 2,703 |
| 13 Jan 1932 | Cardiff City | 5 – 2 | Torquay United | Ninian Park |
| Emmerson McCambridge Keating Robbins |
Fowler (pen.) Hemingway |
Attendance: 3,890 |
| 16 Jan 1932 | Watford | 1 – 0 | Torquay United | Vicarage Road |
| |
Attendance: 9,335 |
| 23 Jan 1932 | Torquay United | 2 – 2 | Mansfield Town | Plainmoor |
| Waller Clayson |
|
Attendance: 3,370 |
| 30 Jan 1932 | Brighton & Hove Albion | 0 – 2 | Torquay United | Goldstone Ground |
| Waller Fowler (pen.) |
Attendance: 7,079 |
| 6 Feb 1932 | Torquay United | 2 – 4 | Norwich City | Plainmoor |
| Birkett |
|
Attendance: 3,057 |
| 13 Feb 1932 | Swindon Town | 3 – 0 | Torquay United | County Ground |
| Starsmore Morris |
Attendance: 3,457 |
| 20 Feb 1932 | Torquay United | 3 – 0 | Clapton Orient | Plainmoor |
| Fowler (pen.) Cooper Miller |
Attendance: 2,708 |
| 27 Feb 1932 | Torquay United | 3 – 1 | Thames | Plainmoor |
| Clayson Cooper |
|
Attendance: 3,003 |
| 5 Mar 1932 | Brentford | 3 – 0 | Torquay United | Griffin Park |
| |
Attendance: 11,293 |
| 12 Mar 1932 | Torquay United | 2 – 1 | Exeter City | Plainmoor |
| Cooper Birkett |
|
Attendance: 5,839 |
| 19 Mar 1932 | Coventry City | 3 – 1 | Torquay United | Highfield Road |
| |
Cooper |
Attendance: 9,923 |
| 25 Mar 1932 | Bristol Rovers | 1 – 1 | Torquay United | Eastville Stadium |
| |
Cooper |
Attendance: 10,729 |
| 26 Mar 1932 | Torquay United | 1 – 0 | Gillingham | Plainmoor |
| Stabb |
Attendance: 3,038 |
| 28 Mar 1932 | Torquay United | 8 – 1 | Bristol Rovers | Plainmoor |
| Anderson Clayson Hutchinson Griffiths |
|
Attendance: 2,830 |
| 2 Apr 1932 | Luton Town | 6 – 1 | Torquay United | Kenilworth Road |
| |
Hutchinson |
Attendance: 5,778 |
| 9 Apr 1932 | Torquay United | 2 – 2 | Cardiff City | Plainmoor |
| Clayson |
McCambridge |
Attendance: 3,437 |
| 16 Apr 1932 | Northampton Town | 2 – 0 | Torquay United | County Ground |
| |
Attendance: 2,882 |
| 23 Apr 1932 | Torquay United | 1 – 4 | Reading | Plainmoor |
| Cooper |
|
Attendance: 3,270 |
| 30 Apr 1932 | Southend United | 4 – 2 | Torquay United | The Kursaal |
| |
Clayson Freer |
Attendance: 5,471 |
| 7 May 1932 | Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic | 5 – 0 | Torquay United | Dean Court |
| |
Attendance: 3,474 |
FA Cup
edit| 28 Nov 1931 First Round | Torquay United | 1 – 3 | Southend United | Plainmoor |
| Trotter |
|
Attendance: 6,000 |
Club statistics
editFirst team appearances
edit| Nat | Pos | Player | Total | Third Division South | FA Cup | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | |||
|
|
GK | Joe Wright | 29 | 0 | 28 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
|
|
GK | Laurie Millsom | 14 | 0 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
|
|
DF | Jack Fowler | 43 | 8 | 42 | 8 | 1 | 0 |
|
|
DF | Wally Webster | 24 | 0 | 24 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
|
|
DF | Lew Tapp | 19 | 0 | 18 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
|
|
DF | Jim Wright | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
|
|
MF | Don Hewitt | 28 | 0 | 27 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
|
|
MF | Bob Smith | 28 | 0 | 27 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
|
|
MF | Ted Anderson | 19 | 0 | 19 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
|
|
MF | Jack Butler | 18 | 0 | 18 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
|
|
MF | George Parkin | 8 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
|
|
MF | Wilf Freer | 6 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
|
|
MF | Bob Meacock | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
|
|
FW | Albert Hutchinson | 43 | 10 | 42 | 10 | 1 | 0 |
|
|
FW | Billy Clayson | 41 | 14 | 40 | 14 | 1 | 0 |
|
|
FW | Ralph Birkett | 37 | 8 | 37 | 8 | 0 | 0 |
|
|
FW | Harry Waller | 28 | 4 | 28 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
|
|
FW | Cyril Hemingway | 24 | 4 | 23 | 4 | 1 | 0 |
|
|
FW | Jimmy Trotter | 19 | 11 | 18 | 10 | 1 | 1 |
|
|
FW | Jack Cooper | 14 | 7 | 14 | 7 | 0 | 0 |
|
|
FW | George Stabb | 12 | 3 | 11 | 3 | 1 | 0 |
|
FW | Willie Miller | 7 | 1 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
|
|
FW | Arthur Griffiths | 5 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
|
|
FW | ? Rodgers | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Source:[2]
Top scorers
edit| Place | Position | Nation | Name | Third Division South | FA Cup | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | FW | |
Billy Clayson | 14 | 0 | 14 |
| 2 | FW | |
Jimmy Trotter | 10 | 1 | 11 |
| 3 | FW | |
Albert Hutchinson | 10 | 0 | 10 |
| 4 | FW | |
Ralph Birkett | 8 | 0 | 8 |
| = | DF | |
Jack Fowler | 8 | 0 | 8 |
| 6 | FW | |
Jack Cooper | 7 | 0 | 7 |
| 7 | FW | |
Cyril Hemingway | 4 | 0 | 4 |
| = | FW | |
Harry Waller | 4 | 0 | 4 |
| 9 | FW | |
George Stabb | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| 10 | MF | |
Ted Anderson | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| = | MF | |
Wilf Freer | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| = | FW | |
Arthur Griffiths | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| = | FW | |
Willie Miller | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| TOTAL | 72 | 1 | 73 | |||
Source:[2]
Transfers
editIn
edit| First appearance | Nat. | Pos. | Name | From |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 29 August 1931 |
|
MF | George Parkin | West Ham United |
| 2 September 1931 |
|
MF | Bob Meacock | Blackpool |
| 5 September 1931 |
|
DF | Wally Webster | Sheffield United |
| 7 September 1931 |
|
FW | Jack Cooper | Walsall |
| 7 September 1931 |
|
FW | George Stabb | Dartmouth United |
| 12 September 1931 |
|
DF | Lew Tapp | Newton Abbot F.C. |
| 16 September 1931 |
|
FW | Cyril Hemingway | Wolverhampton Wanderers |
| 26 December 1931 |
|
MF | Ted Anderson | Wolverhampton Wanderers |
| 30 January 1932 |
|
FW | Willie Miller | St Johnstone |
| 28 March 1932 |
|
FW | Arthur Griffiths | Unattached |
Out
edit| Last appearance | Nat. | Pos. | Name | To |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 September 1931 |
|
DF | Jim Wright | Grimsby Town |
| 26 September 1931 |
|
MF | Bob Meacock | Tranmere Rovers |
| 12 December 1931 |
|
MF | George Parkin | Halifax Town |
| 12 December 1931 |
|
FW | Jimmy Trotter | Watford |
| 13 February 1932 |
|
GK | Joe Wright | Brighton & Hove Albion |
| 20 February 1932 |
|
FW | Cyril Hemingway | Dartmouth United |
| 19 March 1932 |
|
FW | Willie Miller | Released |
| 9 Apr 1932 |
|
MF | Bob Smith | Released |
| 23 Apr 1932 |
|
FW | Jack Cooper | Released |
| 30 Apr 1932 |
|
MF | Wilf Freer | Released |
| 7 May 1932 |
|
MF | Jack Butler | Daring Club |
| 7 May 1932 |
|
FW | Billy Clayson | Scarborough |
| 7 May 1932 |
|
FW | Arthur Griffiths | Newport County |
| 7 May 1932 |
|
GK | Laurie Millsom | Released |
| 7 May 1932 |
|
FW | Harry Waller | Wrexham |
References
edit- ^ a b Edwards, Leigh; Gibbes, Jon; Lovis, John (1999). Torquay United, The Official Centenary History, 1899-1999. Yore Publications. ISBN 1-874427-38-0
- ^ a b Edwards, Leigh (1997). The Definitive Torquay United F.C.. The Association of Football Statisticians. ISBN 1-899468-09-9.
External links
edit- "Torquayunited.com". Archived from the original on 27 December 2009.
- "TFF History Room". Archived from the original on 26 February 2011.
- "TUFC History". Archived from the original on 12 May 2008.
- "Football Club History Database".
- "Statto.com". Archived from the original on 2 March 2012. Retrieved 10 December 2011.
- "Historical Football Kits".