1952–53 Northampton Town F.C. season

The 1952–53 season was Northampton Town's 56th season in their history and the twenty-fifth successive season in the regional Third Division South. Alongside competing in Division Three South, the club also participated in the FA Cup.

Northampton Town
1952–53 season
ChairmanE.C. Hawtin
ManagerBob Dennison
StadiumCounty Ground
Division Three (S)3rd
FA CupSecond round
Top goalscorerLeague: Willie O'Donnell (27)
All: Willie O'Donnell (27)
Highest home attendance19,242 vs Reading
Lowest home attendance6,100 vs Hendon
Average home league attendance12,031

Players edit

As of match played 30 April 1953.
Name Position Nat. Place of Birth Date of Birth (Age) Apps Goals Previous club Date signed Fee
Goalkeepers
Alf Wood GK   Aldridge (1915-05-14)14 May 1915 (aged 37) 63 0 Coventry City Summer 1951 £2,100[1]
Full backs
Ron Patterson LB   Gateshead (1929-10-30)30 October 1929 (aged 23) 49 0 Middlesbrough Summer 1952
Jack Southam RB   Willenhall (1917-08-19)19 August 1917 (aged 35) 104 1 Birmingham City Summer 1949
Half backs
Maurice Candlin CH   Jarrow (1921-11-11)11 November 1921 (aged 31) 152 2 Partick Thistle Summer 1949
Ben Collins CH   Kislingbury (1928-03-09)9 March 1928 (aged 25) 78 0 Apprentice Summer 1948 N/A
John Croy WH   Falkirk (1925-02-23)23 February 1925 (aged 28) 5 0 Third Lanark Summer 1951
James Davie WH   Cambuslang (1922-09-07)7 September 1922 (aged 30) 76 1 Preston North End Summer 1950
Norman Dodgin WH   Gateshead (1921-11-01)1 November 1921 (aged 31) 19 1 Reading Summer 1951
Gwyn Hughes WH   Blaenau Ffestiniog (1922-05-07)7 May 1922 (aged 30) 140 15 Blaenau Ffestiniog Amateur Summer 1946
Tom McLain WH   Morpeth (1922-01-19)19 January 1922 (aged 31) 35 2 Sunderland Summer 1952
John Smith WH   Leicester (1928-09-04)4 September 1928 (aged 24) 10 1 Apprentice Summer 1950 N/A
Frank Upton WH   Atherstone (1934-10-18)18 October 1934 (aged 18) 4 0 Nuneaton Borough Summer 1952
Inside/Outside forwards
Jack English OF   South Shields (1923-03-19)19 March 1923 (aged 30) 151 64 Apprentice Summer 1947 N/A
Tommy Fowler OF   Prescot (1924-12-16)16 December 1924 (aged 28) 200 40 Everton Summer 1946
Felix Staroscik OF   Silesia (1920-05-20)20 May 1920 (aged 32) 25 7 Third Lanark Summer 1951
Don Adams IF   Northampton (1931-02-15)15 February 1931 (aged 22) 9 4 Apprentice Summer 1951 N/A
Larry Baxter IF   Leicester (1931-11-24)24 November 1931 (aged 21) 11 2 Apprentice Summer 1952 N/A
Maurice Edelston IF   Kingston upon Hull (1918-04-27)27 April 1918 (aged 35) 33 15 Reading Summer 1952
Ken Leek IF   Ynysybwl (1935-07-26)26 July 1935 (aged 17) 0 0 Apprentice Summer 1952 N/A
Fred Ramscar IF   Salford (1919-01-24)24 January 1919 (aged 34) 95 47 Preston North End Summer 1951
Centre forwards
Willie O'Donnell CF   Clydebank (1924-08-09)9 August 1924 (aged 28) 71 37 Partick Thistle Summer 1951

Competitions edit

Division Three South edit

League table edit

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GAv Pts Qualification or relegation
1 Bristol Rovers 46 26 12 8 92 46 2.000 64 Division Champions, promoted
2 Millwall 46 24 14 8 82 44 1.864 62
3 Northampton Town 46 26 10 10 109 70 1.557 62
4 Norwich City 46 25 10 11 99 55 1.800 60
5 Bristol City 46 22 15 9 95 61 1.557 59
Source: [citation needed]

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
46 26 10 10 109 70 1.557 62 18 4 1 75 30 40 8 6 9 34 40 22

Last updated: 20 May 2020.
Source: [citation needed]

League position by match edit

Round12345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728293031323334353637383940414243444546
GroundAAHHAHHAAHHAAHAHAHAAAHHAAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAAHHHAH
ResultWLWWLWWDLWWLWDWWWWDLWWWLWWDWWLLDDDWWWDWLLWWDWD
Position101310712743106462422223322242232223334334323322223
Source: 11v11.com
A = Away; H = Home; W = Win; D = Draw; L = Loss

Matches edit

  Win   Draw   Loss

23 August 1952 (1952-08-23) 1 Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic 0–1 Northampton Town Bournemouth
15:00 BST J.English   Stadium: Dean Court
Attendance: 14,771
27 August 1952 (1952-08-27) 2 Exeter City 2–0 Northampton Town Exeter
BST Stadium: St James Park
Attendance: 12,729
30 August 1952 (1952-08-30) 3 Northampton Town 4–3 Southend United Northampton
BST T.Fowler    
F.Ramscar    
Stadium: County Ground
Attendance: 13,611
4 September 1952 (1952-09-04) 4 Northampton Town 3–1 Exeter City Northampton
BST M.Edelston  
W.O'Donnell  
F.Ramscar  
Stadium: County Ground
Attendance: 11,988
6 September 1952 (1952-09-06) 5 Watford 2–1 Northampton Town Watford
15:15 BST J.English   Stadium: Vicarage Road
Attendance: 21,959
11 September 1952 (1952-09-11) 6 Northampton Town 3–1 Coventry City Northampton
BST M.Edelston  
J.English  
W.O'Donnell  
Stadium: County Ground
Attendance: 13,280
13 September 1952 (1952-09-13) 7 Northampton Town 5–3 Brighton & Hove Albion Northampton
BST M.Edelston    
W.O'Donnell      
Stadium: County Ground
Attendance: 14,342
15 September 1952 (1952-09-15) 8 Coventry City 1–1 Northampton Town Coventry
17:55 BST F.Ramscar   Stadium: Highfield Road
Attendance: 18,217
20 September 1952 (1952-09-20) 9 Newport County 4–1 Northampton Town Newport, Wales
BST W.O'Donnell   Stadium: Somerton Park
Attendance: 10,479
25 September 1952 (1952-09-25) 10 Northampton Town 3–1 Swindon Town Northampton
BST M.Edelston    
T.Fowler  
Stadium: County Ground
Attendance: 8,746
27 September 1952 (1952-09-27) 11 Northampton Town 5–1 Crystal Palace Northampton
BST J.English    
T.Fowler  
M.Edelston  
J.Southam  
Stadium: County Ground
Attendance: 12,805
1 October 1952 (1952-10-01) 12 Torquay United 3–0 Northampton Town Torquay
BST Stadium: Plainmoor
Attendance: 4,784
4 October 1952 (1952-10-04) 13 Bristol City 2–3 Northampton Town Bristol
15:15 BST J.English  
W.O'Donnell  
  o.g.'
Stadium: Ashton Gate
Attendance: 21,795
11 October 1952 (1952-10-11) 14 Northampton Town 2–2 Bristol Rovers Northampton
BST J.English  
T.McLain  
Stadium: County Ground
Attendance: 19,064
18 October 1952 (1952-10-18) 15 Millwall 1–2 Northampton Town Millwall, London
BST J.English  
F.Ramscar  
Stadium: The Old Den
Attendance: 22,948
25 October 1952 (1952-10-25) 16 Northampton Town 3–1 Gillingham Northampton
BST M.Edelston  
J.English  
F.Ramscar  
Stadium: County Ground
Attendance: 13,689
1 November 1952 (1952-11-01) 17 Walsall 1–5 Northampton Town Walsall
GMT M.Edelston  
J.English  
W.O'Donnell    
Stadium: Fellows Park
Attendance: 8,420
8 November 1952 (1952-11-08) 18 Northampton Town 3–1 Shrewsbury Town Northampton
GMT M.Edelston    
J.English  
Stadium: County Ground
Attendance: 13,988
15 November 1952 (1952-11-15) 19 Queens Park Rangers 2–2 Northampton Town White City, London
14:30 GMT M.Edelston  
W.O'Donnell  
Stadium: Loftus Road
Attendance: 14,661
29 November 1952 (1952-11-29) 20 Aldershot 2–1 Northampton Town Aldershot
GMT T.Fowler   Stadium: Recreation Ground
Attendance: 3,263
13 December 1952 (1952-12-13) 21 Norwich City 1–2 Northampton Town Norwich
GMT J.English    
T.McLain  
Stadium: Carrow Road
Attendance: 21,093
26 December 1952 (1952-12-26) 23 Northampton Town 6–1 Reading Northampton
GMT M.Edelston  
J.English    
W.O'Donnell    
F.Ramscar  
Stadium: County Ground
Attendance: 19,242
3 January 1953 (1953-01-03) 24 Southend United 3–1 Northampton Town Southend-on-Sea
14:30 GMT W.O'Donnell   Stadium: Roots Hall
Attendance: 7,425
10 January 1953 (1953-01-10) 25 Orient 0–1 Northampton Town Leyton, London
14:30 GMT J.English   Stadium: Brisbane Road
Attendance: 7,826
17 January 1953 (1953-01-17) 26 Northampton Town 4–1 Watford Northampton
GMT M.Edelston  
J.English  
W.O'Donnell    
Stadium: County Ground
Attendance: 13,250
24 January 1953 (1953-01-24) 27 Brighton & Hove Albion 1–1 Northampton Town Hove
14:45 GMT F.Staroscik   Stadium: Goldstone Ground
Attendance: 18,750
31 January 1953 (1953-01-31) 28 Northampton Town 3–1 Orient Northampton
GMT T.Fowler  
F.Ramscar    
Stadium: County Ground
Attendance: 9,868
7 February 1953 (1953-02-07) 29 Northampton Town 5–0 Newport County Northampton
GMT M.Edelston  
J.English    
F.Ramscar    
Stadium: County Ground
Attendance: 11,977
14 February 1953 (1953-02-14) 30 Crystal Palace 4–3 Northampton Town Selhurst, London
GMT D.Adams  
W.O'Donnell    
Stadium: Selhurst Park
Attendance: 6,409
21 February 1953 (1953-02-21) 31 Northampton Town 0–2 Bristol City Northampton
GMT Stadium: County Ground
Attendance: 15,291
29 February 1953 (1953-02-29) 32 Bristol Rovers 1–1 Northampton Town Bristol
GMT F.Ramscar   Stadium: Eastville Stadium
Attendance: 31,115
7 March 1953 (1953-03-07) 33 Northampton Town 1–1 Millwall Northampton
GMT W.O'Donnell   Stadium: County Ground
Attendance: 13,687
14 March 1953 (1953-03-14) 34 Gillingham 1–1 Northampton Town Gillingham
15:15 GMT F.Ramscar   Stadium: Priestfield Stadium
Attendance: 10,250
21 March 1953 (1953-03-21) 35 Northampton Town 2–1 Walsall Northampton
GMT W.O'Donnell  
F.Ramscar  
Stadium: County Ground
Attendance: 9,717
28 March 1953 (1953-03-28) 36 Shrewsbury Town 2–4 Northampton Town Shrewsbury
GMT J.English  
W.O'Donnell    
F.Ramscar  
Stadium: Gay Meadow
Attendance: 7,329
6 April 1953 (1953-04-06) 38 Ipswich Town 1–1 Northampton Town Ipswich
15:00 GMT F.Ramscar   Stadium: Portman Road
Attendance: 12,048
7 April 1953 (1953-04-07) 39 Northampton Town 2–0 Ipswich Town Northampton
19:30 GMT T.Fowler  
T.McLain  
Stadium: County Ground
Attendance: 12,307
11 April 1953 (1953-04-11) 40 Swindon Town 3–0 Northampton Town Swindon
GMT B.Millar   18'
J.Bain   41' (pen.)
M.Owen   59'
Report Stadium: Swindon
Attendance: 9,564
Referee: S M Rogers
13 April 1953 (1953-04-13) 41 Reading 2–0 Northampton Town Reading
GMT Stadium: Elm Park
Attendance: 9,020
16 April 1953 (1953-04-16) 42 Northampton Town 2–0 Colchester United Northampton
17:40 GMT W.O'Donnell     Stadium: County Ground
Attendance: 7,982
18 April 1953 (1953-04-18) 43 Northampton Town 4–0 Aldershot Northampton
15:00 GMT G.Hughes  
W.O'Donnell  
F.Ramscar    
Stadium: County Ground
Attendance: 10,040
Referee: W Everett
23 April 1953 (1953-04-23) 44 Northampton Town 3–3 Torquay United Northampton
18:15 BST J.English  
T.Fowler  
W.O'Donnell  
Stadium: County Ground
Attendance: 11,510
Referee: W Clapton
25 April 1953 (1953-04-25) 45 Colchester United 1–2 Northampton Town Colchester
BST J.English  
T.Fowler  
Stadium: Layer Road
Attendance: 8,122
30 April 1953 (1953-04-30) 46 Northampton Town 3–3 Norwich City Northampton
18:30 BST L.Baxter  
J.English  
T.Fowler  
Stadium: County Ground
Attendance: 9,555
Referee: T Martin

FA Cup edit

22 November 1952 (1952-11-22) First round Hendon 0–0 Northampton Town Cricklewood, London
14:15 GMT Stadium: Claremont Road
Attendance: 9,000
27 November 1952 (1952-11-27) First round (r) Northampton Town 2–0 Hendon Northampton
GMT T.Fowler  
F.Ramscar  
Stadium: County Ground
Attendance: 6,100
6 December 1952 (1952-12-06) Second round Swindon Town 2–0 Northampton Town Swindon
GMT M.Owen   40'
B.Millar   88'
Report Stadium: County Ground
Attendance: 12,936
Referee: F. Read

Appearances and goals edit

Pos Player Division Three (S) FA Cup Total
Starts Goals Starts Goals Starts Goals
GK Alf Wood 46 3 49
FB Ron Patterson 46 3 49
FB Jack Southam 46 1 3 49 1
HB Maurice Candlin 28 3 31
HB Ben Collins 19 19
HB John Croy 2 2
HB James Davie 11 11
HB Norman Dodgin 14 1 14 1
HB Gwyn Hughes 29 1 3 32 1
HB Tom McLain 32 2 3 35 2
HB John Smith
HB Frank Upton 4 4
OF Jack English 45 24 3 48 24
OF Tommy Fowler 46 11 3 1 49 12
OF Felix Staroscik 1 1 1 1
IF Don Adams 2 1 2 1
IF Larry Baxter 11 2 11 2
IF Maurice Edelston 30 15 3 33 15
IF Fred Ramscar 45 22 3 1 48 23
IF Ken Leek
CF Willie O'Donnell 46 27 3 49 27
Players who left before end of season:
IF Tommy Mulgrew 3 3

References edit

  1. ^ "Past Managers". saddlers.co.uk. Archived from the original on 1 June 2012. Retrieved 14 November 2011.

Books

  • Grande, Frank (1997). Northampton Town F.C.: The Official Centenary History. London: Yore Publications. ISBN 978-1874427674.