1932–33 Torquay United F.C. season

The 1932–33 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.

Torquay United
1932–33 season
Chairman Charles Dear
Manager Frank Brown
Third Division South10th
FA CupSecond Round
Top goalscorerLeague:
George Stabb (24)
All:
George Stabb (26)
Highest home attendance7,683 v Exeter City, 17 September 1932
(Third Division South)
Lowest home attendance2,462 v Bristol Rovers, 26 April 1933
(Third Division South)
Average home league attendance3,991

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 1931–32 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 8–1 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 1–1 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
Main article: 1932–33 Football League § Third Division South
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GR Pts
8 Northampton Town 42 18 8 16 76 66 1.152 44
9 Bristol Rovers 42 15 14 13 61 56 1.089 44
10 Torquay United 42 16 12 14 72 67 1.075 44
11 Watford 42 16 12 14 66 63 1.048 44
12 Brighton & Hove Albion 42 17 8 17 66 65 1.015 42
Source:

Results summary
OverallHomeAway
PldWDLGFGAGAvPtsWDLGFGAPtsWDLGFGAPts
42 16 12 14 72 67 1.075 44 12 7 2 51 26 31 4 5 12 21 41 13

Source: rsssf.com

Results by round
Round123456789101112131415161718192021222324252627282930313233343536373839404142
GroundHAAHHHAHAHAHAHAAAHAHAHHAAHAHAHAHAHAHHAAHHA
ResultDLLDWLLWWWLLDWLDLWWDLDDLLWLWDWDWLDWWWLWDWD
Position1118202015202118139131516151616181612121516141617161715151312111213131313131010810
Source: statto.com
A = Away; H = Home; W = Win; D = Draw; L = Loss

Results

Third Division South
Main article: 1932–33 Football League
27 Aug 1932 Torquay United3 – 3Coventry CityPlainmoor
Davis
Fowler (pen.)
Orr 		Attendance: 5,740
31 Aug 1932 Bristol City2 – 0Torquay UnitedAshton Gate
Attendance: 8,762
3 Sep 1932 Brentford3 – 1Torquay UnitedGriffin Park
Stabb Attendance: 12,567
7 Sep 1932 Torquay United0 – 0Bristol CityPlainmoor
Attendance: 4,695
10 Sep 1932 Torquay United8 – 1Southend UnitedPlainmoor
Orr
Stabb
Hutchinson
Bird 		Attendance: 4,488
17 Sep 1932 Torquay United1 – 3Exeter CityPlainmoor
Orr Attendance: 7,683
24 Sep 1932 Luton Town2 – 1Torquay UnitedKenilworth Road
Stabb Attendance: 8,424
1 Oct 1932 Torquay United4 – 0Newport CountyPlainmoor
Birkett
Stabb
Bird 		Attendance: 3,960
8 Oct 1932 Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic1 – 2Torquay UnitedDean Court
Bird
Birkett 		Attendance: 6,124
15 Oct 1932 Torquay United4 – 3Swindon TownPlainmoor
Hutchinson
Stabb 		Attendance: 4,273
22 Oct 1932 Crystal Palace2 – 1Torquay UnitedSelhurst Park
Hutchinson Attendance: 10,031
29 Oct 1932 Torquay United1 – 2GillinghamPlainmoor
Hutchinson Attendance: 3,118
5 Nov 1932 Watford0 – 0Torquay UnitedVicarage Road
Attendance: 7,910
12 Nov 1932 Torquay United4 – 1Cardiff CityPlainmoor
Bird
Flavell
Birkett 		Attendance: 3,911
19 Nov 1932 Reading5 – 2Torquay UnitedElm Park
Bird Attendance: 7,395
3 Dec 1932 Brighton & Hove Albion1 – 1Torquay UnitedGoldstone Ground
Marsden (o.g.) Attendance: 5,417
17 Dec 1932 Aldershot2 – 0Torquay UnitedRecreation Ground
Attendance: 4,132
24 Dec 1932 Torquay United3 – 1Queens Park RangersPlainmoor
Stabb
Bird 		Attendance: 2,825
26 Dec 1932 Clapton Orient1 – 4Torquay UnitedLea Bridge Stadium
Flavell
Stabb
Bird 		Attendance: 5,549
27 Dec 1932 Torquay United1 – 1Clapton OrientPlainmoor
Stabb Attendance: 4,873
31 Dec 1932 Coventry City5 – 0Torquay UnitedHighfield Road
Attendance: 12,143
7 Jan 1933 Torquay United1 – 1BrentfordPlainmoor
Orr Attendance: 4,882
14 Jan 1933 Torquay United2 – 2Norwich CityPlainmoor
Stabb
Bird 		Attendance: 4,396
21 Jan 1933 Southend United2 – 1Torquay UnitedThe Kursaal
Birkett Attendance: 5,570
28 Jan 1933 Exeter City5 – 0Torquay UnitedSt James Park
Attendance: 9,591
4 Feb 1933 Torquay United3 – 1Luton TownPlainmoor
Kingham (o.g.)
Hutchinson
Stabb 		Attendance: 2,745
11 Feb 1933 Newport County3 – 1Torquay UnitedSomerton Park
Gardner
Thomas		 Mills Attendance: 3,098
18 Feb 1933 Torquay United2 – 1Bournemouth & Boscombe AthleticPlainmoor
Hutchinson
Orr 		Attendance: 2,904
25 Feb 1933 Swindon Town0 – 0Torquay UnitedCounty Ground
Attendance: 1,528
4 Mar 1933 Torquay United2 – 1Crystal PalacePlainmoor
Birkett
Hutchinson 		Attendance: 3,467
11 Mar 1933 Gillingham1 – 1Torquay UnitedPriestfield
Hutchinson Attendance: 5,786
18 Mar 1933 Torquay United3 – 2WatfordPlainmoor
Stabb Attendance: 3,241
25 Mar 1933 Cardiff City2 – 1Torquay UnitedNinian Park
Hutchinson Attendance: 6,630
1 Apr 1933 Torquay United1 – 1ReadingPlainmoor
Hutchinson Attendance: 3,649
8 Apr 1933 Norwich City1 – 2Torquay UnitedThe Nest
Hutchinson Attendance: 11,464
15 Apr 1933 Torquay United1 – 0Brighton & Hove AlbionPlainmoor
Stabb Attendance: 3,937
17 Apr 1933 Torquay United5 – 1Northampton TownPlainmoor
Birkett
Welsh
Stabb
Orr 		Attendance: 3,553
18 Apr 1933 Northampton Town2 – 0Torquay UnitedCounty Ground
Attendance: 4,049
22 Apr 1933 Bristol Rovers0 – 2Torquay UnitedEastville Stadium
Gray
Stabb 		Attendance: 5,606
26 Apr 1933 Torquay United1 – 1Bristol RoversPlainmoor
Stabb Attendance: 2,462
29 Apr 1933 Torquay United1 – 0AldershotPlainmoor
Anderson Attendance: 3,000
6 May 1933 Queens Park Rangers1 – 1Torquay UnitedWhite City Stadium
Stabb Attendance: 3,079

FA Cup
Main article: 1932–33 FA Cup
26 Nov 1932 First RoundTorquay United0 – 0Bournemouth & Boscombe AthleticPlainmoor
Attendance: 6,000
30 Nov 1932 First Round ReplayBournemouth & Boscombe Athletic2 – 2Torquay UnitedDean Court
Bird
Tennant (pen.)
5 Dec 1932 First Round 2nd ReplayTorquay United3 – 2Bournemouth & Boscombe AthleticAshton Gate
Stabb
Birkett
Hutchinson 		Attendance: 2,000
10 Dec 1932 Second RoundTorquay United1 – 1Queens Park RangersPlainmoor
Hutchinson Attendance: 5,000
Referee: Stanley Rous
15 Dec 1932 Second Round ReplayQueens Park Rangers3 – 1Torquay UnitedWhite City Stadium
Stabb Attendance: 7,100

Club statistics

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

Source:[2]

Top scorers
Place Position Nation Name Third Division South FA Cup Total
1FWGeorge Stabb24226
2FWAlbert Hutchinson15217
3FWDon Bird9110
4FWRalph Birkett819
5FWAlbert Orr606
6FWFred Flavell303
7MFTed Anderson101
=FWTom Davis101
=DFJack Fowler101
=MFAlf Gray101
=MFLeslie Mills101
=DFJack Tennant011
Own goals202
TOTAL 72779

Source:[2]

Transfers

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

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

References
  1. Holgate, Mike (1999). Torquay United Football Club 1899-1999. Tempus Publishing. ISBN 0-7524-1814-9
  2. 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
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