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1939-40 season
General information
Performance
Division 1

Season postponed after 3 games

Western Division

Runners-up

War League Cup

1st round

Top scorers
Division 1

Taylor (2)

Western Division

Nieuwenhuys (18)

War League Cup

Fagan (1)

Overall

Nieuwenhuys (18)

Attendances

The 1939-40 season was an unofficial season during World War II, and was Liverpool's 48th season of football since they were established. The outbreak of World War II saw the suspension of all professional football in September 1939; Liverpool had played just three games by this point and sat fourth place in the league.

An unofficial regional league system was put in place throughout the country, and Liverpool were placed in the Western Divison, along with Everton and Manchester United among others. Due to many players going off to take part in military service, Liverpool's depleted squad was suplemented by guest players. Notable players to continue playing this season include Arthur Riley, Berry Nieuwenhuys, Billy Liddell and Bob Paisley.

As the FA Cup had also been suspended, a replacement knockout competition - the War League Cup - was put in place. Liverpool were knocked out at the first hurdle by Barrow, who beat Liverpool 4-1 on aggregate over the two-legged tie. Liverpool were much more successful in the Western Divison, finishing just two points behind champions Stoke City. South African forward Berry Nieuwenhuys finished as top scorer in the season, scoring 18 goals in all competitons. No statistics attained during the war years were counted as official.

Squad[]

LiverpoolSquad1939-1940
  • GK. Dirk Kemp
  • GK. Eric Holmes Mansley
  • GK. Arthur Riley
  • DF. Matt Busby
  • DF. Tom Cooper
  • DF. John Easdale
  • DF. Jim Harley
  • DF. Ray Lambert
  • DF. Jimmy McInnes
  • DF. Bernard Ramsden
  • DF. Fred Rogers
  • DF. Eddie Spicer
  • DF. Phil Taylor
  • DF. Jack Tennant
  • MF. Tom Bush
  • MF. Alf Hanson
  • MF. Billy Liddell
  • MF. Berry Nieuwenhuys
  • MF. Bob Paisley
  • MF. Stan Palk
  • MF. Harman Van Den Berg
  • FW. Jack Balmer
  • FW. Len Carney
  • FW. Cyril Done
  • FW. Willie Fagan
  • FW. Bill Kinghorn
  • FW. George Paterson
  • ?. A W Brown
  • ?. Douglas F Cooke
  • ?. Peter Dermont Doherty
  • ?. Stanley Eastham
  • ?. Ron Guttridge
  • ?. Walter Halsall
  • ?. G Leadbetter
  • ?. George Murphy
  • ?. Robert William Stuart
  • ?. Frank Swift
  • ?. George Walton

Note: Fixed squad numbers were not introduced until the 1993-94 season.

Friendlies[]

Date Opponent Score Scorers
19 August 1939 Everton 2-1[1] Taylor, Balmer
16 September 1939 Chester 5-0 Fagan 2, Nieuwenhuys, Balmer, Carney
23 September 1939 Bolton 3-0 Balmer 2, Busby
30 September 1939 Blackburn 5-0 Taylor 2, Fagan, Nieuwenhuys, Balmer
7 October 1939 Everton 1-4 Taylor
14 October 1939 Crewe Alexandra 1-0 Nieuwenhuys
16 December 1939 Preston North End 0-1
25 December 1939 Everton 2-3 Fagan 2
26 December 1939 Everton 1-2 Busby
30 December 1939 Preston North End 3-1 Fagan, Done 2
25 March 1940 Bolton 0-1
5 May 1940 Oldham 4-2 Carney, Liddell, G. Leadbetter, Nieuwenhuys

Results[]

League[]

Date Opponent Score Scorers
26 August 1939 Sheffield United 1-2 McInnes
30 August 1939 Middlesbrough 4-1 Taylor 2, Van Den Ber, Balmer
2 September 1939 Chelsea 1-0 Done

Western Division[]

Date Opponent Score Scorers
21 October 1939 Stockport 3-0 Balmer (15, 88), Fagan (89)
28 October 1939 Port Vale 1-1 Balmer (15)
11 November 1939 Tranmere 3-1 Fagan, Nieuwenhuys 2
18 November 1939 Man Utd 1-0 Fagan (pen 61)
25 November 1939 Wrexham 1-2 Nieuwenhuys
2 December 1939 Everton 2-2 Nieuwenhuys (50), Fagan (pen 51)
9 December 1939 Stoke 1-3 Fagan
23 December 1939 New Brighton 6-2 Done 4, Carney, Eastham
1 January 1940 Crewe Alexandra 7-3 Nieuwenhuys 3, Liddell, G. Leadbetter, Busby, Carney
6 January 1940 Man City 7-3 Liddell 3, Fagan 2, Nieuwenhuys 2
20 January 1940 Chester 1-1 Nieuwenhuys
24 February 1940 Port Vale 8-3 Fagan 4 (1 pen), Van Den Berg 2, Tennant, Liddell
16 March 1940 Man Utd 0-1
22 March 1940 Crewe Alexandra 6-3 Fagan 3 (2 pens), Carney, Balmer, Liddell
23 March 1940 Wrexham 0-0
30 March 1940 Everton 3-1 Nieuwenhuys 2 (28, 29), Liddell
6 April 1940 Stoke 1-2 Balmer
11 May 1940 Stockport 4-3 Nieuwenhuys 3, Van Den Berg
18 May 1940 Chester 0-4
25 May 1940 Man City 3-2 Nieuwenhuys, Liddell (pen 80), Murphy (83)
29 May 1940 Tranmere 8-3 Nieuwenhuys 2, Doherty 2, Carney 2, Liddell, Hanson
1 June 1940 New Brighton 0-0

War League Cup[]

Round Date Opponent Score Scorers
1 (1st leg) 20 April 1940 Barrow 0-2
1 (2nd leg) 27 April 1940 Barrow 1-2 Fagan (pen)

Tables[]

League[]

Note: Season was suspended after 3 games.

Pos Club Pld W D L F A G. Avg Pts
3 Arsenal 3 2 1 0 8 4 2.00 5
4 Liverpool 3 2 0 1 6 3 2.00 4
5 Bolton 3 2 0 1 6 5 1.20 4

Western Division[]

Pos Club Pld W D L F A G. Avg Pts
1 Stoke 22 13 5 4 57 41 1.39 31
2 Liverpool 22 12 5 5 66 40 1.65 29
3 Everton 22 12 4 6 64 33 1.94 28
4 Man Utd 22 14 0 8 74 41 1.80 28
5 Man City 22 12 4 6 73 41 1.78 28
6 Wrexham 22 10 5 7 45 50 0.90 25
7 New Brighton 22 10 3 9 55 52 1.06 23
8 Port Vale 22 10 2 10 52 56 0.93 22
9 Chester 22 7 5 10 40 51 0.78 19
10 Crewe Alexandra 22 6 1 15 44 79 0.56 13
11 Stockport 22 4 3 15 45 79 0.57 11
12 Tranmere 22 2 3 17 41 93 0.44 7

Player stats[]

Note: Stats during war years are unofficial.

Pos. Name League WD WLC Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
FW Jack Balmer 3 1 7 5 1 0 11 6
? A W Brown 0 0 4 0 0 0 4 0
DF Matt Busby 3 0 14 1 2 0 19 1
MF Tom Bush 3 0 7 0 1 0 11 0
FW Len Carney 0 0 13 5 2 0 15 5
? Douglas F Cooke 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0
DF Tom Cooper 0 0 9 0 0 0 9 0
? Peter Dermont Doherty 0 0 1 2 0 0 1 2
FW Cyril Done 1 1 4 4 0 0 5 5
DF John Easdale 0 0 3 0 0 0 3 0
? Stanley Eastham 0 0 9 1 1 0 10 1
FW Willie Fagan 3 0 12 14 1 1 16 15
? Ron Guttridge 0 0 3 0 0 0 3 0
? Walter Halsall 0 0 2 0 0 0 2 0
MF Alf Hanson 0 0 2 1 0 0 2 1
DF Jim Harley 3 0 5 0 1 0 9 0
GK Dirk Kemp 3 0 4 0 0 0 7 0
FW Bill Kinghorn 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0
DF Ray Lambert 0 0 5 0 2 0 7 0
? G Leadbetter 0 0 4 1 0 0 4 1
MF Billy Liddell 0 0 14 9 2 0 16 9
GK Eric Holmes Mansley 0 0 6 0 1 0 7 0
DF Jimmy McInnes 3 1 11 0 0 0 14 1
? George Murphy 0 0 3 1 0 0 3 1
MF Berry Nieuwenhuys 3 0 20 18 2 0 25 18
MF Bob Paisley 0 0 5 0 2 0 7 0
MF Stan Palk 0 0 2 0 0 0 2 0
FW George Paterson 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0
DF Bernard Ramsden 3 0 11 0 1 0 15 0
GK Arthur Riley 0 0 10 0 1 0 11 0
DF Fred Rogers 0 0 5 0 1 0 6 0
DF Eddie Spicer 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0
? Robert William Stuart 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0
? Frank Swift 0 0 2 0 0 0 2 0
DF Phil Taylor 2 2 11 0 0 0 13 2
DF Jack Tennant 0 0 15 1 0 0 15 1
MF Harman Van Den Berg 3 1 13 3 1 0 17 4
? George Walton 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0

Transfers[]

In[]

None.

Out[]

None.

References[]

  1. Jubilee Fund benefit match.


Liverpool F.C. seasons
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Grey seasons indicate war years

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