Liverpool FC in the 1930s - The Great (Footballing) Depression

 

Mirroring international economic fortunes, Liverpool went from the successes of the Roaring Twenties (https://sportyman2020.blogspot.com/2020/09/two-titles-two-irishmen-and-two-macs.html) to the harsh realities of The Great Depression in the next decade. 

And so the 1930s for Liverpool FC was a decade to forget, but I have trawled through the history books and managed to find at least a few things that should be remembered. 

Moving up and down the lower reaches of the First Division table, Liverpool managed their highest finish of the decade (7^th) in 1934-1935 but flirted with relegation in three of the seasons (1933-1934, 1935-1936 and 1936-1937). There was no joy in the FA Cup either, with their run as far as the 1931-1932 quarter final being as good as it got.  

Migrant Mother: photograph by Dorothea Lange (1936). The subject is Florence Owens Thompson and two of her children and the image has become synonymous with the struggles of Americans during the Great Depression. Such is the sombre tone set by the image that Ms. Thompson may also have been a Liverpool supporter during this time, the second least successful decade in the history of the club.

The political and military sabre rattling in Europe built steadily during the 1930s until the outbreak of World War II and the cessation after only three games of the 1939-1940 season. In football terms, the outbreak of war brought a welcome halt to the gallop of Liverpool’s great city rivals Everton, who had won the First Division title in 1931-1932, the FA Cup in 1932-1933 and then leapfrogged Liverpool on the roll of honour to take their 5^th league title in 1938-1939.

The outbreak of World War II puts an end to regular football in England at the beginning of the 1930-1940 season.

The team of the decade was undoubtedly Arsenal, who won their first five titles in the 1930s, while Sunderland picked up their 6^th (and to date their last) title in 1935-1936, thus joining Aston Villa at the summit of that league title roll of honour.

Delirious 1930s Arsenal fans celebrating their most glorious decade, in a time before tedious health and safety rules existed to restrict train based celebrations

From their lofty 1930s heights, one has to feel for Sunderland, who are now stuck in the quicksand of third tier football and, worst of all, have become serial victims of a Netflix football based misery-documentary known as ‘Sunderland ‘Til I Die’, featuring relegation, financial mismanagement, blubbering and heartbroken fans and a mawkish opening song about the demise of the shipyards.

A typically exploitative image from 'Sunderland 'til I Die', 

depicting misery levels akin to Dorothea Lange's Migrant Mother

And as we’re on the topic of the success of other clubs during Liverpool’s somewhat grim 1930s decade, it’s worth noting that Preston North End won the 1938 FA Cup. On their team was a hardy Scottish half back who was described as being ‘full of good football and unlimited energy; he should go far’. That FA Cup medal was to be his only major honour as a player but he would indeed go far, bringing untold riches in silverware to Liverpool some years later, when he would become their most iconic manager. His name, of course, was Bill Shankly.

Bill Shankly in his playing days with Preston North End

Shankly (left) and Preston North End team mates with the 1938 FA Cup. It would be Shankly's only major honour as a player but he would go on to deliver masses of silverware for Liverpool as manager from 1959 to 1974, including a very belated first FA Cup win in 1965.

Incidentally, while Bill Shankly was playing for Preston North End, a fellow Scot and friend of his was playing as a defender for Liverpool. His name was Matt Busby and he would play 122 times for Liverpool between 1936 and 1939. After leaving Liverpool, Busby would go on to become manager of a nearby club, achieving with them what some have described as being more than a modest degree of success.

Despite Liverpool’s struggles during the 1930s, there were some standout figures. George Kay took over as manager from George Patterson in 1936-1937 and, in a hint at glory days still some way ahead, he signed Billy Liddell, Willie Fagan and Bob Paisley.

However, the real standout player for Liverpool during the 1930s was a South African forward called Gordon Hodgson. The current Liverpool squad boasts African superstars such as Mo Salah, Sadio Mane and Naby Keita. But Liverpool’s recruitment links with the continent go all the way back to the late 1920s when they set up a club agent in South Africa. Some of the key South Africans to subsequently play for Liverpool included Berry Nieuwenhuys, Herman van den Berg, Lance Carr, Dirk Kemp, Bob Priday and Hugh Gerhardi, and Hodgson was the most successful of them all.

His stats alone are astounding. He scored 241 goals in 377 games between 1926 and 1935 and his 233 top flight league goals remains a club record, putting him ahead of players such as Ian Rush, Billy Liddell and Robbie Fowler. He also holds the Liverpool all-time goals per game ratio of 0.639, ahead of Luis Suarez, Mo Salah and John Aldridge. His 36 goals in 1930-1931 would stand as a season record until overtaken by Roger Hunt in 1964-1965. Finally, his record of 17 hat-tricks remains a club record, again ahead of such legends as Ian Rush and Roger Hunt.

And if Hodgson’s football achievements alone were not enough, he also managed to play baseball for Everton and cricket for Lancashire. 

Gordon Hodgson (1904-1951) who led the Liverpool line from 1925 to 1936

 

Summary of the 1930s:

(Top scorer is based on goals scored in league and FA Cup)

 

1930-1931

First Division: 9^th (winners: Arsenal, their first win)

FA Cup: 3^rd round (winners: West Bromwich Albion, their 3^rd win)

Manager: George Patterson

Captain: Tom Morrison

Top scorer: Gordon Hodgson (36)

 

1931-1932

First Division: 10^th (winners: Everton, their 4^th win)

FA Cup: Quarter final (winners: Newcastle United, their 3^rd win)

Manager: George Patterson

Captain: Tom Bradshaw

Top scorer: Gordon Hodgson (27)

 

1932-1933

First Division: 14^th (winners: Arsenal, their 2^nd win)

FA Cup: 3^rd round (winners: Everton, their 2^nd win)

Manager: George Patterson

Captain: Tom Bradshaw

Top scorer: Gordon Hodgson (24)

 

1933-1934

First Division: 18^th (winners: Arsenal, their 3^rd win)

FA Cup: 5^th round (winners: Manchester City, their 2^nd win)

Manager: George Patterson

Captain: Tom Bradshaw

Top scorer: Gordon Hodgson (25)

 

1934-1935

First Division: 7^th (winners: Arsenal, their 4^th win)

FA Cup: 4^th round (winners: Sheffield Wednesday, their 3^rd win)

Manager: George Patterson

Captain: Ernie Blenkinsop/Tom Cooper

Top scorer: Gordon Hodgson (29)

 

1935-1936

First Division: 19^th (winners: Sunderland, their 6^th win, joining Aston Villa at the top of the roll of honour)

FA Cup: 4^th round (winners: Arsenal, their 2^nd win)

Manager: George Patterson

Captain: Ernie Blenkinsop

Top scorer: Fred Howe (17)

 

1936-1937

First Division: 18^th (winners: Manchester City, their 1^st win)

FA Cup: 3^rd round (winners: Sunderland, their 1^st win)

Manager: George Kay

Captain: Ernie Blenkinsop/Tom Cooper

Top scorer: Fred Howe (16)

 

1937-1938

First Division: 11^th (winners: Arsenal, their 5^th win)

FA Cup: 5^th round (winners: Preston North End, their 2^nd win)

Manager: George Kay

Captain: Tom Cooper

Top scorer: Alf Hanson (15)

 

1938-1939

First Division: 11^th (winners: Everton, their 5^th win)

FA Cup: 5^th round (winners: Portsmouth, their 1^st win)

Manager: George Kay

Captain: Tom Cooper

Top scorer: Berry Nieuwenhuys (16)

 

1939-1940

First Division: stopped after three games due to outbreak of World War II

FA Cup: not contested, due to outbreak of World War II