1946–47 Blackpool F.C. season


The 1946–47 season was Blackpool F.C.'s 39th season in the Football League. They competed in the 22-team Division One, then the top tier of English football, finishing fifth.
New signings included John Crosland, George Dick, Jimmy McIntosh, George McKnight, Sammy Nelson and Eddie Shimwell. Out went, amongst others, Dai Astley, Dick Burke, Malcolm Butler, the prolific goalscorer Jock Dodds, Bobby Finan, Frank O'Donnell and Alec Roxburgh.
Stan Mortensen was the club's top scorer for the third consecutive season, with 29 goals.

Season review

Blackpool's first league game took them to Yorkshire to face Huddersfield Town on 31 August. Stan Mortensen, Jimmy Blair and Alex Munro got the visitors' goals in a 3–1 victory.
Three more victories followed: 4–2 against Brentford at Bloomfield Road, 2–0 at home to Wolverhampton Wanderers, and 1–0 at Portsmouth.
Eastham scored two more goals in the next game, at Sunderland, making it four in three games, but Blackpool lost 3–2.
Another four-game win streak ended September and began October: 1–0 at home to Aston Villa on 21 September, 4–3 at home to Portsmouth two days later, 2–1 at Derby County, and 2–1 against Arsenal at Bloomfield Road.
On 12 October, Blackpool lost at Preston North End 0–2 in the first West Lancashire derby of the season.
A week later, Blackpool hosted Manchester United at Bloomfield Road and won 3–1, with George Farrow, Mortensen, and Dick the scorers for the home side.
Blackpool recorded their first draw of the campaign on 26 October — 1–1 at Bolton Wanderers, McIntosh getting the Seasiders' goal.
Chelsea visited Bloomfield Road on 2 November, and they returned to the capital pointless after a single-goal defeat. Blair scored the goal.
Blackpool travelled to Sheffield United the following weekend and lost 4–2. A Mortensen penalty and an Eastham strike accounted for the Blackpool half of the scoreline.
Two more defeats ensued — 2–3 at Grimsby Town and 2–4 at Leeds United.
Blackpool got back to winning ways on 30 November with a 3–2 result against Liverpool at home. McIntosh, Blair and Mortensen were the scorers for the hosts.
Into December, Blackpool travelled to Stoke City and lost 4–1, before a heavy 5–0 home defeat at the hands of Middlesbrough.
On 21 December, Blackpool visited Charlton Athletic, where a Buchan penalty was enough to give them both points.
On Christmas Day, Blackpool travelled to Lancashire neighbours Blackburn Rovers. Mortensen scored Blackpool's goal in a 1–1 draw.
The following day, the return fixture, saw the first all-ticket game at Bloomfield Road. Mortensen's goal, his fourteenth of the season, gave Blackpool the victory.
On 28 December, Huddersfield Town visited Bloomfield Road, and goals by Dick and Buchan gave Blackpool a 2–1 win.
The first game of 1947 took Blackpool to Wolves, where they lost 3–1.
On 11 January, Blackpool travelled to Hillsborough for an FA Cup third-round tie with Sheffield Wednesday. Wednesday won 4–1, with Mortensen scoring Blackpool's goal.
Sunderland completed the double over Blackpool on 18 January with a 5–0 victory.
A draw followed, at Aston Villa, 1–1, with Mortensen again finding the net for Blackpool.
On 1 February, Blackpool recorded one more in the win column with a 2–1 edging of Derby County at Bloomfield Road, Munro and Dick getting the goals.
Seven days later, Blackpool travelled to London to face Arsenal and drew 1–1, Mortensen adding to his season's tally.
The Tangerines exacted revenge on arch-rivals Preston North End after their 2–0 victory back in October by beating them 4–0 at Bloomfield Road on 15 February. Dick and Mortensen scored two apiece.
Blackpool's joy was short-lived, however: they lost 3–0 at Manchester United seven days later, and then by a single goal at home to Bolton Wanderers.
For the fourth time this season, Blackpool strung four consecutive wins together, beginning on 8 March at Chelsea. Dick, Buchan and Mortensen were the Blackpool scorers in the 4–1 scoreline. They also beat Sheffield United at home 4–2, Grimsby Town away, 3–2, and Leeds United at home, 3–0, with the same scorers.
On 4 April, Blackpool drew 1–1 with Everton at Goodison Park. Blackpool's goal came from a T. G. Jones own-goal.
Blackpool remained in Liverpool for the following day's game at Anfield. The visitors won 3–2, with Mortensen and Buchan getting their goals. It remained their last League double over the eventual champions for 64 years.
Everton travelled to Bloomfield Road two days later and won 3–0.
Blackpool suffered a second consecutive home defeat when Stoke City visited on 12 April.
Middlesbrough hosted Blackpool the following week, and goals from Eastham and Mortensen gave the visitors both points in a 2–1 scoreline.
The season was rounded off on 28 April with a visit by Charlton Athletic to Bloomfield Road. The match finished goalless.

Table

Player statistics

Appearances

League

Players used: 22
No appearances: Ewan Fenton

FA Cup

Players used: 11

Goals

League

Goals scored: 70

FA Cup

Goals scored: 1