Post-War Depression: 1947-1949

1946-47:

Leeds Stats: Season Statistics: Games, Results, Appearances, Goalscorers and Teamsheets Season Statistics: Games, Results, Appearances, Goalscorers Football League Tables for the Season

When the League programme resumed in 1946/47, United relied on many of the men who had served them in the late 1930's, but it soon became obvious that they were well past their best. Only 18 points were amassed. At that point the lowest ever First Division total. Interestingly enough, it was equalled by Queens Park Rangers in our never to be forgotten first Championship year of 1968-69 and stood until Stoke City's woeful 1984-85 season lowered the bar to 17 points. Leeds' final 17 fixtures brought 15 defeats and two draws. Only one point was secured away from home all season. It resulted in Willis Edwards being appointed Manager in place of Billy Hampson for the following season.

Pre-War players Tom Holley (39), Davie Cochrane (38), Jim Milburn (36), Aubrey Powell (34) and George Ainsley (28) were still there, with War-time regulars Gerry Henry (36) and John Short (32) being joined by newcomers Dennis Grainger (32) and Eddie Bannister (23) as the regular performers. There were also appearances from Pre-war players Les Goldberg (12) Bobby Browne (19) Jim Twomey (14) and Ken Gadsby (16).

Hampson had previously made several fine acquisitions of young players from Ireland. David Cochrane, Jim Twomey and Bobby Browne were recent such acquisitions, who almost immediately became full Internationals due to their form with United. He now gambled on the versatile Eire International Con Martin who was bought from Glentoran for £8,000. Versatile was the word as Cornelius, to give him his "Sunday" name, played every position, including goalkeeper, for the Republic and Aston Villa. He also represented both Eire and Northern Ireland. He was the founding member of the Martin Dynasty which supplied British Football with several generations of footballers. Son Mick played over 50 times for Eire, and with Manchester United and Newcastle United while Grandson Alan was on Leeds' books.

He also bought Darlington Centre-Forward Harry Clarke and the veteran Centre-Half Ken Willingham, of Huddersfield Town, Sunderland and England fame. He also gave chances to local born Harry Fearnley and John Hodgson in the goalkeeping department. All was to no avail.

In the FA Cup there was the usual 3rd Round exit, this time 2-1 to West Bromwich Albion at the Hawthorns.

1947-48:

Leeds Stats: Season Statistics: Games, Results, Appearances, Goalscorers and Teamsheets Season Statistics: Games, Results, Appearances, Goalscorers Football League Tables for the Season

Willis Edwards welcomed back Albert Wakefield, after a season in Italy, where he stayed after the war. He also cleared out several reserves and allowed Bobby Browne to go to York City. In November he let both George Ainsley and Gerry Henry leave for Bradford Park Avenue and replaced them with the robust striker Ken Chisholm from Partick Thistle and FA Cup winning Half-Back Jim Bullions from Derby County. He also paid £10,000, and keeper John Hodgson, for the strong Irish defender Jim McCabe, who quickly debuted for Ireland to illustrate his ability.

The season was not much better than their last First Division campaign, as predictably, rock-bottom United struggled in Division Two. Again Leeds suffered from travel sickness, with only one away victory as they escaped relegation to Division Three (North) by only two points. They finished in 18th place, with 36 points. To add to United's problems they had reported financial losses for three successive seasons. On the bright side fans were turning up in droves all over the country to witness football after being starved of entertainment for so many years. Elland Road was no exception and had it not been for a strong showing in the home games, where only four were lost, they would have been sunk without trace.

Surprisingly the team was relatively stable, with the usual formation being: Jim Twomey; Jim Milburn and Ken Gadsby, with a young Jimmy Dunn breaking in late in the season; Ken Willingham, Jim Bullions, Tom Holley, Con Martin and later Jim McCabe sharing the Half-Back duties; David Cochrane, Aubrey Powell, Albert Wakefield, John Short/Ken Chisholm, and Billy Heaton/Tom Hindle.

Albert Wakefield led the scorers with 21 followed by Aubrey Powell with ten and Davie Cochrane and John Short both managed 7.

The FA Cup brought the usual misery with a 4-0 thrashing from at Bloomfield Road by Blackpool.

Willis Edwards duly resigned as Manager, but continued as coach, and Major Frank Buckley was chosen as his replacement in the managerial position, for the ensuing 1948/49 season.

1948-49:

Leeds Stats: Season Statistics: Games, Results, Appearances, Goalscorers and Teamsheets Season Statistics: Games, Results, Appearances, Goalscorers Football League Tables for the Season

Major Frank Buckley was not everyone's cup of tea. It was once said of him that there was no man in football who had been more cheered or jeered than he. He did things very much his own way. Criticism had little or no effect on him. One of the first things he did after his appointment at Elland Road was to introduce his own mechanical kicking machine to aid training. The machine, built of tubular steel, had the look of a rocket-firing machine. It was loaded with half-a-dozen footballs at once which were propelled singularly at adjustable heights and used to improve a goalkeeper's weaknesses or an outfield players heading, trapping and volleying. He also returned to a previously tried technique, from his days at Wolverhampton, by treating some of the players with monkey gland extract, in the belief that it would sharpen their thinking, and make them better and more decisive players! He innovatively, had the players ball-room dancing and chorus line high-kicking in training! He also gave the club financial advice, suggesting that the £30,000 of debentures should be repaid as soon as possible as it was a millstone round the club's neck.

He started putting the club on a better financial footing by selling established stars such as Welsh International Aubrey Powell, who went to Everton for £10,000 and versatile Irish International Con Martin, who went to Aston Villa for a similar sum. Admission price for supporters was also increased.

The Major was a constant advocate for Youth and he would spend hours scouring the parks of Leeds in search of potential stars. He organized youth trials, even refereeing the games himself. 20 year old Len Browning, who was excellent in the air, was drafted into the team to partner Ken Chisholm up front. Jimmy Dunn had been bought from Rutherglen Glencairn to partner Jim Milburn at full-back. Tom Burden was signed from Chester, having previously played at Wolverhampton with the Major, to form a solid half back line with Tom Holley and Irish International Jim McCabe. Irish International keeper Jim Twomey was first replaced by local boy Harry Fearnley until Harold Searson was bought from Mansfield. After a string of bad results the Major dived into the transfer market, exchanging Ray Iggleden of Leicester City for Ken Chisholm, and left winger Jimmy Rudd for the long serving Tom Hindle. The Irish International, blacksmith Eddie McMorran was bought from Manchester City and two old hands John Short, to Millwall for £4,000, and Billy Heaton, to Southampton for £7,000 were also sold. The Major was piecing together the jigsaw that was the basis of the United team for several years to come. The mercurial Irish International right winger Davie Cochrane was still casting his spell over opposing full-backs and was constantly one of United's best players.

At Major Buckley's instigation, the club changed its strip to Old Gold Shirts with Blue Sleeves and Collars, White Shorts and Black, Blue and Old Gold Hooped Socks, as he maintained the players would recognise each other better than in the old strip.

At the end of an indifferent season United struggled to 15th position with 37 points.

In the FA Cup United received possibly their most humiliating defeat to date, going down 3-1 to lowly Third Division (South) team Newport County.

Tom Holley's long reign as the lynchpin of the United defence was coming to an end.

In April 1949, in the annual clash between England and Scotland, the English defence was given a torrid time by the Scotland centre-forward Billy Houlison. As luck would have it, his team, Queen of the South, were due to play a friendly against United at Elland Road, and several thousand increased the gate just to see Houlison. They could have saved their money, as he hardly got a kick all night! They did, however, get more than their money's worth. A barely 18 year old "man mountain" from Wales deputised for Holley. The first product of the Buckley youth scheme stepped up and they witnessed the birth of a football legend. William John Charles.

Photographs of the era:

Teams:

1946-47

Back Row: Gerry Henry, Les Goldberg, J.Smith, Jim Twomey, Ken Gadsby, Bobby Browne.

Front Row: David Cochrane, Aubrey Powell, George Ainsley, John Short, Dennis Grainger, Tom Holley.

1946-47(Courtesy Mark Ledgard)

Back Row: Gerry Henry, Les Goldberg, Jim Twomey, Tom Holley, Bobby Browne, Ken Gadsby.

Front Row: David Cochrane, Aubrey Powell, George Ainsley, John Short, Dennis Grainger, .

1947-48

Back Row: George Ainsley, Jim Twomey, Gerry Henry, Tom Holley, Con Martin, Unknown, Ken Gadsby.

Front Row: Jim Milburn, David Cochrane, Aubrey Powell, Albert Wakefield, John Short, Billy Heaton.

1947-48(Courtesy Brian McGrath)

Back Row: Jack Smith, Ken Willingham, Jim Milburn, Jim Twomey, Ken Gadsby, Dennis Kirby, Bob Roxburgh (Trainer).

Front Row: Dennis Grainger, Aubrey Powell, Albert Wakefield, John Short, Billy Heaton, Tony Ingham.

1947-48(Courtesy Mark Ledgard)

Back Row: Jack Smith, Ken Willingham, Jim Milburn, Jim Twomey, Ken Gadsby, Dennis Kirby, Bob Roxburgh (Trainer).

Front Row: Dennis Grainger, Aubrey Powell, Albert Wakefield, John Short, Billy Heaton, Tony Ingham.

1948-49: Players, Officials and Groundstaff before Training (Courtesy of Thirkers of http://www.thirkersleeds.co.uk/page10/page10.html)

Back Row: Bob Roxburgh (Trainer), Arthur Crowther (Secretary), Willis Edwards (Trainer), Sam Weaver (Trainer), Tom Holley, Jim Milburn, Jimmy Dunn, Jim Twomey, Ken Chisholm, Major Frank Buckley (Manager), Tony Ingham, Billy Heaton, John Short, E. Beanland, Ken Willingham, David McAdam, Unknown, Albert Wakefield, Eddie Bannister, Roly Depear, Harry Fearnley.

Front Row: Eric C. Taylor (Trainer), Four groundstaff members and Major Buckley's dog - Bryn Jones, D. Hendley.

1948-49 (Courtesy Mark Ledgard)

Back Row: Bob Roxburgh (Trainer), Jimmy Dunn, Jim McCabe, Jim Twomey, Tom Holley, Jim Milburn, Con Martin.

Front Row: David Cochrane, John Short, Albert Wakefield, Ken Chisholm, Tom Hindle.

1948-49: Team for home game with Tottenham Hotspur on 8th September 1948

Back Row: Jimmy Dunn, Jim McCabe, Jim Twomey, Tom Holley, Jim Milburn, Con Martin.

Front Row: David Cochrane, John Short, Albert Wakefield, Ken Chisholm, Tom Hindle.

1948-49: Team for home game with Queens Park Rangers on 11th December 1948

Back Row: David McAdam, Albert Wakefield, Harry Fearnley, Tom Holley, Jim McCabe, Ken Chisholm.

Front Row: David Cochrane, Tom Burden, Jimmy Dunn, Jim Milburn, Billy Heaton.

1948-49: Team for Home game with Southampton 16th October 1948(Courtesy of Thirkers of http://www.thirkersleeds.co.uk/page10/page10.html)

Back Row: David McAdam, Albert Wakefield, Harry Fearnley, Tom Holley, Jim McCabe, Ken Chisholm, Bob Roxburgh (Trainer).

Front Row: David Cochrane, Tom Burden, Jimmy Dunn, Jim Milburn, Billy Heaton.

1948-49: Team at Coventry City 15th January 1949(Courtesy of Thirkers of http://www.thirkersleeds.co.uk/page10/page10.html)

Back Row: Jim McCabe, Jimmy Dunn, Harold Searson, Jim Milburn, David McAdam.

Front Row: David Cochrane, Ray Iggleden, Len Browning, Tom Burden, Billy Heaton, Roly Depear.

1948-49: Team board the Coach for the trip to Coventry City 15th January 1949(Courtesy of Thirkers of http://www.thirkersleeds.co.uk/page10/page10.html)

Left to Right: Jim McCabe, Jim Milburn, Roly Depear, Billy Heaton, David McAdam, Jimmy Dunn, Len Browning, Tom Peters, Ray Iggleden, David Cochrane, Tom Burden, Bob Roxburgh (Trainer).

1948-49: Team on the coach to Coventry City 15th January 1949(Courtesy of Thirkers of http://www.thirkersleeds.co.uk/page10/page10.html)

Back Row: Roly Depear, Jim McCabe, David McAdam, Jim Milburn, Tom Burden, David Cochrane, Billy Heaton, Len Browning.

Front Row: Ray Iggleden, Jimmy Dunn, Tom Peters.

1948-49

Back Row: Jim Milburn, Tony Ingham, Jim McCabe, Harold Searson, Tom Burden, Eddie Bannister.

Front Row: David Cochrane, Eddie McMorran, Len Browning, Jack Moss, Ray Iggleden.

1948-49: Team for Away game at Fulham on 9th April 1949.(Courtesy Mark Ledgard)

Back Row: Jim Milburn, Tony Ingham, Jim McCabe, Harold Searson, Tom Burden, Eddie Bannister.

Front Row: David Cochrane, Eddie McMorran, Len Browning, Jack Moss, Ray Iggleden.

1948-49: Team for Away game at Blackburn Rovers on 23rd April 1949, in which John Charles made his League debut.(Courtesy of Thirkers of http://www.thirkersleeds.co.uk/page10/page10.html)

Back Row: Jim McCabe, Tom Burden, Harold Searson, John Charles, Jim Milburn.

Front Row: David Cochrane, Eddie McMorran, Len Browning, Ray Iggleden, Jimmy Rudd, Eddie Bannister.

Players/Managers

Willis Edwards (Manager), George Ainsley , Eddie Bannister , Bob Batey , Bobby Browne , Len Browning , Jim Bullions , Tommy Burden , John Charles , Ken Chisholm , Harry Clarke , Davie Cochrane , Roly Depear , Jimmy Dunn , Walter Edwards , Harry Fearnley , Ken Gadsby , Les Goldberg , Dennis Grainger , Billy Heaton , Gerry Henry , Tom Hindle , Eddie Hodgkinson , John Hodgson , Tom Holley , Ray Iggleden , Tony Ingham , Bob Kane , Dennis Kirby , Bert Lomas , Cliff Marsh , Con Martin , David McAdam , Jim McCabe , Eddie McMorran , Jim Milburn , Norman Morton , Jackie Moss , Aubrey Powell , Arthur Price , Jimmy Rudd , Harry Searson , John Short , Jim Twomey , Albert Wakefield , John Williams , Ken Willingham , Billy Windle .