1938/39 SEASON REVIEW
City had sensationally dropped from being First Division Champions to being relegated to Division 2 in one season and manager Wilf Wild was keen on a swift return to Division one. He brought in one player in the Summer, Fred Howe from Liverpool.
The pre-season included a friendly at Maine Road against rivals Manchester United as part of the FA’s Jubilee’s fund.
City got off to the start they wanted as they thrashed Swansea 5-0 at Maine Road on the openning day of the season and then won 3-0 at Chesterfield , where star striker Peter Doherty was injured and would miss the next few games at least.
As is City’s history of unpredictability the Blues then lost their next three games, 4-2 at Bradford Park Avenue , 4-2 at home to West Ham and also at Maine Road, 2-1 to Luton . Despite the absence of Doherty from the defeats Wilf Wild put the blame with the defence, and specifically Frank Swift, and for Millwall’s visit to Maine Road he dropped the England keeper, who had previously played over 200 consecutive appearances for The Blues’ possibly it was a decision Wild would regret as City were humiliaingly beaten 6-1.
After six games City were worryingly in 17th position, just two points off bottom place, fans were now thinking this might be a relegation fight rather than a promotion push.
Swift was promptly reinstated as City’s custodian, however he conceded eleven goals in the next three games as The Blues drew 3-3 at top of the table Blackburn and then lost 5-3 at Maine Road against second placed Fulham and lost 3-1 at Sheffield Wednesday , The Blues had now dropped to 20th in the league with just five points, level with bottom side Tranmere.
City managed to tighten up in defence as they drew 0-0 at Plymouth , however they were clearly still missing the firepower of Doherty, who was still injured.
At the tenth time of asking City managed a win as they beat Sheffield United 3-2 at Maine Road, and were also bouyed by the news that Doherty had succesfully come through a Lancashire Cup tie against New Brighton. Although not fully match fit he started the game at West Brom but could do nothing to stop a 3-1 defeat for the Blues.
However his presence in future games and the purchase of England right back Bert Sproston from Tottenham for a speculative fee of £10,000, certainly did make an impact as City won their next five games.
Sproston made his debut against his former club at Maine Road and starred in a great 2-0 win over Tottenham.
With the arrival of Sproston Willis Gregg was surplus to requirements and moved to Chester, meanwhile City were beating Southampton 2-1 at The Dell and with an aim to keep the impetus going Wild signed striker Eddie McLeod from East Fife for £3,000.
The Blues then beat Coventry 3-0 at Maine Road, Nottingham Forest 4-3 at The City Ground and then 4-1 at home to Newcastle .
Burnley broke the run with a 1-1 draw at Turf Moor, but City had certainly turned the season around and were now in 10th place just six points behind leaders West Brom after 18 games.
City then beat Norwich 4-1 at Maine Road, and then despite losing 2-0 at Swansea on Christmas Eve, the rest of the Festive period was good to the Blues as they beat Tranmere 9-3 at Prenton Park on Boxing Day and a day later at Maine Road Tranmere were beaten again 5-2, and then on New Years Eve City won 5-1 at home to Bradford Park Avenue , and so Wild’s team finshed 1938 still 6 points behind leaders Blackburn, but only 3 points behind second place Newcastle.
The Blues didn’t play another game for 13 days due to their FA Cup 3rd Round tie falling foul of the freezing weather, it was worth the wait as they eventually swept aside Norwich, winning 5-0 at Carrow Road.
Back in the league City faltered with a 3-0 defeat at Luton , before a further defeat, 2-0 at Sheffield United in the FA Cup that saw The Blues knocked out of the competition.
Although January finished with another league win, 3-2 against Blackburn at Maine Road. February brought three defeats, virtually ending any promotion hopes. City losing 3-1 at Fulham , 3-1 at home to Plymouth and 1-0 at Sheffield United .
March began with a 3-3 draw at Maine Road against West Brom , meanwhile the City board were busy fending off clubs interested in buying Peter Doherty, the latest, Liverpool, were told that they would have to offer a British transfer fee record of £15,000 to prise away the Irish striker, and their were no takers.
The Blues then beat Tottenham 3-2 at White Hart Lane and then lost 3-1 at Millwall .
Instead of Doherty leaving Maine Road, Ernie Toseland moved to Sheffield Wednesday after playing over 400 games for The Citizens.
City then went on a five match winning run to put themselves back in with a chance of promotion, they beat Southampton 2-1 at Maine Road, Coventry 1-0 at Highfield Road, back in Manchester Nottingham Forest lost 3-0, and at Gigg Lane Bury were beaten 5-1 before City won 2-0 at Newcastle . The Blues were now in ninth place, but only three points off second place with six games to play.
A 1-1 draw followed at home to Bury, and again at Maine Road City beat Burnley 2-0, however two draws, 0-0 at Norwich and 1-1 at home to Sheffield Wednesday meant that although promotion was still mathematically possible, it was dependant on teams ahead of them failing.
in the penultimate game of the season City beat Chesterfield 3-1 at Maine Road, however it would not be enough to have a chance to seal promotion, and indeed, The Blues lost their last game of the season 2-1 at West Ham .
City finished in fifth place in Division 2 on 49 points.
The pre-season included a friendly at Maine Road against rivals Manchester United as part of the FA’s Jubilee’s fund.
City got off to the start they wanted as they thrashed Swansea 5-0 at Maine Road on the openning day of the season and then won 3-0 at Chesterfield , where star striker Peter Doherty was injured and would miss the next few games at least.
As is City’s history of unpredictability the Blues then lost their next three games, 4-2 at Bradford Park Avenue , 4-2 at home to West Ham and also at Maine Road, 2-1 to Luton . Despite the absence of Doherty from the defeats Wilf Wild put the blame with the defence, and specifically Frank Swift, and for Millwall’s visit to Maine Road he dropped the England keeper, who had previously played over 200 consecutive appearances for The Blues’ possibly it was a decision Wild would regret as City were humiliaingly beaten 6-1.
After six games City were worryingly in 17th position, just two points off bottom place, fans were now thinking this might be a relegation fight rather than a promotion push.
Swift was promptly reinstated as City’s custodian, however he conceded eleven goals in the next three games as The Blues drew 3-3 at top of the table Blackburn and then lost 5-3 at Maine Road against second placed Fulham and lost 3-1 at Sheffield Wednesday , The Blues had now dropped to 20th in the league with just five points, level with bottom side Tranmere.
City managed to tighten up in defence as they drew 0-0 at Plymouth , however they were clearly still missing the firepower of Doherty, who was still injured.
At the tenth time of asking City managed a win as they beat Sheffield United 3-2 at Maine Road, and were also bouyed by the news that Doherty had succesfully come through a Lancashire Cup tie against New Brighton. Although not fully match fit he started the game at West Brom but could do nothing to stop a 3-1 defeat for the Blues.
However his presence in future games and the purchase of England right back Bert Sproston from Tottenham for a speculative fee of £10,000, certainly did make an impact as City won their next five games.
Sproston made his debut against his former club at Maine Road and starred in a great 2-0 win over Tottenham.
With the arrival of Sproston Willis Gregg was surplus to requirements and moved to Chester, meanwhile City were beating Southampton 2-1 at The Dell and with an aim to keep the impetus going Wild signed striker Eddie McLeod from East Fife for £3,000.
The Blues then beat Coventry 3-0 at Maine Road, Nottingham Forest 4-3 at The City Ground and then 4-1 at home to Newcastle .
Burnley broke the run with a 1-1 draw at Turf Moor, but City had certainly turned the season around and were now in 10th place just six points behind leaders West Brom after 18 games.
City then beat Norwich 4-1 at Maine Road, and then despite losing 2-0 at Swansea on Christmas Eve, the rest of the Festive period was good to the Blues as they beat Tranmere 9-3 at Prenton Park on Boxing Day and a day later at Maine Road Tranmere were beaten again 5-2, and then on New Years Eve City won 5-1 at home to Bradford Park Avenue , and so Wild’s team finshed 1938 still 6 points behind leaders Blackburn, but only 3 points behind second place Newcastle.
The Blues didn’t play another game for 13 days due to their FA Cup 3rd Round tie falling foul of the freezing weather, it was worth the wait as they eventually swept aside Norwich, winning 5-0 at Carrow Road.
Back in the league City faltered with a 3-0 defeat at Luton , before a further defeat, 2-0 at Sheffield United in the FA Cup that saw The Blues knocked out of the competition.
Although January finished with another league win, 3-2 against Blackburn at Maine Road. February brought three defeats, virtually ending any promotion hopes. City losing 3-1 at Fulham , 3-1 at home to Plymouth and 1-0 at Sheffield United .
March began with a 3-3 draw at Maine Road against West Brom , meanwhile the City board were busy fending off clubs interested in buying Peter Doherty, the latest, Liverpool, were told that they would have to offer a British transfer fee record of £15,000 to prise away the Irish striker, and their were no takers.
The Blues then beat Tottenham 3-2 at White Hart Lane and then lost 3-1 at Millwall .
Instead of Doherty leaving Maine Road, Ernie Toseland moved to Sheffield Wednesday after playing over 400 games for The Citizens.
City then went on a five match winning run to put themselves back in with a chance of promotion, they beat Southampton 2-1 at Maine Road, Coventry 1-0 at Highfield Road, back in Manchester Nottingham Forest lost 3-0, and at Gigg Lane Bury were beaten 5-1 before City won 2-0 at Newcastle . The Blues were now in ninth place, but only three points off second place with six games to play.
A 1-1 draw followed at home to Bury, and again at Maine Road City beat Burnley 2-0, however two draws, 0-0 at Norwich and 1-1 at home to Sheffield Wednesday meant that although promotion was still mathematically possible, it was dependant on teams ahead of them failing.
in the penultimate game of the season City beat Chesterfield 3-1 at Maine Road, however it would not be enough to have a chance to seal promotion, and indeed, The Blues lost their last game of the season 2-1 at West Ham .
City finished in fifth place in Division 2 on 49 points.