1953–54 Liverpool F.C. season

The 1953–54 season was the 62nd season in Liverpool F.C.'s, and would be their last season in the First Division for eight years after they finished bottom of the table. This relegation broke a streak of forty-nine consecutive seasons in the top flight. It remains the last time that Liverpool have been relegated from the top division.

Liverpool

1953–54 season
Manager	Don Welsh
First Division	22nd
FA Cup	Third round
Top goalscorer	League: Sammy Smyth (13) All: Sammy Smyth (13)
Highest home attendance	51,167 (v West Bromwich Albion, League, 26 December)
Lowest home attendance	22,000 (v Middlesbrough, League, 19 April)
Average home league attendance	36,150
Home colours Away colours

Goalkeepers

• Charlie Ashcroft
• Russell Crossley
• Dave Underwood

Defenders

• Don Campbell
• Albert Childs
• Laurie Hughes
• Brian Jackson
• Bill Jones
• Ray Lambert
• Frank Lock
• Ronnie Moran
• Tom McNulty
• Bob Paisley
• Eddie Spicer
• Phil Taylor
• Fred Tomley
• Geoff Twentyman

Midfielders

• Alan A'Court
• Brian Jackson
• Billy Liddell
• Joseph Maloney
• Jimmy Payne
• Roy Saunders
• Jack Smith
• Barry Wilkinson

Forwards

• Eric Anderson
• Alan Arnell
• Kevin Baron
• Louis Bimpson
• John Evans
• Harold Jones
• Arthur Rowley
• Tony Rowley
• Sammy Smyth

Squad statistics

Appearances and goals

No.	Pos	Nat	Player	Total		Division 1		FA Cup
				Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
	MF	ENG	Alan A'Court	16	3	16	3	0	0
	FW	ENG	Eric Anderson	13	5	13	5	0	0
	FW	ENG	Alan Arnell	3	1	3	1	0	0
	GK	ENG	Charlie Ashcroft	6	0	6	0	0	0
	FW	ENG	Kevin Baron	17	4	17	4	0	0
	FW	ENG	Louis Bimpson	24	13	24	13	0	0
	DF	ENG	Don Campbell	2	0	2	0	0	0
	DF	ENG	Albert Childs	2	0	2	0	0	0
	GK	ENG	Russell Crossley	19	0	18	0	1	0
	FW	ENG	John Evans	17	5	16	5	1	0
	DF	ENG	Laurie Hughes	28	0	27	0	1	0
	MF	ENG	Brian Jackson	28	4	27	4	1	0
	FW	ENG	Harold Jones	1	0	1	0	0	0
	DF	ENG	Bill Jones	26	6	25	6	1	0
	DF	WAL	Ray Lambert	21	1	20	1	1	0
	MF	SCO	Billy Liddell	37	6	36	6	1	0
	DF	ENG	Frank Lock	19	0	18	0	1	0
	DF	ENG	Joe Maloney	6	0	6	0	0	0
	DF	ENG	Tom McNulty	12	0	12	0	0	0
	DF	ENG	Ronnie Moran	1	0	1	0	0	0
	DF	ENG	Bob Paisley	20	2	20	2	0	0
	MF	ENG	Jimmy Payne	18	3	17	3	1	0
	FW	WAL	Tony Rowley	2	1	2	1	0	0
	MF	ENG	Roy Saunders	19	0	19	0	0	0
	MF	ENG	Jack Smith	3	0	3	0	0	0
	FW	NIR	Sammy Smyth	26	13	26	13	0	0
	DF	ENG	Eddie Spicer	23	0	23	0	0	0
	DF	ENG	Phil Taylor	7	0	6	0	1	0
	DF	ENG	Geoff Twentyman	20	0	20	0	0	0
	GK	ENG	Dave Underwood	18	0	18	0	0	0
	MF	ENG	Barry Wilkinson	19	0	18	0	1	0

Table

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GAv	Pts	Relegation
18	Sunderland	42	14	8	20	81	89	0.910	36
19	Sheffield Wednesday	42	15	6	21	70	91	0.769	36
20	Sheffield United	42	11	11	20	69	90	0.767	33
21	Middlesbrough (R)	42	10	10	22	60	91	0.659	30	Relegation to the Second Division
22	Liverpool (R)	42	9	10	23	68	97	0.701	28

Source: World Football
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal average; 3) Goals scored
(R) Relegated

Results

First Division

Main article: 1953–54 Football League § First Division

Date	Opponents	Venue	Result	Scorers	Attendance	Report 1	Report 2
19-Aug-53	Portsmouth	H	3–1	B.Jones 26', 72' Liddell 84'	39,662	Report	Report
22-Aug-53	Manchester United	H	4–4	Liddell 20' B.Jones 44' Bimpson 54', 58'	46,725	Report	Report
26-Aug-53	Newcastle United	H	2–2	Baron 2	47,263	Report	Report
29-Aug-53	Bolton Wanderers	A	0–2		28,277	Report	Report
02-Sep-53	Newcastle United	A	0–4		47,000	Report	Report
05-Sep-53	Preston North End	H	1–5	B.Jones 55'	46,928	Report	Report
07-Sep-53	Wolverhampton Wanderers	A	1–2	Jackson 87'	35,701	Report	Report
12-Sep-53	Tottenham Hotspur	A	1–2	B.Jones 58'	45,000	Report	Report
16-Sep-53	Wolverhampton Wanderers	H	1–1	B.Jones 69'	40,000	Report	Report
19-Sep-53	Burnley	H	4–0	Bimpson 2', 6', 22', 44'	36,643	Report	Report
26-Sep-53	Charlton Athletic	A	0–6		31,000	Report	Report
03-Oct-53	Sheffield Wednesday	H	2–2	Paisley 30' Bimpson 34'	38,647	Report	Report
10-Oct-53	Aston Villa	H	6–1	Liddell 14' Smyth 69', 80' Paisley 72' Payne 80' Own goal 88'	37,759	Report	Report
17-Oct-53	Huddersfield Town	A	0–2		30,115	Report	Report
24-Oct-53	Sheffield United	H	3–0	Payne 19' Smyth 58', 60'	37,978	Report	Report
31-Oct-53	Chelsea	A	2–5	Smyth 12 84'	33,000	Report	Report
07-Nov-53	Manchester City	H	2–2	Bimpson 43' Baron 58'	30,917	Report	Report
14-Nov-53	Sunderland	A	2–3	Smyth 20 40'	36,369	Report	Report
21-Nov-53	Arsenal	H	1–2	Bimpson 40'	47,814	Report	Report
28-Nov-53	Cardiff City	A	1–3	Bimpson 38'	15,000	Report	Report
05-Dec-53	Blackpool	H	5–2	Payne 45' A'Court 53', 57' Arnell 79' Smyth 88'	47,320	Report	Report
12-Dec-53	Portsmouth	A	1–5	Smyth 31'	23,509	Report	Report
19-Dec-53	Manchester United	A	1–5	Bimpson 58'	26,074	Report	Report
25-Dec-53	West Bromwich Albion	A	2–5	A'Court Lambert (pen 71)	28,000	Report	Report
26-Dec-53	West Bromwich Albion	H	0–0		51,167	Report	Report
02-Jan-54	Bolton Wanderers	H	1–2	Evans 2'	44,383	Report	Report
16-Jan-54	Preston North End	A	1–2	Baron 71'	27,000	Report	Report
23-Jan-54	Tottenham Hotspur	H	2–2	Liddell 53' Evans 75'	43,592	Report	Report
06-Feb-54	Burnley	A	1–1	Anderson 81'	23,000	Report	Report
13-Feb-54	Charlton Athletic	H	2–3	Evans 28' Anderson 41'	47,657	Report	Report
24-Feb-54	Sheffield Wednesday	A	1–1	Anderson 86'	10,000	Report	Report
27-Feb-54	Aston Villa	A	1–2	Bimpson 70'	25,000	Report	Report
06-Mar-54	Huddersfield Town	H	1–3	Evans 11'	46,074	Report	Report
13-Mar-54	Sheffield United	A	1–3	Liddell (pen 18)	17,000	Report	Report
20-Mar-54	Chelsea	H	1–1	Anderson 84'	36,292	Report	Report
03-Apr-54	Sunderland	H	4–3	Jackson 45' Evans 48' Liddell (pen 67) Anderson 71'	30,417	Report	Report
07-Apr-54	Manchester City	A	2–0	Jackson 44', 57'	13,593	Report	Report
10-Apr-54	Arsenal	A	0–3		33,178	Report	Report
16-Apr-54	Middlesbrough	A	1–0	Smyth 19'	30,000	Report	Report
17-Apr-54	Cardiff City	H	0–1		41,340	Report	Report
19-Apr-54	Middlesbrough	H	4–1	Rowley 29' Smyth 37', 63' Liddell 68'	22,000	Report	Report
24-Apr-54	Blackpool	A	0–3		18,651	Report	Report

FA Cup

Main article: 1953–54 FA Cup

Date	Opponents	Venue	Result	Scorers	Attendance	Report 1	Report 2
09-Jan-54	Bolton Wanderers	A	0–1		45,341	Report	Report

References

• LFC History.net – 1953-54 season
• Liverweb - 1953-54 Season