100 years in the top division: 1930-1933 the trophies start to arrive
Recent articles in this series in chronological order
By Tony Attwood
Having won the FA Cup in the 1929/30 season and the League in 1930/31 season (both being the first time Arsenal had won these trophies), there obviously was a feeling that in 1931/32 Arsenal would continue to triumph. But in fact, on 23 April 1932 Arsenal lost in the FA Cup final 2-1 to Newcastle while coming second in the league, despite winning four and drawing one of their last five games. What had undermined them was the run before those games; five matches in which Arsenal drew three and lost two.
And this, Chapman now had a settled side with ten players who each played 35 games or more. The one position in which there was not a settled player – at least not at first – was yet again the goalkeeper, although eventually there was hope of the constant changes having come to an end as Frank Moss played all of the last 27 league games and all six FA Cup matches.
Thus, having won the cup in 1930 and the league in 1931, Arsenal came runners-up in both competitions in 1932. And this of course, meant that expectations were high for 1932/33.
The narrowness of Arsenal’s loss of the top spot in the 1931/32 season can be seen by the final table… just two points. And although the newspapers of the day did not print the goal averages which were used to separate clubs on equal points, anyone who did bother to do the division for themselves would have seen that Arsenal had not just a better goal average than Everton but the best goal average in the league. Everton’s 116 goals took the headlines for the 1931/32 season, although it was 13 fewer than Arsenal scored in winning the title the season before. Here is the final top table for 1931/32.
| Team | P | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Everton | 42 | 26 | 4 | 12 | 116 | 64 | 56 |
| 2 | Arsenal | 42 | 22 | 10 | 10 | 90 | 48 | 54 |
| 3 | Sheffield Wednesday | 42 | 22 | 6 | 14 | 96 | 82 | 50 |
| 4 | Huddersfield Town | 42 | 19 | 10 | 13 | 80 | 63 | 48 |
| 5 | Aston Villa | 42 | 19 | 8 | 15 | 104 | 72 | 46 |
Indeed, to divert for a moment from Arsenal, the results of Everton at this time really are something to behold.
In 1927/28 Everton won the First Division, in which Dixie Dean scored an utterly unbelievable 60 goals in 39 league games. I say “unbelievable” but that is what the records show so I can’t argue with that.
The following season, he is recorded as scoring 26 in 29 games, and in 1929/30 it was 23 goals in 25 games. Still extraordinary, but not enough since Everton were relegated! They are shown as having scored 80 goals and conceded 92. If only we had videos of games at that time!
Thus, Everton moved from winning the First Division in 1928, the FA Cup in 1929 and then being relegated in 1930! They then suffered one season in the second division – in which they won the title in 1931, and then in 1932 they won the First Division again. It was a most extraordinary set of league placings.
And we might note in passing the extraordinary difference between Arsenal’s results in the 1930s and Everton’s, although, while noting also the ability of clubs to rise and fall in the table very easily. The chart below shows the comparative positions of Arsenal and Everton over this time.
The point about this little table is the utter variation from one season to the next – Arsenal leaping from 14th in the league to being league winners the next season, and moving from being winners and runners up in two of the first three seasons considered below, to being knocked out by Walsall.
Everton, likewise, across three seasons were relegated, promoted and then won the first division before dropping down to 11th the next season!
| Season | Arsenal league | Arsenal FAC | Everton League | Everton FAC |
| 1929/30 | 14 | Winners | 22 | 4 |
| 1930/31 | 1 | 4 (Chelsea) | 1st (2nd div) | Semi-final |
| 1931/32 | 2 | Runners up | 1st (1st div) | 3 |
| 1932/33 | 1 | 3 (Walsall) | 11 | Winners |
And I do think this variation in results is something that we should note, since it is not something that we see in contemporary times. Indeed, in recent seasons, I have been commenting upon Arsenal’s general step-by-step progress after a period of stagnation. Working forward from 2016/17, Arsenal’s league position is as shown below, with their achievement in the FA cup (or otherwise!) in the final column.
| Season | Leage final position | FA Cup round |
|---|---|---|
| 2016-17 | 5th | Winners |
| 2017–18 | 6th | 3rd round |
| 2018–19 | 5th | 4th round |
| 2019–20 | 8th | Winners |
| 2020–21 | 8th | 4th round |
| 2021–22 | 5th | 3rd round |
| 2022–23 | 2nd | 4th round |
| 2023–24 | 2nd | 3rd round |
| 2024–25 | 2nd | 3rd found |
Below is the full list of articles in this series, with the most recent article appearing first. If you want to follow the series from its origins, please go to the article at the bottom of this list: The election
- 100 seasons at the top. Arsenal 1930-31; the goalkeeper accused of smuggling
- 100 seasons in the top division: towards the title
- 100 seasons in the top division: after the cup final, Arsenal in 1927/28
- Arsenal’s first cup final; Chapman’s second season
- 100 seasons in the top division: Chapman’s first season
- 100 seasons: Removing Knighton, the arrival of Chapman, and changing reality
- Arsenal 100 seasons in the top divison: 1922/3- 1924/5: why Knighton goes why Chapman comes
- 100 seasons in the top division: 1921/2 (part two)
- 100 Seasons in the top division part 5: slipping down the league 1921/2
- 100 seasons in the top division: part 4 – oh no it’s all going wrong
- 100 seasons in the top division: Part 3 – the first north London league derby
- 100 Seasons in the top Division. Part 2: The opening season
- 100 seasons in the top division: the election