The 1952–53 season was Blackpool F.C.'s 45th season (42nd consecutive) in the Football League. They competed in the 22-team Division One, then the top tier of English football, finishing seventh.

They were also the winners of the FA Cup, the only time they have done so to date, beating Bolton Wanderers 4–3 in the final. Although it subsequently became known as "The Matthews Final", Stan Mortensen, Blackpool's top scorer in all competitions that season, scored a hat-trick in the match. It remained the only such feat achieved in an FA Cup Final held at the original Wembley Stadium.

Stan Mortensen was the club's top scorer for the ninth consecutive season, with eighteen goals in all competitions. He shared the accolade in the league with Allan Brown. The two scored fifteen goals apiece.

First-team squad Name Position(s) Nationality Place of birth Date of birth Signed from Date signed Fee GoalkeepersGeorge FarmGK Slateford 177 0 Hibernian September 1948 Free transfer Willie Hall GK Walton-le-Dale 0 0 Preston North End July 1949 Harry Sharratt GK Wigan 0 0 Wigan Athletic May 1952 Full-backs John Crosland FB Lytham St Annes 38 0 Ansdell Rovers May 1946 David Frith FB Liverpool 0 0 Apprentice May 1949 Tommy Garrett LB South Shields 114 0 Horden Colliery Welfare October 1944 Roy Gratrix FB Salford 0 0 Taylor Brothers March 1953 Dai Powell LB Swansea 0 0 Apprentice December 1952 Eddie Shimwell RB Birchover 219 7 Sheffield United 20 December 1946 £7,000 Jackie Wright FB Atherton 54 0 Mossley June 1946 Half-backs Jack Ainscough CH Adlington 2 0 Astley Bridge August 1949 Ewan Fenton RH Dundee 34 1 Lochee Harp November 1946 Stan Hepton WH Leeds 0 0 Ashley Road Methodists March 1950 Harry Johnston CH/LH/RH Manchester 297 11 Droylsden October 1936 Free transfer Hughie Kelly LH Valleyfield 167 3 Jeanfield Swifts August 1944 Cyril Robinson LH Bulwell 11 2 Mansfield Town September 1949 Forwards Allan Brown IF Kennoway 61 19 East Fife December 1950 £26,500 Dave Durie IF Blackpool 0 0 Oxford Amateurs May 1952 Sandy Harris OR Hong Kong 0 0 Scone November 1951 Albert Hobson OR Glossop 42 1 Glossop August 1945 Stanley Matthews OR Stoke-on-Trent 164 5 Stoke City 10 May 1947 £11,500 George McKnight IF Newtownards 41 10 Coleraine June 1946 Stan Mortensen CF South Shields 242 170 South Shields ex-schoolboys May 1938 Jackie Mudie IF Dundee 61 25 Lochee Harp May 1947 Bill Perry OL Johannesburg 98 10 Johannesburg Rangers November 1949 Alan Withers OL Bulwell 14 6 Aspley Boys Club 4 July 1949 Graham Williams OF Wrexham 0 0 Wolverhampton Wanderers Billy Wright OL Blackpool 5 1 Apprentice May 1950 Len Stephenson CF Blackpool 4 1 Highfield Youth Club November 1948 Ernie Taylor IF Sunderland 31 5 Newcastle United 10 October 1951 £25,000

Competitions Overall record

Football League First Division

League table

Results In summary

By matchday

In detail

FA Cup

Squad statistics Appearances and goals NameFirst DivisionFA CupTotalAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsGK38070450GK300030GK100010DF25030280DF10000100DF38271403DF000000DF000000DF35070420DF000000MF400040MF28160341MF110011MF36070430MF31030340MF201030FW2615523117FW810081FW200020FW17200172FW20471275FW201030FW3415233618FW20571276FW3612734315FW000000FW000000FW700070FW000000FW3811724513Players used:24Goals scored:85 (including 3 own goals)

Goalscorers PlayerFirst DivisionFA CupTotal 1 FW Stan Mortensen 15318 2 FW Allan Brown 15217 3 FW Bill Perry 12315 4 FW Ernie Taylor 11213 5 FW Jackie Mudie 516 6 FW Stanley Matthews 415 7 DF Tommy Garrett 213 8 FW Albert Hobson 202 9 MF Ewan Fenton 101 MF Stan Hepton 101 FW Dave Durie 101 Own Goals 213 Total711485

Clean sheets PlayerFirst DivisionFA CupTotal 1 GK George Farm 10111

Transfers Transfers in Date Pos. Nat. Name From Fee May 1952 GK Harry Sharratt Wigan Athletic — May 1952 IF Dave Durie Oxford Amateurs — December 1952 LB Dai Powell Free agency — March 1953 FB Roy Gratrix Taylor Brothers — OF Graham Williams Wolverhampton Wanderers —

Transfers out Date Pos. Nat. Name To Fee May 1952 CH Eric Hayward Retired —

References General Books

Websites

Specific