The 1942–43 season was Arsenal Football Club's fourth season playing wartime football during World War II. They won the Football League South and the Football League South Cup. Arsenal were finalists in the Football League War Cup.
Background Arsenal played their home games at White Hart Lane, as Highbury had been transformed to support Air Raid Precautions.
After participating in the rebel London War League for the 1941-42 season, the Football League allowed the London clubs to rejoin their system. After the rebel clubs wrote formal apology letters and fines, the League South was created for the new season.
Arsenal won the Football League South and the League South Cup. In the League South Cup final, Arsenal faced Charlton whom they beat 7-1 at Wembley. Reg Lewis, a prolific wartime scorer with 142 goals in 128 wartime appearances, scored 4 goals in that final. Lewis scored 53 goals in all competitions during the 1942-43 season, boosting the club's attendance numbers.
Arsenal faced Blackpool in the finals of the Football League War Cup, a matchup which now pitted the winners of the League South and League North Cups against each other at Stamford Bridge. Blackpool won 4-2, making Arsenal the only team to reach two War Cup finals and lose.
Results Arsenal's score comes firststatto.com
Legend WinDrawLoss
Football League South
Selected results from the league.
DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers 29 August 1942 Charlton AthleticA6–2 5 September 1942 SouthamptonH6–1 12 September 1942 MillwallA2–1 19 September 1942 Luton TownH2–0 26 September 1942 PortsmouthA2–2 3 October 1942 FulhamA4–3 10 October 1942 Clapton OrientA4–1 17 October 1942 BrentfordH0–216,700 24 October 1942 ReadingH4–1 31 October 1942 Crystal PalaceA7–1 7 November 1942 Tottenham HotspurA0–1 14 November 1942 Queen's Park RangersH3–0 21 November 1942 AldershotA7–4 28 November 1942 Charlton AthleticH3–0 5 December 1942 SouthamptonA3–1 12 December 1942 MillwallH?–? 19 December 1942 Luton TownA?–? 25 December 1942 ChelseaA2–5 26 December 1942 ChelseaH1–5 2 January 1943 PortsmouthH?–? 9 January 1943 FulhamH?–? 16 January 1943 Clapton OrientH?–? 23 January 1943 BrentfordA1–0 30 January 1943 ReadingA?–? 6 February 1943 Crystal PalaceH?–? 13 February 1943 Tottenham HotspurH?–? 20 February 1943 Queen's Park RangersA?–? 27 February 1943 AldershotH?–?
Final League table
Football League South Cup
+RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorersGS6 March 1943 Brighton & Hove AlbionA5–1GS13 March 1943 WatfordH4–1GS20 March 1943 West Ham UnitedA3–1GS27 March 1943 Brighton & Hove AlbionH5–0GS3 April 1943 WatfordA1–1GS10 April 1943 West Ham UnitedH3–1SF24 April 1943 Queen's Park RangersN4–1F1 May 1943 Charlton AthleticN7–175,000
Football League War Cup The winners of the Football League South Cup and the Football League North Cup faced each other in the Football League War Cup. RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorersF15 May 1943 BlackpoolN2–455,195
References
External links Arsenal season-by-season line-ups