1931–32 Torquay United F.C. season

Torquay United

1931–32 season
Chairman	Charles Dear
Manager	Frank Womack
Third Division South	19th
FA Cup	First Round
Top goalscorer	League: Billy Clayson (14) All: Billy Clayson (14)
Highest home attendance	6,000 v Southend United, 28 November 1931 (FA Cup)
Lowest home attendance	2,547 v Northampton Town, 5 December 1931 (Third Division South)
Average home league attendance	3,718
Home colours
← 1930–31 1932–33 →

The 1931–32 Torquay United F.C. season was Torquay United's fifth season in the Football League and their fifth consecutive season in Third Division South. The season runs from 1 July 1931 to 30 June 1932.

Overview

Having just enjoyed their most successful season so far in the Football League, Torquay United were keen to build upon last season's achievements. Unfortunately, the season got off to a terrible start with an opening day 7–0 defeat at Crystal Palace. After conceding six goals to Watford in their second home game of the season, Torquay then had to endure a mortifying 10–2 defeat to Fulham at Craven Cottage. Results did slowly begin to improve after that humiliation but Torquay would never find themselves any higher than 15th in the League table all season. The team were also to make an early exit from the FA Cup, losing 3–1 at home to Southend United in the First Round.

Torquay also had to make do without last season's top goalscorer Jimmy Trotter for the second half of the season after he was sold to Watford in December.^[1] Billy Clayson did his best to fill Trotter's boots, eventually becoming this season's top scorer. However, Cyril Hemingway, returning for his second spell at the club, could not recreate the form which saw him top Torquay's goalscoring charts for the 1928–29 season. Nevertheless, Paignton born striker George Stabb showed much potential after signing from Dartmouth United, while another local lad, Lew Tapp, was also a promising new addition to the defence.^[1]

Torquay did at least have one memorable victory with an 8–1 defeat of Bristol Rovers on Easter Monday, but it was ultimately a hugely disappointing season for Frank Womack and the team. Finishing in 19th place and narrowly avoiding the need for re-election, it was clear that Torquay United were in desperate need of improvement.

League statistics

Third Division South

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GAv	Pts	Promotion or relegation
17	Swindon Town	42	14	6	22	70	84	0.833	34
18	Bristol Rovers	42	13	8	21	65	92	0.707	34
19	Torquay United	42	12	9	21	72	106	0.679	33
20	Mansfield Town[a]	42	11	10	21	75	108	0.694	32	Transferred to the Third Division North
21	Gillingham	42	10	8	24	40	82	0.488	28	Re-elected

Results summary

Overall								Home						Away
Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GAv	Pts	W	D	L	GF	GA	Pts	W	D	L	GF	GA	Pts
42	12	9	21	72	106	0.679	33	9	6	6	49	39	24	3	3	15	23	67	9

Results by round

Results

Third Division South

FA Cup

Club statistics

First team appearances

Nat	Pos	Player	Total		Third Division South		FA Cup
			Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
	GK	Joe Wright	29	0	28	0	1	0
	GK	Laurie Millsom	14	0	14	0	0	0
	DF	Jack Fowler	43	8	42	8	1	0
	DF	Wally Webster	24	0	24	0	0	0
	DF	Lew Tapp	19	0	18	0	1	0
	DF	Jim Wright	2	0	2	0	0	0
	MF	Don Hewitt	28	0	27	0	1	0
	MF	Bob Smith	28	0	27	0	1	0
	MF	Ted Anderson	19	0	19	0	0	0
	MF	Jack Butler	18	0	18	0	0	0
	MF	George Parkin	8	0	8	0	0	0
	MF	Wilf Freer	6	1	6	1	0	0
	MF	Bob Meacock	4	0	4	0	0	0
	FW	Albert Hutchinson	43	10	42	10	1	0
	FW	Billy Clayson	41	14	40	14	1	0
	FW	Ralph Birkett	37	8	37	8	0	0
	FW	Harry Waller	28	4	28	4	0	0
	FW	Cyril Hemingway	24	4	23	4	1	0
	FW	Jimmy Trotter	19	11	18	10	1	1
	FW	Jack Cooper	14	7	14	7	0	0
	FW	George Stabb	12	3	11	3	1	0
	FW	Willie Miller	7	1	7	1	0	0
	FW	Arthur Griffiths	5	1	5	1	0	0
	FW	? Rodgers	1	0	0	0	1	0

Source:^[2]

Top scorers

Place	Position	Nation	Name	Third Division South	FA Cup	Total
1	FW		Billy Clayson	14	0	14
2	FW		Jimmy Trotter	10	1	11
3	FW		Albert Hutchinson	10	0	10
4	FW		Ralph Birkett	8	0	8
=	DF		Jack Fowler	8	0	8
6	FW		Jack Cooper	7	0	7
7	FW		Cyril Hemingway	4	0	4
=	FW		Harry Waller	4	0	4
9	FW		George Stabb	3	0	3
10	MF		Ted Anderson	1	0	1
=	MF		Wilf Freer	1	0	1
=	FW		Arthur Griffiths	1	0	1
=	FW		Willie Miller	1	0	1
			TOTAL	72	1	73

Source:^[2]

Transfers

In

First appearance	Nat.	Pos.	Name	From
29 August 1931		MF	George Parkin	West Ham United
2 September 1931		MF	Bob Meacock	Blackpool
5 September 1931		DF	Wally Webster	Sheffield United
7 September 1931		FW	Jack Cooper	Walsall
7 September 1931		FW	George Stabb	Dartmouth United
12 September 1931		DF	Lew Tapp	Newton Abbot F.C.
16 September 1931		FW	Cyril Hemingway	Wolverhampton Wanderers
26 December 1931		MF	Ted Anderson	Wolverhampton Wanderers
30 January 1932		FW	Willie Miller	St Johnstone
28 March 1932		FW	Arthur Griffiths	Unattached

Out

Last appearance	Nat.	Pos.	Name	To
2 September 1931		DF	Jim Wright	Grimsby Town
26 September 1931		MF	Bob Meacock	Tranmere Rovers
12 December 1931		MF	George Parkin	Halifax Town
12 December 1931		FW	Jimmy Trotter	Watford
13 February 1932		GK	Joe Wright	Brighton & Hove Albion
20 February 1932		FW	Cyril Hemingway	Dartmouth United
19 March 1932		FW	Willie Miller	Released
9 Apr 1932		MF	Bob Smith	Released
23 Apr 1932		FW	Jack Cooper	Released
30 Apr 1932		MF	Wilf Freer	Released
7 May 1932		MF	Jack Butler	Daring Club
7 May 1932		FW	Billy Clayson	Scarborough
7 May 1932		FW	Arthur Griffiths	Newport County
7 May 1932		GK	Laurie Millsom	Released
7 May 1932		FW	Harry Waller	Wrexham

References

External links

• "Torquayunited.com". Archived from the original on 27 December 2009.
• "TFF History Room". Archived from the original on 26 February 2011.
• "TUFC History". Archived from the original on 12 May 2008.
• "Football Club History Database".
• "Statto.com". Archived from the original on 2 March 2012. Retrieved 10 December 2011.
• "Historical Football Kits".