1941/42 SEASON REVIEW
The season would be played in two sections, the first league competition would finish at Christmas and the second section would also count towards the War Cup competition.
It was a poor start from City as they lost 5-2 at Tranmere on the opening day and then in the return match at Maine Road Tranmere managed to grab a further point in a 1-1 draw. City then played a friendly at Blackpool and won 3-1.
Two further defeats followed, 4-3 against Liverpool at Maine Road and the at Anfield Liverpool won again, 4-2.
September finished with the first win for the Blues as they beat Wrexham 5-3 at The Racecourse Ground, Jack Boothway scoring all five of City’s goals.
October started with the return game against Wrexham at Maine Road and a 2-0 win, followed by a third win on the trot, 4-3 against Stoke in Manchester, however a week later Stoke got their revenge at The Victoria Ground beating City 5-0.
October finished with a 2-2 draw at Maine Road against New Brighton .
November brought City’s fifth defeat of the season as they lost 3-2 at New Brighton , however a hat-trick from Boothway helped The Blues beat Stockport 6-4 at Edgeley Park, and then at Maine Road Stockport were beaten again 2-1.
At Maine Road Everton beat City 4-3, and then a week later at Goodison Park, City suffered their worse defeat in their history as Everton won 9-0. This does not stand as an official record however, because after the war all war-time fixtures were classed as friendlies and therefore not classed as ‘competitive’ matches.
City put the disastrous defeat against The Toffees out of their mind as they beat Chester 3-1 at Sealand Road, then at Maine Road they beat Chester again 7-2 and Manchester United 2-1. The last game of the first section of the league was played on Christmas Day. City again faced Manchester United at Maine Road, although this was classed as the Reds’ home game, and ended 2-2.
City finished in 17th position in The North Regional League with 19 points.
The leagues second section would also count towards the War Cup and City started their qualifying fixtures at Blackburn and lost 3-0, and then at Maine Road Blackburn won again 2-1.
Much needed points were gained with a 2-1 win over Burnley at Turf Moor, and then at Maine Road the Blues beat Burnley again, 5-0. Again at Maine Road City won 5-0 against Rochdale, Boothway scoring his fourth hat-trick of the season.
City then beat Wolves 3-1 at Molyneux, and then Boothway grabbed his fifth hat-trick as City beat Wolves 4-1 at Maine Road.
Although City then lost 3-0 at home to Preston they were still guaranteed of making the first round proper, and went on to lose 3-1 at Rochdale and draw 0-0 at Preston to finish the qualifying rounds.
City were paired against free scoring Blackpool in the first round, with all ties to be played over two legs, however Blackpool’s team was made up of almost all RAF men and unfortunately they were refused permission to travel to the first game by the Air Force and so the ties were scratched and City gained a bye into the 2nd Round.
The Blues moved into the last eight with a 4-1 win over Southport at Haig Avenue and then at Maine Road Southport were beaten 3-0.
City then lost 2-0 to Wolves at Molyneux but then at Maine Road Wolves fought bravely and were only beaten 1-0 and so City were out of the cup.
City then played Everton in the league at Maine Road and won 2-0, however at Goodison Park Everton won 6-1, both games were also Lancashire Senior Cup ties.
In the last game of the season The Blues lost 3-0 to Manchester United at Maine Road
City ended the second section of the league on 19 points, however due to the loss of the two Blackpool ties which were scratched they had not played enough games and therefore never received an official placing in the league table.
It was a poor start from City as they lost 5-2 at Tranmere on the opening day and then in the return match at Maine Road Tranmere managed to grab a further point in a 1-1 draw. City then played a friendly at Blackpool and won 3-1.
Two further defeats followed, 4-3 against Liverpool at Maine Road and the at Anfield Liverpool won again, 4-2.
September finished with the first win for the Blues as they beat Wrexham 5-3 at The Racecourse Ground, Jack Boothway scoring all five of City’s goals.
October started with the return game against Wrexham at Maine Road and a 2-0 win, followed by a third win on the trot, 4-3 against Stoke in Manchester, however a week later Stoke got their revenge at The Victoria Ground beating City 5-0.
October finished with a 2-2 draw at Maine Road against New Brighton .
November brought City’s fifth defeat of the season as they lost 3-2 at New Brighton , however a hat-trick from Boothway helped The Blues beat Stockport 6-4 at Edgeley Park, and then at Maine Road Stockport were beaten again 2-1.
At Maine Road Everton beat City 4-3, and then a week later at Goodison Park, City suffered their worse defeat in their history as Everton won 9-0. This does not stand as an official record however, because after the war all war-time fixtures were classed as friendlies and therefore not classed as ‘competitive’ matches.
City put the disastrous defeat against The Toffees out of their mind as they beat Chester 3-1 at Sealand Road, then at Maine Road they beat Chester again 7-2 and Manchester United 2-1. The last game of the first section of the league was played on Christmas Day. City again faced Manchester United at Maine Road, although this was classed as the Reds’ home game, and ended 2-2.
City finished in 17th position in The North Regional League with 19 points.
The leagues second section would also count towards the War Cup and City started their qualifying fixtures at Blackburn and lost 3-0, and then at Maine Road Blackburn won again 2-1.
Much needed points were gained with a 2-1 win over Burnley at Turf Moor, and then at Maine Road the Blues beat Burnley again, 5-0. Again at Maine Road City won 5-0 against Rochdale, Boothway scoring his fourth hat-trick of the season.
City then beat Wolves 3-1 at Molyneux, and then Boothway grabbed his fifth hat-trick as City beat Wolves 4-1 at Maine Road.
Although City then lost 3-0 at home to Preston they were still guaranteed of making the first round proper, and went on to lose 3-1 at Rochdale and draw 0-0 at Preston to finish the qualifying rounds.
City were paired against free scoring Blackpool in the first round, with all ties to be played over two legs, however Blackpool’s team was made up of almost all RAF men and unfortunately they were refused permission to travel to the first game by the Air Force and so the ties were scratched and City gained a bye into the 2nd Round.
The Blues moved into the last eight with a 4-1 win over Southport at Haig Avenue and then at Maine Road Southport were beaten 3-0.
City then lost 2-0 to Wolves at Molyneux but then at Maine Road Wolves fought bravely and were only beaten 1-0 and so City were out of the cup.
City then played Everton in the league at Maine Road and won 2-0, however at Goodison Park Everton won 6-1, both games were also Lancashire Senior Cup ties.
In the last game of the season The Blues lost 3-0 to Manchester United at Maine Road
City ended the second section of the league on 19 points, however due to the loss of the two Blackpool ties which were scratched they had not played enough games and therefore never received an official placing in the league table.