The 1948–49 season was the 69th season of competitive
football
Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kick (football), kicking a football (ball), ball to score a goal (sports), goal. Unqualified, football (word), the word ''football'' generally means the form of football t ...
in
England
England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...
.
Overview
Portsmouth won the First Division title for the first time with a team of no recognised stars and very few international players. However, it was not the first major honour for the
Hampshire
Hampshire (, ; abbreviated to Hants.) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South East England. It is bordered by Berkshire to the north, Surrey and West Sussex to the east, the Isle of Wight across the Solent to the south, ...
club, as they had been the last winners of the
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, more commonly known as the FA Cup, is an annual Single-elimination tournament, knockout association football, football competition in domestic Football in England, English football. First played during ...
before the outbreak of the war. They would retain their league title the following season.
Wolverhampton Wanderers
Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club ( ), commonly referred to as Wolves, is a professional association football, football club based in Wolverhampton, England. The club competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football league s ...
, under manager
Stan Cullis
Stanley Cullis (25 October 1916 – 28 February 2001) was an English professional footballer and manager, primarily for Wolverhampton Wanderers.
During his term as manager between 1948 and 1964, Wolves became one of the strongest teams in the En ...
and captain
Billy Wright, won their first major trophy for more than 40 years when they beat
Leicester City
Leicester ( ) is a city status in the United Kingdom, city, Unitary authorities of England, unitary authority area, and the county town of Leicestershire in the East Midlands of England. It is the largest city in the East Midlands with a popula ...
3-1 in the final of the FA Cup. This was the beginning of a great run of success for the
West Midlands side.
Honours
Notes = Number in parentheses is the times that club has won that honour. * indicates new record for competition
Football League
First Division
Second Division
Third Division North
Third Division South
Top goalscorers
First Division
*
Willie Moir (
Bolton Wanderers
Bolton Wanderers Football Club ( ) is a professional association football, football club based in Horwich, Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, Greater Manchester, England, which competes in EFL League One, League One, the third level of the Englis ...
) – 25 goals
Second Division
*
Charlie Wayman
Charles Wayman (16 May 1921 – 26 February 2006) was an English footballer.
Wayman, who was born in Chilton, Bishop Auckland, was a prolific centre-forward in the first decade after the Second World War. Newcastle United signed him from Spe ...
(
Southampton
Southampton is a port City status in the United Kingdom, city and unitary authority in Hampshire, England. It is located approximately southwest of London, west of Portsmouth, and southeast of Salisbury. Southampton had a population of 253, ...
) – 32 goals
Third Division North
*
Wally Ardron (
Rotherham United) – 29 goals
Third Division South
*
Doug McGibbon (
Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic) – 30 goals
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:1948-49 In English Football