In the multi-million pound Premier League era, the idea of Liverpool being involved in an end-of-season relegation battle sounds ridiculous but, in the spring of 1953, this was very much the case. The Reds were 17^th in the table, just three points outside the relegation zone, those spots occupied by Chelsea and that day’s visitors to Anfield, Derby County.

The Rams had been a top-flight club since 1926 and, during that time, had rarely flirted with relegation. However there had been an evident decline in the club’s on-field fortunes since finishing third in season 1948/49. This had been followed by two seasons finishing in mid-table and, the previous season, a final position of 17^th, their lowest position since being relegated in 1921.

1952/53 had been a struggle from the start. Record signing Johnny Morris, whose inconsistent form had been of such concern, was allowed to leave for Leicester in October and the Rams lay rooted to the foot of the table after the opening nine games, having accrued just three points. The return of players such as Jack Stamps, Hugh McLaren and Tommy Powell saw results improve but 18^th on Boxing Day was as high a place as the club would reach all season long.

By the time the trip to Anfield came along, the position was, if not quite terminal, certainly critical. The Rams were five points from safety with four games remaining making a win at Anfield a must but it would mean improving on a run which had seen only two wins (against Sunderland and Sheffield Wednesday) since the turn of the year. Liverpool’s form hadn’t been much better, however, and they went into the match having conceded nine goals in their previous two games (at Arsenal and Cardiff).

For the match, each manager made four changes to their previous line-ups. Stuart McMillan replaced Don Hazeldine, Jack Parry, Dennis McQuillan and Colin Walker with Tommy Powell and three experienced members of the 1946 Cup-winning side, Reg Harrison, Chick Musson and Jack Stamps. Amongst the changes made by Liverpool’s manager Don Welsh, goalkeeper Russell Crossley was dropped, replaced by Charlie Ashworth. Future manager Bob Paisley retained his place at left-half.

For the match, Liverpool issued a splendid pocket-sized 16-page programme costing 3d. This was numbered ‘42’ suggesting they also issued for reserve games. As an aside, the club’s three previous home games had seen wildly diverse attendance figures (52,079, 23,204 and 40,409) so it must have been quite a problem for whoever had to decide how many programmes to print! There is plenty to read here, including a lengthy two-page article on the Rams’ history and two detailed pages of pen-pictures of the Rams players (though not necessarily the ones on the field that day).

One major difference between football then and now is that many clubs ran end-of-season tours (rather than pre-season friendlies) and Liverpool’s itinerary for their upcoming tour of the USA is listed, detailing each of the ten games the club would be playing over a period of thirty days. The party would travel by liner from Southampton on May 6^th, returning from New York on June 17^th. “Potted Pars About Clubs And Players” on page 9 notes that next month may see Stanley Matthews finally get his hands on a Cup medal (indeed, he did) and that the Baseball Ground had originally been known as “Baseball Park” and had not been fully paid for until 1924.

Those who enjoy statistics will appreciate the listing of the attendance at each home game from the past three seasons (the lowest being 19,740 and the highest being 54,121) and all four Football League tables as at going to press (league leaders were Wolves, Sheffield United, Oldham and Bristol Rovers).

On to the match itself, then and the first half saw the Rams attacking the Kop end. Derby looked more comfortable on the ball than did a very nervous home side and, though it took 15 minutes to create a chance of note, it was one which put the Rams in front. Musson fed the ball out to McLaren who cut the ball back to Jack Lee who beat Ashcroft with a low shot into the left corner of the net. Lee could have made it 2-0 when he was through on goal with only Ashcroft to beat but, misjudging the space he found himself in, decided to play the ball wide rather than round the ‘keeper.

Teams at the wrong end of the table, however, rarely get the rub of the green and, just as it seemed Liverpool were running out of ideas, they received a major boost when Derby effectively went down to ten men when a clash between Lambert and Powell resulted in the latter going off for treatment before hobbling back on. In these pre-substitute days, this would result in the player being shunted out to the wing and trying to contribute as best he could.

Derby held on, though, to go into the interval a goal up. With the home side now playing towards the Kop end, however, there was a notable change in tempo from Liverpool and centre-forward Bimpson twice brought out top-class saves from Ray Middleton in the Derby goal. Defensive clearances from the Rams players were becoming less constructive and more a case of ‘anywhere will do’ and, on the hour mark, came the inevitable when Baron’s through ball reached Smyth who dribbled past three defenders before sending Middleton the wrong way. To add insult to injury, Bert Mozley then had to leave the field, seemingly concussed following an awkward landing on the turf, before returning and becoming basically a passenger out on the opposite wing to Powell.

The story of the remaining 25 minutes was essentially whether Liverpool could find the winning goal as Derby had long since given up pushing forward with the ball however the home side encountered Middleton in inspired form. Powell had recovered sufficient mobility to play on as an added half-back (as long as he didn’t have to do any running) but he wasn’t a defender by trade and Rams’ hearts must have been in their mouths when he got caught dallying with the ball on the edge of the area to allow Liddell a clear sight of goal before Middleton, dashing from his goal-line, once again saved the day.

The Rams hung on for a well-deserved point, then, and though not enough to lift them off the foot of the table, gave them confidence for the upcoming home game with Manchester City (one which would result in easily their best performance of the season).

 

Liverpool: Ashcroft; Jones, Lambert; Saunders, Taylor, Paisley; Payne, Smyth, Bimpson, Baron, Liddell.

Derby: Middleton; Mozley, Savin; Mays, Oliver, Musson; Harrison, Powell, Lee, Stamps, McLaren.

Attendance: 34,064