‘Be my guest’ – George Kay keeping LFC afloat during World War II

Appendix 1

Liverpool FC’s wartime guests

The fullest, definitive list of guest players hitherto can be extracted from Chetan Murarji’s The Liverpool Players’ Directory. A new attempt to construct one, with their host clubs and the dates they played for LFC, has been developed in this appendix. Newspaper sources are useful, but they do not always distinguish the status of players who were not on Liverpool’s books – rather than guests, they might be on trial, or unlisted reserves. The Liverpool Echo (December 1944) lists 81 guests already used, arranged by position on the pitch, but not when they played. For this article, I’ve confined my analysis to the 103 who are known to have been, technically, on the books of another club, to whom they owed allegiance, and who had presumably given them permission to play for Liverpool.

Dates after a player signed professionally for LFC have been excluded. […] = ‘from which’ the team would be chosen, but did not play (marginally closer than A. N. Other!).

Ainsley, George	Leeds U.	4/10/41, 11/10/41, 18/10/41, 25/10/41, 8/11/41, 15/11/41, 29/11/41, 6/12/41, 20/12/41, 27/12/41, 3/1/42
Baines, Cecil Peter	Wrexham	23/12/44
Bartram, Sam	Charlton A.	31/8/40, 7/9/40, 14/9/40, 21/9/40, 28/9/40, 5/10/40, 12/10/40, 19/10/40, 26/10/40, 2/11/40, 16/11/40, 23/11/40,  30/11/40, 25/12/40, 28/12/40, 11/1/41, [5/2/41]
Batey, Robert	Preston NE	14/9/40, 5/10/40, 21/9/40, 28/9/40, 5/10/40, 12/10/40, 19/10/40, 26/10/40, 2/11/40,  9/11/40, 16/11/40,  23/11/40, 7/12/40, 13/9/41
Beattie, Robert	Preston NE	13/11/43, 20/11/43, 27/11/43, 4/12/43, 11/12/43, 18/12/43, 25/12/43, 27/12/43, 1/1/44, 15/1/44, 22/1/44, 5/2/44,  12/2/44, 19/2/44, 26/2/44, 11/3/44, 25/3/44, 1/4/44, 8/4/44, 10/4/44, 15/4/44, 22/4/44, 29/4/44, 6/5/44, 13/5/44
Black, Andy	Hearts	8/1/44,    15/1/44
Blood, Jack	Exeter C	30/12/44, 6/1/45, 13/1/45, 3/2/45, 3/3/45
Britton, Clifford S	Everton	7/9/40
Brown, Alan W	Huddersfield T.	6/4/40, 25/5/40, 29/5/40, 1/6/40
Burke, Richard J	Blackpool	20/4/46
Butler, Stan	WBA	4/3/44, 11/3/44, 18/3/44, 25/3/44
Cairns, William H	Newcastle U.	26/10/40
Campbell, John ‘Jackie’	Cammell Laird?	13/3/43, 17/4/43, 24/4/43 (Signed professionally April 1943.)
Carey, John J	Manchester U.	30/5/42
Carter, George	Chester	28/9/40
Charlesworth, Stan	Grimsby T.	16/1/43, 23/1/43, 30/1/43, 6/2/43, 13/2/43, 20/2/43, 27/2/43, 6/3/43, 13/3/43
Cook, William	Everton	28/12/40
Cullis, Stan	Wolves	31/8/40, 7/9/40, 14/9/40, 28/9/40, 5/10/40, 12/10/40, 19/10/40, 26/10/40,
Cumner, Reg. Horace	Arsenal	14/10/44, 21/10/44, 4/11/44, 25/11/44, 9/12/44, 10/2/45, 10/3/45, 17/3/45,  24/3/45,  31/3/45, 7/4/45, 14/4/45, 21/4/45, 19/5/45, 21/5/45
Dix, Ronnie W	Spurs	2/9/44, 9/9/44, 16/9/44,  23/9/44, 30/9/44, 7/10/44
Doherty, Peter.	Manchester C.	29/5/40, 7/2/42
Dorsett, Dick	Wolves	22/2/41, 1/3/41, 8/3/41, 22/3/41, 29/3/41, 3/5/41, 30/8/41, 13/9/41, 20/9/41, 4/10/41, 11/10/41, 18/10/41, 1/11/41, 15/11/41, 22/11/41, 29/11/41, 6/12/41, 13/12/41, 3/1/42, 28/3/42, 5/9/42, 12/9/42, 19/9/42, 26/9/42, 10/10/42, 17/10/42, 21/11/42, 28/11/42, 5/12/42, 12/12/42,  19/12/42,  26/12/42, 2/1/43, 23/1/43
Dougal, Jimmy	Preston NE	22/4/44
Drury, George B.	Arsenal	28/9/40, 5/10/40, 12/10/40, 19/10/40
Edelston, Maurice	Reading	20/2/43, 27/2/43, 6/3/43
Fairhurst, William Gerard	Bury	7/12/40
Farrow, George H.	Blackpool	2/6/41
Finan, Bobby	Blackpool	[8/2/41]
Gorman, William C.	Brentford	11/3/44
Grainger, Jack	Southport	25/5/42
Grosvenor, Arthur T	Bolton W.	22/2/41
Grundy, Arnold J. ‘Jack’	Newcastle U.	12/10/40, 19/10/40, 2/11/40, 9/11/40, 7/12/40
Gulliver, Joffre ‘Jeff’’	Reading	18/9/43, 25/9/43, 2/10/43, 9/10/43, 16/10/43,  23/10/43, 30/10/43, 6/11/43, 13/11/43, 20/11/43, 27/11/43, 4/12/43, 11/12/43, 18/12/43, 25/12/43, 27/12/43, 1/1/44, 8/1/44, 15/1/44, 22/1/44, 29/1/44, 5/2/44, 12/2/44, 19/2/44, 26/2/44, 4/3/44, 11/3/44, 18/3/44, 25/3/44, 1/4/44, 8/4/44, 10/4/44, 15/4/44, 22/4/44, 29/4/44, 6/5/44, 13/5/44, 26/8/44, 2/9/44, 9/9/44, 16/9/44, 23/9/44, 30/9/44, 7/10/44, 14/10/44, 21/10/44, 28/10/44, 4/11/44, 11/11/44, 18/11/44, 25/11/44, 2/12/44, 9/12/44, 16/12/44, 23/12/44, 25/12/44, 26/12/44, 30/12/44, 6/1/45, 13/1/45, 3/2/45, 10/2/45, 17/2/45, 24/2/45, 3/3/45, 10/3/45, 17/3/45,  24/3/45,  31/3/45, 2/4/45, 7/4/45, 14/4/45, 21/4/45, 28/4/45, 5/5/45, 9/5/45, 12/5/45, 28/7/45, 29/7/45. 25/8/45, 1/9/45, 8/9/45, 12/9/45, 15/9/45, 19/9/45, 22/9/45, 26/9/45, 29/9/45, 6/10/45, 13/10/45, 20/10/45, 17/11/45. 24/11/45, 1/12/45, 8/12/45, 15/12/45
Guttridge, Roy	Aston Villa	11/5/40, 18/5/40, 1/6/40, 15/11/41, 22/11/41, 29/11/41, 6/12/41, 13/12/41, 20/12/41, 25/12/41, 27/12/41, 10/1/42, 17/1/42, 7/2/42, 14/2/42, 21/2/42, 28/2/42, 14/3/42, 21/3/42, 28/3/42, 4/4/42, 6/4/42, 11/4/42, 18/4/42, 16/5/42, 23/5/42, 25/5/42, 30/5/42, 6/6/42, 29/8/42, 5/9/42, 12/9/42, 19/9/42, 3/10/42, 10/10/42, 17/10/42, 24/10/42, 31/10/42, 7/11/42,  14/11/42,  28/11/42, 5/12/42, 12/12/42,  19/12/42, 25/12/42,  26/12/42, 2/1/43, 9/1/43, 16/1/43,  4/9/43,  11/9/43
Hall, Herbert Harold C	Bolton	5/5/45, then signed for LFC
Halsall, Walter G	Chesterfield	23/12/39, 30/12/39, 1/1/40
Hanson, Adolph J. ‘Alf’	Chelsea	25/5/40, 29/5/40, 24/5/41, 31/5/41, 2/6/41, 21/8/43, 28/8/43, 4/9/43, 11/9/43, 18/9/43, 25/9/43, 2/10/43, 9/10/43, 16/10/43, 23/10/43, 30/10/43, 6/11/43
Haycock, Fred J	Aston Villa	17/1/42, 7/2/42, 14/2/42, 21/2/42, 28/2/42, 14/3/42,     21/3/42, 28/3/42, 4/4/42, 11/4/42, 18/4/42, 25/4/42, 9/5/42, 16/5/42, 23/5/42, 6/6/42, 5/12/42, 12/12/42, 19/12/42, 25/12/42, 26/12/42, 2/1/43,  9/1/43, [16/1/43], 23/1/43, 30/1/43
Hinsley, George	Bradford C.	17/2/45, 24/2/45, 10/3/45
Hobson, Alf	Chester	172 wartime appearances from 5/4/41.
Hughes, Steven H.	New Brighton	25/12/42 (included in one newspaper report but not in another) [1/3/44]
Hunt, George S.	Bolton W.	2/11/40, 9/11/40, 16/11/40,  23/11/40,  30/11/40, 7/12/40, 14/12/40,
Iceton, O. Lloyd	Preston NE	21/9/40
Jackson, George	Everton	31/8/40, 7/9/40, 14/9/40, 26/10/40, 2/11/40,  9/11/40, 16/11/40, 23/11/40, 30/11/40, 14/12/40, 28/12/40, 8/2/41, 7/6/41, 24/10/42, 31/10/42, 7/11/42, 14/11/42,  5/12/42, 2/1/43, 19/8/44
Johnstone, Robert	Raith R. or Blackpool	13/5/44 (‘Harry’ Johnstone in one newspaper report)
Jones,    J E	Everton	26/2/44, 26/8/44
Keen, Eric	Derby C.	29/8/42, 5/9/42, 19/9/42, 26/9/42, 3/10/42, 10/10/42, 17/10/42, 24/10/42,  31/10/42,  7/11/42, 14/11/42, 21/11/42,  28/11/42, 5/12/42,  12/12/42, 19/12/42,  25/12/42
Kippax, F. Peter	Burnley	29/8/45
Kirby, Denis	Leeds U.	6/3/43
Kirby, Norman	Dundee	[5/2/41]
Lewis, Charles R	Sth L/pl	28/12/40
Livingstone, Archie	Bury	1/5/43, [6/5/43]
Logie, Jimmy	Arsenal	[25/12/42]
Longdon, Charles W.	Brighton H. A	31/8/40
Low, Norman H	Newport C.	26/4/43
Lyon, Thomas K	Chesterfield	7/6/41
Malam, Albert	Doncaster R.	1/11/39 (reserves), 19/8/44
Massey, Alfred W.	Stoke C.	14/9/40
Mather, Harry	Burnley	1/5/43, 6/5/43, [8/5/43]
McCormick, Jimmy	Spurs	18/3.44, 25/3/44
McIntosh, Jimmy	Preston NE	29/11/41, 6/12/41, 13/12/41, 20/12/41, 27/12/41, 21/5/45
McLaren, Andy	Preston NE	23/5/42, 30/5/42, 6/6/42,
Mills, George R.	Chelsea	29/8/42, 5/9/42, 12/9/42, 19/9/42, 26/9/42, 3/10/42, 17/10/42, 24/10/42, 28/11/42
Mulvaney, James	Dumbarton	9/12/44
Murphy, David	Middlesbrough	25/5/40 several newspaper reports, probably in error for George Murphy.
Murphy, George	Bradford C.	25/5/40, 29/5/40, 1/6/40, 12/5/43, 15/5/43
Mutch, George	Preston NE	23/5/42
O’Donnell, Frank	Aston Villa	31/8/40,7/9/40
O’Donnell, Hugh	Blackpool	[14/2/41] 27/9/41, 4/10/41
Owen, Arthur	Tranmere R	[3/1/41], 18/4/42, 25/5/42, 30/5/42, 6/6/42, 8/6/42
Owen(s), Patrick	Tranmere R.	4/1/41,    11/1/41, 18/1/41, 8/2/41, 6/9/41
Pearson, Tommy U	Newcastle U.	[23/5/42], 1/5/43
Pope, Alf  L	Hearts/Blackpool	26/4/43, 12/5/43
Pryde, Bob I.	Blackburn R	25/5/42
Rawcliffe, Frank E	Wolves	26/12/44
Rawlings, James S. D.	Milllwall	6/3/43
Ridge, Denis	?	3/1/42 (error for Guttridge?)
Rist, Frank H	Charlton A.	20/3/43, 27/3/43, 3/4/43, 10/4/43, 17/4/43, 24/4/43, 8/5/43, 12/5/43, 15/5/43
Robinson John J. ‘Jack	Manchester C.	9/11/40, 29/3/41
Sanders, James A. ‘Jimmy’	Charlton A.	6/10/45, 13/10/45, 20/10/45
Saunders, George	Everton	[1/1/40]
Search, John	Runcorn	18/1/41
Shankly, Bill	Preston NE	30/5/42
Smith, Jack	Manchester U.	21/10/44, 28/10/44
Stuart, Robert W.	Middlesbrough	25/5/40, 21/9/40, 12/10/40, 19/10/40, 2/11/40, 16/11/40, 23/11/40,  30/11/40,  7/12/40, 14/12/40, 25/12/40,  4/1/41,  11/1/41, 18/1/41, 8/2/41, 15/2/41
Swift, Frank V.	Manchester C.	29/5/40, 1/6/40
Teasdale, William R.	Tranmere R.	4/1/41, 22/3/41
Tennant, Jack	Stoke C.	[21/10/39], [4/11/39], 18/11/39, 25/11/39, 2/12/39, 9/12/39, 26/12/39, 30/12/39, 1/1/40, 13/1/40, 20/1/40, 24/2/40, 22/3/40, 23/3/40, 25/3/40, 30/3/40, 4/5/40, 11/5/40, 18/5/40, 25/5/40, 29/5/40, 1/6/40
Thorpe, Sam	Norton Woodseats	4/12/43, 1/1/44, 18/11/44, [24/11/44]
Turner, Norman	Charlton A .	30/11/40, 7/12/40, 25/12/40, 4/1/41, 11/1/41, 8/2/41, 15/2/41, 22/2/41, 15/3/41, 29/3/41, 12/4/41, 24/5/41 (incorrectly called ‘Bert’ in some newspaper reports.)
Walton, George	Walsall	1/6/40
Welsh, Don	Charlton A.	24/4/43, 21/8/43, 4/9/43, 18/9/43, 9/10/43, 23/10/43, 6/11/43, 20/11/43, 27/11/43, 18/12/43, 25/12/43, 27/12/43, 8/1/44, 29/1/44, 4/3/44, 18/3/44, 8/4/44, 10/4/44, 29/4/44, 13/5/44, 26/8/44, 2/9/44, 23/9/44, 7/10/44, 14/10/44, 28/10/44, 4/11/44, 11/11/44, 18/11/44, 2/12/44, 16/12/44, 30/12/44, 6/1/45, 13/1/45, 10/2/45, 24/3/45, 31/3/45,  2/4/45, 7/4/45, 14/4/45, 29/8/45, 12/9/45, 15/9/45, 19/9/45
Westby, Jack	Blackburn R.	19/9/42, 26/9/42, 3/10/42, 2/1/43, 9/1/43, 23/1/43, 30/1/43, 6/2/43, 13/2/43, 20/2/43, 27/2/43, 3/4/43, 10/4/43, 17/4/43, 24/4/43, 26/4/43, 1/5/43, 8/5/43, 12/5/43, 15/5/43, 21/8/43, 28/8/43, 4/9/43, 11/9/43, 18/9/43, 25/9/43, 2/10/43, 9/10/43, 16/10/43, 23/10/43, 30/10/43, 6/11/43, 11/12/43, 18/12/43, 25/12/43, 27/12/43, 8/1/44, 15/1/44, 22/1/44, 29/1/44, 5/2/44, 12/2/44, 26/2/44, 1/4/44, 8/4/44, 15/4/44, 22/4/44, 29/4/44, 6/5/44, 13/5/44, 2/9/44, 9/9/44, 16/9/44, 3/2/45, 17/2/45, 24/2/45, 3/3/45, 10/3/45, 2/4/45, 14/4/45, 21/4/45,  28/4/45, (Signed professionally 30/4/45.)
Westcott, Dennis	Wolves	28/9/40, 5/10/40, 15/2/41
Whalley, Bert	Manchester U.	7/10/44
Wharton, Jack E	Preston  NE	30/5/42, 6/6/42
Whiteside, Arnold	Blackburn R.	22/4/44
Whittaker, William P	Charlton A.	25/10/41, 1/11/41, 8/11/41, 15/11/41,     22/11/41, 29/11/41, 27/12/41, 3/1/42, 10/1/42
Wildsmith, Tom	Rochdale	[12/5/43]
Williams, Fred A	Southampton	26/9/42, 12/12/42, 19/12/42, 26/12/42
Wood, Jack	Prescot Cables?	28/11/42
Woodburn, James	Newcastle U.	23/11/40,  30/11/40, 7/12/40
Woodruff, Arthur	Burnley	30/5/42, 1/5/43
Young, Albert E.	Arsenal	25/12/41

Alf Hobson was a regular in wartime for Liverpool

Correspondingly, some Liverpool players made themselves available for other clubs during the war. Eighteen of the 1938/39 squad can be found in Chetan Murarji’s directory and they reveal an interesting pattern. No fewer than twelve of the eighteen played for Brighton and Hove Albion – an unlikely location at first glance until the Newhaven camp, east of Brighton, is taken into account (where the King’s Liverpool Regiment was posted in March 1941), and it’s clear that several of the twelve also followed a path to the same clubs later – Newcastle, Leeds and York. A nineteenth member of the same squad, Fred Rogers, was in a reserve occupation , so was not called up. He was chosen to play by and for Chester in December 1939, but he was needed by LFC to play against New Brighton on the same day.

Liverpool players from the 1938/39 squad guesting for other clubs, appearances/goals.

Jack Balmer	Brighton & Hove A, Newcastle United	19/15
Matt Busby	Chelsea, Middlesbrough, Hibs, Reading, Brentford, Bournemouth & Boscombe	101/9 (Busby was one of several internationals to be invited as Physical Training instructors based at Aldershot.)
Tom Bush	Brighton & Hove A, Fulham, Leeds U.	21/0
Tom Cooper	Wrexham	3/0
John Easdale	Brighton & Hove A	37/1
Harry Eastham	Leicester C., New Brighton, Southport, Brighton & Hove A, Bolton W., Leeds U., Blackpool, Newcastle U., Distillery, Belfast	83/6
Willie Fagan	Aldershot, Leicester C, Northampton T., Newcastle U., Chelsea, Millwall, Reading, Crystal Palace, Celtic	88/39
Matthew Fitzsimmons	York C.	2/0
Ron Jones	Brighton & Hove A, Crewe A.	4/0
Dirk Kemp	York C., Brighton & Hove A, Southport	19/0
Bill Kinghorn	Leicester C., Brighton & Hove A, MCFC, Newcastle U., Leeds U., Blackburn R., Burnley	21/7
Jimmy McInnes	Brighton & Hove A, Newcastle U., York C., Leeds U., Luton T., Millwall, QPR, Distillery Belfast, MUFC	18/0
Berry Nieuwenhuys	West Ham U., Arsenal, Aston Villa	20/5 + AV
George Paterson		61/16 + QPR.
Keith Peters	Brighton & Hove A	1/0
Bernard Ramsden	Brighton & Hove A, Leeds U., York C.	17/0
Fred Rogers	[Chester]
John Shafto	Brighton & Hove A, Leeds U., Bradford C.	30/23
Phil Taylor	Bristol R., Brighton & Hove A,, Newcastle U., Leeds U	52/4

Appendix 2

The wartime organisation of football.  

This thankless task was undertaken by the Football League’s Management Committee.

The organization of leagues and cups 1939 to 1946 is hard to describe, hard to understand even at the time (newspapers often getting  the formal competition names incorrect), subject to some considerable controversy (especially in the southern areas), and difficult to find the final tables because the games did not count as an official record for the purposes of, e.g., number of goals each player scored during his career. Billy Liddell had two first team debuts – the de facto one on 1 January 1940, and the official one on 5 January 1946.  See also the Jackie Milburn v Alan Shearer ‘better goalscorer’ controversy!) It was a monumental vindication of those cynics who are not enamoured of organizing anything by committee. I can think of no better example than the winner of League North, 2nd competition in 1944. The older, so-called ‘Complete Record’ series made no reference to wartime results; nor do many individually written club histories, including that of Manchester United, though (e.g.) Sheffield United, Sunderland and www.englishfootballleaguetables.co.uk are honourable exceptions.  

I really do not understand how record books can blithely ignore the trouble their clubs went through to organize these morale-boosting events, the physical danger that spectators were prepared to risk for the love of game and club, and the extraordinary degree of cooperation between former rivals to keep the sporting flag flying. Of course, by all means record the fact that they are not ‘official’ – but in my view, inferring the period never existed by not publishing results dishonours all the people involved.

LEAGUES

1939-1940		Country split into ten divisions, with Liverpool in the Western League, twelve teams, extending from south Lancashire to Stoke, playing home and away.
1940-1941		Country split into two divisions, with 34 teams in each, winners to be decided on goal average.  In 1940, Sunday football was allowed for the first time. Liverpool was in the Northern Regional League which itself split into two unnamed areas, east and west of the Pennines.  Bury played most games (38) with LFC and Oldham on 37, against the fewest (Bolton, with 16).  Preston won, having played 29.
1941-1942
	Aug – 25 Dec 1941	Country split into two divisions, with Liverpool in the Northern Regional League, which itself split into two, east and west of the Pennines.  Liverpool in the western area, ten teams playing home and away (1st Championship).  Results from east and west were merged to get the winner.
	Xmas 41 – 30 May 1942	Country split into two divisions, with Liverpool in the new League North, which itself split into two, east and west of the Pennines. Liverpool in the western area, ten teams playing home and away (2nd Championship). War Cup, local county championship, and friendly games could count towards this second competition.Results from east and west were merged to get the winner.
1942-1943
	Aug – 25 Dec 1942	Country split into three divisions, with Liverpool in the Northern Regional League with 48 clubs, which itself split, east and west of the Pennines. Liverpool in the western area, ten teams playing home and away (1st Championship). Results from east and west were merged to get the winner.
	Xmas 42 – 30 May 1943	Country split into two divisions, with Liverpool in the new League North, which itself split into two, east and west of the Pennines. Liverpool in the western area, ten teams playing home and away (2nd Championship). War Cup and local county championship could count towards this second competition. Results from east and west were merged to get the winner.
1943-1944
	Aug – 25 Dec 1943	Country split into three divisions, with Liverpool in the League North, which itself split into two, east and west of the Pennines. Liverpool in the western area, ten teams playing home and away (1st Championship). Results from east and west were merged to get the winner.
	Xmas 42 – 30 May 1944	Country split into two divisions, with Liverpool in the new League North, which itself split into two, east and west of the Pennines. Liverpool in the western area, ten teams playing home and away (2nd Championship). War Cup and local county championship could count towards this second competition. Results from east and west were merged to get the winner.
1944-1945
	Aug – 24 Dec 1944	Country split into three divisions, with Liverpool in the League North, which itself split into two, east and west of the Pennines. Liverpool in the western area, ten teams playing home and away (1st Championship). Results from east and west were merged to get the winner.
	25 Dec 42 – 30 May 1944	Country split into two divisions, with Liverpool in the new League North, which itself split into two, east and west of the Pennines. Liverpool in the western area, ten teams playing home and away (2nd Championship). War Cup and local county championship could count towards this second competition. Results from east and west were merged to get the winner.
1945-1946		Country split into two, with Liverpool in League North, 22 teams from the last 1st and 2nd Division sides, playing home and away.

CUPS

1939-1940    
The Football League (War) Cup was fought during April, May and June 1940. After a preliminary round involving clubs much lower in the pecking order, rounds 1 and 2 were both 2-legged ties chosen on a regional basis; and rounds 3 and 4 were single-leg, national knockouts, leading to semi-finals and a Wembley Final.  

1940-1945
Once again, the regional basis was favoured, but this time right up to the final itself which, by definition, became a ‘best from the north’ versus ‘best from the south’ at Wembley.

Appendix 3

The wartime results (with thanks to Chetan Murarji for filling some gaps)

Liverpool’s League results:

Season		League	Winner	Notes
1939/40		Western Division	Stoke City	Liverpool: second of 12
1940/41		Northern Regional League	Preston NE	Liverpool: 16th with 1.11 goal average in 37 games from 36 clubs
1941/42:	1941 (to Xmas)	Northern Regional League	Blackpool	Liverpool: 8th of 38
	1942 (Xmas to May)	League North	Manchester United	Liverpool: 4th of 51
1942/43	1942 (to Xmas)	League North	Blackpool	Liverpool: 2nd
	1943 (to May)	League North	Liverpool
1943/44:	1943 (to Xmas)	League North	Blackpool	Liverpool: 3rd
	1944 (Xmas to May)	League North	Bath City*	Liverpool 3rd
1944/45:	1944 (to Xmas)	League North	Huddersfield Town	Liverpool: 16th of 54
	1945 (Xmas to May)	League North	Derby C	Liverpool 3rd of 60
1945/46		League North	Sheffield United	Liverpool: 11th

* (Bath City were by chance accepted to join the Northern Division competing with Liverpool, Manchester United and Everton, finishing as eventual champions, and thereby becoming the only semi-professional side ever to win a Football League trophy.)

Liverpool’s Cup results:

Football League War Cup

Season	Winner	Notes
1939/40	West Ham	Liverpool: knocked out by Barrow 1-4 in round 1
1940/41	Preston NE	Liverpool: knocked out by Southport 4-5 in round 1
1941/42	Wolves	Liverpool: knocked out by Everton 1-2 in round 2
1942/43	Blackpool	Liverpool: knocked out by Blackpool in round 2
1943/44	Aston Villa/Charlton A. (draw)	Liverpool: knocked out by Chester in round 5
1944/45	Bolton W.	Liverpool: knocked out by Chesterfield in round 3

FA Cup

1945/46

Derby C.

Liverpool: knocked out by Bolton 2-5 in round 4

Lancashire Senior Cup

1939/40	Everton	Liverpool: beaten semi-finalists by Everton 1-4
1940/41	Man Utd	Liverpool: knocked out by Southport 4-5
1941/42	Blackpool	Liverpool: beaten semi-finalists by Blackburn 2-3
1942/43	Man Utd	Liverpool: beaten finalists 4-6
1943/44	Liverpool
1944/45	Blackburn R.	Liverpool: knocked out by Everton 1-3
1945/46	Man Utd	Liverpool: knocked out by Burnley 2-3

Liverpool Senior Cup

1939/40	Everton	Liverpool: lost away to Everton in final, 3-6
1940/41		Cancelled due to war
1941/42		Cancelled due to war
1942/43	Liverpool
1943/44	Southport	Liverpool: withdrew to progress in Lancashire senior cup
1944/45	Everton	Liverpool: knocked out by Everton 3-5 agg.
1945/46	Liverpool