# 1952–53 Arsenal F.C. season

During the 1952–53 English football season, Arsenal F.C. competed in the Football League First Division.

## Season summary

After finishing third the previous term, Arsenal battled with Preston North End in the 1952/53 season for the title, and ultimately finished level on points; however, Arsenal won the league for the seventh time on goal average, by a margin of 0.099. With Preston having won their final game of the season two days before Arsenal faced Burnley in their final match, it meant Arsenal needed to win to claim the title. Goals from Alex Forbes, Jimmy Logie and Doug Lishman ensured a 3–2 win.
In the FA Cup, Arsenal beat Doncaster Rovers, Bury and Burnley before being knocked out by eventual winners Blackpool in the quarter-finals. The Gunners' biggest win was joint between the cup win over Bury and a league fixture against Derby County; both were won 6–2. Their highest scoring match was a 6–4 triumph at Reading, and their top scorer Doug Lishman, who scored 25 goals in all competitions.

## Final league table

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GAv | Pts |
| 1 | Arsenal (C) | 42 | 21 | 12 | 9 | 97 | 64 | 1.516 | 54 |
| 2 | Preston North End | 42 | 21 | 12 | 9 | 85 | 60 | 1.417 | 54 |
| 3 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 42 | 19 | 13 | 10 | 86 | 63 | 1.365 | 51 |
| 4 | West Bromwich Albion | 42 | 21 | 8 | 13 | 66 | 60 | 1.100 | 50 |
| 5 | Charlton Athletic | 42 | 19 | 11 | 12 | 77 | 63 | 1.222 | 49 |

## Results

Arsenal's score comes first
| Win | Draw | Loss |

### Football League First Division

| Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorers |
| 23 August 1952 | Aston Villa | A | 2–1 | 50,930 | Oakes, Lishman |
| 27 August 1952 | Manchester United | H | 2–1 | 57,831 | Cox, Goring |
| 30 August 1952 | Sunderland | H | 1–2 | 56,873 | Lishman |
| 3 September 1952 | Manchester United | A | 0–0 | 39,193 | |
| 6 September 1952 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | A | 1–1 | 43,371 | Roper |
| 10 September 1952 | Portsmouth | H | 3–1 | 39,743 | Milton, Goring, Roper |
| 13 September 1952 | Charlton Athletic | H | 3–4 | 60,102 | Daniel, Milton, Goring |
| 17 September 1952 | Portsmouth | A | 2–2 | 37,356 | Holton 2 |
| 20 September 1952 | Tottenham Hotspur | A | 3–1 | 69,247 | Milton, Logie, Goring |
| 27 September 1952 | Derby County | A | 0–2 | 24,582 | |
| 4 October 1952 | Blackpool | H | 3–1 | 66,642 | Logie, Roper 2 |
| 11 October 1952 | Sheffield Wednesday | H | 2–2 | 54,678 | Logie, Roper |
| 25 October 1952 | Newcastle United | H | 3–0 | 63,744 | Lishman, Roper 2 |
| 1 November 1952 | West Bromwich Albion | A | 0–2 | 48,061 | |
| 8 November 1952 | Middlesbrough | H | 2–1 | 48,564 | Milton, Holton |
| 15 November 1952 | Liverpool | A | 5–1 | 45,010 | Holton 3, Marden 2 |
| 22 November 1952 | Manchester City | H | 3–1 | 38,161 | Logie 2, Lishman |
| 29 November 1952 | Stoke City | A | 1–1 | 24,057 | Holton |
| 13 December 1952 | Burnley | A | 1–1 | 32,753 | Milton |
| 20 December 1952 | Aston Villa | H | 3–1 | 30,064 | Holton, Lishman, Roper |
| 25 December 1952 | Bolton Wanderers | A | 6–4 | 45,432 | Daniel, Milton, Logie, Holton 2, Roper |
| 3 January 1953 | Sunderland | A | 1–3 | 54,912 | Lishman |
| 17 January 1953 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | H | 5–3 | 57,983 | Daniel, Milton, Logie, Lishman 2 |
| 24 January 1953 | Charlton Athletic | A | 2–2 | 66,555 | Lishman, Roper |
| 7 February 1953 | Tottenham Hotspur | H | 4–0 | 69,051 | Logie, Holton 2, Lishman |
| 18 February 1953 | Derby County | H | 6–2 | 32,681 | Daniel 2, Holton 2, Lishman 2 |
| 21 February 1953 | Blackpool | A | 2–3 | 30,034 | Mercer, Goring |
| 2 March 1953 | Sheffield Wednesday | A | 4–1 | 32,814 | Holton 4 |
| 7 March 1953 | Cardiff City | H | 0–1 | 59,780 | |
| 14 March 1953 | Newcastle United | A | 2–2 | 51,618 | Lishman 2 |
| 19 March 1953 | Preston North End | H | 1–1 | 33,597 | Mercer |
| 21 March 1953 | West Bromwich Albion | H | 2–2 | 49,078 | Holton, Roper |
| 28 March 1953 | Middlesbrough | A | 0–2 | 25,911 | |
| 3 April 1953 | Chelsea | A | 1–1 | 72,614 | Goring |
| 4 April 1953 | Liverpool | H | 5–3 | 39,564 | Goring, Lishman, Roper 2, Hughes (og) |
| 6 April 1953 | Chelsea | H | 2–0 | 40,536 | Lishman, Marden |
| 11 April 1953 | Manchester City | A | 4–2 | 50,018 | Roper, Logie, Goring 2 |
| 15 April 1953 | Bolton Wanderers | H | 4–1 | 35,381 | Goring, Lishman 2, Marden |
| 18 April 1953 | Stoke City | H | 3–1 | 47,376 | Lishman 3 |
| 22 April 1953 | Cardiff City | A | 0–0 | 57,893 | |
| 25 April 1953 | Preston North End | A | 0–2 | 39,537 | |
| 1 May 1953 | Burnley | H | 3–2 | 51,586 | Forbes, Logie, Lishman |

### FA Cup

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Goalscorers |
| R3 | 10 January 1953 | Doncaster Rovers | H | 4–0 | 57,443 | Logie, Holton, Lishman, Roper |
| R4 | 31 January 1953 | Bury | H | 6–2 | 45,071 | Milton, Logie, Holton, Lishman, Roper, Daniel (og) |
| R5 | 14 February 1953 | Burnley | A | 2–0 | 52,122 | Holton, Lishman |
| R6 | 28 February 1953 | Blackpool | H | 1–2 | 69,158 | Logie |