# 1947–48 Burnley F.C. season

The 1947–1948 season was Burnley's first season in the top tier of English football for 18 years. Under Cliff Britton they finished in 3rd place.

## Appearances and goals

| No. | Pos | Nat | Player | Total | Total | Division One | Division One | FA Cup | FA Cup |
| No. | Pos | Nat | Player | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| | DF | ENG | Reg Attwell | 39 | 1 | 38 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| | FW | ENG | Jack Billingham | 36 | 13 | 35 | 13 | 1 | 0 |
| | DF | ENG | George Bray | 43 | 3 | 42 | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| | DF | ENG | Alan Brown | 37 | 0 | 36 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| | DF | ENG | Jack Butterfield | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| | MF | ENG | Jackie Chew | 35 | 4 | 34 | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| | FW | ENG | Gordon Haigh | 4 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| | FW | ENG | Ray Harrison | 11 | 7 | 10 | 7 | 1 | 0 |
| | MF | ENG | Jack Hays | 38 | 3 | 37 | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| | FW | ENG | Ron Hornby | 4 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| | DF | ENG | Bob Johnson | 6 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| | MF | ENG | Peter Kippax | 6 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| | FW | ENG | Jackie Knight | 17 | 3 | 16 | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| | DF | ENG | Joe Loughran | 15 | 0 | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| | DF | ENG | Harold Mather | 39 | 0 | 38 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| | FW | WAL | Billy Morris | 23 | 4 | 23 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| | FW | ENG | Harry Potts | 39 | 14 | 38 | 14 | 1 | 0 |
| | GK | ENG | Jimmy Strong | 43 | 0 | 42 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| | DF | ENG | Arthur Woodruff | 36 | 0 | 35 | 0 | 1 | 0 |

## Matches
### Football League Division One
#### Results

| Date | Opponents | Result | Goalscorers | Attendance |
| 23 August 1947 | Portsmouth (A) | 1–0 | Potts 2' | 33,967 |
| 26 August 1947 | Derby County (H) | 0–2 | | 43,067 |
| 30 August 1947 | Bolton Wanderers (H) | 2–0 | Potts 18', Morris 38' | 35,835 |
| 3 September 1947 | Derby County (A) | 1–1 | George Bray 86' | 32,565 |
| 6 September 1947 | Liverpool (A) | 1–1 | Hays 67' | 56,074 |
| 8 September 1947 | Manchester United (H) | 0–0 | | 38,517 |
| 13 September 1947 | Middlesbrough (H) | 3–0 | Hays 2', Potts 37', Chew 40' | 34,944 |
| 20 September 1947 | Charlton Athletic (A) | 1–1 | Billingham 80' | 37,588 |
| 27 September 1947 | Arsenal (H) | 0–1 | | 47,958 |
| 4 October 1947 | Sheffield United (A) | 1–1 | Billingham 16' | 40,930 |
| 11 October 1947 | Blackpool (H) | 1–0 | Potts 79' | 52,869 |
| 18 October 1947 | Blackburn Rovers (A) | 2–1 | (o.g.) 5', Morris 55' | 41,635 |
| 25 October 1947 | Manchester City (H) | 1–1 | Hays 64' | 41,454 |
| 1 November 1947 | Grimsby Town (A) | 2–1 | Billingham 36', 65' | 17,697 |
| 8 November 1947 | Wolverhampton Wanderers (H) | 1–1 | Potts 43' | 38,356 |
| 15 November 1947 | Everton (A) | 3–0 | Knight 40', Billingham 57', Potts 70' | 49,442 |
| 22 November 1947 | Sunderland (H) | 4–0 | Billingham 24', Potts 67', 69' (pen.), Knight 71' | 21,939 |
| 29 November 1947 | Aston Villa (A) | 2–2 | Potts 7', 34' | 56,595 |
| 6 December 1947 | Chelsea (H) | 1–0 | Potts 14' | 30,865 |
| 13 December 1947 | Huddersfield Town (A) | 1–0 | Potts 84' (pen.) | 36,375 |
| 20 December 1947 | Portsmouth (H) | 3–2 | Billingham 2', 10', 61' | 30,131 |
| 25 December 1947 | Preston North End (H) | 1–0 | Potts 90' | 44,645 |
| 26 December 1947 | Preston North End (A) | 2–3 | Billingham 35', Bray 80' | 39,400 |
| 1 January 1948 | Manchester United (A) | 0–5 | | 61,100 |
| 3 January 1948 | Bolton Wanderers (A) | 1–1 | Harrison 30' | 43,442 |
| 17 January 1948 | Liverpool (H) | 3–0 | Billingham 52', 88', Knight 69' | 31,470 |
| 31 January 1948 | Middlesbrough (A) | 2–1 | Chew 38', Potts 61' | 36,208 |
| 14 February 1948 | Arsenal (A) | 0–3 | | 62,125 |
| 21 February 1948 | Sheffield United (H) | 0–0 | | 20,667 |
| 6 March 1948 | Blackburn Rovers (H) | 0–0 | | 44,240 |
| 13 March 1948 | Manchester City (A) | 1–4 | (o.g.) 13' | 32,213 |
| 20 March 1948 | Grimsby Town (H) | 4–1 | Haigh 9', Harrison 39', 69', Hornby 87' | 19,522 |
| 26 March 1948 | Stoke City (H) | 4–0 | Harrison 15', 75', Chew 30', 60' | 28,989 |
| 27 March 1948 | Wolverhampton Wanderers (A) | 1–1 | Morris 76' | 38,360 |
| 29 March 1948 | Stoke City (A) | 0–3 | | 33,014 |
| 3 April 1948 | Everton (H) | 0–1 | | 23,933 |
| 7 April 1948 | Blackpool (A) | 1–0 | Morris 30' | 16,732 |
| 10 April 1948 | Sunderland (A) | 0–2 | | 47,003 |
| 17 April 1948 | Aston Villa (H) | 1–0 | Harrison 44' | 25,671 |
| 20 April 1948 | Charlton Athletic (H) | 0–2 | | 26,627 |
| 24 April 1948 | Chelsea (A) | 2–0 | Billingham 65', Attwell 79' | 33,390 |
| 1 May 1948 | Huddersfield Town (H) | 2–1 | Bray 61', Harrison 64' | 25,443 |

### Final league position

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GAv | Pts |
| 1 | Arsenal (C) | 42 | 23 | 13 | 6 | 81 | 32 | 2.531 | 59 |
| 2 | Manchester United | 42 | 19 | 14 | 9 | 81 | 48 | 1.688 | 52 |
| 3 | Burnley | 42 | 20 | 12 | 10 | 56 | 43 | 1.302 | 52 |
| 4 | Derby County | 42 | 19 | 12 | 11 | 77 | 57 | 1.351 | 50 |
| 5 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 42 | 19 | 9 | 14 | 83 | 70 | 1.186 | 47 |

### FA Cup

| Date | Round | Opponents | Result | Goalscorers | Attendance |
| 3 January 1948 | Round 3 | Swindon Town (H) | 0–2 | | 34,229 |