# 1942–43 Arsenal F.C. season

The 1942–43 season was Arsenal Football Club's fourth season playing wartime football during World War II. They won the Football League South and the Football League South Cup. Arsenal were finalists in the Football League War Cup.

## Background

Arsenal played their home games at White Hart Lane, as Highbury had been transformed to support Air Raid Precautions.
After participating in the rebel London War League for the 1941-42 season, the Football League allowed the London clubs to rejoin their system. After the rebel clubs wrote formal apology letters and fines, the League South was created for the new season.
Arsenal won the Football League South and the League South Cup. In the League South Cup final, Arsenal faced Charlton whom they beat 7-1 at Wembley. Reg Lewis, a prolific wartime scorer with 142 goals in 128 wartime appearances, scored 4 goals in that final. Lewis scored 53 goals in all competitions during the 1942-43 season, boosting the club's attendance numbers.
Arsenal faced Blackpool in the finals of the Football League War Cup, a matchup which now pitted the winners of the League South and League North Cups against each other at Stamford Bridge. Blackpool won 4-2, making Arsenal the only team to reach two War Cup finals and lose.

## Results

Arsenal's score comes first

### Legend

| Win | Draw | Loss |

### Football League South

Selected results from the league.
| Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance |
| 29 August 1942 | Charlton Athletic | A | 6–2 | |
| 5 September 1942 | Southampton | H | 6–1 | |
| 12 September 1942 | Millwall | A | 2–1 | |
| 19 September 1942 | Luton Town | H | 2–0 | |
| 26 September 1942 | Portsmouth | A | 2–2 | |
| 3 October 1942 | Fulham | A | 4–3 | |
| 10 October 1942 | Clapton Orient | A | 4–1 | |
| 17 October 1942 | Brentford | H | 0–2 | 16,700 |
| 24 October 1942 | Reading | H | 4–1 | |
| 31 October 1942 | Crystal Palace | A | 7–1 | |
| 7 November 1942 | Tottenham Hotspur | A | 0–1 | |
| 14 November 1942 | Queen's Park Rangers | H | 3–0 | |
| 21 November 1942 | Aldershot | A | 7–4 | |
| 28 November 1942 | Charlton Athletic | H | 3–0 | |
| 5 December 1942 | Southampton | A | 3–1 | |
| 12 December 1942 | Millwall | H | ?–? | |
| 19 December 1942 | Luton Town | A | ?–? | |
| 25 December 1942 | Chelsea | A | 2–5 | |
| 26 December 1942 | Chelsea | H | 1–5 | |
| 2 January 1943 | Portsmouth | H | ?–? | |
| 9 January 1943 | Fulham | H | ?–? | |
| 16 January 1943 | Clapton Orient | H | ?–? | |
| 23 January 1943 | Brentford | A | 1–0 | |
| 30 January 1943 | Reading | A | ?–? | |
| 6 February 1943 | Crystal Palace | H | ?–? | |
| 13 February 1943 | Tottenham Hotspur | H | ?–? | |
| 20 February 1943 | Queen's Park Rangers | A | ?–? | |
| 27 February 1943 | Aldershot | H | ?–? | |

#### Final League table

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GR | Pts |
| 1 | Arsenal | 28 | 21 | 1 | 6 | 102 | 40 | 2.550 | 43 |
| 2 | Tottenham Hotspur | 28 | 16 | 6 | 6 | 68 | 28 | 2.429 | 38 |
| 3 | Queen's Park Rangers | 28 | 18 | 2 | 8 | 64 | 49 | 1.306 | 38 |
| 4 | Portsmouth | 28 | 16 | 3 | 9 | 66 | 52 | 1.269 | 35 |
| 5 | Southampton | 28 | 14 | 5 | 9 | 86 | 58 | 1.483 | 33 |
| 6 | West Ham United | 28 | 14 | 5 | 9 | 80 | 66 | 1.212 | 33 |
| 7 | Chelsea | 28 | 14 | 4 | 10 | 52 | 45 | 1.156 | 32 |
| 8 | Aldershot | 28 | 14 | 2 | 12 | 87 | 77 | 1.130 | 30 |
| 9 | Brentford | 28 | 12 | 5 | 11 | 64 | 63 | 1.016 | 29 |
| 10 | Charlton Athletic | 28 | 13 | 3 | 12 | 68 | 75 | 0.907 | 29 |
| 11 | Clapton Orient | 28 | 11 | 5 | 12 | 54 | 72 | 0.750 | 27 |
| 12 | Brighton & Hove Albion | 28 | 10 | 5 | 13 | 64 | 72 | 0.889 | 25 |
| 13 | Reading | 28 | 9 | 6 | 13 | 67 | 74 | 0.905 | 24 |
| 14 | Fulham | 28 | 10 | 2 | 16 | 69 | 78 | 0.885 | 22 |
| 15 | Crystal Palace | 28 | 7 | 5 | 16 | 49 | 75 | 0.653 | 19 |
| 16 | Millwall | 28 | 6 | 5 | 17 | 66 | 88 | 0.750 | 17 |
| 17 | Watford | 28 | 7 | 2 | 19 | 51 | 88 | 0.580 | 16 |
| 18 | Luton Town | 30 | 6 | 4 | 20 | 47 | 114 | 0.412 | 16 |

### Football League South Cup

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance |
| GS | 6 March 1943 | Brighton & Hove Albion | A | 5–1 | |
| GS | 13 March 1943 | Watford | H | 4–1 | |
| GS | 20 March 1943 | West Ham United | A | 3–1 | |
| GS | 27 March 1943 | Brighton & Hove Albion | H | 5–0 | |
| GS | 3 April 1943 | Watford | A | 1–1 | |
| GS | 10 April 1943 | West Ham United | H | 3–1 | |
| SF | 24 April 1943 | Queen's Park Rangers | N | 4–1 | |
| F | 1 May 1943 | Charlton Athletic | N | 7–1 | 75,000 |

### Football League War Cup

The winners of the Football League South Cup and the Football League North Cup faced each other in the Football League War Cup.
| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Goalscorers |
| F | 15 May 1943 | Blackpool | N | 2–4 | 55,195 | |