1930–31 Arsenal F.C. season


The 1930–31 season was Arsenal's 12th consecutive season in the top division of English football. After winning the FA Cup the previous term, they claimed their first Division 1 title this season, finishing seven points clear of Aston Villa. Arsenal failed to retain the FA Cup, losing to Chelsea in the fourth round, but won the Charity Shield against Sheffield Wednesday in October 1930. Arsenal’s top scorer in the league was Jack Lambert, who scored 38 league goals and 39 times overall. The club earned 66 points from 42 league matches, with 28 wins, 10 draws and 4 losses.
Arsenal started the season well, winning the opening two matches 4-1 away from home, and won the first five league matches, and remained unbeaten for the first nine, before beating league champions Sheffield Wednesday 2-1 in the Charity Shield.
They then suffered their first defeat of the season, 4-2, at Derby County, before making up for it with a 5-2 win over challengers Aston Villa nearly a month later.
In December Arsenal beat Blackpool 7-1 to finish 1930 on a high. The following month they beat Aston Villa after a replay in the FA Cup third round, though the cup run ended in the next round at Chelsea. Arsenal then claimed their biggest-ever league win at Highbury in a 9-1 annihilation of Grimsby Town, with David Jack hitting four and Jack Lambert grabbing a hat-trick.
A 7-2 win at Leicester City and a 6-3 victory over Derby County helped Arsenal in their title charge, but were stopped in their tracks on 14th March in a 5-1 loss at Aston Villa. Nonetheless, a 3-1 win over Liverpool on 18th April ensured Arsenal won the league for the first of thirteen times in their history.

Results

Arsenal's score comes first

Legend

Football League First Division

DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
30 August 1930BlackpoolA4–128,723
1 September 1930Bolton WanderersA4–120,684
6 September 1930Leeds UnitedH3–140,828
10 September 1930Blackburn RoversH3–220,863
13 September 1930SunderlandA4–126,525
15 September 1930Blackburn RoversA2–225,572
20 September 1930Leicester CityH4–137,851
27 September 1930BiminghamA4–231,693
4 October 1930Sheffield UnitedH1–147,113
11 October 1930Derby CountyA2–429,783
18 October 1930Manchester UnitedA2–123,406
25 October 1930West Ham UnitedH1–151,918
1 November 1930Huddersfield TownA1–125,772
8 November 1930Aston VillaH5–256,417
15 November 1930Sheffield WednesdayA2–143,671
22 November 1930MiddlesbroughH5–332,517
29 November 1930ChelseaA5–174,667
13 December 1930LiverpoolA1–144,342
20 December 1930Newcastle UnitedH1–232,212
25 December 1930Manchester CityA4–156,750
26 December 1930Manchester CityH3–117,624
27 December 1930BlackpoolH7–135,113
17 January 1931SunderlandH1–335,975
28 January 1931Grimsby TownH9–115,751
31 January 1931BirminghamH1–130,913
5 February 1931Leicester CityA7–217,416
7 February 1931Sheffield UnitedA1–149,602
14 February 1931Derby CountyH6–334,785
21 February 1931Manchester CityH4–141,510
28 February 1931West Ham UnitedA4–230,361
7 March 1931Huddersield TownH0–031,058
11 March 1931Leeds UnitedA2–112,212
14 March 1931Aston VillaA1–560,997
21 March 1931Sheffield WednesdayH2–047,872
28 March 1931MiddlesbroughA5–223,476
3 April 1931PortsmouthA1–131,398
4 April 1931ChelseaH2–153,867
6 April 1931PortsmouthH1–140,490
11 April 1931Grimsby TownA1–022,394
18 April 1931LiverpoolH3–139,143
25 April 1931Newcastle UnitedA3–121,747
2 May 1931Bolton WanderersH5–035,406

Final League table

FA Cup

RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorers
R310 January 1931Aston VillaH2–240,864
R3 R14 January 1931Aston VillaA3–173,668
R424 January 1931ChelseaA4–262,945