Season 1948-1949 Details
Major Frank Buckley was not everyone's cup of tea but he brought a unique and unconventional approach to Leeds United. He introduced a mechanical kicking machine for training, experimented with monkey gland extract treatments for players, and had them engage in ballroom dancing and high-kicking exercises as part of their training regimen. Buckley also focused on youth development, scouting potential stars in local parks and organizing youth trials. He made several player changes, selling established stars like Aubrey Powell and Con Martin, and signing promising talents like Len Browning, Jimmy Dunn, and Tom Burden. The club's strip was changed to Old Gold shirts with Blue sleeves and collars, White shorts, and Black, Blue, and Old Gold hooped socks. Despite these efforts, the team struggled in the league, finishing 15th with 37 points, and suffered a humiliating FA Cup defeat to Newport County, signaling the end of Tom Holley's era as the defensive lynchpin.
Read more about the 1948-1949 season in the The Post War Years section of our Leeds United history timeline.
For player appearances, goals, red cards and transfers for the 1948-1949 season click here.
 |
Season Record | GP | W | D | L | F | A | GD | P | Pos |
| Division Two | 42 | 12 | 13 | 17 | 55 | 63 | -8 | 37 | 15 | |
| FA Cup | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | -2 | - | R3 | |
| TOTAL | 43 | 12 | 13 | 18 | 56 | 66 | -10 | - | - | |
 |
Managers | First Game | P | W | D | L | Win% | |
 |
Major Frank Buckley | Leicester City (A) - 21/08/1948 | 21/08/1948 | 43 | 12 | 13 | 18 | 27.91% |
 |
Division Two | Venue |
Date | Score | |||
 |
Leicester City | A | Filbert Street |
21/08/1948 | 2 : 6 | L |
|
 |
Brentford | H | Elland Road |
25/08/1948 | 0 : 0 | D |
|
 |
Luton Town | H | Elland Road |
28/08/1948 | 2 : 0 | W |
|
|
Brentford | A | Griffin Park |
01/09/1948 | 3 : 1 | W |
|
 |
Coventry City | H | Elland Road |
04/09/1948 | 4 : 1 | W |
|
 |
Tottenham Hotspur | H | Elland Road |
08/09/1948 | 0 : 0 | D |
|
 |
Sheffield Wednesday | A | Hillsborough |
11/09/1948 | 1 : 3 | L |
|
|
Tottenham Hotspur | A | White Hart Lane |
13/09/1948 | 2 : 2 | D |
|
 |
Lincoln City | H | Elland Road |
18/09/1948 | 3 : 1 | W |
|
 |
Chesterfield | A | Saltergate |
25/09/1948 | 1 : 3 | L |
|
 |
West Bromwich Albion | H | Elland Road |
02/10/1948 | 1 : 3 | L |
|
 |
Bradford Park Avenue | A | Park Avenue |
09/10/1948 | 1 : 1 | D |
|
 |
Southampton | H | Elland Road |
16/10/1948 | 1 : 1 | D |
|
 |
Barnsley | A | Oakwell |
23/10/1948 | 1 : 1 | D |
|
 |
Grimsby Town | H | Elland Road |
30/10/1948 | 6 : 3 | W |
|
 |
Nottingham Forest | A | City Ground |
06/11/1948 | 0 : 0 | D |
|
 |
Fulham | H | Elland Road |
13/11/1948 | 1 : 1 | D |
|
 |
Plymouth Argyle | A | Home Park |
20/11/1948 | 1 : 2 | L |
|
 |
Cardiff City | A | Ninian Park |
04/12/1948 | 1 : 2 | L |
|
 |
Queens Park Rangers | H | Elland Road |
11/12/1948 | 1 : 2 | L |
|
|
Leicester City | H | Elland Road |
18/12/1948 | 3 : 1 | W |
|
 |
West Ham United | A | Upton Park |
25/12/1948 | 2 : 3 | L |
|
|
West Ham United | H | Elland Road |
27/12/1948 | 1 : 3 | L |
|
|
Luton Town | A | Kenilworth Road |
01/01/1949 | 0 : 0 | D |
|
|
Coventry City | A | Highfield Road |
15/01/1949 | 1 : 4 | L |
|
|
Sheffield Wednesday | H | Elland Road |
22/01/1949 | 1 : 1 | D |
|
 |
Blackburn Rovers | H | Elland Road |
29/01/1949 | 1 : 0 | W |
|
|
Lincoln City | A | Sincil Bank |
05/02/1949 | 0 : 0 | D |
|
 |
Bury | H | Elland Road |
12/02/1949 | 0 : 1 | L |
|
|
Chesterfield | H | Elland Road |
19/02/1949 | 1 : 0 | W |
|
|
Bradford Park Avenue | H | Elland Road |
05/03/1949 | 4 : 2 | W |
|
|
Southampton | A | The Dell |
12/03/1949 | 1 : 2 | L |
|
|
Barnsley | H | Elland Road |
19/03/1949 | 4 : 1 | W |
|
|
Grimsby Town | A | Blundell Park |
26/03/1949 | 1 : 5 | L |
|
|
Nottingham Forest | H | Elland Road |
02/04/1949 | 1 : 0 | W |
|
|
West Bromwich Albion | A | The Hawthorns |
06/04/1949 | 0 : 1 | L |
|
|
Fulham | A | Craven Cottage |
09/04/1949 | 0 : 1 | L |
|
|
Plymouth Argyle | H | Elland Road |
16/04/1949 | 1 : 0 | W |
|
|
Bury | A | Gigg Lane |
18/04/1949 | 1 : 3 | L |
|
|
Blackburn Rovers | A | Ewood Park |
23/04/1949 | 0 : 0 | D |
|
|
Cardiff City | H | Elland Road |
30/04/1949 | 0 : 0 | D |
|
|
Queens Park Rangers | A | Loftus Road |
07/05/1949 | 0 : 2 | L |
|
 |
FA Cup | Venue |
Date | Score | |||
 |
Newport County FA Cup 3rd Round |
H | Elland Road |
08/01/1949 | 1 : 3 | L |
|
|
Division Two Table | Pld | Pts | GD | W |
D |
L |
F |
A |
|
| 1 | |
Fulham | 42 | 57 | 40 | 24 |
9 |
9 |
77 |
37 |
| 2 |  |
West Bromwich Albion | 42 | 56 | 30 | 24 |
8 |
10 |
69 |
39 |
| 3 | |
Southampton | 42 | 55 | 33 | 23 |
9 |
10 |
69 |
36 |
| 4 |  |
Cardiff City | 42 | 51 | 15 | 19 |
13 |
10 |
62 |
47 |
| 5 | |
Tottenham Hotspur | 42 | 50 | 28 | 17 |
16 |
9 |
72 |
44 |
| 6 | |
Chesterfield | 42 | 47 | 6 | 15 |
17 |
10 |
51 |
45 |
| 7 | |
West Ham United | 42 | 46 | -2 | 18 |
10 |
14 |
56 |
58 |
| 8 |  |
Sheffield Wednesday | 42 | 43 | 7 | 15 |
13 |
14 |
63 |
56 |
| 9 | |
Barnsley | 42 | 40 | 1 | 14 |
12 |
16 |
62 |
61 |
| 10 |  |
Luton Town | 42 | 40 | -2 | 14 |
12 |
16 |
55 |
57 |
| 11 | |
Grimsby Town | 42 | 40 | -4 | 15 |
10 |
17 |
72 |
76 |
| 12 | |
Bury | 42 | 40 | -9 | 17 |
6 |
19 |
67 |
76 |
| 13 |  |
Queens Park Rangers | 42 | 39 | -18 | 14 |
11 |
17 |
44 |
62 |
| 14 |  |
Blackburn Rovers | 42 | 38 | -10 | 15 |
8 |
19 |
53 |
63 |
| 15 |  |
Leeds United | 42 | 37 | -8 | 12 |
13 |
17 |
55 |
63 |
| 16 |  |
Coventry City | 42 | 37 | -9 | 15 |
7 |
20 |
55 |
64 |
| 17 | |
Bradford Park Avenue | 42 | 37 | -13 | 13 |
11 |
18 |
65 |
78 |
| 18 | |
Brentford | 42 | 36 | -11 | 11 |
14 |
17 |
42 |
53 |
| 19 | |
Leicester City | 42 | 36 | -17 | 10 |
16 |
16 |
62 |
79 |
| 20 |  |
Plymouth Argyle | 42 | 36 | -15 | 12 |
12 |
18 |
49 |
64 |
| 21 | |
Nottingham Forest | 42 | 35 | -4 | 14 |
7 |
21 |
50 |
54 |
| 22 | |
Lincoln City | 42 | 28 | -38 | 8 |
12 |
22 |
53 |
91 |
 |
 |
This website is intended as a free resource for the Leeds United community. Every effort has been made to respect copyright regulations, and any use of material is for informational purposes only. If you are the owner of any content featured on this site and object to its inclusion, please contact us, and we address the matter promptly.
