In 1946 the Football League in the United Kingdom fully resumed on a national basis following the disruption caused by World War II.

In the club's first post-war First Division match, on 31 August 1946; Arsenal lost 6–1 to Wolves, their biggest League defeat in nearly twenty years.

Players returning after the break included Cliff Bastin, Bryn Jones, Reg Lewis,[1] Jimmy Logie, George Male, David Nelson and Laurie Scott.

Bernard Joy played the first half of the 1946–47 season before deciding that his age (35) was counting against him; he retired from top-flight football in December 1946.

Joe Mercer, near retirement from football to concentrate on his grocery business, made his Arsenal debut against Bolton Wanderers on 30 November 1946 and soon after became club captain.

[7] Czech Champions, AC Sparta opened their tour of Britain with a 2–2 draw against Arsenal on 2 October with Albert Guðmundsson, later Iceland's Minister of Finance, playing inside forward for The Gunners.

Six changes were made for the match against Preston North End the following week: Walley Barnes replaced Joy at left back.