1888–89 Stoke F.C. season

The 1888–89 season was Stoke's first season in the Football League, Stoke becoming one of the 12 founder members.

Stoke
1888–89 season
ChairmanMr S.Barker
ManagerHarry Lockett
StadiumVictoria Ground
Football League12th (12 Points)
FA CupFirst Qualifying Round
Top goalscorerLeague: Bob McSkimming
(6)

All: Bob McSkimming
(6)
Highest home attendance5,000 vs Blackburn Rovers
(1 December 1888)
Lowest home attendance1,500 vs Everton
(15 December 1888)
Average home league attendance3,450

There was a major change to English football in 1888–89 following the formation of the Football League. Stoke successfully joined the league along with 11 other professional football clubs. Managed by Harry Lockett Stoke struggled throughout the season and ended up finishing bottom of the table after managing just four victories.

Season review

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League

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Prior to the 1888–89 season clubs played in friendlies, Staffordshire Senior Cup and in the FA Cup which Stoke entered for the first time in 1883. However once a team has been knocked out of the cup there was little excitement for players and supporters and so a league format was advocated by the chairman of Aston Villa, William McGregor and in the spring of 1888 the Football League was formed with McGregor as its first president. Harry Lockett represented Stoke at the meeting in Anderton's Hall Hotel, London and was successful as three weeks later Stoke joined the league and Lockett was appointed as the league's first secretary which he went on to occupy from 1888 to 1902.[1] Stoke's first league match was at the Victoria Ground against midlands rivals and FA Cup holders West Bromwich Albion. A crowd in excess of 4,500 attended the contest which was won 2–0 by the visitors thanks to late goals from Joe Wilson and George Woodhall which meant that the "Baggies" were the first side to be top of the table.[1]

Stoke had the misfortune to finish bottom of the table, albeit on goal-average at the end of the first league season after only winning 4 of their 22 matches. These were 3–0 both home and away over Notts County the team who finished level on points with Stoke, 4–3 v Burnley and 2–1 against Blackburn Rovers.[1] Frank Staton had the honour of scoring the club's first league goal which came in a 5–1 loss at Aston Villa.[1] Stoke's first win was against Notts County on 22 September with two goals from Billy Tunncliffe and a strike from the clubs first Scottish player Bob McSkimming who went on be the leading goalscorer with six.[1] Stoke's heaviest defeat was a 7–0 loss away at the eventual winners of both League and cup Preston North End. Two Stoke players failed to board the train on the morning of that game at Deepdale and so Preston agreed to loan two of their reserves (Bill Smalley and Alfred Dempsey) to make up the numbers.[1] Alf Underwood and Bob McSkimming were Stoke's only ever-presents and Bill Rowley only missed one game. Stoke successfully applied for re-election to along with Burnley, Derby County and Notts County.[1]

FA Cup

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On the same day as the first qualifying round Stoke's first team had an away match against Preston North End so Stoke's reserve side, the Stoke Swifts played the FA Cup tie against Warwick County which they lost 2–1.[1]

Final league table

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Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GAv Pts Qualification or relegation
1 Preston North End 22 18 4 0 74 15 4.933 40 League Champions and FA Cup Winners
2 Aston Villa 22 12 5 5 61 43 1.419 29
3 Wolverhampton Wanderers 22 12 4 6 51 37 1.378 28
4 Blackburn Rovers 22 10 6 6 66 45 1.467 26
5 Bolton Wanderers 22 10 2 10 63 59 1.068 22
6 West Bromwich Albion 22 10 2 10 40 46 0.870 22
7 Accrington 22 6 8 8 48 48 1.000 20
8 Everton 22 9 2 11 35 47 0.745 20
9 Burnley 22 7 3 12 42 62 0.677 17 Re-elected
10 Derby County 22 7 2 13 41 61 0.672 16
11 Notts County 22 5 2 15 40 73 0.548 12
12 Stoke 22 4 4 14 26 51 0.510 12
Source: [2][3]

Results

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Stoke's score comes first

Legend

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Win Draw Loss

Football League

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Match Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Scorers
1 8 September 1888 West Bromwich Albion H 0–2 4,524
2 15 September 1888 Aston Villa A 1–5 3,000 Staton
3 22 September 1888 Notts County H 3–0 3,000 Tunnicliffe (2), McSkimming
4 29 September 1888 Accrington H 2–4 5,000 Staton, McSkimming
5 6 October 1888 Preston North End A 0–7 3,500
6 13 October 1888 Bolton Wanderers A 1–2 3,000 Slater
7 20 October 1888 Burnley H 4–3 4,500 Sloane, Tunnicliffe (2), Lawton
8 27 October 1888 Blackburn Rovers A 2–5 3,000 McSkimming (2)
9 3 November 1888 Aston Villa H 1–1 4,000 Shutt
10 12 November 1888 Preston North End H 0–3 4,500
11 17 November 1888 Wolverhampton Wanderers H 0–1 2,500
12 24 November 1888 Notts County A 3–0 2,500 McSkimming, Milarvie (2)
13 1 December 1888 Blackburn Rovers H 2–1 5,000 McSkimming, Edge
14 8 December 1888 Burnley A 1–2 3,000 Edge
15 15 December 1888 Everton H 0–0 1,500
16 22 December 1888 Wolverhampton Wanderers A 1–4 2,500 Sloane
17 29 December 1888 West Bromwich Albion A 0–2 4,900
18 12 January 1889 Everton A 1–2 7,000 Milarvie
19 19 January 1889 Bolton Wanderers H 2–2 4,000 Milarvie (2)
20 26 January 1889 Derby County A 1–2 3,000 Edge
21 6 April 1889 Derby County H 1–1 4,000 Sayer
22 20 April 1889 Accrington A 0–2 2,000

FA Cup

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Round Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Scorers
QR1 6 October 1888 Warwick County H 1–2 1,500 Wainwright

Squad statistics

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Pos. Name League FA Cup Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
GK   Charlie Hassall 0 0 1 0 1 0
GK   Wilf Merritt 1 0 0 0 1 0
GK   Bill Rowley 21 0 0 0 21 0
FB   George Bateman 0 0 0 0 0 0
FB   Albert Bourne 0 0 1 0 1 0
FB   Tommy Clare 21 0 0 0 21 0
FB   Edgar Montford 0 0 1 0 1 0
FB   Alf Underwood 22 0 0 0 22 0
HB   Albert Farmer 0 0 1 0 1 0
HB   Billy Hendry 2 0 0 0 2 0
HB   Will Holford 0 0 1 0 1 0
HB   Bob Ramsay 21 0 0 0 21 0
HB   George Shutt 21 1 0 0 21 1
HB   Elijah Smith 21 0 0 0 21 0
FW   Charlie Baker 1 0 0 0 1 0
FW   Bob Barr 3 0 0 0 3 0
FW   Alfred Dempsey 1 0 0 0 1 0
FW   Alf Edge 19 3 1 0 20 3
FW   Tom Forrester 0 0 1 0 1 0
FW   Freddie Gee 1 0 0 0 1 0
FW   Billy Hutchinson 1 0 0 0 1 0
FW   George Lawton 13 1 0 0 13 1
FW   Bob McSkimming 22 6 0 0 22 6
FW   Bob Milarvie 15 5 0 0 15 5
FW   Harry Montford 1 0 1 0 2 0
FW   Thomas Moore 1 0 0 0 1 0
FW   Jimmy Sayer 7 1 1 0 8 1
FW   George Slater 2 1 0 0 2 1
FW   Jimmy Sloane 11 2 0 0 11 2
FW   Bill Smalley 1 0 0 0 1 0
FW   Frank Staton 4 2 0 0 4 2
FW   Billy Tunnicliffe 8 4 1 0 9 4
FW   Tom Wainwright 1 0 1 1 2 1

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h Matthews, Tony (1994). The Encyclopaedia of Stoke City. Lion Press. ISBN 0-9524151-0-0.
  2. ^ "England 1888–89". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Archived from the original on 17 March 2010. Retrieved 12 March 2010.
  3. ^ Ian Laschke: Rothmans Book of Football League Records 1888–89 to 1978–79. Macdonald and Jane's, London & Sydney, 1980.