1960–61 Stoke City F.C. season

The 1960–61 season was Stoke City's 54th season in the Football League and the 21st in the Second Division.

Stoke City
1960–61 season
ChairmanAlbert Henshall
ManagerTony Waddington
StadiumVictoria Ground
Football League Second Division18th (36 Points)
FA CupFifth Round
League CupFirst Round
Top goalscorerLeague: Johnny King
(12)

All: Johnny King
(13)
Highest home attendance14,690 vs Sunderland
(22 August 1960)
Lowest home attendance4,463 vs Liverpool
(3 May 1961)
Average home league attendance9,252

With the unsuccessful Frank Taylor now departed new manager Tony Waddington quickly began to stamp his mark on the club allowing a number of players to leave the club whilst bringing in his own replacements. It was obviously going to be a transitional season for the club but there was probably too much upheaval as performances out on the pitch were not good and despite a 9–0 win over Plymouth Argyle, Stoke finished in 18th place avoiding relegation by three points.[1]

Season review

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League

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A clear-out of players was under way in the summer of 1960 with two goalkeepers Bill Robertson and Wilf Hall both departing.[1] Also leaving the Victoria Ground was long serving defender John McCue and a number of fringe players.[1] To replace the hole left by the departure of the 'keepers Tony Waddington made his first signing, Irish international Jimmy O'Neill from Everton for £5,000.[1]

There were no instant improvements as Stoke searched for a sustained run of success. An attack that could not score regularly was a major problem and it was so bad that by Christmas time centre back Bill Asprey was moved up front and he impressed scoring twice in a 9–0 win over Plymouth Argyle and got a hat trick against Charlton Athletic.[1] That win over Plymouth is Stoke second highest league victory.[1] Ahead of the March transfer deadline, Waddington paid £7,000 to Blackpool for their winger Jackie Mudie whose vast experience brought guile to the attack.[1] Mudie effectively replaced Dennis Wilshaw who broke his leg in the FA Cup at Newcastle and had to retire.[1]

Stoke took 18th place in the Second Division at the end of Waddingtons first season in charge their away form letting them down badly with just three wins recorded and 12 goals scored. And for the first time since the 1907–08 season the average home attendance was under 10,000 as Waddington realised that much work was required to turn around the fortunes of Stoke City.[1]

FA Cup

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In the FA Cup Stoke made it to the fifth round before losing to Newcastle United after beating West Ham United and a tricky three matches against Aldershot.[1]

League Cup

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The 1960–61 season was also the start of a new cup competition the Football League Cup, Stoke made an embarrassing start losing 3–1 to Fourth Division Doncaster Rovers.[1] Stoke didn't even score as Rovers defender Tommy Hymers scored an own goal giving him the dubious honour of being Stoke's first League Cup goalscorer.[1]

Final league table

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Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GAv Pts
16 Brighton & Hove Albion 42 14 9 19 61 75 0.813 37
17 Bristol Rovers 42 15 7 20 73 92 0.793 37
18 Stoke City 42 12 12 18 51 59 0.864 36
19 Leyton Orient 42 14 8 20 55 78 0.705 36
20 Huddersfield Town 42 13 9 20 62 71 0.873 35
Source: [citation needed]
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal average; 3) Goals scored

Results

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Stoke's score comes first

Legend

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Win Draw Loss

Football League Second Division

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Match Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Scorers
1 20 August 1960 Plymouth Argyle A 1–3 21,138 Bullock
2 22 August 1960 Sunderland H 0–0 14,690
3 27 August 1960 Norwich City H 1–1 11,716 Wilshaw
4 31 August 1960 Sunderland A 0–4 19,007
5 3 September 1960 Charlton Athletic A 1–3 8,147 Ratcliffe
6 7 September 1960 Portsmouth A 0–1 16,497
7 10 September 1960 Sheffield United H 2–0 11,328 Wilshaw (2)
8 12 September 1960 Portsmouth H 1–0 11,686 King
9 17 September 1960 Derby County A 1–1 14,432 Asprey
10 24 September 1960 Swansea Town A 0–0 9,520
11 1 October 1960 Luton Town H 3–0 9,395 Wilshaw (2), Bentley
12 8 October 1960 Leyton Orient H 1–2 9,149 Wilshaw
13 15 October 1960 Scunthorpe United A 1–1 8,777 Bentley
14 22 October 1960 Ipswich Town H 2–4 8,056 Bentley, D Ward
15 29 October 1960 Brighton & Hove Albion A 1–0 8,791 Wilshaw
16 5 November 1960 Middlesbrough H 1–1 9,019 D Ward
17 12 November 1960 Leeds United A 1–0 13,535 King
18 19 November 1960 Southampton H 1–2 10,465 King
19 26 November 1960 Rotherham United A 0–0 8,330
20 10 December 1960 Bristol Rovers A 0–1 13,407
21 17 December 1960 Plymouth Argyle H 9–0 6,479 Asprey (2), King (3), Wilshaw, Ratcliffe (2), Fincham (o.g.)
22 24 December 1960 Huddersfield Town H 2–2 10,029 Wilshaw (2)
23 26 December 1960 Huddersfield Town A 0–0 13,783
24 31 December 1960 Norwich City A 0–1 20,681
25 16 January 1961 Charlton Athletic H 5–3 10,988 Asprey (3), Bentley, Wilshaw
26 21 January 1961 Sheffield United A 1–4 13,865 King
27 11 February 1961 Swansea Town H 1–3 10,517 Davies (o.g.)
28 23 February 1961 Luton Town A 1–4 12,142 Bullock
29 4 March 1961 Scunthorpe United H 2–0 12,567 King, Mudie
30 11 March 1961 Ipswich Town A 1–2 16,578 King
31 18 March 1961 Bristol Rovers H 2–0 7,826 Ratcliffe, Bullock (pen)
32 20 March 1961 Derby County H 2–1 6,831 Mudie, Bullock (pen)
33 25 March 1961 Middlesbrough A 0–1 8,534
34 31 March 1961 Lincoln City A 1–1 6,651 Bullock
35 1 April 1961 Rotherham United H 1–4 8,241 King
36 3 April 1961 Lincoln City H 0–0 6,383
37 8 April 1961 Southampton A 1–0 12,927 Mudie
38 10 April 1961 Leyton Orient A 1–3 8,349 King
39 15 April 1961 Leeds United H 0–0 7,130
40 22 April 1961 Liverpool A 0–3 13,389
41 29 April 1961 Brighton & Hove Albion H 0–2 5,232
42 3 May 1961 Liverpool H 3–1 4,463 King, Bentley (2)

FA Cup

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Round Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Scorers
R3 7 January 1961 West Ham United A 2–2 21,545 Ratcliffe, Andrew
R3 Replay 11 January 1961 West Ham United H 1–0 28,914 Wilshaw
R4 28 January 1961 Aldershot H 0–0 18,289
R4 Replay 1 February 1961 Aldershot A 0–0 (aet) 16,489
R4 2nd Replay 6 February 1961 Aldershot N 3–0 16,672 Wilshaw (2), Asprey
R5 16 February 1961 Newcastle United A 1–3 46,170 King

League Cup

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Round Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Scorers
R2 18 October 1960 Doncaster Rovers A 1–3 5,694 Hymers (o.g.)

Squad statistics

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Pos. Name League FA Cup League Cup Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
GK   Geoff Hickson 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
GK   Jimmy O'Neill 41 0 6 0 1 0 48 0
DF   Tony Allen 42 0 6 0 1 0 49 0
DF   Ron Andrew 37 0 6 1 1 0 44 1
DF   Eric Skeels 37 0 6 0 1 0 44 0
DF   Terry Ward 27 0 1 0 1 0 29 0
DF   Denis Wilson 5 0 4 0 0 0 9 0
DF   Ron Wilson 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
MF   Bill Asprey 35 6 4 1 1 0 40 7
MF   Gerry Bridgwood 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
MF   Bobby Cairns 6 0 0 0 0 0 6 0
MF   Bobby Griffiths 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
MF   Bobby Howitt 35 0 6 0 1 0 42 0
MF   Alan Philpott 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
MF   Ray White 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
FW   John Anderson 10 0 0 0 0 0 10 0
FW   Tony Bentley 28 6 6 0 1 0 35 6
FW   Peter Bullock 17 5 0 0 0 0 17 5
FW   Johnny King 41 12 6 1 1 0 48 13
FW   Graham Matthews 2 0 0 0 0 0 2 0
FW   Jackie Mudie 13 3 0 0 0 0 13 3
FW   Don Ratcliffe 41 4 6 1 1 0 48 5
FW   Derrick Ward 17 2 3 0 1 0 21 2
FW   Dennis Wilshaw 24 11 6 3 0 0 30 14
Own goals 2 0 1 3

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Matthews, Tony (1994). The Encyclopaedia of Stoke City. Lion Press. ISBN 0-9524151-0-0.