1933–34 Stoke City F.C. season

The 1933–34 season was Stoke City's 34th season in the Football League and the 20th in the First Division.

Stoke City
1933–34 season
ChairmanMr A.McSherwin
ManagerTom Mather
StadiumVictoria Ground
Football League First Division12th (41 points)
FA CupQuarter-final
Top goalscorerLeague: Tommy Sale
(15)

All: Tommy Sale
(17)
Highest home attendance43,163 vs Arsenal
(31 March 1934)
Lowest home attendance10,198 vs Huddersfield Town
(29 January 1934)
Average home league attendance23,087

Now back in the First Division for the first time since the 1922–23 season Stoke were looking to establish themselves amongst the nation's elite. However, they struggled and by Christmas they were in the relegation places, but only three defeats in their last twelve matches saw Stoke survive comfortably and finished the season in 12th place with 41 points.[1]

In the FA Cup Stoke advanced to the quarter final and played Manchester City where the largest attendance at an English football match was recorded with 84,569 packed into Maine Road.[1]

Season review

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League

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After a decade out of the First Division, Stoke were back in the top-flight for the first time since 1922.[1] The atmosphere around the club was first-class with the directors re-signing the entire first team squad for the 1933–34 season.[1] Consolidation was the obvious aim, but playing in the First Division was a totally different challenge and the reality of taking on better sides soon hit home.[1]

Stoke struggled and by Christmas they found themselves in the relegation zone and looked to be heading back to the Second Division.[1] It was at this juncture that Tom Mather made two vital decisions, firstly he signed Arthur Tutin a right-half from Aldershot for £500 and then he recalled Bob McGrory from the reserves at the age of 40.[1] McGrory's presence boosted the sides morale and Stoke climbed up the table, eventually finishing 12th place.[1] During the second half of the season they picked up more points than any other team with the exception of the top two Arsenal and Huddersfield Town.[1] Stanley Matthews, never regarded for his goal scoring scored 15 goals, his best tally of his famous career.[1]

FA Cup

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In the FA Cup Stoke advanced past Bradford Park Avenue, Blackpool and Chelsea before meeting Manchester City at Maine Road in the quarter Final.[1] Man City won the tie 1–0 thanks to a goal from legendary striker Eric Brook.[1] An attendance of 84,569 packed into Maine Road, the largest attendance at an English football match.[1]

Final league table

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Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GAv Pts
10 Portsmouth 42 15 12 15 52 55 0.945 42
11 Sheffield Wednesday 42 16 9 17 62 67 0.925 41
12 Stoke City 42 15 11 16 58 71 0.817 41
13 Aston Villa 42 14 12 16 78 75 1.040 40
14 Everton 42 12 16 14 62 63 0.984 40
Source: World Football
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 First Division

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Match Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Scorers
1 26 August 1933 Chelsea H 1–0 32,456 Liddle
2 30 August 1933 Liverpool A 1–1 20,000 Sale
3 2 September 1933 Sunderland A 1–4 25,000 Johnson
4 4 September 1933 Liverpool H 1–1 28,868 Davies
5 9 September 1933 Portsmouth H 2–1 29,292 Davies, Sale
6 16 September 1933 Huddersfield Town A 2–2 12,000 Liddle, Palethorpe
7 23 September 1933 Derby County H 0–4 32,273
8 30 September 1933 Wolverhampton Wanderers H 1–1 29,289 Davies
9 7 October 1933 Sheffield United A 2–1 11,380 Palethorpe (2)
10 14 October 1933 Aston Villa H 1–1 37,511 Turner (pen)
11 21 October 1933 West Bromwich Albion A 1–5 22,771 Sale
12 28 October 1933 Birmingham H 1–1 17,194 Liddle
13 4 November 1933 Middlesbrough A 1–6 6,748 Davies
14 11 November 1933 Manchester City H 0–1 24,083
15 18 November 1933 Arsenal A 0–3 40,000
16 25 November 1933 Everton H 1–2 19,838 Liddle
17 2 December 1933 Leeds United A 0–2 20,000
18 9 December 1933 Blackburn Rovers H 2–0 13,618 Liddle, Sale
19 16 December 1933 Newcastle United A 2–2 10,000 Sale (pen), McArdle
20 23 December 1933 Sheffield Wednesday H 0–1 10,000
21 25 December 1933 Leicester City H 2–1 11,200 Sale, Bamber
22 26 December 1933 Leicester City A 1–3 20,000 Matthews
23 30 December 1933 Chelsea A 0–2 25,000
24 6 January 1934 Sunderland H 3–0 16,313 Sale, Sellars, Davies
25 20 January 1934 Portsmouth A 1–3 20,000 Matthews
26 29 January 1934 Huddersfield Town H 3–0 10,198 Matthews, Sale, Soo
27 3 February 1934 Derby County A 1–5 21,200 Matthews
28 10 February 1934 Wolverhampton Wanderers A 2–0 25,125 Sale, Johnson
29 22 February 1934 Sheffield United H 3–0 14,997 Johnson, Matthews, Davies
30 24 February 1934 Aston Villa A 2–1 25,000 Johnson (2)
31 8 March 1934 West Bromwich Albion H 4–1 13,698 Sale (3), Matthews
32 10 March 1934 Birmingham A 1–0 16,000 Sale
33 17 March 1934 Middlesbrough H 2–0 17,129 Sale, Matthews
34 24 March 1934 Manchester City A 2–4 13,900 Matthews, Johnson
35 30 March 1934 Tottenham Hotspur A 0–0 20,000
36 31 March 1934 Arsenal H 1–1 43,163 Matthews
37 2 April 1934 Tottenham Hotspur H 2–0 32,000 Johnson Ware
38 7 April 1934 Everton A 2–2 25,000 Ware (2)
39 14 April 1934 Leeds United H 1–2 16,262 Ware
40 21 April 1934 Blackburn Rovers A 1–4 10,000 Johnson
41 28 April 1934 Newcastle United H 2–1 12,225 Matthews, Sale
42 5 May 1934 Sheffield Wednesday A 2–2 12,000 Matthews, Liddle

FA Cup

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Round Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Scorers
R3 3 January 1934 Bradford Park Avenue H 3–0 22,306 Matthews, Sale, Soo
R4 27 January 1934 Blackpool H 3–0 30,091 Matthews, Sale, Soo
R5 2 February 1934 Chelsea H 3–1 42,213 Matthews (2), Johnson
Quarter final 3 March 1934 Manchester City A 0–1 84,569

Squad statistics

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Pos. Name League FA Cup Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
GK   Norman Lewis 12 0 1 0 13 0
GK   Roy John 30 0 3 0 33 0
DF   John Bamber 2 1 0 0 2 1
DF   Arthur Beachill 20 0 0 0 20 0
DF   Joe Buller 1 0 0 0 1 0
DF   John Howshall 1 0 0 0 1 0
DF   Charlie Scrimshaw 8 0 2 0 10 0
DF   Billy Spencer 31 0 2 0 33 0
DF   Bob McGrory 26 0 4 0 30 0
MF   Charlie Curtis 0 0 0 0 0 0
MF   George Daniels 2 0 0 0 2 0
MF   Peter Jackson 6 0 0 0 6 0
MF   Peter McArdle 6 1 0 0 6 1
MF   William Robertson 11 0 0 0 11 0
MF   Harry Sellars 38 1 4 0 42 1
MF   Arthur Turner 40 1 4 0 44 1
MF   Arthur Tutin 24 0 4 0 28 0
FW   Harry Davies 32 6 3 0 35 6
FW   Joe Johnson 36 8 4 1 40 9
FW   Bobby Liddle 33 6 3 0 36 6
FW   Stanley Matthews 29 11 4 4 33 15
FW   Joe Mawson 2 0 0 0 2 0
FW   Jack Palethorpe 11 3 0 0 11 3
FW   Billy Robson 2 0 0 0 2 0
FW   Tommy Sale 32 15 4 2 36 17
FW   Frank Soo 14 1 2 2 16 3
FW   Harry Ware 13 4 0 0 13 4

References

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