1936–37 Stoke City F.C. season

The 1936–37 season was Stoke City's 37th season in the Football League and the 23rd in the First Division.

Stoke City
1936–37 season
ChairmanMr H. Booth
ManagerBob McGrory
StadiumVictoria Ground
Football League First Division10th (42 Points)
FA CupFourth Round
Top goalscorerLeague: Freddie Steele
(33)

All: Freddie Steele
(36)
Highest home attendance51,373 vs Arsenal
(29 March 1937)
Lowest home attendance8,224 vs West Bromwich Albion
(4 February 1937)
Average home league attendance22,261

After the club's best ever season last campaign Stoke struggled to live up to their previous success and finished the season in a mid-table position of 10th. However it was a to be a season of record making with three being set during the 1936–37 season. A record attendance of 51,373 made it into the Victoria Ground on 29 March to watch a 0–0 draw with Arsenal. However the most remarkable achievement was that of a 10–3 victory over Staffordshire rivals West Bromwich Albion and thirdly, Freddie Steele finished the season with 33 league goals.[1]

Season review

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League

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During the summer of 1936 there was a change at boardroom level with Mr H. Booth replacing Mr A. Sherwin as chairman. After the club's best ever season in 1935–36 Stoke found it difficult in the 1936–37 season to improve and a disappointing 10th-place finish was the final outcome.[1] Stoke were hampered by a poor away record with only three wins forthcoming during the season and an equal record of 15 wins and defeats a mid-table finish was the obvious outcome.[1]

During the 1936–37 season Stoke made three new club records which all still stand. A record attendance of 51,373 made it into the Victoria Ground on 29 March to watch a 0–0 draw with Arsenal.[1] However the most remarkable achievement was that of a 10–3 victory over Staffordshire rivals West Bromwich Albion and thirdly, Freddie Steele finished the season with 33 league goals.[1]

Record league victory

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A 10–3 win over West Bromwich Albion is Stoke City's record League victory here is a summary of the match.

Stoke gave debuts to Scottish keeper Douglas Westland and full-back James Harbot.[1] Stoke went into the match as narrow favourites but went on to outclass Albion in all positions. The first goal came after 10 minutes as Steele headed in a Stanley Matthews cross.[1] Albion levelled just a minute later through Richardson following a fine move.[1] Stoke re-took the lead through a copy of their first on 20 minutes as Albion struggled to contain Matthews. After 32 minutes Stoke went 3–1 up, Steele was brought down in the area by Bill Richardson and Arthur Turner scored from the spot.[1] Four minutes before half-time Steele claimed his hat-trick.[1] In the second half Stoke made it 5–1 through England winger Joe Johnson before Steele missed an open goal.[1] Wally Boyes pulled one back to 5–2 however Steele got his fourth and fifth to make it 7–2 on 67 minutes.[1] Richardson made it 7–3 before Johnson again and George Antonio got on the score sheet. With 15 minutes left the score line was 9–3 and with the crowd chanting for more it duly arrived when Antonio made it 10–3 to complete a historic result.[1]

Stoke City10–3West Bromwich Albion
Steele          
Turner   pen.'
Johnson    
Antonio    
Boyes  
Richardson  
Robbins  

FA Cup

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Stoke beat Birmingham 4–1 in the third round with Freddie Steele bagging a hat trick.[1] However Stoke were on the end of a heavy defeat themselves in the next round as they lost 5–1 to eventual runners-up Preston North End.[1]

Final league table

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Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GAv Pts
8 Sunderland 42 19 6 17 89 87 1.023 44
9 Portsmouth 42 17 10 15 62 66 0.939 44
10 Stoke City 42 15 12 15 72 57 1.263 42
11 Birmingham 42 13 15 14 64 60 1.067 41
12 Grimsby Town 42 17 7 18 86 81 1.062 41
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 29 August 1936 Liverpool A 1–2 23,000 Johnson
2 31 August 1936 Charlton Athletic H 1–1 23,524 Steele
3 5 September 1936 Leeds United H 2–1 19,080 Liddle, Milburn (o.g.)
4 7 September 1936 Charlton Athletic A 0–2 20,000
5 12 September 1936 Birmingham A 4–2 10,000 Steele (3), Matthews
6 14 September 1936 Grimsby Town H 2–0 18,229 Steele (2)
7 19 September 1936 Middlesbrough H 6–2 29,106 Steele (3), Matthews, Johnson (2)
8 26 September 1936 West Bromwich Albion A 2–2 27,086 Steele, Johnson
9 3 October 1936 Manchester City H 2–2 36,292 Steele, Matthews
10 10 October 1936 Portsmouth A 0–1 18,000
11 17 October 1936 Preston North End H 0–2 19,518
12 24 October 1936 Sheffield Wednesday A 0–0 18,000
13 31 October 1936 Manchester United H 3–0 22,464 Davies, Matthews, Johnson
14 7 November 1936 Derby County A 2–2 20,000 Johnson, Steele
15 14 November 1936 Wolverhampton Wanderers H 2–1 21,349 Johnson, Steele
16 21 November 1936 Sunderland A 0–3 25,000
17 28 November 1936 Huddersfield Town H 1–1 13,644 Fursland
18 5 December 1936 Everton A 1–1 15,000 Robson
19 12 December 1936 Bolton Wanderers H 2–2 8,359 Matthews (2)
20 19 December 1936 Brentford A 1–2 25,000 Robson
21 25 December 1936 Chelsea H 2–0 24,789 Johnson (2)
22 26 December 1936 Liverpool H 1–1 38,940 Robson
23 28 December 1936 Chelsea A 0–1 18,000
24 2 January 1937 Leeds United A 1–2 20,000 Johnson
25 9 January 1937 Birmingham H 2–0 15,211 Turner (pen), Westland
26 23 January 1937 Middlesbrough A 0–1 14,000
27 4 February 1937 West Bromwich Albion H 10–3 8,224 Steele (5), Turner (pen), Johnson (2), Antonio (2)
28 6 February 1937 Manchester City A 1–2 30,000 Turner (pen)
29 13 February 1937 Portsmouth H 2–4 18,237 Steele (2)
30 24 February 1937 Preston North End A 1–0 8,000 Steele
31 6 March 1937 Manchester United A 1–2 15,000 Steele
32 13 March 1937 Derby County H 1–2 20,106 Steele
33 20 March 1937 Wolverhampton Wanderers A 1–2 20,000 Steele
34 26 March 1937 Arsenal A 0–0 40,000
35 27 March 1937 Sunderland H 5–3 29,292 Westland, Tutin, Steele (3)
36 29 March 1937 Arsenal H 0–0 51,373
37 3 April 1937 Huddersfield Town A 1–2 12,000 Steele
38 5 April 1937 Sheffield Wednesday H 1–0 11,573 Westland
39 10 April 1937 Everton H 2–1 17,646 Westland, Mercer (o.g.)
40 17 April 1937 Bolton Wanderers A 0–0 12,000
41 24 April 1937 Brentford H 5–1 18,349 Steele (3), Antonio, Matthews
42 1 May 1937 Grimsby Town A 3–1 8,000 Steele (2), Johnson

FA Cup

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Round Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Scorers
R3 16 January 1937 Birmingham H 4–1 31,480 Steele (3), Johnson
R4 30 January 1937 Preston North End A 1–5 23,866 Johnson

Squad statistics

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Pos. Name League FA Cup Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
GK   Norman Wilkinson 41 0 2 0 43 0
GK   Douglas Westland 1 0 0 0 1 0
DF   Harry Brigham 21 0 2 0 23 0
DF   James Harbot 1 0 1 0 2 0
DF   Charlie Scrimshaw 41 0 1 0 42 0
DF   Bill Winstanley 21 0 0 0 21 0
MF   Jock Kirton 12 0 2 0 14 0
MF   Bill Moore 2 0 0 0 2 0
MF   Frank Soo 31 0 0 0 31 0
MF   Arthur Turner 42 3 2 0 44 3
MF   Arthur Tutin 39 1 2 0 41 1
FW   George Antonio 20 3 2 0 22 3
FW   Frank Baker 4 0 0 0 4 0
FW   Harry Davies 23 1 0 0 23 1
FW   Syd Fursland 2 1 0 0 2 1
FW   Joe Johnson 36 13 2 2 38 15
FW   Owen Johnson 0 0 0 0 0 0
FW   Bobby Liddle 20 1 0 0 20 1
FW   Stanley Matthews 40 7 2 0 42 7
FW   Syd Peppitt 3 0 0 0 3 0
FW   Billy Robson 6 3 0 0 6 3
FW   Freddie Steele 35 33 2 3 37 36
FW   James Westland 21 4 2 0 23 4
Own goals 2 0 2

References

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