1937–38 Stoke City F.C. season

The 1937–38 season was Stoke City's 38th season in the Football League and the 24th in the First Division.

Stoke City
1937–38 season
ChairmanMr H. Booth
ManagerBob McGrory
StadiumVictoria Ground
Football League First Division17th (38 Points)
FA CupFourth Round
Top goalscorerLeague: Freddie Steele
(15)

All: Freddie Steele
(15)
Highest home attendance40,000 vs Arsenal
(23 October 1937)
Lowest home attendance11,787 vs Brentford
(4 December 1937)
Average home league attendance24,970

It was a very up and down season for Stoke as they began well beating Derby County 8–1 in September to take them to the top of the table. However the season was dominated by a contract dispute between the board of directors and that of Stanley Matthews. Stoke's form dropped and they ended up being in a relegation fight which was won thanks to a 2–0 victory over Liverpool on the final day of the season.[1]

Season review

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League

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The family atmosphere within the club was still thriving, with the directors encouraging players to pay a 'thrift scheme' which would help the club financially but they received a major jolt when Stanley Matthews disputed the level of benefit to which he was entitled at the end of the season.[1] Matthews did in fact refuse to re-sign for the new campaign stating that a player of his standing should receive the full £650 benefit rather than the normal £500.[1] As a result Stoke held him to his previous contract and Matthews was 21 days over the deadline before signing.[1]

There were no major close season transfers, either in or out of the club but like previous seasons this proved to be no bad thing as the 1937–38 season got under way and, after a fine 8–1 victory over Derby County in mid September Stoke climbed to the top of the league.[1] Sadly though as in the past injuries again interrupted the managers team and formation plans as both Freddie Steele and Charlie Scrimshaw suffered long term injuries.[1] In November 1937 Stoke accepted a £6,000 offer from West Bromwich Albion for Joe Johnson and in his place Bob McGrory selected Frank Baker.[1] In October 1937 Stoke played Scottish champions Rangers in a benefit match for the victims of the Holditch Colliery disaster, raising £2,000 for the relief fund.[1] A good sized crowd saw an entertaining 0–0 draw.[1]

However in the league Stoke's form fell away and Stoke slipped down the table and their performances were of 'poor quality' according to the local paper.[1] In February and March with relegation a distinct possibility McGrory went out and signed Clement Smith from Chester, brought back Tommy Sale from Blackburn Rovers and swapped veteran Harry Davies for Port Vale's Tommy Ward.[1] Stoke's injury jinx continued and with one game left at home to Liverpool Stoke required victory to keep their place in the First Division.[1] To add to the drama star striker Freddie Steele arranged to get married on the morning of the match, he made it to the ground on time and scored a vital goal as Stoke won 2–0 to remain in the top division.[1]

However the season was dominated by the continuing frictions between Matthews and the club board and in February 1938 Matthews handed in a transfer request after a fall out with manager Bob McGrory.[1] Around 4,000 Stoke fans met with the directors at the King's Hall to see the board of directors come to the conclusion that Matthews must not leave.[1] Matthews refused and reiterated his request to leave.[1] Stoke rejected his request and Matthews wrote to the local paper thanking the fans for there support and he forged an uneasy truce with the management and board.[1] Matthews pledged to do his best for his home town club and he did so until 1947 when he joined Blackpool.[1]

FA Cup

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Stoke exited at the fourth round this season losing at home 2–1 to Bradford Park Avenue in a replay.[1]

Final league table

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Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GAv Pts
15 Huddersfield Town 42 17 5 20 55 68 0.809 39
16 Leicester City 42 14 11 17 54 75 0.720 39
17 Stoke City 42 13 12 17 58 59 0.983 38
18 Birmingham 42 10 18 14 58 62 0.935 38
19 Portsmouth 42 13 12 17 62 68 0.912 38
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 28 August 1937 Birmingham H 2–2 27,475 Matthews, Steele
2 30 August 1937 West Bromwich Albion A 1–0 22,113 Tutin
3 4 September 1937 Middlesbrough A 1–2 28,000 Soo
4 6 September 1937 West Bromwich Albion H 4–0 20,320 Steele (3), Shaw (o.g.)
5 11 September 1937 Derby County H 8–1 32,954 Steele (5), Westland (3)
6 15 September 1937 Liverpool A 0–3 30,000
7 18 September 1937 Portsmouth H 3–1 22,580 Steele (2), Baker
8 25 September 1937 Chelsea A 1–2 30,000 Westland
9 2 October 1937 Charlton Athletic H 2–0 32,835 Steele, Baker
10 9 October 1937 Preston North End A 1–2 20,000 Matthews
11 16 October 1937 Manchester City A 0–0 41,207
12 23 October 1937 Arsenal H 1–1 40,000 Liddle
13 30 October 1937 Blackpool A 1–0 13,000 Baker
14 6 November 1937 Wolverhampton Wanderers H 1–1 37,930 Baker
15 13 November 1937 Bolton Wanderers A 0–1 25,000
16 20 November 1937 Sunderland H 0–0 31,813
17 27 November 1937 Everton A 0–3 20,000
18 4 December 1937 Brentford H 3–0 11,787 Matthews (2), Steele
19 11 December 1937 Leicester City A 0–2 12,000
20 18 December 1937 Huddersfield Town H 0–1 16,302
21 25 December 1937 Grimsby Town A 5–1 20,000 Baker (2), Westland, Antonio, Peppitt
22 27 December 1937 Grimsby Town H 1–1 33,918 Baker
23 1 January 1938 Birmingham A 1–1 25,000 Steele
24 15 January 1938 Middlesbrough H 3–0 13,825 Baker, Matthews, Westland
25 29 January 1938 Portsmouth A 0–2 15,000
26 2 February 1938 Derby County A 1–4 6,000 Westland
27 5 February 1938 Chelsea H 2–1 22,509 Baker, Ward
28 19 February 1938 Preston North End H 1–1 30,455 Ward
29 26 February 1938 Manchester City H 3–2 20,000 Ward (2), Matthews
30 2 March 1938 Charlton Athletic A 0–3 16,000
31 5 March 1938 Arsenal A 0–4 35,000
32 12 March 1938 Blackpool H 1–3 24,778 Baker
33 19 March 1938 Wolverhampton Wanderers A 2–2 35,000 Sale, Smith
34 26 March 1938 Bolton Wanderers H 3–2 19,249 Sale (3)
35 2 April 1938 Sunderland A 1–1 28,000 Sale
36 9 April 1938 Everton H 1–1 15,003 Peppitt
37 16 April 1938 Brentford A 0–0 35,000
38 18 April 1938 Leeds United H 0–1 24,933
39 19 April 1938 Leeds United A 1–2 20,000 Peppitt
40 23 April 1938 Leicester City H 1–2 16,355 Soo
41 2 May 1938 Huddersfield Town A 0–3 17,000
42 7 May 1938 Liverpool H 2–0 21,408 Baker, Steele

FA Cup

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Round Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Scorers
R3 8 January 1938 Derby County A 2–1 28,768 Baker, Bell (o.g)
R4 22 January 1938 Bradford Park Avenue A 1–1 31,347 Soo
R4 Replay 26 January 1938 Bradford Park Avenue H 1–2 7,000 Soo

Squad statistics

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Pos. Name League FA Cup Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
GK   Douglas Westland 1 0 1 0 2 0
GK   Norman Wilkinson 41 0 2 0 43 0
DF   John Bamber 6 0 0 0 6 0
DF   Harry Brigham 32 0 3 0 35 0
DF   Jack Challinor 31 0 3 0 34 0
DF   Charlie Scrimshaw 21 0 0 0 21 0
MF   Jock Kirton 9 0 3 0 12 0
MF   Bill Moore 2 0 0 0 2 0
MF   Billy Mould 10 0 0 0 10 0
MF   Clement Smith 5 1 0 0 5 1
MF   Frank Soo 42 2 3 2 45 4
MF   Arthur Tutin 34 1 3 0 37 1
MF   Arthur Turner 32 0 3 0 35 0
FW   George Antonio 24 1 3 0 27 1
FW   Frank Baker 41 11 3 1 44 12
FW   Bob Glassey 0 0 0 0 0 0
FW   Joe Johnson 1 0 0 0 1 0
FW   Bobby Liddle 21 1 0 0 21 1
FW   Syd Peppitt 4 3 1 0 5 3
FW   Stanley Matthews 38 6 3 0 41 6
FW   Alexander Ormston 6 0 0 0 6 0
FW   Billy Robson 2 0 0 0 2 0
FW   Tommy Sale 8 5 0 0 8 5
FW   Freddie Steele 23 15 0 0 23 15
FW   Tommy Ward 5 4 0 0 5 4
FW   James Westland 23 7 2 0 25 7
Own goals 1 1 2

References

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