1964–65 Stoke City F.C. season

The 1964–65 season was Stoke City's 58th season in the Football League and the 34th in the First Division.

Stoke City
1964–65 season
ChairmanMr G. Taylor
ManagerTony Waddington
StadiumVictoria Ground
Football League First Division11th (42 Points)
FA CupFourth Round
League CupFourth Round
Top goalscorerLeague: John Ritchie
(25)

All: John Ritchie
(29)
Highest home attendance43,431 vs Everton
(22 August 1964)
Lowest home attendance12,899 vs Birmingham City
(17 March 1965)
Average home league attendance25,787

Stoke's main aim for the 1964–65 season was to consolidate themselves in the First Division and despite having not the greatest run of results Stoke finished in a comfortable position of 11th. Stanley Matthews called time on his long and famous career on 6 February 1965 against Fulham at the age of 50 and 5 days.[1]

Season review

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League

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Manager Tony Waddington continued to improve the squad prior to the start of 1964–65 season with experienced players.[1] This policy found favour with the fans, the quality of an attack that included Peter Dobing, Dennis Viollet and Jimmy McIlroy was there for all too see, and local prospects flourished alongside this impressive forward line.[1] One of whom was John Ritchie who was top scorer in 1964–65 with 25 league goals including four against Sheffield Wednesday who would sign Ritchie in 1966.[1]

On 6 February 1965 Stanley Matthews again entered the record books when at the age of 50 years and five days he turned out for Stoke one last time against Fulham, Stoke won the match 3–1.[1] To say thank you to Matthews, Stoke arranged a match against a team of international star players which was broadcast live to an estimated worldwide audience of 112 million.[1]

More players arrived at Stoke during the season with the arrivals of Maurice Setters, Roy Vernon and Harry Burrows helping Stoke to finish in 11th position, winning and losing 16 matches.[1]

FA Cup

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After an impressive 4–1 win against Blackpool Stoke drew 0–0 with Manchester United before losing 1–0 at a foggy Old Trafford.[1]

League Cup

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Stoke, last season's runners-up, had a poor League Cup campaign this season as they needed a replay to beat Shrewsbury Town, then edged past Southend United before losing 3–1 away at Plymouth Argyle in a replay.[1]

Final league table

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Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GAv Pts Qualification or relegation
9 West Ham United 42 19 4 19 82 71 1.155 42 Qualification for the Cup Winners' Cup first round[a]
10 Blackburn Rovers 42 16 10 16 83 79 1.051 42
11 Stoke City 42 16 10 16 67 66 1.015 42
12 Burnley 42 16 10 16 70 70 1.000 42
13 Arsenal 42 17 7 18 69 75 0.920 41
Source: World Football
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal average; 3) Goals scored
Notes:
  1. ^ West Ham United qualified for the European Cup Winners' Cup as the Cup Winners' Cup winners.

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 22 August 1964 Everton H 0–2 43,431
2 26 August 1964 Sheffield United A 1–0 17,368 Viollet
3 29 August 1964 Birmingham City A 2–1 20,692 Ritchie, Bebbington
4 2 September 1964 Sheffield United H 0–1 27,489
5 5 September 1964 West Ham United H 3–1 26,420 Viollet, Dobing, Bebbington
6 9 September 1964 Tottenham Hotspur H 2–0 36,897 Viollet (2)
7 12 September 1964 West Bromwich Albion A 3–5 36,897 Viollet, Ritchie (2)
8 16 September 1964 Tottenham Hotspur A 1–2 33,350 Ritchie
9 19 September 1964 Manchester United H 1–2 40,031 Ritchie
10 26 September 1964 Fulham A 4–1 15,177 Ritchie (2), Viollet, Dobing
11 3 October 1964 Nottingham Forest H 1–1 28,913 Philpott
12 7 October 1964 Blackburn Rovers A 1–1 12,509 Palmer
13 10 October 1964 Leeds United H 2–3 27,651 Ritchie, Kinnell
14 17 October 1964 Chelsea A 0–4 28,650
15 24 October 1964 Leicester City H 3–3 24,551 Ritchie (2), Palmer
16 31 October 1964 Sunderland A 2–2 33,303 Dobing, Palmer
17 7 November 1964 Wolverhampton Wanderers H 0–2 27,776
18 14 November 1964 Aston Villa A 0–3 19,789
19 21 November 1964 Liverpool H 1–1 28,816 Ritchie
20 28 November 1964 Sheffield Wednesday A 1–1 17,266 Ritchie
21 5 December 1964 Blackpool H 4–2 17,360 Palmer (2), Dobing, Viollet
22 12 December 1964 Everton A 1–1 31,713 Palmer
23 26 December 1964 Arsenal A 2–3 26,663 Ritchie (2)
24 28 December 1964 Arsenal H 4–1 20,491 Ritchie (2) (1 pen), Viollet, McIlroy
25 2 January 1965 West Ham United A 1–0 23,913 Viollet
26 16 January 1965 West Bromwich Albion H 2–0 25,405 Palmer, Viollet
27 23 January 1965 Manchester United A 1–1 50,392 Bloor
28 6 February 1965 Fulham H 3–1 28,585 Viollet (2), Ritchie
29 13 February 1965 Nottingham Forest A 1–3 21,829 Palmer
30 27 February 1965 Chelsea H 0–2 27,965
31 13 March 1965 Blackburn Rovers H 1–1 19,284 Viollet
32 17 March 1965 Birmingham City H 2–1 12,899 Ritchie, Bebbington
33 20 March 1965 Wolverhampton Wanderers A 1–3 20,945 Burrows
34 27 March 1965 Aston Villa H 2–1 20,375 Woodward, Vernon
35 3 April 1965 Liverpool A 2–3 40,315 Burrows, Vernon
36 5 April 1965 Leeds United A 1–3 38,133 Setters
37 10 April 1965 Sheffield Wednesday H 4–1 16,047 Ritchie (4)
38 17 April 1965 Blackpool A 1–1 18,263 Ritchie
39 19 April 1965 Burnley H 2–0 19,781 Ritchie, Vernon
40 20 April 1965 Burnley A 0–1 13,398
41 24 April 1965 Sunderland H 3–1 20,593 Burrows, Ritchie, Vernon
42 26 April 1965 Leicester City A 1–0 8,717 Vernon

FA Cup

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Round Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Scorers
R3 9 January 1965 Blackpool H 4–1 38,651 Ritchie (2), Viollet (2)
R4 30 January 1965 Manchester United H 0–0 49,032
R4 Replay 3 February 1965 Manchester United A 0–1 50,874

League Cup

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Round Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Scorers
R2 23 September 1964 Shrewsbury Town H 1–1 13,531 Viollet
R2 Replay 29 September 1964 Shrewsbury Town A 1–0 15,304 Palmer
R3 10 October 1964 Southend United H 3–1 8,284 Ritchie, Bebbington, Bridgwood
R4 4 November 1964 Plymouth Argyle H 1–1 10,968 Ritchie
R4 Replay 11 November 1964 Plymouth Argyle A 1–3 15,381 Dobing

Friendlies

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Match Opponent Venue Result
1 Glentoran A 2–1
2 Ballymena United A 6–0
3 Manchester City A 2–1
4 Heart of Midlothian A 2–1
5 Bristol Rovers A 1–2
6 Greenock Morton A 1–2
7 Crewe Alexandra A 2–2
8 Sir Stanley Matthews XI H 6–4
9 Stævnet A 4–1
10 Stockholm XI A 1–0
11 Spartak Moscow A 0–1
12 Zenit Leningrad A 3–2
13 Finland XI A 9–1
14 IFK Eskilstuna A 3–1

Squad statistics

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Pos. Name League FA Cup League Cup Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
GK   Bobby Irvine 1 0 0 0 1 0 2 0
GK   Lawrie Leslie 41 0 3 0 4 0 48 0
DF   Tony Allen 37 0 3 0 3 0 43 0
DF   Bill Asprey 35 0 3 0 5 0 43 0
DF   Alan Bloor 15 1 2 0 4 0 21 1
DF   John Flowers 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0
DF   George Kinnell 40 1 3 0 3 0 46 1
DF   Eric Skeels 42 0 3 0 5 0 50 0
MF   Gerry Bridgwood 8 0 0 0 4 1 12 1
MF   Calvin Palmer 36 8 3 0 3 1 42 9
MF   Alan Philpott 12 1 0 0 4 0 16 1
MF   Maurice Setters 16 1 3 0 0 0 19 1
MF   John Woodward 3 1 0 0 0 0 3 1
FW   Keith Bebbington 23 3 0 0 4 1 27 4
FW   Harry Burrows 10 3 0 0 0 0 10 3
FW   Peter Dobing 23 4 1 0 4 1 28 5
FW   Gerry Jones 3 0 0 0 0 0 3 0
FW   Jimmy McIlroy 31 1 3 0 2 0 36 1
FW   Stanley Matthews 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
FW   John Ritchie 41 25 3 2 5 2 49 29
FW   Roy Vernon 10 5 0 0 0 0 10 5
FW   Dennis Viollet 34 13 3 2 3 1 40 16

References

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