Stoke
1919–20 season
ChairmanMr E.Reynish
ManagerArthur Shallcross
StadiumVictoria Ground
Football League Second Division10th (42 Points)
FA CupFirst Round
Top goalscorerLeague: David Brown
(13)

All: David Brown
(13)
Highest home attendance30,000 vs Birmingham
(6 December 1919)
Lowest home attendance5,000 vs South Shields
(24 April 1920)
Average home league attendance12,145

The 1919–20 season was Stoke's 20th season in the Football League and the second in the Second Division.

With the country back to normal after the hostilities in Europe, a full league programme was restored for the 1919–20 season and Stoke were able to take their place back in the Football League since 1908. Stoke had an up and down season as they went on runs of victories and then runs of defeats and unsurprisingly finished in a mid table position of 10th. The 1919–20 season also saw the Potteries derby become a league fixture as local club Port Vale were elected into the football league due to the expulsion of Leeds City. Stoke won the first league meeting between the two clubs 3–0 at Vale's Old Recreation Ground.[1]

Season review

League

During the war Stoke had some success as they impressed in the Lancashire section of the war league.[1] There was of course sadness as seven players died fighting in the war.[1] These were goalkeeper Richard Herron, half-backs Henry Hargreaves and Stan Ripley and reserve team players George Limer, Jack Shorthouse, Tom Kinson and Bill Nixon.[1] Stoke's exploits in the War-League not only brought prestige and standing, but also swelled the coffers to the extent of financial stability.[1] It was hoped that the club was set from a bright future and, with virtually everyone retained who had acquitted themselves so well in the war period, promotion was the target.[1] Two Scottish players George Jarvis (from Celtic) and Jock Stirling (from Bradford Park Avenue) joined the forward ranks, whilst goalkeeper Tom Kay became first choice keeper and would go on to make 70 successive appearances.[1]

The 1919–20 season opened well with good sized crowds being entertained by a winning team.[1] Stoke collected maximum points in eleven of the first 15 matches and they only failed to score in one.[1] Bob Whittingham, who had been such a stalwart during the war, rejoined the club on a permanent transfer from Chelsea and at the same time (October) David Brown arrived from Dundee to give Stoke's forward line an impressive look.[1] But amazingly and completely out of context, Stoke's fortunes took a dramatic turn as they lost the next five matches.[1] The team did manage to recover and in the end finished in 10th spot. A mid-table position was acceptable since the club had sought, initially, to consolidate its position in the Second Division. But the supporters were disappointed with the end result after such a good start to the season.[1]

FA Cup

Fellow Second Division side Bury defeated Stoke in the first round 2–0.[1]

Final league table

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GAv Pts
8 Bristol City 42 13 17 12 46 43 1.070 43
9 South Shields[lower-alpha 1] 42 15 12 15 58 48 1.208 42
10 Stoke[lower-alpha 2] 42 18 6 18 60 54 1.111 42
11 Hull City 42 18 6 18 78 72 1.083 42
12 Barnsley 42 15 10 17 61 55 1.109 40
Source:
Notes:
  1. New club in the league; elected from North Eastern League
  2. New club in the league; elected from Southern League

Results

Stoke's score comes first

Legend

Win Draw Loss

Football League Second Division

MatchDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
130 August 1919BarnsleyH2–012,000Jarvis (2)
21 September 1919Hull CityA0–38,000
36 September 1919BarnsleyA2–17,000Jarvis, Tempest
48 September 1919Hull CityH3–110,000Jarvis (2), Maddock (pen)
513 September 1919BlackpoolH2–09,000Smith, Boxley
620 September 1919BlackpoolA1–36,000Herbert
727 September 1919West Ham UnitedH2–110,000Herbert (2)
84 October 1919West Ham UnitedA1–120,000Phillips
911 October 1919Stockport CountyH2–18,000Clarke, Stirling
1018 October 1919Stockport CountyA1–37,000Boxley
1125 October 1919Rotherham CountyH3–05,000Jarvis (2), Jones
121 November 1919Rotherham CountyA3–112,000Jarvis, Brown (2)
1315 November 1919Bristol CityA2–16,000Parker, Whittingham
1417 November 1919Bristol CityH2–08,000Whittingham, Twemlow (pen)
1522 November 1919Grimsby TownH3–05,000Jones (2), Jarvis
1629 November 1919Grimsby TownA0–24,000
176 December 1919BirminghamH0–130,000
1813 December 1919BirminghamA1–240,000Page
1920 December 1919Leicester CityA1–319,641Brown
2025 December 1919Coventry CityA2–315,000Brown, Whittingham
2126 December 1919Coventry CityH6–120,000Brown (2), Whittingham (2), Phillips (2)
2227 December 1919Leicester CityH3–015,000Brown (2), Whittingham
233 January 1920FulhamA0–010,000
2417 January 1920FulhamH1–07,000Parker
2524 January 1920Nottingham ForestH0–28,000
2628 January 1920Nottingham ForestA2–06,000Brown, Martin
277 February 1920Lincoln CityH1–310,000Whittingham
2814 February 1920Lincoln CityA1–28,000Jarvis
2921 February 1920BuryH1–112,000Twemlow (pen)
3028 February 1920BuryA0–112,000
316 March 1920Port ValeA3–022,697Whittingham, Brown, Watkin
3213 March 1920Port ValeH0–027,000
3320 March 1920Clapton OrientA1–28,000Brown
3427 March 1920Clapton OrientH2–018,000Brown, Maddock (pen)
353 April 1920Tottenham HotspurA0–240,000
365 April 1920Huddersfield TownH0–120,000
376 April 1920Huddersfield TownA0–330,000
3810 April 1920Tottenham HotspurH1–310,000Maddock (pen)
3917 April 1920South ShieldsA2–216,000Watkin (2)
4024 April 1920South ShieldsH0–05,000
4126 April 1920Wolverhampton WanderersA0–412,000
421 May 1920Wolverhampton WanderersH3–010,000Brown, Boxley (2)

FA Cup

RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
R110 January 1920BuryA0–212,000

Squad statistics

Pos. Name League FA Cup Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
GKEngland Tom Kay 42010430
DFEngland Percy Brooke 400040
DFEngland Jack Maddock 15300153
DFEngland Alec Milne 30010310
DFEngland George Smart 400040
DFEngland Billy Twemlow 33210342
MFEngland George Clarke 30110311
MFWales Joe Jones 15300153
MFEngland Charlie Parker 34210352
MFEngland Dickie Smith 33100331
MFEngland Harry Wootton 100010
FWEngland Tommy Bowyer 000000
FWEngland David Boxley 840084
FWScotland David Brown 3113103213
FWEngland Matthew Burton 300030
FWEngland Bill Charnley 200020
FWEngland Harry Crossthwaite 12000120
FWEngland Billy Herbert 11300113
FWScotland George Jarvis 3010103110
FWEngland James Martin 13100131
FWEngland Louis Page 12100121
FWEngland Wilf Phillips 13310143
FWScotland Jock Stirling 20110211
FWEngland Billy Tempest 36110371
FWEngland Billy Tompkinson 100010
FWEngland Arthur Watkin 11310123
FWEngland Bob Whittingham 18800188

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Matthews, Tony (1994). The Encyclopaedia of Stoke City. Lion Press. ISBN 0-9524151-0-0.
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