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

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

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

League

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

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

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

Stoke's score comes first

Legend

Win Draw Loss

Football League First Division

MatchDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
126 August 1933ChelseaH1–032,456Liddle
230 August 1933LiverpoolA1–120,000Sale
32 September 1933SunderlandA1–425,000Johnson
44 September 1933LiverpoolH1–128,868Davies
59 September 1933PortsmouthH2–129,292Davies, Sale
616 September 1933Huddersfield TownA2–212,000Liddle, Palethorpe
723 September 1933Derby CountyH0–432,273
830 September 1933Wolverhampton WanderersH1–129,289Davies
97 October 1933Sheffield UnitedA2–111,380Palethorpe (2)
1014 October 1933Aston VillaH1–137,511Turner (pen)
1121 October 1933West Bromwich AlbionA1–522,771Sale
1228 October 1933BirminghamH1–117,194Liddle
134 November 1933MiddlesbroughA1–66,748Davies
1411 November 1933Manchester CityH0–124,083
1518 November 1933ArsenalA0–340,000
1625 November 1933EvertonH1–219,838Liddle
172 December 1933Leeds UnitedA0–220,000
189 December 1933Blackburn RoversH2–013,618Liddle, Sale
1916 December 1933Newcastle UnitedA2–210,000Sale (pen), McArdle
2023 December 1933Sheffield WednesdayH0–110,000
2125 December 1933Leicester CityH2–111,200Sale, Bamber
2226 December 1933Leicester CityA1–320,000Matthews
2330 December 1933ChelseaA0–225,000
246 January 1934SunderlandH3–016,313Sale, Sellars, Davies
2520 January 1934PortsmouthA1–320,000Matthews
2629 January 1934Huddersfield TownH3–010,198Matthews, Sale, Soo
273 February 1934Derby CountyA1–521,200Matthews
2810 February 1934Wolverhampton WanderersA2–025,125Sale, Johnson
2922 February 1934Sheffield UnitedH3–014,997Johnson, Matthews, Davies
3024 February 1934Aston VillaA2–125,000Johnson (2)
318 March 1934West Bromwich AlbionH4–113,698Sale (3), Matthews
3210 March 1934BirminghamA1–016,000Sale
3317 March 1934MiddlesbroughH2–017,129Sale, Matthews
3424 March 1934Manchester CityA2–413,900Matthews, Johnson
3530 March 1934Tottenham HotspurA0–020,000
3631 March 1934ArsenalH1–143,163Matthews
372 April 1934Tottenham HotspurH2–032,000Johnson Ware
387 April 1934EvertonA2–225,000Ware (2)
3914 April 1934Leeds UnitedH1–216,262Ware
4021 April 1934Blackburn RoversA1–410,000Johnson
4128 April 1934Newcastle UnitedH2–112,225Matthews, Sale
425 May 1934Sheffield WednesdayA2–212,000Matthews, Liddle

FA Cup

RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
R33 January 1934Bradford Park AvenueH3–022,306Matthews, Sale, Soo
R427 January 1934BlackpoolH3–030,091Matthews, Sale, Soo
R52 February 1934ChelseaH3–142,213Matthews (2), Johnson
Quarter final3 March 1934Manchester CityA0–184,569

Squad statistics

Pos. Name League FA Cup Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
GKEngland Norman Lewis 12010130
GKWales Roy John 30030330
DFEngland John Bamber 210021
DFEngland Arthur Beachill 20000200
DFEngland Joe Buller 100010
DFEngland John Howshall 100010
DFEngland Charlie Scrimshaw 8020100
DFEngland Billy Spencer 31020330
DFScotland Bob McGrory 26040300
MFEngland Charlie Curtis 000000
MFEngland George Daniels 200020
MFEngland Peter Jackson 600060
MFEngland Peter McArdle 610061
MFScotland William Robertson 11000110
MFEngland Harry Sellars 38140421
MFEngland Arthur Turner 40140441
MFEngland Arthur Tutin 24040280
FWEngland Harry Davies 32630356
FWEngland Joe Johnson 36841409
FWEngland Bobby Liddle 33630366
FWEngland Stanley Matthews 2911443315
FWEngland Joe Mawson 200020
FWEngland Jack Palethorpe 11300113
FWEngland Billy Robson 200020
FWEngland Tommy Sale 3215423617
FWEngland Frank Soo 14122163
FWEngland Harry Ware 13400134

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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