1924–25 Stoke F.C. season

Stoke
1924–25 season
Chairman Mr A. McSherwin
Manager Tom Mather
Stadium Victoria Ground
Football League Second Division 20th (35 Points)
FA Cup First Round
Top goalscorer League: Harry Davies (8)
All: Harry Davies (8)
Highest home attendance 22,747 vs Port Vale (20 September 1924)
Lowest home attendance 4,806 vs Bradford City (1 January 1925)
Average home league attendance 11,030
Home colours

The 1924–25 season was Stoke's 25th season in the Football League and the sixth in the Second Division.

Following the squad clear-out by manager Tom Mather and with a number of new useful signings Stoke had a decent looking squad on paper going into the 1924–25 season. However the performances out on the pitch were poor and the team was almost relegated staying up by a single point.[1]

Season review

League

A strong new chairman emerged with the arrival in August 1924 of Mr A. McSherwin who had already spent eleven years on the board and he would go on to hold his position for the next twelve years.[1] After a period of real doubt, confidence started to emerge for the 1924–25 season and was certainly helped by Tom Mather replacing old players with new fresh talent.[1] Under new skipper Vic Rouse, Stoke started the season reasonably well and seemed to have the basis of a useful side with the likes of goalkeeper Bob Dixon, Bob McGrory, Alec Milne, Bert Ralphs, Harry Davies and Len Armitage in the squad.[1]

But overall performances on the pitch were below standard and the team went 12 matches without a win (1 January 1925 to 21 March 1925) and were almost relegated.[1] Four wins and three draws in their last eight matches ensured survival by the narrowest of margins, a single point.[1]

FA Cup

Stoke exited the cup at the first round going down to a poor 3–0 defeat at Leicester City.[1]

Final league table

PosClubPWDLFAGAPts
1Leicester City422411790322.81359
2Manchester United422311857232.47857
3Derby County422211971361.97255
4Portsmouth421518958501.16048
5Chelsea4216151151371.37847
6Wolverhampton Wanderers422061655511.07846
7Southampton4213181140361.11144
8Port Vale421781748560.85742
9South Shields4212171342381.10541
10Hull City4215111650491.02041
11Clapton Orient4214121642421.00040
12Fulham4215101741560.73240
13Middlesbrough4210191336440.81839
14The Wednesday421581950560.89338
15Barnsley4213121746590.78038
16Bradford City4213121737500.74038
17Blackpool421491965611.06637
18Oldham Athletic4213111835510.68637
19Stockport County4213111837570.64937
20Stoke4212111934460.73935
21Crystal Palace4212102038540.70434
22Coventry City421192245840.53631

Key: P = Matches played; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; F = Goals for; A = Goals against; GA = Goal average; Pts = Points

Results

Stoke's score comes first

Legend

Win Draw Loss

Football League Second Division

MatchDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
1 30 August 1924 Stockport CountyA0 – 26,000
2 1 September 1924 SouthamptonH2 – 014,806Davies (2)
3 6 September 1924 Manchester UnitedH0 – 018,105
4 8 September 1924 SouthamptonA0 – 310,000
5 13 September 1924 Leicester CityA1 – 015,000Armitage
6 20 September 1924 Port ValeH0 – 122,747
7 22 September 1924 ChelseaH1 – 08,527Sellars
8 27 September 1924 Coventry CityH4 – 111,338Davies, Watkin, Brough, Eyres
9 4 October 1924 Oldham AthleticA0 – 27,000
10 11 October 1924 The WednesdayH0 – 212,388
11 18 October 1924 Clapton OrientA2 – 05,000Kelly (2)
12 25 October 1924 MiddlesbroughA0 – 110,000
13 1 November 1924 BarnsleyH1 – 15,281Rouse
14 8 November 1924 Wolverhampton WanderersA0 – 115,000
15 15 November 1924 FulhamH1 – 18,916Eyres
16 22 November 1924 PortsmouthA0 – 010,000
17 29 November 1924 Hull CityH2 – 07,136Jones, Ralphs
18 6 December 1924 BlackpoolA2 – 110,000Kelly, Hallham
19 13 December 1924 Derby CountyH1 – 113,317Watkin
20 20 December 1924 South ShieldsA0 – 410,000
21 26 December 1924 Bradford CityA0 – 112,000
22 27 December 1924 Stockport CountyH3 – 010,993Hallham, Kelly (pen), Armitage
23 1 January 1925 Bradford CityH0 – 04,806
24 3 January 1925 Manchester UnitedA0 – 239,907
25 17 January 1925 Leicester CityH1 – 111,705Watkin
26 24 January 1925 Port ValeA0 – 217,214
27 31 January 1925 Coventry CityA1 – 310,000Rouse
28 7 February 1925 Oldham AthleticH0 – 17,656
29 14 February 1925 The WednesdayA1 – 220,000Davies
30 21 February 1925 Clapton OrientH0 – 110,120
31 28 February 1925 MiddlesbroughH0 – 111,807
32 7 March 1925 BarnsleyA1 – 18,500Davies
33 14 March 1925 Wolverhampton WanderersH0 – 320,000
34 21 March 1925 FulhamA0 – 110,000
35 28 March 1925 PortsmouthH2 – 19,920Clennell, Johnson
36 4 April 1925 Hull CityA0 – 07,000
37 10 April 1925 Crystal PalaceA1 – 010,000Johnson
38 11 April 1925 BlackpoolH3 – 115,912Johnson, Davies, Jones (o.g.)
39 13 April 1925 Crystal PalaceH1 – 112,000Johnson
40 18 April 1925 Derby CountyA2 – 110,000Davies (2)
41 25 April 1925 South ShieldsH0 – 013,875
42 27 April 1925 ChelseaA1 – 210,000Ralphs

FA Cup

Main article: 1924–25 FA Cup
RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
R110 January 1925 Leicester CityA0 – 330,000

Squad statistics

Pos. Name League FA Cup Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
GKScotland Kenny Campbell 900090
GKEngland Bob Dixon 33010340
DFEngland Tommy Howe 19000190
DFScotland Bob McGrory 40010410
DFEngland Alec Milne 18010190
MFEngland Tom Brittleton 800080
MFEngland Harry Brough 35100351
MFEngland Tommy Dawson 500050
MFEngland Peter Jackson 10000100
MFEngland Sam Johnson 800080
MFEngland Alec McClure 24010250
MFEngland Vic Rouse 31210322
MFEngland George Stentiford 300030
MFEngland John Walker 9010100
FWEngland Len Armitage 17210182
FWEngland Sid Blackie 200020
FWEngland Joe Clennell 910091
FWEngland Harry Davies 26800268
FWEngland John Evans 12000120
FWEngland Jack Eyres 14200142
FWEngland Charles Hallam 19200192
FWEngland Dick Johnson 13400134
FWEngland Alfred Jones 510051
FWEngland Charles Kelly 17410184
FWWales Dai Nicholas 700070
FWWales Edgar Powell 200020
FWEngland Bert Ralphs 42210432
FWEngland Harry Sellars 811091
FWEngland Arthur Watkin 14310153
FWEngland Bob White 300030
Own goals 101

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 Matthews, Tony (1994). The Encyclopaedia of Stoke City. Lion Press. ISBN 0-9524151-0-0.

See also