1953–54 Stoke City F.C. season

Stoke City
1953–54 season
Chairman Mr T. Duddell
Manager Frank Taylor
Stadium Victoria Ground
Football League Second Division 11th (41 Points)
FA Cup Fourth Round
Top goalscorer League: Frank Bowyer (14)
All: Frank Bowyer (18)
Highest home attendance 26,790 vs Leeds United (16 January 1953)
Lowest home attendance 5,804 vs Plymouth Argyle (26 April 1954)
Average home league attendance 18,009
Home colours

The 1953–54 season was Stoke City's 47th season in the Football League and the 14th in the Second Division.

During the summer of 1953 Taylor began moving on a number of former favourites as he began at stamp his mark on the club however with not much money to spend the squad had a decidedly mid-table look. And so it turned out to be as Stoke were very average and with seventeen draws they finished in eleventh position as Taylor struggled to find his most successful team.[1]

Season review

League

With Stoke now in the Second Division manager Frank Taylor decided to clear out some of the long serving players.[1] Dennis Herod and Leslie Johnston both joined Shrewsbury Town and Jock Kirton left for Bradford City. Taylor and a relatively new board, saw no quick way back into the First Division and there would be no panic buying. Taylor insisted that he would buy if necessary but would be looking to bring players through the youth and reserve ranks at the club.[1]

There was then, a distinct mid-table look about the Stoke City squad as the 1953–54 season got underway and Taylor like so many other managers heard of the impressive young duo at nearby Crewe Alexandra that of Johnny King and Frank Blunstone.[1] In September he made his move for the pair and signed King for £8,000 but could not afford Blunstone who went on to Chelsea.[1] He also signed Scottish pair Bobby Cairns and Joe Hutton to boost his midfield.[1] However it was very dull season for the supporters as there was seventeen draws during the season with 1–1 being the most popular scoreline.[1] The season's average attendance fell to 18,000, 10,000 down on the previous season.[1] Stoke did however manage to record their highest league away win beating Bury 6–0 on 13 March 1954 at Gigg Lane.[1] However there was great sadness at the end of the season as in May 1954 former long serving defender and manager Bob McGrory died at the age of 62 just two years after he ended his 31-year association with the club.[1]

FA Cup

After soundly beating Hartlepool United 6–2 in the third round with Frank Bowyer scoring four Stoke lost to Leicester City after a replay.[1]

Final league table

PosClubPWDLFAGAPts
1Leicester City422310997601.61756
2Everton422016692581.58656
3Blackburn Rovers422391086501.72055
4Nottingham Forest4220121086591.45852
5Rotherham United422171480671.19449
6Luton Town4218121264591.08548
7Birmingham City4218111378581.34547
8Fulham4217101598851.15344
9Bristol Rovers4214161264581.10344
10Leeds United4215131489811.09943
11Stoke City4212171371601.18341
12Doncaster Rovers421691759630.93741
13West Ham United421591867690.97139
14Notts County4213131654740.73039
15Hull City421662064660.97038
16Lincoln City421491965830.78337
17Bury4211141754720.75036
18Derby County4212111964820.78035
19Plymouth Argyle429161765820.79334
20Swansea Town421382158820.70734
21Brentford4210112140780.51331
22Oldham Athletic42892540890.44925

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 19 August 1953 BrentfordH1 – 122,403Oscroft
2 22 August 1953 FulhamA1 – 028,000Finney
3 24 August 1953 Derby CountyH2 – 223,689Finney (2)
4 29 August 1953 West Ham UnitedH1 – 120,744Connor
5 2 September 1953 Derby CountyA1 – 118,222Finney
6 5 September 1953 Leeds UnitedA1 – 127,000Oscroft
7 7 September 1953 Leicester CityA0 – 425,000
8 12 September 1953 Birmingham CityH3 – 222,853Oscroft, Bowyer, Mountford (pen)
9 14 September 1953 Leicester CityH2 – 219,367Malkin (2)
10 19 September 1953 Nottingham ForestA4 – 522,690Malkin (2), Bowyer, Sellars
11 21 September 1953 Rotherham UnitedA2 – 213,161Malkin, Finney
12 26 September 1953 Luton TownH1 – 124,082King
13 3 October 1953 Plymouth ArgyleA1 – 116,000Oscroft
14 10 October 1953 Blackburn RoversH3 – 023,329Bowyer, Thomson (2)
15 17 October 1953 Doncaster RoversA0 – 110,000
16 24 October 1953 BuryH4 – 019,250Bowyer, Malkin, Siddall, Oscroft
17 31 October 1953 Oldham AthleticA0 – 115,703
18 7 November 1953 EvertonH2 – 418,696Bowyer, Bourne
19 14 November 1953 Hull CityA2 – 126,581Bowyer, Siddall
20 21 November 1953 Notts CountyH0 – 117,396
21 28 November 1953 Lincoln CityA1 – 114,674Siddall
22 5 December 1953 Bristol RoversH3 – 213,178Siddall (2), Malkin
23 12 December 1953 BrentfordA0 – 012,338
24 19 December 1953 FulhamH1 – 313,884King
25 26 December 1953 Swansea TownA2 – 218,239Oscroft, Finney
26 28 December 1953 Swansea TownH5 – 017,785King (3), Bowyer, Hutton
27 16 January 1954 Leeds UnitedH4 – 026,790Hutton, Oscroft (2), Malkin
28 23 January 1954 Birmingham CityA0 – 125,199
29 6 February 1954 Nottingham ForestH1 – 117,345Bowyer
30 13 February 1954 Luton TownA1 – 015,000Malkin
31 27 February 1954 Blackburn RoversA0 – 327,100
32 6 March 1954 Doncaster RoversH2 – 213,061Bowyer, King
33 13 March 1954 BuryA6 – 013,763Bowyer (2), King, Oscroft (2), Hart (o.g.)
34 20 March 1954 Oldham AthleticH0 – 114,632
35 27 March 1954 Notts CountyA1 – 215,632King
36 3 April 1954 Lincoln CityH4 – 111,371King (2), Malkin, Bowyer
37 10 April 1954 EvertonA1 – 146,411Oscroft
38 12 April 1954 West Ham UnitedA2 – 210,523Coleman (2)
39 17 April 1954 Hull CityH0 – 117,371
40 19 April 1954 Rotherham UnitedH1 – 113,974Oscroft
41 24 April 1954 Bristol RoversA2 – 322,687Oscroft, Bowyer
42 26 April 1954 Plymouth ArgyleH3 – 25,804Bowyer, King, Coleman

FA Cup

Main article: 1953–54 FA Cup
RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
R39 January 1954 Hartlepool UnitedH6 – 223,927Bowyer (4), King, Hutton
R430 January 1954 Leicester CityH0 – 039,066
R4 Replay2 February 1954 Leicester CityA1 – 320,000Malkin

Squad statistics

Pos. Name League FA Cup Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
GKWales Frank Elliott 10000100
GKEngland Bill Robertson 32030350
DFEngland Roy Beckett 400040
DFEngland George Bourne 42130451
DFEngland John Cotton 200020
DFEngland John McCue 36030390
DFScotland Ken Thomson 40230432
MFEngland Bill Asprey 100010
MFScotland Bobby Cairns 500050
MFEngland Des Farrow 500050
MFEngland Frank Mountford 41130441
MFEngland John Sellars 15100151
FWEngland Frank Bowyer 4114344418
FWEngland Neville Coleman 530053
FWEngland Harold Connor 210021
FWEngland Bill Finney 25600256
FWScotland Joe Hutton 7231103
FWEngland Johnny King 2411312712
FWEngland John Malkin 3910314211
FWEngland Alan Martin 38030410
FWEngland Harry Oscroft 3313303613
FWEngland Brian Siddall 10500105
FWEngland Arthur Woodall 100010
FWEngland Donald Whiston 400040
Own goals 101

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 1.9 1.10 Matthews, Tony (1994). The Encyclopaedia of Stoke City. Lion Press. ISBN 0-9524151-0-0.

See also