1960–61 Stoke City F.C. season

Stoke City
1960–61 season
Chairman Albert Henshall
Manager Tony Waddington
Stadium Victoria Ground
Football League Second Division 18th (36 Points)
FA Cup Fifth Round
League Cup First Round
Top goalscorer League: Johnny King (12)
All: Johnny King (13)
Highest home attendance 14,690 vs Sunderland (22 August 1960)
Lowest home attendance 4,463 vs Liverpool (3 May 1961)
Average home league attendance 9,252
Home colours

The 1960–61 season was Stoke City's 54th season in the Football League and the 21st in the Second Division.

With the unsuccessful Frank Taylor now departed new manager Tony Waddington quickly began to stamp his mark on the club allowing a number of players to leave the club whilst bringing in his own replacements. It was obviously going to be a transitional season for the club but there was probably too much upheaval as performances out on the pitch were not good and despite a 9–0 win over Plymouth Argyle, Stoke finished in 18th place avoiding relegation by three points.[1]

Season review

League

A clear-out of players was under way in the summer of 1960 with two goalkeepers Bill Robertson and Wilf Hall both departing.[1] Also leaving the Victoria Ground was long serving defender John McCue and a number of fringe players.[1] To replace the hole left by the departure of the 'keepers Tony Waddington made his first signing, Irish international Jimmy O'Neill from Everton for £5,000.[1]

There were no instant improvements as Stoke searched for a sustained run of success. An attack that could not score regularly was a major problem and it was so bad that by Christmas time centre back Bill Asprey was moved up front and he impressed scoring twice in a 9–0 win over Plymouth Argyle and got a hat trick against Charlton Athletic.[1] That win over Plymouth is Stoke second highest league victory.[1] Ahead of the March transfer deadline, Waddington paid £7,000 to Blackpool for their winger Jackie Mudie whose vast experience brought guile to the attack.[1] Mudie effectively replaced Dennis Wilshaw who broke his leg in the FA Cup at Newcastle and had to retire.[1]

Stoke took 18th place in the Second Division at the end of Waddingtons first season in charge their away form letting them down badly with just three wins recorded and 12 goals scored. And for the first time since the 1907–08 season the average home attendance was under 10,000 as Waddington realised that much work was required to turn around the fortunes of Stoke City.[1]

FA Cup

In the FA Cup Stoke made it to the fifth round before losing to Newcastle United after beating West Ham United and a tricky three matches against Aldershot.[1]

League Cup

The 1960–61 season was also the start of a new cup competition the Football League Cup, Stoke made an embarrassing start losing 3–1 to Fourth Division Doncaster Rovers.[1] Stoke didn't even score as Rovers defender Tommy Hymers scored an own goal giving him the dubious honour of being Stoke's first League Cup goalscorer.[1]

Final league table

PosClubPWDLFAGAPts
1Ipswich Town422679100551.81859
2Sheffield United422661081511.58858
3Liverpool4221101187581.50052
4Norwich City422091370531.32149
5Middlesbrough4218121283741.12248
6Sunderland4217131275601.25047
7Swansea Town4218111377731.05547
8Southampton421881684811.03744
9Scunthorpe United4214151369641.07843
10Charlton Athletic4216111597911.06643
11Plymouth Argyle421781781820.98842
12Derby County4215101780801.00040
13Luton Town421591871790.89939
14Leeds United4214101875830.90438
15Rotherham United4212131765641.01637
16Brighton & Hove Albion421491961750.81337
17Bristol Rovers421572073920.79337
18Stoke City4212121851590.86436
19Leyton Orient421482055780.70536
20Huddersfield Town421392062710.87335
21Portsmouth4211112064910.70333
22Lincoln City42882648950.50524

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 20 August 1960 Plymouth ArgyleA1 – 321,138Bullock
2 22 August 1960 SunderlandH0 – 014,690
3 27 August 1960 Norwich CityH1 – 111,716Wilshaw
4 31 August 1960 SunderlandA0 – 419,007
5 3 September 1960 Charlton AthleticA1 – 38,147Ratcliffe
6 7 September 1960 PortsmouthA0 – 116,497
7 10 September 1960 Sheffield UnitedH2 – 011,328Wilshaw (2)
8 12 September 1960 PortsmouthH1 – 011,686King
9 17 September 1960 Derby CountyA1 – 114,432Asprey
10 24 September 1960 Swansea TownA0 – 09,520
11 1 October 1960 Luton TownH3 – 09,395Wilshaw (2), Bentley
12 8 October 1960 Leyton OrientH1 – 29,149Wilshaw
13 15 October 1960 Scunthorpe UnitedA1 – 18,777Bentley
14 22 October 1960 Ipswich TownH2 – 48,056Bentley, D Ward
15 29 October 1960 Brighton & Hove AlbionA1 – 08,791Wilshaw
16 5 November 1960 MiddlesbroughH1 – 19,019D Ward
17 12 November 1960 Leeds UnitedA1 – 013,535King
18 19 November 1960 SouthamptonH1 – 210,465King
19 26 November 1960 Rotherham UnitedA0 – 08,330
20 10 December 1960 Bristol RoversA0 – 113,407
21 17 December 1960 Plymouth ArgyleH9 – 06,479Asprey (2), King (3), Wilshaw, Ratcliffe (2), Fincham (o.g.)
22 24 December 1960 Huddersfield TownH2 – 210,029Wilshaw (2)
23 26 December 1960 Huddersfield TownA0 – 013,783
24 31 December 1960 Norwich CityA0 – 120,681
25 16 January 1961 Charlton AthleticH5 – 310,988Asprey (3), Bentley, Wilshaw
26 21 January 1961 Sheffield UnitedA1 – 413,865King
27 11 February 1961 Swansea TownH1 – 310,517Davies (o.g.)
28 23 February 1961 Luton TownA1 – 412,142Bullock
29 4 March 1961 Scunthorpe UnitedH2 – 012,567King, Mudie
30 11 March 1961 Ipswich TownA1 – 216,578King
31 18 March 1961 Bristol RoversH2 – 07,826Ratcliffe, Bullock (pen)
32 20 March 1961 Derby CountyH2 – 16,831Mudie, Bullock (pen)
33 25 March 1961 MiddlesbroughA0 – 18,534
34 31 March 1961 Lincoln CityA1 – 16,651Bullock
35 1 April 1961 Rotherham UnitedH1 – 48,241King
36 3 April 1961 Lincoln CityH0 – 06,383
37 8 April 1961 SouthamptonA1 – 012,927Mudie
38 10 April 1961 Leyton OrientA1 – 38,349King
39 15 April 1961 Leeds UnitedH0 – 07,130
40 22 April 1961 LiverpoolA0 – 313,389
41 29 April 1961 Brighton & Hove AlbionH0 – 25,232
42 3 May 1961 LiverpoolH3 – 14,463King, Bentley (2)

FA Cup

Main article: 1960–61 FA Cup
RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
R37 January 1961 West Ham UnitedA2 – 221,545Ratcliffe, Andrew
R3 Replay11 January 1961 West Ham UnitedH1 – 028,914Wilshaw
R428 January 1961 AldershotH0 – 018,289
R4 Replay1 February 1961 AldershotA0 – 0 (aet)16,489
R4 2nd Replay6 February 1961 AldershotN3 – 016,672Wilshaw (2), Asprey
R516 February 1961 Newcastle UnitedA1 – 346,170King

League Cup

RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
R218 October 1960 Doncaster RoversA1 – 35,694Hymers (o.g.)

Squad statistics

Pos. Name League FA Cup League Cup Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
GKEngland Geoff Hickson 10000010
GKRepublic of Ireland Jimmy O'Neill 4106010470
DFEngland Tony Allen 4206010490
DFEngland Ron Andrew 3706110441
DFEngland Eric Skeels 3706010440
DFEngland Terry Ward 2701010290
DFEngland Dennis Wilson 50400090
DFScotland Ron Wilson 10000010
MFEngland Bill Asprey 3564110407
MFEngland Gerry Bridgwood 10000010
MFScotland Bobby Cairns 60000060
MFScotland Bobby Howitt 3506010420
MFEngland Alan Philpott 10000010
FWAustralia John Anderson 1000000100
FWEngland Tony Bentley 2866010356
FWEngland Peter Bullock 1750000175
FWEngland Johnny King 411261104813
FWEngland Graham Matthews 20000020
FWScotland Jackie Mudie 1330000133
FWEngland Don Ratcliffe 4146110495
FWEngland Derrick Ward 1723010212
FWEngland Dennis Wilshaw 241163003014
Own goals 2013

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 1.9 1.10 1.11 Matthews, Tony (1994). The Encyclopaedia of Stoke City. Lion Press. ISBN 0-9524151-0-0.

See also