1897–98 Stoke F.C. season

Stoke
1897–98 season
Chairman Mr J Fenton
Manager Horace Austerberry
Stadium Victoria Ground
Football League First Division 16th (24 Points)
FA Cup Second Round
Top goalscorer League: William Maxwell (11)
All: William Maxwell (12)
Highest home attendance 15,000 vs Bury (27 December 1897)
Lowest home attendance 2,000 vs Nottingham Forest (20 November 1897)
Average home league attendance 7,350
Home colours

The 1897–98 season was Stoke's ninth season in the Football League.

It was another season of struggle for Stoke who finished bottom of the First Division on goal average level on points with five teams. They entered the test matches for the second time against Newcastle United and Burnley and again came out victorious. However it was in controversial circumstances as in the final test match against Burnley, both sides needed a draw to be in the First Division for next season and for 90 minutes the Stoke and Burnley players didn't attempt to win and the match finished in a 0–0 draw. After this obvious exploitation of the rules the league scrapped the test match system in favour of automatic promotion and relegation.[1]

Season Review

League

In September 1897 Horace Austerberry was appointed secretary-manager of Stoke in succession of Bill Rowley who became general secretary.[1] Also Mr J. T. Fenton assumed the role of chairman taking over from Mr. S. Barker.[1] The Stoke directors continued to search in Scotland for quality players following the success of William Maxwell and they did find one in the form of Alex Raisbeck who went on to gain international caps for his country unfortunately he only played eight matches for Stoke before deciding to join Liverpool.[1]

The bottom five teams in the First Division finished with 24 points but Stoke had the poorest goal average of them all and took bottom spot.[1] They had to play the top two sides from the Second Division, Burnley and Newcastle United.[1] Stoke came through successfully, beating each side once and drawing with Burnley to stay up.[1]

In the final test match Stoke and Burnley needed a draw to be in the First Division next season.[1] It finished 0–0 after a farcical 90 minutes during which neither side put in a challenge or had a shot at goal and at one point a few fans in the crowd held on to the ball and refused to return it to the players.[1] After this obvious exploit of the rules the league scraped the test match system in favour of automatic promotion and relegation.[1]

FA Cup

Stoke beat Bury 2–1 in the first round but crashed out 5–1 to Everton in the second round replay.[1]

Final league table

PosClubPWDLFAGAPts
1Sheffield United30178556311.80642
2Sunderland30165943301.43337
3Wolverhampton Wanderers30147957411.39035
4Everton30139848391.23135
5The Wednesday301531251421.21433
6Aston Villa301451161511.19633
7West Bromwich Albion301110944450.97832
8Nottingham Forest301191047490.95931
9Liverpool301161348451.06728
10Derby County301161357610.93428
11Bolton Wanderers301141528410.68326
12Preston North End30881435430.81424
13Notts County30881436460.78324
14Bury30881439510.76524
15Blackburn Rovers307101339540.72224
16Stoke30881435550.63624

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 First Division

MatchDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
1 2 September 1897 Notts CountyH2–03,500Maxwell (2)
2 4 September 1897 LiverpoolH2–24,000Maxwell, T Hill
3 11 September 1897 Sheffield UnitedA3–410,000Maxwell (2), Thickett (o.g.)
4 18 September 1897 Blackburn RoversH2–18,000Mellor, Schofield
5 25 September 1897 West Bromwich AlbionA0–28,200
6 2 October 1897 Derby CountyH2–15,000Wood, Maxwell
7 9 October 1897 LiverpoolA0–416,000
8 16 October 1897 Wolverhampton WanderersH0–210,000
9 23 October 1897 Notts CountyA0–44,000
10 30 October 1897 West Bromwich AlbionH0–06,400
11 6 November 1897 Derby CountyA1–410,000T Hill
12 8 November 1897 Preston North EndH1–25,000J Hill
13 13 November 1897 Bolton WanderersA1–22,000Pugh
14 20 November 1897 Nottingham ForestH1–22,000Wood
15 4 December 1897 SunderlandA0–43,500
16 11 December 1897 Sheffield UnitedH2–17,000J Hill, Hingerty
17 18 December 1897 Aston VillaH0–011,000
18 25 December 1897 The WednesdayA0–46,000
19 27 December 1897 BuryH3–115,000J Hill, Maxwell, Murphy
20 1 January 1898 BuryA3–37,000Mellor, Hingerty, Pray (o.g.)
21 8 January 1898 SunderlandH0–110,000
22 15 January 1898 Bolton WanderersH2–04,000J Hill, Johnson
23 17 January 1898 EvertonA1–14,000Maxwell
24 5 February 1898 Wolverhampton WanderersA2–47,000Maxwell, J Hill
25 19 February 1898 Nottingham ForestA1–38,000Maxwell
26 5 March 1898 Preston North EndA0–06,000
27 26 March 1898 The WednesdayH2–14,000Schofield (2)
28 2 April 1898 Aston VillaA1–110,000Molyneux
29 8 April 1898 Blackburn RoversA1–16,000Schofield
30 9 April 1898 EvertonH2–06,000Molyneux, Maxwell

Test matches

DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
20 April 1898 Newcastle UnitedA1–25,000Kennedy
23 April 1898 Newcastle UnitedH1–014,000Maxwell
26 April 1898 BurnleyA2–03,000Schofield, Raisbeck
30 April 1898 BurnleyH0–015,000

FA Cup

Main article: 1897–98 FA Cup
RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
R129 January 1898 BuryA2–13,000J Hill, Mellor
R212 February 1898 EvertonH0–025,000
R2 Replay17 February 1898 EvertonA1–510,000J Hill

Squad statistics

Pos. Name League FA Cup Test Matches Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
GK Zeke Johnston 2203000250
GKEngland Fred Sheldon 30000030
GKEngland Tom Wilkes 50004090
FBEngland Peter Durber 1001000110
FBEngland Jack Eccles 2703040340
FBScotland Tom Robertson 2302020270
HBScotland Jimmy Grewer 90000090
HBScotland Jimmy McGeachan 40200060
HBEngland Joe Murphy 3013040371
HBEngland Edward Parsons 60100070
HB Joe Ponsonby 50000050
HBScotland Alex Raisbeck 40004181
HBEngland Arthur Rowley 1801020210
HBEngland Alf Wood 1922040252
FWScotland Jimmy Hill 2153200247
FWEngland Tom Hill 52000052
FWEngland Jim Hingerty 1022000122
FWEngland Freddie Johnson 1210040161
FWScotland Jack Kennedy 20004161
FWScotland William Maxwell 211120312612
FWEngland Harry Mellor 2023130263
FWEngland Fred Molyneux 52002072
FWWales Harry Pugh 1812000201
FWEngland Joe Schofield 2742041335
FWEngland Jack Shaffery 40100050
Own goals 2002

References

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

See also

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