1908–09 Stoke F.C. season

Stoke
1908–09 season
Chairman Mr Rev. A Hurst
Manager Alfred Barker
Stadium Victoria Ground
Birmingham & District League 8th (31 Points)
FA Cup First Round
Top goalscorer League: William Davies (14)
All: William Davies (14)
Highest home attendance 12,000 vs Crewe Alexandra (23 January 1909)
Lowest home attendance 2,500 vs Halesowen (20 March 1909)
Average home league attendance 5,117
Home colours

The 1908–09 season was Stoke's first season in the Birmingham & District League.

With Stoke now out of the Football League they entered the Birmingham & District League for the 1908–09 season. With a new board, chairman, manager and squad Stoke used the season as a rebuilding one and the crowds began to return to the Victoria Ground. Stoke finished in eight place with 31 Points.[1]

Season review

League

Stoke now playing in the Birmingham & District League, which included the reserve teams of Aston Villa, Birmingham, West Brom and Wolves plus some other useful opposition.[1] With Alfred Barker now the manager the team itself was made up of an mixture of ex-professionals and amateurs.[1] Of those which remained with the club were William Davies, Ernest Mullineux, Fred Rathbone and Sam Baddeley.[1] Barker used 32 players during the season and eighth place was secured in the final league table.[1]

Crowds were often good and there were turnouts of 7,000+ for a few league matches which confirmed that the club still had its local support.[1] Wins of 7–0 over Wellington Town 5–0 over Walsall and 5–3 over Villa's second string were among the best performances while the nadir was an 8–1 defeat to West Brom reserves.[1] Stoke's goalkeeper against Albion was Harry Cotton who after the match was sacked by Barker.[1]

FA Cup

Stoke made a poor exit in the first round being well beaten 5–0 at Sheffield Wednesday.[1]

Final league table

PosClubPWDLFAGAPts
1Aston Villa Reserves342464118363.27754
2Crewe Alexandra34244699422.35752
3Wolverhampton Wanderers Reserves34216771461.54348
4West Bromwich Albion Reserves341861085431.97642
5Brierley Hill Alliance341481257541.05536
6Shrewsbury Town3411131051481.06235
7Kidderminster Harriers341361558850.68232
8Stoke341351671641.10931
9Worcester City341431771701.01431
10Stafford Rangers341191451630.80931
11Wrexham341431760760.78931
12Birmingham Reserves341171653730.72629
13Burton United341331848750.64029
14Stourbridge349101549570.85928
15Walsall341081647560.83928
16Wellington Town341151860860.69727
17Halesowen341141942830.50626
18Dudley Town341022255890.61722

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

Birmingham & District League

MatchDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
1 5 September 1908 Aston Villa ReservesH5–312,000Myatt (2), Owen (2), Davies
2 12 September 1908 WalsallA0–34,200
3 14 September 1908 StourbridgeA2–22,000Howshall (2)
4 19 September 1908 Crewe AlexandraA2–34,000Davies, Pitt
5 19 September 1908 Burton UnitedH0–14,000
6 26 September 1908 Kidderminster HarriersH3–14,500Greaves (2), Davies
7 3 October 1908 Brierley Hill AllianceA4–33,000Greaves (2), Davies, Pitt
8 10 October 1908 Wellington TownH7–05,000Millward (3), Horrocks (2), Pitt, Davies
9 17 October 1908 Worcester CityA1–52,500Davies
10 24 October 1908 Dudley TownH4–05,000Davies, Greaves, Horrocks, Pitt
11 31 October 1908 West Bromwich Albion ReservesA1–85,000Davies
12 7 November 1908 Birmingham ReservesH0–15,000
13 14 November 1908 HalesowenA0–2200
14 28 November 1908 Shrewsbury TownA1–32,000Gorman
15 5 December 1908 StourbridgeH2–05,000McAllister, Cook
16 12 December 1908 Stafford RangersA1–13,000Davies (pen)
17 19 December 1908 Wolverhampton Wanderers ReservesH3–14,000McAllister, Millward (2)
18 26 December 1908 Burton UnitedA1–23,000Davies
19 28 December 1908 WrexhamH4–26,000Davies (2), Hargraves (2)
20 2 January 1909 Aston Villa ReservesA1–45,000Hargraves
21 9 January 1909 WalsallH5–03,000Hargraves, Davies (2), Horrocks, Millward
22 23 January 1909 Crewe AlexandraH3–412,000Millward, Gorman (2)
23 30 January 1909 Kidderminster HarriersA2–32,500Hargraves, Horrocks
24 6 February 1909 Brierley Hill AllianceH2–03,000Millward, McAllister
25 13 February 1909 Wellington TownA1–12,000Baddeley
26 20 February 1909 Worcester CityH3–05,000Millward, Hargraves, Gorman
27 27 February 1909 Dudley TownA2–21,500Hargraves, Gorman
28 13 March 1909 Birmingham ReservesA1–03,000Hargraves
29 20 March 1909 HalesowenH0–12,500
30 27 March 1909 WrexhamA1–23,000Eardley
31 3 April 1909 Shrewsbury TownH1–23,000Bullock
32 17 April 1909 Stafford RangersH3–34,000Eardley, Hargraves, Gorman
33 19 April 1909 West Bromwich Albion ReservesH5–04,000Hargraves (2), Gorman, Millward, Kelly
34 26 April 1909 Wolverhampton Wanderers ReservesA0–13,000

FA Cup

RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
R116 January 1909 The WednesdayA0–58,000

Squad statistics

Pos. Name League FA Cup Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
GKEngland Jack Benton 101020
GKEngland Harry Cotton 200020
GKEngland Bert Miller 11000110
GKEngland Fred Rathbone 18000180
GKEngland Fred Wain 200020
FBEngland Harry Hutsby 31010320
FBEngland Charles James 500050
FBEngland Ernest Mullineux 29010300
FBEngland George Turner 15000150
FBEngland Jimmy Williams 200020
HBEngland Sam Baddeley 32110331
HBEngland Albert Cook 11100111
HBEngland William Harding 500050
HBEngland Dick Hawe 100010
HBEngland Chris Kelly 19110201
HBEngland Albert Pitt 31410324
HBEngland Josuah Turner 100010
FWEngland Albert Bullock 410041
FWEngland William Davies 2014102114
FWEngland Francis Eardley 320032
FWEngland Arthur Fielding 300030
FWEngland Thomas Greaves 10500105
FWEngland Edwin Griffiths 700070
FWEngland James Gorman 17700177
FWEngland Ade Hamnett 900090
FWEngland Fred Hargraves 1411101511
FWEngland Sam Howshall 120012
FWScotland Sam McAllister 15310163
FWEngland Ernie Millward 29910309
FWEngland Syd Owen 420042

References

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