1935–36 Stoke City F.C. season

Stoke City
1935–36 season
Chairman Mr A.McSherwin
Manager Bob McGrory
Stadium Victoria Ground
Football League First Division 4th (47 Points)
FA Cup Fifth Round
Top goalscorer League: Tommy Sale (14)
All: Tommy Sale (15)
Highest home attendance 45,470 vs Arsenal (28 September 1935)
Lowest home attendance 8,374 vs Middlesbrough (21 December 1935)
Average home league attendance 21,586
Home colours

The 1935–36 season was Stoke City's 36th season in the Football League and the 22nd in the First Division.

In June 1935 long-serving defender Bob McGrory replaced Tom Mather as first-team manager and in his first season in charge Stoke went on to record their finest season up to this point finishing in 4th position in the First Division. They were never out of the top four for the last three months of the season and whilst they never really threatened runaway leaders Sunderland, Stoke were considered to be one of the best teams in the county.[1] The 1935–36 season finish of 4th is only matched by the performance by the Stoke team of the 1946–47 season.[1]

Season review

League

After last season Stoke went on a tour of Denmark winning all three matches against local opposition. On their return to England in June 1935, Bob McGrory replaced Tom Mather as manager.[1] Mather had been at the helm for over eleven years and did well in taking Stoke from Third Division football to the First.[1] It also spelt the end of McGrory's playing career in which he made 510 appearances for the club, a total not to be surpassed for 24 years.[1]

The first signing McGrory made was that of Huddersfield Town goalkeeper Norman Wilkinson he would prove to be a sound addition.[1] Despite this McGrory gave the squad a vote of confidence and indeed few clubs in the country showed little alteration to their squads than Stoke City.[1] Whilst it was 'as you were' on the playing side, Stoke appointed a host of new backroom staff and Arthur Turner was made club captain.[1] The supporters were disappointed that despite there being money available no new players arrived and their concerns were increased when the reserves beat the first team in a public friendly match.[1]

The supporters need not have worried as McGrory's first season turned out to be one of the finest in the clubs history as they achieved fourth place in the First Division. They were never out of the top four for the last three months of the season and were generally accepted as one of the countries most impressive sides.[1] With more players being promoted from the youth ranks Stoke looked set for a bright future.[1]

FA Cup

Stoke required replays to beat lower league Millwall and Manchester United but Barnsley knocked Stoke out 2–1 in the fifth round.[1]

Final league table

PosClubPWDLFAGAPts
1Sunderland4225611109741.47356
2Derby County4218121261521.17348
3Huddersfield Town4218121259561.05448
4Stoke City422071557571.00047
5Brentford4217121381601.35046
6Arsenal4215151278481.62545
7Preston North End421881667641.04744
8Chelsea4215131465720.90343
9Manchester City421781768601.13342
10Portsmouth421781754670.80642
11Leeds United4215111666641.03141
12Birmingham4215111661630.96841
13Bolton Wanderers4214131567760.88241
14Middlesbrough4215101784701.20040
15Wolverhampton Wanderers4215101777761.01340
16Everton4213131689891.00039
17Grimsby Town421752065730.89039
18West Bromwich Albion421662089881.01138
19Liverpool4213121760640.93838
20Sheffield Wednesday4213121763770.81838
21Aston Villa4213920811100.73635
22Blackburn Rovers421292155960.57333

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 31 August 1935 Leeds UnitedH3–122,549Johnson (2), Davies
2 4 September 1935 ChelseaA5–327,000Johnson, Davies, Sale (2), Matthews
3 7 September 1935 West Bromwich AlbionA0–225,000
4 9 September 1935 ChelseaH3–021,306Sale, Steele, Turner (pen)
5 14 September 1935 SunderlandH0–234,509
6 18 September 1935 LiverpoolA0–235,000
7 21 September 1935 BirminghamA5–012,000Matthews (3), Johnson (2)
8 28 September 1935 ArsenalH0–345,470
9 5 October 1935 Manchester CityA2–140,000Sale, Westland
10 12 October 1935 Preston North EndH2–121,876Sale, Turner (pen)
11 19 October 1935 BrentfordA0–030,000
12 26 October 1935 Derby CountyH0–027,384
13 2 November 1935 EvertonA1–534,000Johnson
14 9 November 1935 Bolton WanderersH1–221,668Sale
15 16 November 1935 Huddersfield TownA1–212,000Johnson
16 23 November 1935 PortsmouthH2–016,470Sale (2)
17 30 November 1935 Aston VillaA0–425,000
18 7 December 1935 Wolverhampton WanderersH4–116,000Sale (2), Liddle (2)
19 14 December 1935 Sheffield WednesdayA1–014,000Sale
20 21 December 1935 MiddlesbroughH1–18,374Matthews
21 25 December 1935 Blackburn RoversA1–021,976Matthews
22 26 December 1935 Blackburn RoversH2–023,000Sale (2)
23 28 December 1935 Leeds UnitedA1–412,000Steele
24 4 January 1936 West Bromwich AlbionH3–220,188Steele, Matthews, Liddle
25 18 January 1936 SunderlandA0–114,000
26 1 February 1936 ArsenalA0–147,000
27 6 February 1936 BirminghamH3–111,485Davies (2), Westland
28 8 February 1936 Manchester CityH1–027,386Westland
29 19 February 1936 Preston North EndA1–110,000Turner (pen)
30 22 February 1936 BrentfordH2–215,000Sale, Liddle
31 29 February 1936 Bolton WanderersA2–110,204Steele, Matthews
32 7 March 1936 Aston VillaH2–318,344Steele (2)
33 14 March 1936 Derby CountyA1–020,000Steele
34 21 March 1936 Huddersfield TownH1–022,000Matthews
35 28 March 1936 PortsmouthA0–217,000
36 4 April 1936 EvertonH2–118,717Turner, Matthews
37 10 April 1936 Grimsby TownA0–39,000
38 11 April 1936 Wolverhampton WanderersA1–120,000Steele
39 13 April 1936 Grimsby TownH1–022,770Hodgson (o.g.)
40 18 April 1936 Sheffield WednesdayH0–316,362
41 25 April 1936 MiddlesbroughA0–010,000
42 2 May 1936 LiverpoolH2–113,231Westland, Bradshaw (o.g.)

FA Cup

RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
R311 January 1936 MillwallA0–025,000
R3 Replay15 January 1936 MillwallH4–018,000Steele (3), Liddle
R425 January 1936 Manchester UnitedH0–025,000
R4 Replay28 January 1936 Manchester UnitedA2–035,000Sale, Robson
R515 February 1936 BarnsleyA1–240,245Davies

Squad statistics

Pos. Name League FA Cup Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
GKEngland Norman Lewis 17000170
GKEngland Norman Wilkinson 25050300
DFEngland Billy Spencer 15000150
DFEngland Charlie Scrimshaw 42050470
DFEngland Bill Winstanley 26050310
MFEngland Harry Sellars 600060
MFEngland Frank Soo 35050400
MFEngland Arthur Turner 42450474
MFEngland Arthur Tutin 42050470
FWEngland John Almond 200020
FWEngland George Antonio 100010
FWEngland Harry Davies 29451345
FWWales Syd Fursland 100010
FWEngland Joe Johnson 31700317
FWEngland Bobby Liddle 33451385
FWEngland Stanley Matthews 4010504510
FWEngland Billy Robson 001111
FWEngland Tommy Sale 3214513715
FWEngland Freddie Steele 298433311
FWScotland James Westland 14400144
Own goals 202

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Matthews, Tony (1994). The Encyclopaedia of Stoke City. Lion Press. ISBN 0-9524151-0-0.
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