1914–15 Stoke F.C. season

Stoke
1914–15 season
Chairman Mr E. Reynish
Manager Peter Hodge
Stadium Victoria Ground
Southern League Division Two 1st (38 points)
FA Cup Third Qualifying Round
Top goalscorer League: Arthur Watkin (24)
All: Arthur Watkin (31)
Highest home attendance 8,000 vs Brentford (25 December 1914)
Lowest home attendance 3,000 vs Swansea Town (17 September 1914)
Average home league attendance 4,625
Home colours

The 1914–15 season was Stoke's sixth and final season in the Southern Football League.

After the resignation of chairman Hurst and manager Alfred Barker, the board elected Mr E. Reynish as the new chairman and brought in Scotsman Peter Hodge as the club's new manager.[1] With war on the horizon, there was debate as to whether football should be cancelled; it wasn't, but a number of clubs in the Southern League Division Two withdrew, claiming it to be unpatriotic.[1] Stoke had a good season and won the division with 38 points, which prompted the club to seek re-election to the Football League. They were successful in their efforts and after seven seasons in the wilderness Stoke could finally reclaim their place in the Football League.[1] However, at the end of the season the league was indeed cancelled due to the war and Stoke would have to wait until 1919 to play league football.[1]

Season review

League

The 1914–15 season opened up against the backdrop of World War I and there was a lot of debate to whether the football should continue.[1] The season started but after a number of games several clubs resigned from the Southern League claiming it to be unpatriotic.[1] These teams were Caerphilly, Leyton, Mardy and Abertillery.[1] Their records were expunged and results against these clubs were void.[1]

Stoke, now under the management of 39-year-old Peter Hodge the former boss of Raith Rovers, led the Division from virtually from the start.[1] There was a familiar feeling to the squad with Dick Hope and Fred McCarthy the only players to come from outside the local area.[1] Two departures in 1914 were William Smith whose long term leg injury got the better of him and skipper Ernest Mullineux.[1] An impressive start was made to the 1914–15 season and a draw against Brentford on Christmas Day was only the third point Stoke had dropped.[1] Stoke went on to comfortably claim the league title. There was also the emergence of Arthur Watkin who top scored with 24 league goals.[1]

Stoke's success prompted them to apply for election to the Football League at the annual general meeting held on 19 July 1915.[1] The bottom two clubs Leicester Fosse and Glossop North End, were obliged to seek re-election, but Glossop only secured one vote, while Stoke took 21 and saw them duly re-instated in the league.[1] Later on in the meeting it was also announced that the League would be cancelled due to World War I and Stoke would have to wait longer to re-claim their place in the Football League.[1]

FA Cup

Stoke recorded their largest FA Cup victory this season an 11–0 victory over Stourbridge albeit in the preliminary round.[1] Stoke went on to beat the Birmingham Trams Corporation football team and Brierley Hill Alliance before losing to Walsall.[1]

Final league table

PosClubPWDLFAGAPts
1Stoke24174362154.13338
2Stalybridge Celtic24173447222.13637
3Merthyr Town24155446202.30035
4Swansea Town24161748212.28533
5Coventry City24132956331.69628
6Ton Pentre24116742430.97628
7Brentford2487935450.77723
8Llanelly241011339321.21821
9Barry24651330350.85717
10Newport County24731427420.64217
11Ponytpridd24561331580.53416
12Mid Rhondda24361517490.34612
13Ebbw Vale24312023880.2617

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

Southern Football League Division Two

MatchDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
1 12 September 1914 Coventry CityA3–12,000McCarthy, Herbert, Hargreaves
2 17 September 1914 Swansea TownH1–03,000McCarthy
3 19 September 1914 Ebbw ValeA1–02,000Hargreaves
4 22 September 1914 BarryH2–05,000Tempest, Jones
5 3 October 1914 Ton PentreH4–15,000McCarthy, Parker, Watkin (2)
6 17 October 1914 Stalybridge CelticA0–14,000
7 21 October 1914 Merthyr TownH4–05,000McCarthy, Herbert, Tempest, Bradley
8 14 November 1914 LanellyH3–14,000Watkin (3)
9 21 November 1914 PontypriddA1–02,000Watkin
10 28 November 1914 Mid RhonddaH8–04,000Watkin (3), A Smith, Tempest, D Smith (2), Holmes (o.g.)
11 5 December 1914 Newport CountyA1–03,000Watkin
12 12 December 1914 PontypriddH5–04,000Watkin (2), D Smith (2), Murray (o.g.)
13 25 December 1914 BrentfordA2–23,000D Smith (2)
14 26 December 1914 BrentfordH3–08,000Jones, A Smith, Watkin
15 9 January 1915 Newport CountyH3–13,500Watkin, Tempest, Hargreaves
16 16 January 1915 Coventry CityH5–15,000Watkin (3), Tempest, A Smith
17 23 January 1915 BarryA0–02,000
18 6 February 1915 Ton PentreA1–01,000D Smith
19 6 March 1915 Merthyr TownA0–03,000
20 13 March 1915 Stalybridge CelticH1–16,000Watkin
21 20 March 1915 LanellyA2–12,000Watkin, Jones
22 3 April 1915 Mid RhonddaA2–41,000D Smith (2)
23 5 April 1915 Ebbw ValeH10–03,000D Smith, A Smith (4), Watkin (5)
24 24 April 1915 Swansea TownA0–14,000

FA Cup

Main article: 1914–15 FA Cup
RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
PR26 September 1914 StourbridgeH11–01,500Herbert (2), Watkin (5), Hargreaves, McCarthy (3)
1QR10 October 1914 Birmingham Corporation TramwaysA3–21,000Parker, Watkin (2)
2QR24 October 1914 Brierley Hill AllianceH1–02,000McCarthy
3QR7 November 1914 WalsallA0–13,500

Squad statistics

Pos. Name League FA Cup Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
GKEngland Bert Gadsden 602080
GKEngland Richard Herron 18020200
DFEngland Alec Milne 24040280
DFEngland George Turner 24140281
MFEngland Sam Baddeley 101020
MFEngland James Bradley 18140221
MFWales Joe Jones 24330273
MFEngland Charlie Parker 22141262
MFEngland Stan Ripley 100010
FWEngland Tom Bailey 600060
FWEngland Reg Forester 001010
FWEngland Henry Hargreaves 23441265
FWScotland Dick Hope 200020
FWEngland Billy Herbert 7242114
FWEngland Fred McCarthy 7534109
FWEngland Alf Smith 18700187
FWEngland Dick Smith 1710001710
FWEngland Billy Tempest 24640286
FWEngland Billy Tompkinson 100010
FWEngland Arthur Watkin 2024472431
Own goals 202

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 Matthews, Tony (1994). The Encyclopaedia of Stoke City. Lion Press. ISBN 0-9524151-0-0.
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