1893–94 Stoke F.C. season

Stoke
1893–94 season
ChairmanMr S. Barker
ManagerArthur Reeves
StadiumVictoria Ground
Football League First Division11th (29 Points)
FA CupSecond Round
United Counties LeagueGroup Stage
Top goalscorerLeague: Joe Schofield
(15)
All: Joe Schofield
(18)
Highest home attendance12,000 vs Sunderland
(24 March 1894)
Lowest home attendance2,500 vs Newton Heath
(23 March 1894)
Average home league attendance5,075

The 1893–94 season was Stoke's fifth season in the Football League.

Stoke finished the season in 11th position after picking up 29 points of which 27 were claimed at the Victoria Ground. Indeed, Stoke's home form of 1893–94 was excellent with 13 wins from 15 but their away from was terrible as they failed to win any away game during the season.[1] Stoke also competed in the short lived United Counties League which was won on goal average by West Bromwich Albion.[1]

Season review

League

In 1893–94 the Stoke side was broken up with Alf Underwood, Bill Rowley and Ted Evans all losing their first choice status.[1] Eleventh place in the table was achieved, thanks in main to an excellent home record of 13 wins from 15. The only defeat in front of their own fans came shortly after Christmas when Wolverhampton Wanderers won 3–0 whilst eventual champions Aston Villa were held 3–3 in the other game.[1] As their home form was good Stoke's away from was awful picking up just two points and conceded 62 goals on their travels.[1] Indeed, from 1 April 1893 to 17 March 1895 not one away win was gained and by coincidence it was Sheffield Wednesday whom Stoke beat on each occasion at the start and at the end of that dismal run.[1] There was tragedy during the season as young defender Jack Proctor fell ill with pneumonia and died at the age of 22.[1]

Stoke also competed in the United Counties League this season which involved two groups of four teams playing each other twice and the winners of each group playing each other to win the title. Stoke finished 2nd in their group behind West Bromwich Albion on goal average. West Brom went on to lose to Derby County in the final. The tournament failed to get the supporters in through the gates and after just one season the United Counties League was scrapped.[1]

FA Cup

Season 1893–94 also saw one of Stoke's best FA Cup displays since they entered the competition in 1883.[1] Competing in gale-force winds, they knocked out Everton 1–0 with a Joe Schofield goal in the final minute of the match. The Stoke players were praised by watching reporters for making the match highly entertaining in difficult conditions.[1] Alas they went out in the next round defeated by Sheffield Wednesday.[1]

Final league table

Pos Team
 Pld W D L GF GA GAv Pts
9 Wolverhampton Wanderers 30 14 3 13 52 63 0.825 31
10 Sheffield United 30 13 5 12 47 61 0.770 31
11 Stoke 30 13 3 14 65 79 0.823 29
12 The Wednesday 30 9 8 13 48 57 0.842 26
13 Bolton Wanderers 30 10 4 16 38 52 0.731 24
Source: World Football
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal average; 3) Goals scored

Results

Stoke's score comes first

Legend

Win Draw Loss

Football League First Division

Main article: 1893–94 Football League
Match Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Scorers
1 2 September 1893 Bolton Wanderers A 1–4 5,000 Clare
2 9 September 1893 Nottingham Forest H 2–1 6,000 Schofield, McReddie
3 11 September 1893 Aston Villa A 1–5 8,000 Dickson
4 16 September 1893 Darwen A 1–3 1,000 Schofield
5 23 September 1893 Derby County H 3–1 5,000 McReddie (2), Robertson
6 30 September 1893 Burnley A 0–4 7,000
7 7 October 1893 The Wednesday H 4–1 4,000 Naughton (2), Evans, Christie
8 14 October 1893 Sunderland A 0–4 6,000
9 16 October 1893 Aston Villa H 3–3 4,000 Robertson (2), Evans
10 21 October 1893 Nottingham Forest A 0–2 7,000
11 28 October 1893 Blackburn Rovers H 3–1 6,000 McReddie, Naughton, Sawers
12 4 November 1893 West Bromwich Albion A 2–4 3,000 McReddie, Naughton
13 11 November 1893 Burnley H 4–2 5,000 McReddie, Naughton, Schofield (2)
14 13 November 1893 Preston North End H 2–1 7,000 Brodie, Sawers
15 25 November 1893 Wolverhampton Wanderers A 2–4 7,000 Schofield, Sawers
16 2 December 1893 Darwen H 3–1 7,000 Schofield (2), Evans
17 7 December 1893 The Wednesday A 1–4 5,000 McReddie
18 16 December 1893 Sheffield United H 5–0 5,000 Naughton (2), Robertson, Schofield, Sawers
19 23 December 1893 Derby County A 2–5 7,000 Schofield, Dickson
20 25 December 1893 Preston North End A 3–3 3,500 Dickson (2), Sawers
21 30 December 1893 Wolverhampton Wanderers H 0–3 5,000
22 13 January 1894 Bolton Wanderers H 5–0 4,000 McReddie, Robertson, Clare, Naughton, Dickson
23 20 January 1894 West Bromwich Albion H 3–1 3,000 Robertson (2), Dickson
24 3 February 1894 Sheffield United A 3–3 8,000 Schofield, Naughton, McReddie
25 3 March 1894 Everton H 3–1 7,000 Naughton (2), Robertson
26 23 March 1894 Newton Heath A 2–6 2,500 Hood (o.g.), Dickson
27 24 March 1894 Sunderland H 2–0 12,000 Schofield, Dickson
28 31 March 1894 Newton Heath H 3–1 3,000 Schofield, Clare, McReddie
29 7 April 1894 Everton A 2–6 10,000 Schofield (2)
30 14 April 1894 Blackburn Rovers A 0–5 4,000

FA Cup

Main article: 1893–94 FA Cup
Round Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Scorers
R1 27 January 1894 Everton H 1–0 14,000 Schofield
R2 10 February 1894 The Wednesday A 0–1 17,000

United Counties League

Main article: 1893–94 United Counties League
Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Scorers
10 March 1894 West Bromwich Albion A 0–5 1,000
17 March 1894 Wolverhampton Wanderers A 2–1 1,500 Heames, Dickson
19 March 1894 West Bromwich Albion H 5–2 2,000 Dickson (2), McReddie, Schofield (2)
2 April 1894 Small Heath A 0–3 2,000
9 April 1894 Small Heath H 2–1 1,500 Dickson (2)
16 April 1894 Wolverhampton Wanderers H 3–0 2,000 Naughton, McReddie, Robertson

Table

Pos Club P W D L F A Pts
1 West Bromwich Albion 6 4 0 2 20 15 8
2 Stoke 6 4 0 2 12 12 8
3 Small Heath 6 2 1 3 14 14 5
4 Wolverhampton Wanderers 6 1 1 4 10 15 3

Squad statistics

Pos. Name League FA Cup United Counties Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
GK England Tom Cain 11 0 0 0 3 0 14 0
GK England Arthur Evans 9 0 0 0 2 0 11 0
GK England Bill Rowley 10 0 2 0 1 0 13 0
FB England Tommy Clare 27 3 2 0 1 0 30 3
FB England Jack Eccles 11 0 2 0 6 0 19 0
FB England Arthur Foster 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
FB England Lachie Thomson 2 0 0 0 0 0 2 0
FB England Alf Underwood 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
HB Scotland Davy Brodie 30 1 2 0 6 0 38 1
HB Scotland Davy Christie 29 1 2 0 5 0 36 1
HB Scotland Hughie Clifford 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
HB Scotland Peter Dowds 17 0 2 0 5 0 24 0
HB England Billy Draycott 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
HB Scotland Samuel Meston 1 0 0 0 6 0 7 0
HB England Jack Proctor 10 0 0 0 0 0 10 0
FW Scotland Billy Dickson 29 8 2 0 6 5 36 13
FW England Ted Evans 10 3 0 0 2 0 12 3
FW England Billy Heames 1 0 0 0 3 1 4 1
FW Scotland Wally McReddie 30 10 2 0 6 2 38 12
FW Scotland Willie Naughton 28 10 1 0 6 1 35 11
FW Scotland Jimmie Robertson 26 8 2 0 3 1 31 9
FW Scotland Bill Sawers 17 5 1 0 1 0 19 5
FW England Joe Schofield 28 15 2 1 4 2 34 18
– Own goals – 1 – 0 – 0 – 1

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Matthews, Tony (1994). The Encyclopaedia of Stoke City. Lion Press. ISBN 0-9524151-0-0.