1896–97 Stoke F.C. season

Stoke
1896–97 season
ChairmanMr S. Barker
ManagerBill Rowley
StadiumVictoria Ground
Football League First Division13th (25 Points)
FA CupSecond Round
Top goalscorerLeague: William Maxwell
(13)
All: William Maxwell
(16)
Highest home attendance8,000 vs Everton
(2 January 1897)
Lowest home attendance2,500 vs Bury
(12 April 1897)
Average home league attendance5,400

The 1896–97 season was Stoke's eighth season in the Football League.

After last season's success of finishing in 6th position there was high hopes that it would signal a change in the club's fortunes. Alas it was a disappointing season for Stoke as little progress was made and they finished the season in 13th position with 25 points.[1]

Season review

League

As the 1896–97 season beckoned there was a lot of talk of Stoke purchasing the football pitch at the cricket ground in the town, with a considerable amount of financial backing promised.[1] However this never materialised much to the disappointment of chairman Mr S. Barker.[1] During the campaign itself a total of 16 players made their senior debuts for the club including Zeke Johnston, Stoke's first Irishman signed from Burnley.[1] There was little progress in the league with a 13th-place finish.[1] The best result of the season saw Stoke beat Liverpool 6–1 in February 1897.[1] Long serving forward Billy Dickson retired as did half-back Davy Brodie.[1]

FA Cup

After beating Glossop 5–2 in the first round Stoke lost 2–1 in the next to Preston North End.[1]

Final league table

Pos Team
 Pld W D L GF GA GAv Pts Relegation
11 Nottingham Forest 30 9 8 13 44 49 0.898 26
12 West Bromwich Albion 30 10 6 14 33 56 0.589 26
13 Stoke 30 11 3 16 48 59 0.814 25
14 Blackburn Rovers 30 11 3 16 35 62 0.565 25
15 Sunderland (O) 30 7 9 14 34 47 0.723 23 Qualification for test matches
Source: World Football
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal average; 3) Goals scored
(O) Play-off winners

Results

Stoke's score comes first

Legend

Win Draw Loss

Football League First Division

Main article: 1896–97 Football League
Match Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Scorers
1 2 September 1896 Aston Villa A 1–2 5,000 Schofield
2 5 September 1896 Wolverhampton Wanderers H 2–1 7,000 Johnson, Wood
3 12 September 1896 Nottingham Forest A 0–4 3,500
4 19 September 1896 Bolton Wanderers H 2–3 4,000 Schofield, Eccles
5 26 September 1896 The Wednesday A 3–4 6,000 Schofield, Wood, Johnson
6 10 October 1896 Wolverhampton Wanderers A 2–1 5,000 W Maxwell, Wood
7 17 October 1896 Nottingham Forest H 3–0 5,000 W Maxwell, Schofield, Johnson
8 24 October 1896 Bolton Wanderers A 0–4 4,000
9 31 October 1896 Aston Villa H 0–2 4,000
10 7 November 1896 Derby County A 1–5 3,000 W Maxwell
11 9 November 1896 Preston North End H 2–1 4,000 W Maxwell, Eardley
12 14 November 1896 Bury A 2–4 3,000 A Maxwell, Wood
13 21 November 1896 West Bromwich Albion H 2–2 6,200 W Maxwell (2)
14 28 November 1896 Preston North End A 0–3 5,000
15 5 December 1896 Derby County H 2–2 5,000 W Maxwell (2)
16 12 December 1896 West Bromwich Albion A 2–1 1,105 W Maxwell (2)
17 19 December 1896 Everton A 2–4 7,000 W Maxwell, Schofield
18 2 January 1897 Everton H 2–3 8,000 W Maxwell, Schofield
19 9 January 1897 Burnley A 3–1 3,000 A Maxwell (2), Schofield
20 16 January 1897 Liverpool A 0–1 7,000
21 23 January 1897 The Wednesday H 0–0 5,000
22 6 February 1897 Liverpool H 6–1 7,000 Schofield (2), W Maxwell, Hill (2), Hingerty
23 20 February 1897 Sunderland A 1–4 2,000 Schofield
24 27 February 1897 Burnley H 3–2 8,000 Hill (2), Hingerty
25 20 March 1897 Blackburn Rovers A 1–2 8,000 Hingerty
26 27 March 1897 Sheffield United A 0–1 2,000
27 3 April 1897 Sunderland H 0–1 5,000
28 10 April 1897 Blackburn Rovers H 1–0 5,000 Hill
29 12 April 1897 Bury H 3–0 2,500 Hill, Schofield, Darroch (o.g.)
30 15 April 1897 Sheffield United H 2–0 3,000 Hingerty, W Maxwell

FA Cup

Main article: 1896–97 FA Cup
Round Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Scorers
R1 30 January 1897 Glossop H 5–2 2,000 W Maxwell (2), Schofield, Hingerty (2)
R2 13 February 1897 Preston North End A 1–2 6,000 W Maxwell

Squad statistics

Pos. Name League FA Cup Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
GK England Albert Boardman 1 0 0 0 1 0
GK Zeke Johnston 16 0 2 0 18 0
GK England Fred Latham 5 0 0 0 5 0
GK England Bill Rowley 4 0 0 0 4 0
GK England Fred Sheldon 5 0 0 0 5 0
FB England Tommy Clare 30 0 2 0 32 0
FB England Peter Durber 17 0 2 0 19 0
FB England Jack Eccles 13 1 1 0 14 1
HB England Lucien Boullemier 7 0 0 0 7 0
HB Scotland Davy Brodie 17 0 1 0 18 0
HB Scotland Bill Fearns 4 0 0 0 4 0
HB Scotland Jimmy Grewer 22 0 2 0 24 0
HB England Ted McDonald 2 0 0 0 2 0
HB England Jim Peacock 1 0 0 0 1 0
HB England Harry Simpson 8 0 0 0 8 0
HB England Arthur Rowley 25 0 2 0 27 0
HB England Alf Wood 12 4 0 0 12 4
FW Scotland Billy Baird 3 0 0 0 3 0
FW England Arthur Bentley 5 0 0 0 5 0
FW England Samuel Cole 0 0 0 0 0 0
FW Scotland Billy Dickson 4 0 0 0 4 0
FW England Billy Eardley 10 1 0 0 10 1
FW England Billy Heames 3 0 0 0 3 0
FW Scotland Jimmy Hill 10 6 1 0 11 6
FW England Jim Hingerty 10 4 2 2 12 6
FW England Freddie Johnson 14 3 1 0 15 3
FW Scotland Allan Maxwell 23 3 2 0 25 3
FW Scotland William Maxwell 29 13 2 3 31 16
FW England Joe Schofield 29 12 2 1 31 13
FW Scotland Samuel Woods 1 0 0 0 1 0
– Own goals – 1 – 0 – 1

References

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