Stoke
1913–14 season
ChairmanMr Rev. A Hurst
ManagerAlfred Barker
StadiumVictoria Ground
Southern League Division Two5th (40 Points)
FA CupFirst Round
Top goalscorerLeague: Alf Smith
(16)

All: Billy Herbert
& Alf Smith
(16)
Highest home attendance18,000 vs Luton Town
(13 April 1914)
Lowest home attendance3,000 vs Aberdare
(3 January 1914)
Average home league attendance6,566

The 1913–14 season was Stoke's fifth season in the Southern Football League.

Stoke were now back in the poor quality Southern League Division Two and expectations were to gain an instant return to Division One. Stoke started the season well winning nine games in a row, however the team ran into poor form in the new year and ended up finishing 5th, 11 points from promotion.[1] It was a bad performance and in April 1914 both chairman Mr Rev. A Hurst and manager Alfred Barker stepped down.[1]

Season review

League

Division Two of the Southern League for the 1913–14 season was made up of selection of poor Welsh clubs and a smattering of sides from around the London area, namely Luton Town, Brentford and Croydon Common.[1] There was no money available, meaning the club had to rely on free transfers.[1] There were still a number of new faces with the likes of former England international Fred Pentland joining from Halifax, James Bradley returning from Liverpool and Billy Herbert from Glossop.[1] With Stoke doing well from the start of the season crowds were often good as Stoke embarked on a nine match winning run.[1] However long distance travelling eventually caused Stoke problems and they lost their form and ended up finishing in a poor position of fifth.[1]

The directors, obviously disappointed as were the players and supporters, at not winning promotion, vowed to continue to build the team despite having little money available.[1] Alfred Barker was now under pressure from supporters and indeed some directors who questioned his wisdom to employ part-time staff.[1] He and chairman A. Hurst both stepped down in April 1914.[1] It was a sad way to see such key figures, responsible for saving the club, leave in such circumstances.[1]

FA Cup

After progressing past Shrewsbury Town and Barrow, Stoke lost to Aston Villa in the first round.[1]

Final league table

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GAv Pts
1 Croydon Common 30 23 5 2 76 14 5.429 51
2 Luton Town 30 24 3 3 92 22 4.182 51
3 Brentford 30 20 4 6 80 18 4.444 44
4 Swansea Town 30 20 4 6 66 25 2.640 44
5 Stoke 30 19 2 9 71 34 2.088 40
6 Newport County 30 14 8 8 49 38 1.289 36
7 Mid Rhondda 30 13 7 10 55 37 1.486 33
8 Pontypridd 30 14 5 11 43 38 1.132 33
9 Llanelly 30 12 4 14 45 37 1.216 28
10 Barry 30 9 8 13 44 70 0.629 26
11 Abertillery 30 8 4 18 44 51 0.863 20
12 Ton Pentre 30 8 4 18 33 61 0.541 20
13 Mardy 30 6 6 18 30 60 0.500 18
14 Caerphilly 30 4 7 19 21 103 0.204 15
15 Aberdare 30 4 5 21 33 87 0.379 13
16 Treharris 30 2 4 24 19 106 0.179 8
Source:

Results

Stoke's score comes first

Legend

Win Draw Loss

Southern Football League Division Two

MatchDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
16 September 1913Croydon CommonH1–17,000Pentland
213 September 1913Croydon CommonA0–26,000
320 September 1913Mid RhonddaA2–02,500Pentland, A Smith
427 September 1913Ton PentreA2–14,000Pentland, Revill
54 October 1913AbertilleryH3–04,000A Smith (2), Revill
611 October 1913Treharris AthleticA5–03,000Pentland, Herbert (3), Jones
718 October 1913LlanelliH2–110,000Pentland, Herbert
81 November 1913Treharris AthleticH5–17,000Revill (2), Herbert (pen), A Smith, Dyke
98 November 1913Swansea TownA3–23,000Herbert (2), A Smith
1015 November 1913BarryH7–14,500Herbert, A Smith (2), Jones (2), Revill, D Smith
1122 November 1913AberdareA4–21,000Herbert, A Smith (3)
126 December 1913Newport CountyA2–33,000Turner (pen), A Smith
1325 December 1913CaerphillyA5–13,000A Smith (3), D Smith (2)
1426 December 1913CaerphillyH4–010,000Turner (pen), Revill, Bailey, Lean (o.g.)
153 January 1914AberdareH4–110,000Herbert (3), Jenkins (o.g.)
1617 January 1914BrentfordA0–25,000
1724 January 1914Ton PentreH2–05,000Revill, Turner (pen)
1814 February 1914Mid RhonddaH1–04,000Revill
1921 February 1914AbertilleryA0–13,500
2028 February 1914BrentfordH2–16,000D Smith, Turner (pen)
2114 March 1914PontypriddH5–14,000D Smith (2), Revill, A Smith, Jones
2217 March 1914LlanelliA0–24,000
2321 March 1914BarryA1–13,500Herbert
2428 March 1914Newport CountyH2–04,000D Smith, Tempest
254 April 1914MardyA2–11,000Hamnett (2)
2610 April 1914Luton TownA1–25,000D Smith
2711 April 1914MardyH4–03,000D Smith (2), Watkin, Hargreaves
2813 April 1914Luton TownH1–218,000Bradley
2918 April 1914PontypriddA1–42,000A Smith
3025 April 1914Swansea TownH0–15,000

FA Cup

RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
4QR29 November 1913Shrewsbury TownH2–05,000D Smith, Herbert
5QR13 December 1913BarrowH3–110,000Holmes, Herbert (2)
R110 January 1914Aston VillaA0–426,094

Squad statistics

Pos. Name League FA Cup Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
GKEngland Bert Gadsden 30030330
DFEngland Richard Burton 200020
DFEngland Charles James 100010
DFEngland Jimmy McVay 100010
DFEngland Alec Milne 25030280
DFEngland Ernest Mullineux 501060
DFEngland George Smart 300030
DFEngland George Turner 29430324
MFEngland Sam Baddeley 701080
MFEngland James Bradley 12130151
MFEngland Harry Davies 100010
MFEngland Archie Dyke 15130181
MFEngland Reg Forester 100010
MFEngland Bob Hamnett 520052
MFEngland Henry Hargreaves 910091
MFEngland Crop Hawkins 300030
MFWales Joe Jones 23400234
MFEngland Charles Parker 900090
MFEngland Tancey Wharton 17020190
FWEngland Tom Bailey 15120171
FWEngland Albert Ellis 300030
FWEngland Billy Herbert 2413332716
FWEngland William Holmes 202141
FWEngland Fred Pentland 750075
FWEngland Tom Revill 22920249
FWEngland Walter Rowlands 100010
FWEngland Alf Smith 2216302516
FWEngland Dick Smith 1510111611
FWEngland William Smith 400040
FWEngland Billy Tempest 10110111
FWEngland Arthur Watkin 710071
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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