1935–36 Stoke City F.C. season

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

Stoke City
1935–36 season
ChairmanMr A.McSherwin
ManagerBob McGrory
StadiumVictoria Ground
Football League First Division4th (47 Points)
FA CupFifth Round
Top goalscorerLeague: Tommy Sale
(14)

All: Tommy Sale
(15)
Highest home attendance45,470 vs Arsenal
(28 September 1935)
Lowest home attendance8,374 vs Middlesbrough
(21 December 1935)
Average home league attendance21,586

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 country.[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

edit

League

edit

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 club's 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

edit

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

edit

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GAv Pts
2 Derby County 42 18 12 12 61 52 1.173 48
3 Huddersfield Town 42 18 12 12 59 56 1.054 48
4 Stoke City 42 20 7 15 57 57 1.000 47
5 Brentford 42 17 12 13 81 60 1.350 46
6 Arsenal 42 15 15 12 78 48 1.625 45
Source: World Football
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal average; 3) Goals scored

Results

edit

Stoke's score comes first

Legend

edit
Win Draw Loss

Football League First Division

edit
Match Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Scorers
1 31 August 1935 Leeds United H 3–1 22,549 Johnson (2), Davies
2 4 September 1935 Chelsea A 5–3 27,000 Johnson, Davies, Sale (2), Matthews
3 7 September 1935 West Bromwich Albion A 0–2 25,000
4 9 September 1935 Chelsea H 3–0 21,306 Sale, Steele, Turner (pen)
5 14 September 1935 Sunderland H 0–2 34,509
6 18 September 1935 Liverpool A 0–2 35,000
7 21 September 1935 Birmingham A 5–0 12,000 Matthews (3), Johnson (2)
8 28 September 1935 Arsenal H 0–3 45,470
9 5 October 1935 Manchester City A 2–1 40,000 Sale, Westland
10 12 October 1935 Preston North End H 2–1 21,876 Sale, Turner (pen)
11 19 October 1935 Brentford A 0–0 30,000
12 26 October 1935 Derby County H 0–0 27,384
13 2 November 1935 Everton A 1–5 34,000 Johnson
14 9 November 1935 Bolton Wanderers H 1–2 21,668 Sale
15 16 November 1935 Huddersfield Town A 1–2 12,000 Johnson
16 23 November 1935 Portsmouth H 2–0 16,470 Sale (2)
17 30 November 1935 Aston Villa A 0–4 25,000
18 7 December 1935 Wolverhampton Wanderers H 4–1 16,000 Sale (2), Liddle (2)
19 14 December 1935 Sheffield Wednesday A 1–0 14,000 Sale
20 21 December 1935 Middlesbrough H 1–1 8,374 Matthews
21 25 December 1935 Blackburn Rovers A 1–0 21,976 Matthews
22 26 December 1935 Blackburn Rovers H 2–0 23,000 Sale (2)
23 28 December 1935 Leeds United A 1–4 12,000 Steele
24 4 January 1936 West Bromwich Albion H 3–2 20,188 Steele, Matthews, Liddle
25 18 January 1936 Sunderland A 0–1 14,000
26 1 February 1936 Arsenal A 0–1 47,000
27 6 February 1936 Birmingham H 3–1 11,485 Davies (2), Westland
28 8 February 1936 Manchester City H 1–0 27,386 Westland
29 19 February 1936 Preston North End A 1–1 10,000 Turner (pen)
30 22 February 1936 Brentford H 2–2 15,000 Sale, Liddle
31 29 February 1936 Bolton Wanderers A 2–1 10,204 Steele, Matthews
32 7 March 1936 Aston Villa H 2–3 18,344 Steele (2)
33 14 March 1936 Derby County A 1–0 20,000 Steele
34 21 March 1936 Huddersfield Town H 1–0 22,000 Matthews
35 28 March 1936 Portsmouth A 0–2 17,000
36 4 April 1936 Everton H 2–1 18,717 Turner, Matthews
37 10 April 1936 Grimsby Town A 0–3 9,000
38 11 April 1936 Wolverhampton Wanderers A 1–1 20,000 Steele
39 13 April 1936 Grimsby Town H 1–0 22,770 Hodgson (o.g.)
40 18 April 1936 Sheffield Wednesday H 0–3 16,362
41 25 April 1936 Middlesbrough A 0–0 10,000
42 2 May 1936 Liverpool H 2–1 13,231 Westland, Bradshaw (o.g.)

FA Cup

edit
Round Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Scorers
R3 11 January 1936 Millwall A 0–0 25,000
R3 Replay 15 January 1936 Millwall H 4–0 18,000 Steele (3), Liddle
R4 25 January 1936 Manchester United H 0–0 25,000
R4 Replay 28 January 1936 Manchester United A 2–0 35,000 Sale, Robson
R5 15 February 1936 Barnsley A 1–2 40,245 Davies

Squad statistics

edit
Pos. Name League FA Cup Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
GK   Norman Lewis 17 0 0 0 17 0
GK   Norman Wilkinson 25 0 5 0 30 0
DF   Billy Spencer 15 0 0 0 15 0
DF   Charlie Scrimshaw 42 0 5 0 47 0
DF   Bill Winstanley 26 0 5 0 31 0
MF   Harry Sellars 6 0 0 0 6 0
MF   Horace Smith 0 0 0 0 0 0
MF   Frank Soo 35 0 5 0 40 0
MF   Arthur Turner 42 4 5 0 47 4
MF   Arthur Tutin 42 0 5 0 47 0
FW   John Almond 2 0 0 0 2 0
FW   George Antonio 1 0 0 0 1 0
FW   Harry Davies 29 4 5 1 34 5
FW   Syd Fursland 1 0 0 0 1 0
FW   Joe Johnson 31 7 0 0 31 7
FW   Bobby Liddle 33 4 5 1 38 5
FW   Stanley Matthews 40 10 5 0 45 10
FW   Billy Robson 0 0 1 1 1 1
FW   Tommy Sale 32 14 5 1 37 15
FW   Freddie Steele 29 8 4 3 33 11
FW   James Westland 14 4 0 0 14 4
Own goals 2 0 2

References

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