1938–39 Stoke City F.C. season

The 1938–39 season was Stoke City's 39th season in the Football League and the 25th in the First Division. It was the final full season of league football until 1946 due to World War II.

Stoke City
1938–39 season
ChairmanMr H. Booth
ManagerBob McGrory
StadiumVictoria Ground
Football League First Division7th (46 Points)
FA CupThird Round
Top goalscorerLeague: Freddie Steele
(26)

All: Freddie Steele
(27)
Highest home attendance33,000 vs Derby County
(28 January 1939)
Lowest home attendance15,201 vs Leicester City
(24 December 1938)
Average home league attendance22,535

Stoke again made no major signings despite a very disappointing campaign last season. After a poor start Stoke began to play well during the season and finished in a respectable 7th place having collected 46 points almost equalling their best points tally of 47.[1]

Season review

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League

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Despite the scare of relegation last season, there were no significant new faces at the Victoria Ground for the 1938–39 season but Frank Soo took over captaincy from Arthur Turner.[1] The fans did not share the club's confidence and their judgement appeared to be justified as the team spent the first three months of the season in the bottom four.[1] Manager Bob McGrory's patience was wearing thin and he started to trim his squad, selling Charlie Scrimshaw to Middlesbrough for £3,000 and veteran Arthur Turner to Birmingham.[1] To strengthen the attack, he recruited Arthur Griffiths and Patrick Gallacher but both players were struck down by injury after a handful of appearances.[1]

New players or not, an amazing transformation took place and had Stoke beaten Leeds on the final day of the season and not drawn, they would have equalled their best points tally of 47.[1] At home in particular they became a potent force and lost just twice at the Victoria Ground during the season.[1]

FA Cup

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No progress was made in the Cup as Stoke lost in a third round replay to Leicester City.[1]

Final league table

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Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GAv Pts
5 Arsenal 42 19 9 14 55 41 1.341 47
6 Derby County 42 19 8 15 66 55 1.200 46
7 Stoke City 42 17 12 13 71 68 1.044 46
8 Bolton Wanderers 42 15 15 12 67 58 1.155 45
9 Preston North End 42 16 12 14 63 59 1.068 44
Source: World Football
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal average; 3) Goals scored

Results

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Stoke's score comes first

Legend

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Win Draw Loss

Football League First Division

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Match Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Scorers
1 27 August 1938 Leicester City A 2–2 25,000 Steele (2)
2 29 August 1938 Charlton Athletic A 2–4 27,000 Steele, Baker
3 3 September 1938 Middlesbrough H 1–3 22,376 Steele
4 5 September 1938 Leeds United H 1–1 15,950 Steele
5 10 September 1938 Birmingham A 2–1 22,000 Smith, Baker
6 17 September 1938 Manchester United H 1–1 21,370 Soo
7 24 September 1938 Derby County A 0–5 20,000
8 1 October 1938 Chelsea A 1–1 28,000 Westland
9 8 October 1938 Preston North End H 3–1 20,070 Matthews, Sale, Soo
10 15 October 1938 Brentford H 3–2 23,436 Smith, Sale, Baker
11 22 October 1938 Blackpool A 1–1 25,000 Baker
12 29 October 1938 Grimsby Town H 1–2 19,833 Matthews
13 5 November 1938 Sunderland A 0–3 25,000
14 12 November 1938 Aston Villa H 3–1 29,464 Antonio, Sale, Baker
15 19 November 1938 Wolverhampton Wanderers A 0–3 30,104
16 26 November 1938 Everton H 0–0 26,566
17 3 December 1938 Huddersfield Town A 4–1 12,000 Sale (3), Steele
18 10 December 1938 Portsmouth H 1–1 21,882 Steele
19 17 December 1938 Arsenal A 1–4 45,000 Steele
20 24 December 1938 Leicester City H 1–0 15,201 Steele
21 26 December 1938 Liverpool H 3–1 18,027 Sale (2), Baker
22 27 December 1938 Liverpool A 0–1 48,000
23 31 December 1938 Middlesbrough A 1–5 12,000 Peppitt
24 2 January 1939 Bolton Wanderers A 3–1 15,000 Peppitt, Baker, Antonio
25 14 January 1939 Birmingham H 6–3 20,000 Steele (4), Smith, Sale
26 21 January 1939 Manchester United A 1–0 25,000 Steele
27 28 January 1939 Derby County H 3–0 33,000 Steele, Smith, Sale
28 4 February 1939 Chelsea H 6–1 25,047 Steele (3), Smith, Sale, Baker
29 15 February 1939 Preston North End A 1–1 15,000 Smith
30 18 February 1939 Brentford A 0–1 22,000
31 25 February 1939 Blackpool H 1–1 22,720 Steele
32 7 March 1939 Grimsby Town A 1–3 5,000 Baker
33 11 March 1939 Sunderland H 3–1 24,000 Steele (2), Sale
34 18 March 1939 Aston Villa A 0–3 35,000
35 29 March 1939 Wolverhampton Wanderers H 5–3 35,000 Sale (3), Steele, Antonio
36 1 April 1939 Everton A 1–1 30,000 Sale
37 8 April 1939 Huddersfield Town H 2–2 26,014 Sale, Steele
38 10 April 1939 Bolton Wanderers H 4–1 28,879 Sale, Steele (2), Baker
39 15 April 1939 Portsmouth A 0–2 13,000
40 22 April 1939 Arsenal H 1–0 13,000 Antonio
41 29 April 1939 Charlton Athletic H 1–0 24,000 Steele
42 6 May 1939 Leeds United A 0–0 18,000

FA Cup

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Round Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Scorers
R3 7 January 1939 Leicester City A 1–1 19,750 Soo
R3 Replay 11 January 1939 Leicester City H 1–2 18,488 Steele

Squad statistics

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Pos. Name League FA Cup Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
GK   David Jones 1 0 0 0 1 0
GK   Douglas Westland 3 0 0 0 3 0
GK   Norman Wilkinson 38 0 2 0 40 0
DF   John Bamber 13 0 0 0 13 0
DF   Harry Brigham 39 0 2 0 41 0
DF   Jack Challinor 12 0 0 0 12 0
DF   Ernest Hall 0 0 0 0 0 0
DF   George Oldham 2 0 0 0 2 0
DF   Charlie Scrimshaw 4 0 0 0 4 0
DF   Jack Tennant 26 0 2 0 28 0
DF   Bill Winstanley 1 0 0 0 1 0
MF   Arthur Griffiths 4 0 0 0 4 0
MF   Jock Kirton 36 0 2 0 38 0
MF   Alfred Massey 2 0 0 0 2 0
MF   Billy Mould 22 0 2 0 24 0
MF   Clement Smith 20 6 0 0 20 6
MF   Frank Soo 42 2 2 1 44 3
MF   Arthur Turner 11 0 0 0 11 0
MF   Arthur Tutin 3 0 0 0 3 0
FW   George Antonio 23 4 2 0 25 4
FW   Frank Baker 36 10 2 0 38 10
FW   Syd Fursland 1 0 0 0 1 0
FW   Patrick Gallacher 3 0 1 0 4 0
FW   Eric Jones 0 0 0 0 0 0
FW   Bobby Liddle 2 0 0 0 2 0
FW   Stanley Matthews 36 2 2 0 38 2
FW   Alexander Ormston 9 0 1 0 10 0
FW   Syd Peppitt 6 2 0 0 6 2
FW   Tommy Sale 34 18 0 0 34 18
FW   Freddie Steele 31 26 2 1 33 27
FW   James Westland 2 1 0 0 2 1

References

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