1923–24 Stoke F.C. season

Stoke
1923–24 season
Chairman Mr E.Reynish
Manager Tom Mather
Stadium Victoria Ground
Football League Second Division 6th (46 Points)
FA Cup First Round
Top goalscorer League: Jimmy Broad (14)
All: Jimmy Broad (14)
Highest home attendance 25,297 vs Bury (22 March 1924)
Lowest home attendance 6,000 vs Hull City (27 October 1923)
Average home league attendance 11,765
Home colours

The 1923–24 season was Stoke's 24th season in the Football League and the fifth in the Second Division.

With Stoke back in the Second Division after their short stay in the First and without a manager the supporters questioned what the future held for the club. Tom Mather was appointed as the clubs new manager in October 1923 and it would start a run of consistency as from 1923 to 1976 Stoke had just four managers.[1] Mather led the club to sixth position in the table with just two wins in their last 12 matches costing Stoke a promotion challenge. At the end of the season Mather decided to sell a number of players including fans favourites Jimmy Broad, Tommy Broad and Billy Tempest; some players not asked to re-sign smash up the offices at the Victoria Ground and caused a considerable amount of damage.[1]

Season review

League

There was little money available for new players, and when former Southend United boss Tom Mather, a Lancastrian from Chorley, was given the managerial position in October, he quickly set about restoring the teams fortunes.[1] Mather, who had been assistant manager at both Manchester City and Bolton Wanderers before becoming manager at Burnden Park during World War I, certainly consolidated the club and a final league finish of 6th was a decent outcome and would give Mather a platform to build on.[1]

There was however a regrettable incident at the club just as the season ended when a group of players, who had not been asked to re-sign for the next season, arrived at the Victoria Ground and started smashing up the offices and dressing rooms, causing a considerable amount of damage.[1] The offenders were immediately released by the club and things were quickly sorted out.[1] There was a substantial clear-out, with a number of players leaving who had served the club well whilst there was also changes at boardroom level with chairman Mr E. Reynish relinquishing his position as chairman and wealthy director John Slater also left after he had injected a lot of his own money into the club with mixed success.[1]

FA Cup

No progress was made in the FA Cup with Stoke going out in the first round to Leeds United.[1]

Final league table

PosClubPWDLFAGAPts
1Leeds United422112961351.74354
2Bury422191263351.80051
3Derby County422191275421.78651
4Blackpool4218131172471.53249
5Southampton4217141152311.67748
6Stoke4214181044421.04846
7Oldham Athletic4214171145520.86545
8The Wednesday4216121454511.05944
9South Shields4217101549500.98044
10Clapton Orient4214151340361.11143
11Barnsley4216111557610.93443
12Leicester City421781764541.18542
13Stockport County4213161344520.84642
14Manchester United4213141552441.18240
15Crystal Palace4213131653650.81539
16Port Vale4213121750660.75838
17Hull City4210171546510.90237
18Bradford City4211151635480.72937
19Coventry City4211131852680.76535
20Fulham4210141845560.80434
21Nelson4210131940740.54133
22Bristol City427152032650.49229

Key: P = Matches played; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; F = Goals for; A = Goals against; GA = Goal average; Pts = Points

Results

Stoke's score comes first

Legend

Win Draw Loss

Football League Second Division

MatchDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
1 25 August 1923 Leeds UnitedH1–120,000J Broad
2 27 August 1923 Leicester CityA0–514,500
3 1 September 1923 Leeds UnitedA0–015,000
4 3 September 1923 Leicester CityH1–011,000Davies
5 8 September 1923 BlackpoolH2–211,898Davies, Richardson
6 15 September 1923 BlackpoolA1–16,000Davies
7 22 September 1923 NelsonH4–012,150Davies (2), J Broad, Howe
8 24 September 1923 SouthamptonH1–120,000Richardson
9 29 September 1923 NelsonA0–212,000
10 6 October 1923 Port ValeH1–021,685Clarke
11 13 October 1923 Port ValeA4–216,800J Broad (2), Eyres (2)
12 15 October 1923 SouthamptonA1–014,000Kelly
13 20 October 1923 Hull CityA0–28,000
14 27 October 1923 Hull CityH1–06,000Kasher
15 3 November 1923 Derby CountyH1–120,000J Broad
16 10 November 1923 Derby CountyA1–112,000Eyres
17 17 November 1923 Crystal PalaceH1–19,000J Broad
18 24 November 1923 Crystal PalaceA1–515,000Eyres
19 1 December 1923 The WednesdayH1–18,000Eyres
20 8 December 1923 The WednesdayA0–314,000
21 15 December 1923 Coventry CityA2–112,000J Broad, Eyres
22 22 December 1923 Coventry CityH2–16,000J Broad, Eyres
23 26 December 1923 Bradford CityH2–018,000J Broad, Davies
24 29 December 1923 Bristol CityA1–17,000J Broad
25 5 January 1924 Bristol CityH3–010,300Davies (2), Clarke
26 19 January 1924 Clapton OrientH0–111,000
27 26 January 1924 Clapton OrientA2–07,700J Broad, Sellars
28 2 February 1924 Stockport CountyH0–013,800
29 9 February 1924 Stockport CountyA1–04,000Roxburgh
30 16 February 1924 Oldham AthleticH1–16,000Davies
31 23 February 1924 Oldham AthleticA0–05,000
32 1 March 1924 South ShieldsH0–08,348
33 8 March 1924 South ShieldsA0–16,000
34 15 March 1924 BuryA0–16,000
35 22 March 1924 BuryH0–025,297
36 29 March 1924 Manchester UnitedA2–210,000J Broad, Tempest
37 5 April 1924 Manchester UnitedH3–020,000J Broad, Tempest, Sellars
38 12 April 1924 BarnsleyH2–09,799Sellars (2)
39 19 April 1924 BarnsleyA0–06,224
40 21 April 1924 FulhamA0–310,000
41 23 April 1924 FulhamH0–08,000
42 26 April 1924 Bradford CityA1–24,000J Broad

FA Cup

Main article: 1923–24 FA Cup
RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
R112 January 1924 Leeds UnitedA0–126,574

Squad statistics

Pos. Name League FA Cup Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
GKScotland Kenny Campbell 11000110
GKEngland Bob Dixon 31010320
DFEngland Sammy Davis 200020
DFEngland Tommy Howe 24100241
DFScotland George Lennon 100010
DFScotland Bob McGrory 29010300
MFEngland Ewart Beswick 500050
MFEngland Tom Brittleton 35010360
MFEngland Harry Brough 33000330
MFEngland George Clarke 18210192
MFEngland Joseph Depledge 500050
MFIreland Alfred Jordan 200020
MFEngland Joe Kasher 23110241
MFEngland Arden Maddison 100010
MFEngland Vic Rouse 24010250
MFEngland George Stentiford 800080
FWEngland Len Armitage 300030
FWEngland Jimmy Broad 3714103814
FWEngland Tommy Broad 30010310
FWEngland Harry Davies 31910329
FWEngland Jack Eyres 19700197
FWEngland Charles Kelly 910091
FWWales Dai Nicholas 9010100
FWEngland Bert Ralphs 12000120
FWEngland Frank Richardson 620062
FWScotland John Roxburgh 14100141
FWEngland Harry Sellars 840084
FWEngland Andy Smith 300030
FWEngland Billy Tempest 29210301

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Matthews, Tony (1994). The Encyclopaedia of Stoke City. Lion Press. ISBN 0-9524151-0-0.

See also

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