1951–52 Stoke City F.C. season

Stoke City
1951–52 season
Chairman Mr T. Preece
Manager Bob McGrory
Stadium Victoria Ground
Football League First Division 20th (31 Points)
FA Cup Fourth Round
Top goalscorer League: Sammy Smyth (12)
All: Sammy Smyth (14)
Highest home attendance 43,205 vs Wolverhampton Wanderers (20 October 1951)
Lowest home attendance 10,993 vs Middlesbrough (3 May 1952)
Average home league attendance 25,791
Home colours

The 1951–52 season was Stoke City's 45th season in the Football League and the 31st in the First Division.

Stoke made a truly awful start to the 1951–52 season claiming just a single point from the first eleven matches. Results slowly started to improve and back to back home wins in the final two matches saw Stoke survive relegation.[1]

Season review

League

In the summer of 1951 there was a major change at boardroom level at Stoke as chairman Mr H. Booth stepped down after 15 years and Mr T. Preece took over in temporary charge.[1] Stoke suffered an opening day mauling at Newcastle United losing 6–0 and it set the tone for a woeful start to the season as they took just two points from the first 22 on offer, finding themselves firmly bedded at the foot of the division.[1] McGrory went out and spent £45,000 on three new players to arrest the decline, he exchanged Albert Mullard plus £10,000 for Alan Martin another £10,000 for Billy McIntosh and again smashed the clubs transfer record with the purchase of Northern Irish striker Sammy Smyth for a fee of £25,000.[1] Smyth certainly had the desired impact scoring 12 goals becoming top scorer for the season.[1]

After these arrivals Stoke's form improved and with five straight wins Stoke caught up with the rest of the division however four defeats later they found themselves unable to pull away from a relegation fight.[1] A cruel 5–4 defeat at home to Newcastle didn't help matters but Stoke somehow managed to take the fight to the final two matches of the season.[1] Stoke had the worst goal average in the division but with both Fulham and Huddersfield Town in terrible form Stoke knew that two more wins would see them safe and that's what they managed leaving them three points clear of Huddersfield.[1]

One interesting scoreline this season came in the League match at Villa Park on 16 February 1952. Aston Villa were on the fringe of forcing themselves in the title race but they came unstuck against a determined Stoke side and lost 3–2.[1] On the scoresheet for the "Potters" was their goalkeeper Dennis Herod who had broken his arm earlier during the match and so swapped positions with left winger Sammy Smyth and went on to score the winning goal five minutes after half time.[1]

FA Cup

After a good win over Sunderland in the third round Stoke were humbled by Third Division South side Swindon Town in a replay.[1]

Final league table

PosClubPWDLFAGAPts
1Manchester United422311895521.82757
2Tottenham Hotspur422291176511.49053
3Arsenal4221111080611.31153
4Portsmouth422081468581.17248
5Bolton Wanderers4219101365611.06648
6Aston Villa421991479701.12947
7Preston North End4217121374541.37046
8Newcastle United421891598731.34245
9Blackpool421891564641.00045
10Charlton Athletic4217101568631.07944
11Liverpool4212191157610.93443
12Sunderland4215121570611.14842
13West Bromwich Albion4214131574770.96141
14Burnley4215101756630.88940
15Manchester City4213131658610.95139
16Wolverhampton Wanderers4212141673731.00038
17Derby County421572063800.78737
18Middlesbrough421562164880.72736
19Chelsea421482052720.72236
20Stoke City421272349880.55731
21Huddersfield Town421082449820.59828
22Fulham428112358770.75327

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 First Division

MatchDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
1 18 August 1951 Newcastle UnitedA0–640,127
2 20 August 1951 West Bromwich AlbionH1–122,696Oscroft
3 25 August 1951 Bolton WanderersH1–222,442Malkin
4 29 August 1951 West Bromwich AlbionA0–118,903
5 1 September 1951 Derby CountyA2–420,243Oscroft, Mullard
6 3 September 1951 FulhamH1–121,000Malkin
7 8 September 1951 Manchester UnitedA0–443,660
8 12 September 1951 FulhamA0–516,500
9 15 September 1951 Tottenham HotspurH1–627,000Oscroft
10 17 September 1951 Charlton AthleticH1–217,500McIntosh
11 22 September 1951 Preston North EndA0–229,980
12 29 September 1951 BurnleyH2–128,577Siddall, Martin
13 6 October 1951 Aston VillaH4–132,455Smyth, Oscroft (2), Moss (o.g.)
14 13 October 1951 SunderlandA1–041,826Smyth
15 20 October 1951 Wolverhampton WanderersH1–043,205Oscroft
16 27 October 1951 Huddersfield TownA2–019,495Smyth (2)
17 3 November 1951 ChelseaH1–230,000Smyth
18 10 November 1951 PortsmouthA1–430,223Oscroft
19 17 November 1951 LiverpoolH1–224,000Smyth
20 24 November 1951 BlackpoolA2–419,892McIntosh (2)
21 1 December 1951 ArsenalH2–130,000Sellars (2) (1 Pen)
22 8 December 1951 Manchester CityA1–020,397Smyth
23 15 December 1951 Newcastle UnitedH4–525,393Smyth (2), Oscroft, Siddall
24 22 December 1951 Bolton WanderersA1–120,088Smyth
25 26 December 1951 MiddlesbroughA0–327,055
26 29 December 1951 Derby CountyH3–127,000Malkin, Oscroft, Smyth
27 5 January 1952 Manchester UnitedH0–036,389
28 19 January 1952 Tottenham HotspurA0–245,176
29 26 January 1952 Preston North EndH0–025,000
30 9 February 1952 BurnleyA0–429,971
31 16 February 1952 Aston VillaA3–240,000Sellars, Oscroft, Herod
32 1 March 1952 SunderlandH1–124,208Sellars
33 8 March 1952 Wolverhampton WanderersA0–333,000
34 15 March 1952 Huddersfield TownH0–019,000
35 22 March 1952 ChelseaA0–130,000
36 29 March 1952 PortsmouthH2–011,375Martin, McIntosh
37 5 April 1952 LiverpoolA1–230,000McIntosh
38 12 April 1952 BlackpoolH2–330,000Martin, Siddall
39 14 April 1952 Charlton AthleticA0–420,000
40 19 April 1952 ArsenalA1–447,962Mountford (pen)
41 26 April 1952 Manchester CityH3–125,000Siddall, Smyth, Bowyer
42 3 May 1952 MiddlesbroughH3–210,993Brown (2), McCue

FA Cup

Main article: 1951–52 FA Cup
RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
R312 January 1952 SunderlandA0–045,099
R3 Replay14 January 1952 SunderlandH3–131,841Smyth, McIntosh, Malkin
R42 February 1952 Swindon TownA1–128,140Smyth
R4 Replay4 February 1952 Swindon TownH0–129,332

Squad statistics

Pos. Name League FA Cup Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
GKEngland Dennis Herod 29140331
GKEngland Norman Wilkinson 13000130
DFEngland Roy Beckett 300030
DFEngland Eric Hampson 500050
DFEngland John McCue 42140461
DFEngland Billy Mould 23040270
DFEngland Cyril Watkin 11000110
MFEngland Roy Brown 15200152
MFScotland Jock Kirton 41040450
MFEngland Frank Mountford 28130311
MFEngland John Sellars 23440274
FWEngland Stanley Bevans 200020
FWEngland Frank Bowyer 15140191
FWScotland Leslie Johnston 900090
FWEngland John Malkin 28441325
FWEngland Alan Martin 34240382
FWScotland Billy McIntosh 24511256
FWEngland George Mountford 21000210
FWEngland Albert Mullard 710071
FWEngland Alexander Ormston 200020
FWEngland Harry Oscroft 4010404410
FWEngland Brian Siddall 20400204
FWNorthern Ireland Sammy Smyth 2612423014
FWEngland Donald Whiston 100010
Own goals 101

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Matthews, Tony (1994). The Encyclopaedia of Stoke City. Lion Press. ISBN 0-9524151-0-0.

See also

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