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1953–54 Stoke City F.C. season

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Stoke City
1953–54 season
ChairmanMr T. Duddell
ManagerFrank Taylor
StadiumVictoria Ground
Football League Second Division11th (41 Points)
FA CupFourth Round
Top goalscorerLeague: Frank Bowyer
(14)

All: Frank Bowyer
(18)
Highest home attendance26,790 vs Leeds United
(16 January 1953)
Lowest home attendance5,804 vs Plymouth Argyle
(26 April 1954)
Average home league attendance18,009

The 1953–54 season was Stoke City's 47th season in the Football League and the 14th in the Second Division.

During the summer of 1953, Taylor began moving on a number of former favourites as he began at stamp his mark on the club; however, with not much money to spend the squad had a decidedly mid-table look. And so it turned out to be as Stoke were very average and with seventeen draws they finished in eleventh position as Taylor struggled to find his most successful team.[1]

Season review

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League

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With Stoke now in the Second Division manager Frank Taylor decided to clear out some of the long serving players.[1] Dennis Herod and Leslie Johnston both joined Shrewsbury Town and Jock Kirton left for Bradford City. Taylor and a relatively new board, saw no quick way back into the First Division and there would be no panic buying. Taylor insisted that he would buy if necessary but would be looking to bring players through the youth and reserve ranks at the club.[1]

There was then, a distinct mid-table look about the Stoke City squad as the 1953–54 season got underway and Taylor like so many other managers heard of the impressive young duo at nearby Crewe Alexandra that of Johnny King and Frank Blunstone.[1] In September he made his move for the pair and signed King for £8,000 but could not afford Blunstone who went on to Chelsea.[1] He also signed Scottish pair Bobby Cairns and Joe Hutton to boost his midfield.[1] However, it was very dull season for the supporters as there was seventeen draws during the season with 1–1 being the most popular scoreline.[1] The season's average attendance fell to 18,000, 10,000 down on the previous season.[1] Stoke did however manage to record their highest league away win beating Bury 6–0 on 13 March 1954 at Gigg Lane.[1] However, there was great sadness at the end of the season as in May 1954 former long serving defender and manager Bob McGrory died at the age of 62 just two years after he ended his 31-year association with the club.[1]

FA Cup

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After soundly beating Hartlepool United 6–2 in the third round with Frank Bowyer scoring four Stoke lost to Leicester City after a replay.[1]

Final league table

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Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GAv Pts
9 Bristol Rovers 42 14 16 12 64 58 1.103 44
10 Leeds United 42 15 13 14 89 81 1.099 43
11 Stoke City 42 12 17 13 71 60 1.183 41
12 Doncaster Rovers 42 16 9 17 59 63 0.937 41
13 West Ham United 42 15 9 18 67 69 0.971 39
Source: [citation needed]
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 Second Division

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Match Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Scorers
1 19 August 1953 Brentford H 1–1 22,403 Oscroft
2 22 August 1953 Fulham A 1–0 28,000 Finney
3 24 August 1953 Derby County H 2–2 23,689 Finney (2)
4 29 August 1953 West Ham United H 1–1 20,744 Connor
5 2 September 1953 Derby County A 1–1 18,222 Finney
6 5 September 1953 Leeds United A 1–1 27,000 Oscroft
7 7 September 1953 Leicester City A 0–4 25,000
8 12 September 1953 Birmingham City H 3–2 22,853 Oscroft, Bowyer, Mountford (pen)
9 14 September 1953 Leicester City H 2–2 19,367 Malkin (2)
10 19 September 1953 Nottingham Forest A 4–5 22,690 Malkin (2), Bowyer, Sellars
11 21 September 1953 Rotherham United A 2–2 13,161 Malkin, Finney
12 26 September 1953 Luton Town H 1–1 24,082 King
13 3 October 1953 Plymouth Argyle A 1–1 16,000 Oscroft
14 10 October 1953 Blackburn Rovers H 3–0 23,329 Bowyer, Thomson (2)
15 17 October 1953 Doncaster Rovers A 0–1 10,000
16 24 October 1953 Bury H 4–0 19,250 Bowyer, Malkin, Siddall, Oscroft
17 31 October 1953 Oldham Athletic A 0–1 15,703
18 7 November 1953 Everton H 2–4 18,696 Bowyer, Bourne
19 14 November 1953 Hull City A 2–1 26,581 Bowyer, Siddall
20 21 November 1953 Notts County H 0–1 17,396
21 28 November 1953 Lincoln City A 1–1 14,674 Siddall
22 5 December 1953 Bristol Rovers H 3–2 13,178 Siddall (2), Malkin
23 12 December 1953 Brentford A 0–0 12,338
24 19 December 1953 Fulham H 1–3 13,884 King
25 26 December 1953 Swansea Town A 2–2 18,239 Oscroft, Finney
26 28 December 1953 Swansea Town H 5–0 17,785 King (3), Bowyer, Hutton
27 16 January 1954 Leeds United H 4–0 26,790 Hutton, Oscroft (2), Malkin
28 23 January 1954 Birmingham City A 0–1 25,199
29 6 February 1954 Nottingham Forest H 1–1 17,345 Bowyer
30 13 February 1954 Luton Town A 1–0 15,000 Malkin
31 27 February 1954 Blackburn Rovers A 0–3 27,100
32 6 March 1954 Doncaster Rovers H 2–2 13,061 Bowyer, King
33 13 March 1954 Bury A 6–0 13,763 Bowyer (2), King, Oscroft (2), Hart (o.g.)
34 20 March 1954 Oldham Athletic H 0–1 14,632
35 27 March 1954 Notts County A 1–2 15,632 King
36 3 April 1954 Lincoln City H 4–1 11,371 King (2), Malkin, Bowyer
37 10 April 1954 Everton A 1–1 46,411 Oscroft
38 12 April 1954 West Ham United A 2–2 10,523 Coleman (2)
39 17 April 1954 Hull City H 0–1 17,371
40 19 April 1954 Rotherham United H 1–1 13,974 Oscroft
41 24 April 1954 Bristol Rovers A 2–3 22,687 Oscroft, Bowyer
42 26 April 1954 Plymouth Argyle H 3–2 5,804 Bowyer, King, Coleman

FA Cup

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Round Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Scorers
R3 9 January 1954 Hartlepool United H 6–2 23,927 Bowyer (4), King, Hutton
R4 30 January 1954 Leicester City H 0–0 39,066
R4 Replay 2 February 1954 Leicester City A 1–3 20,000 Malkin

Squad statistics

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Pos. Name League FA Cup Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
GK Wales Frank Elliott 10 0 0 0 10 0
GK Wales Peter Isaac 0 0 0 0 0 0
GK England Bill Robertson 32 0 3 0 35 0
DF England Roy Beckett 4 0 0 0 4 0
DF England George Bourne 42 1 3 0 45 1
DF England John Cotton 2 0 0 0 2 0
DF England John McCue 36 0 3 0 39 0
DF Scotland Ken Thomson 40 2 3 0 43 2
MF England Bill Asprey 1 0 0 0 1 0
MF Scotland Bobby Cairns 5 0 0 0 5 0
MF England Des Farrow 5 0 0 0 5 0
MF England Frank Mountford 41 1 3 0 44 1
MF England John Sellars 15 1 0 0 15 1
FW England Frank Bowyer 41 14 3 4 44 18
FW England Neville Coleman 5 3 0 0 5 3
FW England Harold Connor 2 1 0 0 2 1
FW England Bill Finney 25 6 0 0 25 6
FW Scotland Joe Hutton 7 2 3 1 10 3
FW England Johnny King 24 11 3 1 27 12
FW England John Malkin 39 10 3 1 42 11
FW England Alan Martin 38 0 3 0 41 0
FW England Harry Oscroft 33 13 3 0 36 13
FW England Brian Siddall 10 5 0 0 10 5
FW England Ron Smith 0 0 0 0 0 0
FW England Arthur Woodall 1 0 0 0 1 0
FW England Donald Whiston 4 0 0 0 4 0
Own goals 1 0 1

References

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