1930–31 Stoke City F.C. season

Stoke City
1930–31 season
ChairmanMr A.McSherwin
ManagerTom Mather
StadiumVictoria Ground
Football League Second Division11th (44 Points)
FA CupThird Round
Top goalscorerLeague: Wilf Kirkham
& Bobby Liddle
(14)

All: Bobby Liddle
(15)
Highest home attendance26,649 vs Port Vale
(13 December 1930)
Lowest home attendance2,405 vs Charlton Athletic
(28 February 1931)
Average home league attendance11,434

The 1930–31 season was Stoke City's 31st season in the Football League and the 11th in the Second Division.

Stoke experienced an average season as they finished in the same position as last season, 11th. The season was notable for the debuts of future star players Arthur Turner and Tommy Sale.[1]

Season review

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League

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Stoke's overall form in the 1930–31 season improved only marginally as they again took 11th position in the Second Division.[1] Wins of 5–0 v Swansea Town and 4–0 over Oldham Athletic were the best results at home whilst a 7–3 hammering away at relegated Reading a day to forget for Stoke supporters.[1] Stoke also conceded five at Everton, Preston North End and Wolverhampton Wanderers.[1]

The campaign ended with record gate receipts being taken from the final home league fixture against FA Cup winners West Bromwich Albion. A crowd of 26,064 amounting to £1,540 saw Albion win 1–0 to clinch promotion.[1] Three debutants in 1930–31 who were later to have a big impact on the club's fortunes, were Tommy Sale, Arthur Turner and Harry Ware whilst Tom Williamson left for Norwich City in January.[1]

FA Cup

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Stoke were knocked out of the FA Cup at the first attempt after an epic cup tie against Manchester United.[1] After a 3–3 draw at the Victoria Ground and a goalless one at Old Trafford Stoke lost 4–2 in the 2nd replay at Anfield.[1]

Final league table

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Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GAv Pts
9 Southampton 42 19 6 17 74 62 1.194 44
10 Bradford City 42 17 10 15 61 63 0.968 44
11 Stoke City 42 17 10 15 64 71 0.901 44
12 Oldham Athletic 42 16 10 16 61 72 0.847 42
13 Bury 42 19 3 20 75 82 0.915 41
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 30 August 1930 Millwall A 3–1 20,337 Kirkham (2), Sellars
2 1 September 1930 Bradford Park Avenue H 1–1 13,000 Cull
3 6 September 1930 Oldham Athletic H 4–0 15,055 Kirkham (3), Liddle
4 8 September 1930 Wolverhampton Wanderers A 1–5 16,000 Kirkham
5 13 September 1930 Nottingham Forest A 0–3 9,986
6 15 September 1930 Wolverhampton Wanderers H 1–2 14,000 Liddle
7 20 September 1930 Tottenham Hotspur H 2–1 10,254 Taylor, Armitage
8 27 September 1930 Preston North End A 1–5 12,036 Taylor
9 4 October 1930 Burnley H 1–1 13,124 Archibald
10 11 October 1930 Southampton A 1–2 10,000 Mawson
11 18 October 1930 Barnsley H 0–0 9,353
12 25 October 1930 Charlton Athletic A 2–1 10,047 Mawson, Wilson
13 1 November 1930 Swansea Town H 5–0 7,224 Bussey (2), Wilson (2), Mawson (pen)
14 8 November 1930 Plymouth Argyle A 2–1 15,000 Bussey, Mawson
15 15 November 1930 Cardiff City H 1–0 8,900 Liddle
16 22 November 1930 Everton A 0–5 20,120
17 29 November 1930 Bury H 3–1 7,505 Wilson (2), Chester (o.g.)
18 6 December 1930 Bristol City A 1–1 10,000 Liddle
19 13 December 1930 Port Vale H 1–0 26,649 Robertson
20 20 December 1930 West Bromwich Albion A 0–4 15,629
21 25 December 1930 Bradford City A 2–2 8,000 Wilson, Liddle
22 26 December 1930 Bradford City H 1–1 15,727 Wilson
23 27 December 1930 Millwall H 2–3 10,196 Wilson, Armitage (pen)
24 3 January 1931 Oldham Athletic A 1–3 11,305 Kirkham
25 17 January 1931 Nottingham Forest H 1–0 6,194 Williamson
26 26 January 1931 Tottenham Hotspur A 0–3 10,346
27 2 February 1931 Preston North End H 3–1 6,340 Burns (2), Liddle
28 7 February 1931 Burnley A 2–1 7,072 Liddle (2)
29 14 February 1931 Southampton H 1–3 10,095 Bussey
30 21 February 1931 Barnsley A 2–4 4,903 Wilson (2)
31 28 February 1931 Charlton Athletic H 0–0 2,405
32 7 March 1931 Swansea Town A 2–1 8,000 Liddle, Archibald
33 14 March 1931 Plymouth Argyle H 0–0 8,490
34 21 March 1931 Cardiff City A 2–3 4,500 Liddle, Kirkham
35 28 March 1931 Everton H 2–0 12,300 Liddle, Bussey
36 3 April 1931 Reading A 3–7 4,600 Armitage (pen), Kirkham (2)
37 4 April 1931 Bury A 3–0 3,000 Liddle, Kirkham (2)
38 6 April 1931 Reading H 2–1 10,939 Sale, Archibald
39 11 April 1931 Bristol City H 3–1 7,626 Kirkham (2), Liddle
40 18 April 1931 Port Vale A 0–0 13,190
41 30 April 1931 West Bromwich Albion H 0–1 26,064
42 2 May 1931 Bradford Park Avenue A 2–2 6,767 Sale, Liddle

FA Cup

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Round Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Scorers
R3 10 January 1931 Manchester United H 3–3 23,415 Wilson (pen), Sale (2)
R3 Replay 14 January 1931 Manchester United A 0–0 (aet) 22,013
R3 2nd Replay 19 January 1931 Manchester United N 2–4 11,788 Archibald, Liddle

Squad statistics

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Pos. Name League FA Cup Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
GK England Dave Beswick 6 0 0 0 6 0
GK England Norman Lewis 36 0 3 0 39 0
DF England Arthur Beachill 5 0 0 0 5 0
DF Scotland Bob McGrory 39 0 3 0 42 0
DF England Charlie Scrimshaw 2 0 0 0 2 0
DF England Billy Spencer 39 0 3 0 42 0
DF England Jack Tennant 1 0 0 0 1 0
MF England Len Armitage 27 3 0 0 27 3
MF England Peter Jackson 21 0 1 0 22 0
MF John McDaid 1 0 0 0 1 0
MF Scotland William Robertson 20 1 3 0 23 1
MF England Harry Sellars 33 1 3 0 36 1
MF Paddy Turley 3 0 0 0 3 0
MF England Arthur Turner 7 0 0 0 7 0
MF Scotland Tom Williamson 14 1 2 0 16 1
FW England John Alderson 0 0 0 0 0 0
FW Scotland Bobby Archibald 40 3 3 1 43 4
FW England Billy Burns 3 2 0 0 3 2
FW England Walter Bussey 39 5 3 0 42 5
FW England William Cook 0 0 0 0 0 0
FW England John Cull 13 1 0 0 13 1
FW England Bert Hales 1 0 0 0 1 0
FW England Wilf Kirkham 23 14 0 0 23 14
FW England Bobby Liddle 41 14 3 1 44 15
FW England Joe Mawson 11 4 0 0 11 4
FW England Tommy Sale 17 2 3 2 20 4
FW England Harold Taylor 3 2 0 0 3 2
FW England Harry Ware 1 0 0 0 1 0
FW England Charlie Wilson 16 10 3 1 19 11
Own goals 1 0 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.