1938–39 Stoke City F.C. season

Stoke City
1938–39 season
Chairman Mr H. Booth
Manager Bob McGrory
Stadium Victoria Ground
Football League First Division 7th (46 Points)
FA Cup Third Round
Top goalscorer League: Freddie Steele (26)
All: Freddie Steele (27)
Highest home attendance 33,000 vs Derby County (28 January 1939)
Lowest home attendance 15,201 vs Leicester City (24 December 1938)
Average home league attendance 22,535
Home colours

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 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

League

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

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

Final league table

PosClubPWDLFAGAPts
1Everton422751088521.69259
2Wolverhampton Wanderers422211988392.25655
3Charlton Athletic422261475591.27150
4Middlesbrough422091393741.25749
5Arsenal421991455411.34147
6Derby County421981566551.20046
7Stoke City4217121371681.04446
8Bolton Wanderers4215151267581.15545
9Preston North End4216121463591.06844
10Grimsby Town4216111561690.88443
11Liverpool4214141462630.98442
12Aston Villa421691771601.18341
13Leeds United421691759670.88141
14Manchester United4211161557650.87738
15Blackpool4212141656680.82438
16Sunderland4213121754670.80638
17Portsmouth4212131747700.67137
18Brentford421482053740.71636
19Huddersfield Town4212111958640.90635
20Chelsea421292164800.80033
21Birmingham421282262840.73832
22Leicester City429112248820.58529

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 27 August 1938 Leicester CityA2–225,000Steele (2)
2 29 August 1938 Charlton AthleticA2–427,000Steele, Baker
3 3 September 1938 MiddlesbroughH1–322,376Steele
4 5 September 1938 Leeds UnitedH1–115,950Steele
5 10 September 1938 BirminghamA2–122,000Smith, Baker
6 17 September 1938 Manchester UnitedH1–121,370Soo
7 24 September 1938 Derby CountyA0–520,000
8 1 October 1938 ChelseaA1–128,000Westland
9 8 October 1938 Preston North EndH3–120,070Matthews, Sale, Soo
10 15 October 1938 BrentfordH3–223,436Smith, Sale, Baker
11 22 October 1938 BlackpoolA1–125,000Baker
12 29 October 1938 Grimsby TownH1–219,833Matthews
13 5 November 1938 SunderlandA0–325,000
14 12 November 1938 Aston VillaH3–129,464Antonio, Sale, Baker
15 19 November 1938 Wolverhampton WanderersA0–330,104
16 26 November 1938 EvertonH0–026,566
17 3 December 1938 Huddersfield TownA4–112,000Sale (3), Steele
18 10 December 1938 PortsmouthH1–121,882Steele
19 17 December 1938 ArsenalA1–445,000Steele
20 24 December 1938 Leicester CityH1–015,201Steele
21 26 December 1938 LiverpoolH3–118,027Sale (2), Baker
22 27 December 1938 LiverpoolA0–148,000
23 31 December 1938 MiddlesbroughA1–512,000Peppitt
24 2 January 1939 Bolton WanderersA3–115,000Peppitt, Baker, Antonio
25 14 January 1939 BirminghamH6–320,000Steele (4), Smith, Sale
26 21 January 1939 Manchester UnitedA1–025,000Steele
27 28 January 1939 Derby CountyH3–033,000Steele, Smith, Sale
28 4 February 1939 ChelseaH6–125,047Steele (3), Smith, Sale, Baker
29 15 February 1939 Preston North EndA1–115,000Smith
30 18 February 1939 BrentfordA0–122,000
31 25 February 1939 BlackpoolH1–122,720Steele
32 7 March 1939 Grimsby TownA1–35,000Baker
33 11 March 1939 SunderlandH3–124,000Steele (2), Sale
34 18 March 1939 Aston VillaA0–335,000
35 29 March 1939 Wolverhampton WanderersH5–335,000Sale (3), Steele, Antonio
36 1 April 1939 EvertonA1–130,000Sale
37 8 April 1939 Huddersfield TownH2–226,014Sale, Steele
38 10 April 1939 Bolton WanderersH4–128,879Sale, Steele (2), Baker
39 15 April 1939 PortsmouthA0–213,000
40 22 April 1939 ArsenalH1–013,000Antonio
41 29 April 1939 Charlton AthleticH1–024,000Steele
42 6 May 1939 Leeds UnitedA0–018,000

FA Cup

Main article: 1938–39 FA Cup
RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
R37 January 1939 Leicester CityA1–119,750Soo
R3 Replay11 January 1939 Leicester CityH1–218,488Steele

Squad statistics

Pos. Name League FA Cup Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
GKWales Douglas Jones 100010
GKScotland Douglas Westland 300030
GKEngland Norman Wilkinson 38020400
DFEngland John Bamber 13000130
DFEngland Harry Brigham 39020410
DFEngland Jack Challinor 12000120
DFEngland George Oldham 200020
DFEngland Charlie Scrimshaw 400040
DFEngland Jack Tennant 26020280
DFEngland Bill Winstanley 100010
MFWales Arthur Griffiths 400040
MFScotland Jock Kirton 36020380
MFEngland Alfred Massey 200020
MFEngland Billy Mould 22020240
MFEngland Clement Smith 20600206
MFEngland Frank Soo 42221443
MFEngland Arthur Turner 11000110
MFEngland Arthur Tutin 300030
FWEngland George Antonio 23420254
FWEngland Frank Baker 3610203810
FWWales Syd Fursland 100010
FWScotland Patrick Gallacher 301040
FWEngland Bobby Liddle 200020
FWEngland Stanley Matthews 36220382
FWEngland Alexander Ormston 9010100
FWEngland Syd Peppitt 620062
FWEngland Tommy Sale 3418003418
FWEngland Freddie Steele 3126213327
FWScotland James Westland 210021

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.
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