1969–70 Stoke City F.C. season

Stoke City
1969–70 season
Chairman Albert Henshall
Manager Tony Waddington
Stadium Victoria Ground
Football League First Division 9th (45 Points)
FA Cup Fourth Round
League Cup Second Round
Top goalscorer League: Harry Burrows, John Ritchie (14)
All: John Ritchie (16)
Highest home attendance 38,740 vs Manchester United (28 February 1970)
Lowest home attendance 11,804 vs West Bromwich Albion (15 April 1970)
Average home league attendance 24,165
Home colours

The 1969–70 season was Stoke City's 63rd season in the Football League and the 39th in the First Division.

Stoke seemingly had an abundance of talent emerging as the 1960s gave way for the 1970s and Waddington addressed the past two seasons lack of goals by bringing back John Ritchie from Sheffield Wednesday and Jimmy Greenhoff from Birmingham City. It was a promising season with Stoke finishing in 9th position with 45 points.[1]

Season review

League

After two poor seasons, Tony Waddington recognised the goalscoring shortcomings and won over some of the worried supporters by bringing in former Leeds United forward Jimmy Greenhoff for a club record £100,000 and also brought back John Ritchie from Sheffield Wednesday.[1] There was certainly a feeling around Stoke, with the infusion of forward talent that the club was putting together a side that could cause a few raised eyebrows in the First Division and whilst Alex Elder and Tony Allen were early season selections in defence they were soon drifting from the spotlight allowing local defenders Jackie Marsh and Mike Pejic to break into the team.[1]

With Gordon Banks in goals and the ever improving centre back pairing of 'hard men' Alan Bloor and Denis Smith, Stoke's back line looked solid.[1] In midfield Irish winger Terry Conroy had now settled in England and was beginning to show his skill and pace on the wide positions.[1] The improvements were there for all to see and the directors were keen to bring the best to the Victoria Ground and in September 1969 they achieved their aim.[1] Brazilian star Pelé came over with his team Santos to play Stoke in a friendly, Pelé starring in a 3–2 win for the South Americans.[1]

Early on in the 1969–70 season after winning six and drawing five for their first 15 matches, Stoke suffered a 6–2 reverse at Everton when John Farmer, making his only appearance of the season, was carried off due to injury and defender Denis Smith had to go in goal.[1] They quickly put that defeat behind them and lost only once of the next ten matches. But an absence of victories between 17 January and 28 March saw the team slip down into mid-table and finished up in 9th spot, their highest league finish for 22 years.[1]

FA Cup

Stoke advanced past Oxford United 3–2 in a replay following a goalless draw at the Manor Ground before being knocked at Watford.[1]

League Cup

There was no progress in this seasons league cup, as Stoke lost 2–0 at home to Burnley.[1]

Final league table

PosClubPWDLFAGAPts
1Everton42298572342.11866
2Leeds United422115684491.71457
3Chelsea422113870501.40055
4Derby County422291164371.73053
5Liverpool4220111165421.54851
6Coventry City4219111258481.20849
7Newcastle United4217131257351.62947
8Manchester United4214171166611.08245
9Stoke City4215151256521.07745
10Manchester City4216111555481.14643
11Tottenham Hotspur421791654550.98243
12Arsenal4212181251491.04142
13Wolverhampton Wanderers4212161455570.96540
14Burnley4212151556610.91839
15Nottingham Forest4210181450710.70438
16West Bromwich Albion421491958660.87937
17West Ham United4212121851600.85036
18Ipswich Town4210112140630.63531
19Southampton426171946670.68729
20Crystal Palace426152134680.50027
21Sunderland426142230680.44126
22Sheffield Wednesday42892540710.56325

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 9 August 1969 Wolverhampton WanderersA1–333,260Burrows
2 12 August 1969 Nottingham ForestA0–022,470
3 16 August 1969 West Ham UnitedH2–123,362Dobing, Ritchie
4 20 August 1969 Nottingham ForestH1–120,029Burrows
5 23 August 1969 Derby CountyA0–036,170
6 27 August 1969 Coventry CityH2–025,507Conroy, Greenhoff
7 30 August 1969 SouthamptonH2–122,037Burrows, Dobing
8 6 September 1969 Crystal PalaceA1–326,745Ritchie
9 13 September 1969 SunderlandH4–216,939Ritchie (2), Greenhoff, Herd
10 17 September 1969 West Bromwich AlbionA3–124,869Ritchie, Greenhoff, Smith
11 20 September 1969 LiverpoolA1–345,745Burrows (pen)
12 27 September 1969 Manchester CityH2–029,739Ritchie, Greenhoff
13 4 October 1969 Leeds UnitedA1–235,860Greenhoff
14 6 October 1969 West Ham UnitedA3–326,860Burrows, Smith (2)
15 11 October 1969 ArsenalH0–025,801
16 18 October 1969 EvertonA2–648,684Burrows, Dobing
17 25 October 1969 Tottenham HotspurH1–119,550Herd
18 1 November 1969 Manchester UnitedA1–154,061Burrows
19 8 November 1969 BurnleyH2–118,434Greenhoff, Eastham
20 15 November 1969 Sheffield WednesdayA2–016,444Greenhoff, Ritchie
21 22 November 1969 Ipswich TownH3–319,285Ritchie, Burrows (2) (1 pen)
22 6 December 1969 Newcastle UnitedH0–117,767
23 13 December 1969 SunderlandA3–015,205Dobing, Burrows (2), (1 pen)
24 20 December 1969 Crystal PalaceH1–012,426Greenhoff
25 26 December 1969 Derby CountyH1–037,456Burrows (pen)
26 27 December 1969 SouthamptonA0–023,215
27 10 January 1970 LiverpoolH0–230,038
28 17 January 1970 Manchester CityA1–031,565Conroy
29 31 January 1970 Leeds UnitedH1–136,506Dobing
30 7 February 1970 ArsenalA0–026,363
31 14 February 1970 Wolverhampton WanderersH1–128,862Pejic
32 21 February 1970 Tottenham HotspurA0–129,972
33 28 February 1970 Manchester UnitedH2–238,740Burrows, Smith
34 7 March 1970 Ipswich TownA1–116,139Burrows
35 17 March 1970 ChelseaA0–128,996
36 20 March 1970 Newcastle UnitedA1–328,460Ritchie
37 27 March 1970 BurnleyA1–116,127Stevenson
38 28 March 1970 Sheffield WednesdayH2–116,632Ritchie (2) (1 pen)
39 30 March 1970 EvertonH0–133,083
40 4 April 1970 Coventry CityA3–027,754Ritchie (2), Dobing
41 13 April 1970 ChelseaH1–222,707Stevenson
42 15 April 1970 West Bromwich AlbionH3–211,804Ritchie, Greenhoff, Bernard

FA Cup

Main article: 1969–70 FA Cup
RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
R34 January 1970 Oxford UnitedA0–015,686
R3 Replay7 January 1970 Oxford UnitedH3–217,204Stevenson, Ritchie (2)
R424 January 1970 WatfordA0–123,354

League Cup

RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
R23 September 1969 BurnleyH0–219,296

Friendlies

MatchOpponentVenueResult
1Asante KotokoH3–2
2GlentoranA2–0
3ArdsA1–2
4Oldham AthleticA1–0
5Norwich CityA1–2
6Port ValeH2–3
7Bangor CityA7–2
8Dallas TornadoH6–1
9DOS UtrechtA3–2
10PSV EindhovenA1–3
11SantosH2–3

Squad statistics

Pos. Name League FA Cup League Cup Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
GKEngland Gordon Banks 3803010420
GKEngland Harry Dowd 30000030
GKEngland John Farmer 10000010
DFEngland Tony Allen 80001090
DFEngland Alan Bloor 3603000390
DFNorthern Ireland Alex Elder 8(1)000109(1)0
DFEngland Jackie Marsh 3603010400
DFEngland Mike Pejic 3213000351
DFEngland Eric Skeels 34(1)00(1)01035(2)0
DFEngland Denis Smith 4043010444
MFEngland Mike Bernard 9(2)100009(2)1
MFRepublic of Ireland Terry Conroy 27(4)2200029(4)2
MFEngland George Eastham 31(3)1201034(3)1
MFWales John Mahoney 20000020
MFScotland Willie Stevenson 18(2)2310021(2)3
FWEngland Harry Burrows 31(3)14301035(3)14
FWEngland Peter Dobing 4063010446
FWEngland Jimmy Greenhoff 3393010379
FWScotland David Herd 4(5)200004(5)2
FWEngland John Ritchie 31(1)14221034(1)16

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.
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