1926–27 Stoke City F.C. season

Stoke City
1926–27 season
Chairman Mr A.McSherwin
Manager Tom Mather
Stadium Victoria Ground
Football League Third Division North 1st (63 Points)
FA Cup First Round
Top goalscorer League: Charlie Wilson (25)
All: Charlie Wilson (26)
Highest home attendance 16,827 vs Crewe Alexandra (12 March 1927)
Lowest home attendance 6,778 vs Wigan Borough (30 August 1926)
Average home league attendance 10,311
Home colours

The 1926–27 season was Stoke City's 27th season in the Football League and the first in the Third Division North.

With relegation last season Stoke found themselves playing in the bottom tier of the Football League the Third Division North. Whilst there was obvious disappointment of the clubs failures it soon became clear that an instant return to the Second Division would be achieved as Stoke proved to be too good for their league opponents and ended the season as champions with 63 points and an impressive goal average of 2.3.[1]

Season review

League

After the trauma of two pretty bad seasons, there was to be a turn around in Stoke's fortunes in 1926–27 and from the outset there was never any doubt that promotion back to the Second Division would be achieved.[1]

There had been reservations regarding the midfield, but manager Tom Mather gambled and switched Harry Sellars to right-half, brought in Cecil Eastwood from Preston North End to occupy left-half and slotted Tom Williamson between them.[1] Thanks to the consistent form of this trio Stoke were on top of the league throughout the season, achieving ten doubles over their opponents.[1] During the season a number of teams made their one and only trip to the Victoria Ground these were Ashington who were beaten 7–0, Durham City 4–0, Nelson 4–1, Wigan Borough 2–0 and New Brighton who managed a 1–1.[1] In the return fixture against New Brighton Stoke produced what was easily their worst display of the season and crashed to a 5–0 defeat.[1]

Stoke moved into April 1927 sitting on top of the table, but they were rocked by a 4–0 defeat to second place Rochdale. A 2–0 win over Tranmere Rovers eased the tensions but a 3–1 defeat at Doncaster Rovers on Good Friday put the celebrations on hold again, and although they beat Durham City 24 hours later, a goalless draw with Doncaster left Stoke with just a three-point lead over Rochdale.[1] With three games remaining Stoke required four points to secure the title and with it promotion. However promotion was sealed in the next match against Accrington Stanley Stoke winning 1–0 thanks to a Jack Eyres goal but news that both Rochdale and Nelson had been beaten meant that Stoke took the title and returned to the Second Division at the first time of asking.[1]

FA Cup

In the FA Cup Stoke were embarrassed as Welsh League side Rhyl Athletic took Stoke to a second replay before winning 2–1.[1]

Final league table

PosClubPWDLFAGAPts
1Stoke City42279692402.30063
2Rochdale4226610105651.61558
3Bradford Park Avenue4224711101591.71255
4Halifax Town4221111070531.32153
5Nelson4222713104751.38751
6Stockport County*422271393691.34849
7Chesterfield422151692681.35347
8Doncaster Rovers4218111381651.24647
9Tranmere Rovers421981585671.26946
10New Brighton4218101479671.17946
11Lincoln City4215121590781.15442
12Southport421591880850.94139
13Wrexham4214101865730.89038
14Walsall4214101868810.84038
15Crewe Alexandra421491971810.87737
16Ashington4212121860900.66736
17Hartlepools United421462266810.81534
18Wigan Borough4211102166830.79532
19Rotherham United4210122070920.76132
20Durham City4212624581050.55230
21Accrington Stanley421072562980.63327
22Barrow427827341170.29122

* Stockport County were docked two points for fielding an ineligible player.

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 Third Division North

MatchDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
1 28 August 1926 Bradford Park AvenueH0–011,388
2 30 August 1926 Wigan BoroughH2–06,778Johnson, Wilson
3 4 September 1926 WalsallA1–07,000Davies
4 6 September 1926 Wigan BoroughA3–03,500Bussey, Archibald, Wilson
5 11 September 1926 NelsonH4–110,557Beswick, Johnson, Wilson (2)
6 13 September 1926 Hartlepools UnitedH3–18,237Davies, Wilson (2)
7 18 September 1926 ChesterfieldA1–14,600Wilson
8 22 September 1926 Hartlepools UnitedA3–13,000Wilson (2), Johnson
9 25 September 1926 AshingtonH7–08,927Wilson (5), Davies, Williams
10 2 October 1926 New BrightonA0–54,000
11 9 October 1926 WrexhamH2–08,806Wilson, Davies
12 16 October 1926 BarrowH4–09,638Wilson (3), Bussey
13 23 October 1926 Crewe AlexandraA2–014,765Wilson, Bussey
14 30 October 1926 Stockport CountyH0–112,523
15 6 November 1926 SouthportA3–03,500Davies, Williams, Wilson
16 13 November 1926 RochdaleH3–111,144Davies, Johnson, Williamson
17 20 November 1926 Tranmere RoversA1–14,000Williamson
18 4 December 1926 Accrington StanleyA1–05,000Johnson
19 18 December 1926 Halifax TownA2–27,964Bussey, Armitage
20 25 December 1926 Rotherham UnitedH4–113,580Bussey, Armitage (2), Wilson
21 27 December 1926 Rotherham UnitedA2–24,000Bussey, Wilson
22 1 January 1927 Lincoln CityH2–012,035Bussey, Armitage
23 8 January 1927 Durham CityH4–07,382Armitage, Williamson (2), Wilson
24 15 January 1927 Bradford Park AvenueA0–321,458
25 22 January 1927 WalsallH4–110,125Archibald, Davies, Eyres (2)
26 29 January 1927 NelsonA0–16,000
27 5 February 1927 ChesterfieldH3–29,759Davies, Archibald, Williams
28 12 February 1927 AshingtonA2–04,708Williams, Eyres
29 19 February 1927 New BrightonH1–112,209Williams
30 26 February 1927 WrexhamA6–24,000Williams, Davies, Eyres (3), Wilson
31 5 March 1927 BarrowA0–04,155
32 12 March 1927 Crewe AlexandraH2–116,827Eyres, Watkin
33 19 March 1927 Stockport CountyA2–228,460Watkin, Archibald
34 26 March 1927 SouthportH4–07,826Watkin, Davies, Williamson, Eyres
35 2 April 1927 RochdaleA0–43,338
36 9 April 1927 Tranmere RoversH2–06,950Cull, Davies
37 15 April 1927 Doncaster RoversA1–317,974Archibald
38 16 April 1927 Durham CityA2–12,956Davies, Bussey
39 18 April 1927 Doncaster RoversH0–015,903
40 23 April 1927 Accrington StanleyH1–08,440Eyres
41 30 April 1927 Lincoln CityA3–13,330Davies, Eyres, Wilson
42 7 May 1927 Halifax TownH5–110,280Davies (2), Eyres (2), Archibald

FA Cup

Main article: 1926–27 FA Cup
RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
R127 November 1926 Rhyl AthleticA1–15,000Wilson
R1 Replay2 December 1926 Rhyl AthleticH1–17,662Davies
R1 2nd Replay6 December 1926 Rhyl AthleticN1–23,000Davies

Squad statistics

Pos. Name League FA Cup Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
GKEngland Bob Dixon 41030440
GKEngland Dick Williams 100010
DFEngland Arthur Beachill 100010
DFScotland Bob McGrory 42030450
DFEngland Billy Spencer 36020380
DFEngland Harold Watson 001010
MFEngland Ewart Beswick 10100101
MFEngland Tommy Dawson 501060
MFEngland Cecil Eastwood 39020410
MFEngland Reginald Hodgkins 300030
MFEngland Peter Jackson 101020
MFEngland Harry Sellars 30030330
MFScotland Tom Williamson 28520305
FWScotland Bobby Archibald 37600376
FWEngland Len Armitage 22500225
FWEngland Walter Bussey 15800158
FWEngland John Cull 10100101
FWEngland Harry Davies 3915324217
FWEngland Jack Eyres 1712101812
FWEngland Charles Hallam 602080
FWEngland Dick Johnson 15530185
FWEngland Frank Watkin 530053
FWEngland Joey Williams 28630316
FWEngland Charlie Wilson 3125313426

References

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