1902–03 Stoke F.C. season

Stoke
1902–03 season
Chairman Mr W Cowlishaw
Manager Horace Austerberry
Stadium Victoria Ground
Football League First Division 6th (37 Points)
FA Cup Third Round
Top goalscorer League: Mart Watkins (12)
All: Mart Watkins (13)
Highest home attendance 15,000 vs The Wednesday (29 November 1902)
Lowest home attendance 5,000 vs Bolton Wanderers (18 April 1903)
Average home league attendance 8,050
Home colours

The 1902–03 season was Stoke's 14th season in the Football League.

After two seasons of narrow escapes the 1902–03 season provided Stoke fans a welcome relief as they finished in sixth place and could have won the league but failed to win their remaining four fixtures.[1]

Season review

League

After a couple of desolate campaigns it did seem that the 1902–03 season would, bring some progress as the club attempted to build on a somewhat poor defence.[1] A fine half-back was now taking shape with Tom Holford flanked by local players George Baddeley and James Bradley.[1] This trio played together 74 times for Stoke at senior level and became a formidable midfield three.[1] But perhaps the most significant signing at this time was that of 27-year-old inside-left Arthur Capes signed from Nottingham Forest.[1] He became captain of the side and provided a useful amount of goals for Stoke in his two seasons with the club.[1] The directors also visited Scotland, again to sign Jack Forrest from Motherwell but after scoring twice on his debut against Wolverhampton Wanderers he was unable to settle in the Potteries and left for Bradford.[1]

An ultimate sixth place finish in the table does not exaggerate the work put in by both Cowlishaw and Austerberry for this was Stoke's best season so far in League football.[1] In fact after a hard fought 0–0 away at Sunderland on Good Friday, Stoke were lying fourth and had a mathematical chance of taking the title.[1] But they only won one of their remaining four games allowing Sheffield Wednesday to win the league.[1]

FA Cup

In the FA Cup Stoke accounted for Glossop and Nottingham Forest before bowing out 3–0 to Derby County.[1]

Final league table

PosClubPWDLFAGAPts
1The Wednesday341941154361.50042
2Aston Villa341931261401.52541
3Sunderland34169951361.41741
4Sheffield United341751258441.31839
5Liverpool341741368491.38838
6Stoke341571246381.21137
7West Bromwich Albion341641454531.01936
8Bury341631554431.25635
9Derby County341631550471.06435
10Nottingham Forest341471349471.04335
11Wolverhampton Wanderers341451548570.84233
12Everton341361545470.95732
13Middlesbrough341441641500.82032
14Newcastle United341441641510.80432
15Notts County341271541490.83731
16Blackburn Rovers341251744630.69829
17Grimsby Town34891743620.69425
18Bolton Wanderers34832337730.50719

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 6 September 1902 Newcastle UnitedA0–515,000
2 13 September 1902 Wolverhampton WanderersH3–010,000Forrest (2), Higginson
3 15 September 1902 Notts CountyH0–28,000
4 20 September 1902 LiverpoolA1–110,000Forrest
5 27 September 1902 Sheffield UnitedH0–110,000
6 4 October 1902 Grimsby TownA2–25,000Watkins, Capes
7 11 October 1902 Aston VillaH1–010,000Watkins
8 18 October 1902 Nottingham ForestA3–18,000Watkins, Capes, Whitehouse
9 25 October 1902 BuryH1–012,000Watkins
10 1 November 1902 Blackburn RoversA1–13,000Holford
11 8 November 1902 SunderlandH1–17,000Baddeley
12 15 November 1902 Derby CountyH2–07,000Watkins (2)
13 22 November 1902 EvertonA1–018,000Whitehouse
14 29 November 1902 The WednesdayH4–015,000Whitehouse, Bradley, Watkins, Johnson
15 6 December 1902 West Bromwich AlbionA1–211,235Bradley
16 20 December 1902 Bolton WanderersA3–25,000Whitehouse (3)
17 25 December 1902 BuryA1–24,000Watkins
18 26 December 1902 Blackburn RoversH0–210,000
19 27 December 1902 MiddlesbroughH0–26,000
20 3 January 1903 Newcastle UnitedH5–08,000Watkins, Capes, Lockett (2), Baddeley
21 10 January 1903 Wolverhampton WanderersA0–16,000
22 17 January 1903 LiverpoolH1–07,000Johnson
23 24 January 1903 Sheffield UnitedA3–112,000Watkins, Capes, Whitehouse
24 31 January 1903 Grimsby TownH1–110,000Capes
25 14 February 1903 Nottingham ForestH3–28,000Capes, Watkins, Higginson
26 14 March 1903 Derby CountyA0–26,000
27 21 March 1903 EvertonH2–06,000Higginson, Holford
28 28 March 1903 The WednesdayA0–17,000
29 4 April 1903 West Bromwich AlbionH3–05,500Higginson, Watkins, Whitehouse
30 10 April 1903 SunderlandA0–020,000
31 11 April 1903 Notts CountyA0–37,000
32 13 April 1903 Aston VillaA0–210,000
33 18 April 1903 Bolton WanderersH2–05,000Capes, Harris
34 25 April 1903 MiddlesbroughA1–110,000Harris

FA Cup

Main article: 1902–03 FA Cup
RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
R17 February 1903 GlossopA3–22,000Watkins, Whitehouse, Capes
R221 February 1903 Nottingham ForestH0–025,000
R2 Replay26 February 1903 Nottingham ForestA2–024,850Capes, Baddeley
R37 March 1903 Derby CountyA0–316,00

Squad statistics

Pos. Name League FA Cup Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
GKWales Leigh Richmond Roose 25030280
GKEngland Herbert Salt 100010
GKEngland Tom Wilkes 801090
FBEngland Harry Benson 600060
FBEngland Charlie Burgess 31040350
FBEngland Bill Capewell 100010
FBScotland Andy Clark 18040220
FBEngland Arthur Hartshorne 400040
FBWales Sam Meredith 600060
FBEngland Herbert Smith 300030
HBEngland Samuel Ashworth 9010100
HBEngland George Baddeley 30231333
HBEngland James Bradley 29240332
HBEngland Ted Holdcroft 100010
HBEngland Tom Holford 33240372
HBEngland Albert Sturgess 100010
FWEngland Arthur Bridgett 700070
FWEngland Arthur Capes 32742369
FWScotland Jack Forrest 630063
FWEngland George Harris 720072
FWEngland Sam Higginson 12430154
FWEngland Freddie Johnson 23210242
FWEngland Arthur Lockett 22240262
FWEngland Ben Prosser 100010
FWWales Mart Watkins 2912413313
FWEngland Frank Whitehouse 29841339

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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