1907–08 Stoke F.C. season

Stoke
1907–08 season
Chairman Mr W Cowlishaw
Manager Horace Austerberry
Stadium Victoria Ground
Football League Second Division 10th (37 Points)
FA Cup Fourth Round
Top goalscorer League: Tom Holford (12)
All: Tom Holford (15)
Highest home attendance 12,000 vs Oldham Athletic (7 September 1907)
Lowest home attendance 1,500 vs Leicester Fosse (27 April 1908)
Average home league attendance 5,825
Home colours

The 1907–08 season was Stoke's 19th season in the Football League and first in the Second Division.

Stoke now playing in the Second Division failed to mount a promotion challenge and finished in 10th place. However that was the least of Stoke's worries as financial problems dominated the season and ended with the club being put into liquidation and thus had to resign from the Football League. At long last local feeling was roused and attempts were made to raise £2,000 to take over the club, its buildings and remaining assets. Twelve local burghers stepped forward guided by Alfred Barker a former league referee and supporter of the club.[1]

A new board of seven directors was formed and in June 1908 re-branded the club as Stoke Football Club (1908). Barker's impressive efforts led to Stoke being included for re-election but lost out to Tottenham Hotspur and their exit from the Football League was sealed. Barker placed Stoke in the Birmingham & District League for the 1908–09 season.[1]

Season review

League

The 1907–08 season saw Stoke playing in the Second Division for the first time and they started their fixture programme disastrously, collecting just one point from their opening four games.[1] They quickly dropped into the bottom two and although they picked up and eventually finished 10th, their highest spot throughout the campaign but generally it wasn't a good season at all.[1] The Victoria Ground faithful witnessed only a few worthwhile performances, the best being a couple of 5–0 victories over Gainsborough Trinity and Grimsby Town and a 6–1 beating of Fulham.[1] Newspaper reports described that win over Fulham as one of the best attacking displays by a Stoke side so far.[1]

FA Cup

Stoke had a good run in the cup soundly beating Lincoln City 5–0, Gainsborough Trinity after three attempts and Portsmouth before losing to eventual winners Wolverhampton Wanderers in front of 31,800.[1]

Football League exit

Finance was now a major problem within the club and following that cup exit to Wolves in February 1908 the fans deserted the team and crowds plummeted alarmingly. Only 2,000 bothered to turn up to see Barnsley beaten 4–0 and the takings at the gate amounted to just £40.[1] It was now common knowledge that the books would not balance as wages repeatedly exceeded the poor gates receipts. Before the end of the season Tom Holford was sold to Manchester City as the directors turned to players to generate income.[1] Only a few players with any real ability stayed with the club as Stoke's squad was sold off.[1] Chairman Cowlishaw's last-ditch efforts to rally support failed and he immediately pulled Stoke out of the league, putting the company into liquidation.[1] Cowlishaw left by stating: "The Potteries public do not deserve a football club if this is the way they show their support".

At long last local feeling was roused and attempts were made to raise £2,000 to take over the club, its buildings and remaining assets. Twelve local burghers stepped forward guided by Alfred Barker a former league referee and supporter of the club.[1] A new board of seven directors was formed and in June 1908 re-branded the club as Stoke Football Club (1908). Barker's impressive efforts led to Stoke being included for re-election but lost out Tottenham Hotspur and their exit from the Football League was confirmed. Barker placed Stoke in the Birmingham & District League for the 1908–09 season.[1]

Final league table

PosClubPWDLFAGAPts
1Bradford City38246890422.14354
2Leicester Fosse382110772471.53252
3Oldham Athletic382261076421.81050
4Fulham382251182491.67349
5West Bromwich Albion381991061391.56447
6Derby County382141377451.71146
7Burnley382061267501.34046
8Hull City382141373621.17746
9Wolverhampton Wanderers381571650451.11137
10Stoke381651757521.09637
11Gainsborough Trinity381471747710.66235
12Leeds City381281853650.81532
13Stockport County381281848670.71632
14Clapton Orient3811101740650.61532
15Blackpool381191851580.87931
16Barnsley381262054680.79430
17Glossop381181954740.73030
18Grimsby Town381181943710.60630
19Chesterfield386112146920.50023
20Lincoln City38932646830.55421

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 Second Division

MatchDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
1 2 September 1907 ChesterfieldH1–13,000Watkins
2 7 September 1907 Oldham AthleticH1–312,000Watkins
3 9 September 1907 BurnleyA1–37,000Gallimore
4 14 September 1907 Clapton OrientA0–35,000
5 21 September 1907 Leeds CityH2–110,000Chalmers, Sturgess
6 28 September 1907 Wolverhampton WanderersA0–29,000
7 5 October 1907 Gainsborough TrinityH5–05,000Fielding, Holford (2), Watkins, Gemmell
8 12 October 1907 Stockport CountyA2–16,000Holford, Watkins
9 19 October 1907 GlossopH4–07,000Holford, Fielding, Gemmell, Baddeley
10 26 October 1907 Leicester FosseA0–118,000
11 2 November 1907 BlackpoolH3–17,000Holford, Baddeley (2)
12 9 November 1907 Grimsby TownA0–14,000
13 11 November 1907 Clapton OrientH3–05,000Holford (2), Baddeley
14 16 November 1907 West Bromwich AlbionA0–110,000
15 23 November 1907 Bradford CityH3–08,000Baddeley, Holford, Gallimore
16 30 November 1907 Hull CityA1–27,000Holford
17 7 December 1907 Derby CountyH0–36,000
18 14 December 1907 Lincoln CityA2–1500Brown, Arrowsmith
19 21 December 1907 FulhamH6–16,000Brown (3), Baddeley, Gallimore, Coxon
20 26 December 1907 BurnleyH0–010,000
21 28 December 1907 BarnsleyA1–02,000Gallimore
22 4 January 1908 Oldham AthleticA1–310,000Brown
23 18 January 1908 Leeds CityA1–010,000Baddeley
24 25 January 1908 Wolverhampton WanderersH0–06,000
25 8 February 1908 Stockport CountyH1–05,000Williams
26 15 February 1908 GlossopA0–21,000
27 29 February 1908 BlackpoolA0–14,000
28 14 March 1908 West Bromwich AlbionH1–15,000Gallimore
29 19 March 1908 Grimsby TownH5–03,000Gallimore, Holford (2), Davies (2)
30 21 March 1908 Bradford CityA0–615,000
31 28 March 1908 Hull CityH1–12,500Brown
32 4 April 1908 Derby CountyA0–37,000
33 11 April 1908 Lincoln CityH3–02,000Holford, Baddeley, Owen
34 17 April 1908 Gainsborough TrinityA0–26,000
35 18 April 1908 FulhamA1–515,000Brown
36 20 April 1908 ChesterfieldA4–23,000Brown, Baddeley, Chalmers (2)
37 25 April 1908 BarnsleyH4–01,800Baddeley, Owen (3)
38 27 April 1908 Leicester FosseH0–11,500

FA Cup

Main article: 1907–08 FA Cup
RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
R111 January 1908 Lincoln CityH5–07,413Gallimore (2), Brown, Holford, Wilson (o.g.)
R21 February 1908 Gainsborough TrinityH1–16,400Baddeley (pen)
R2 Replay5 February 1908 Gainsborough TrinityA2–2 (aet)6,000Brown, Bentley
R2 Second Replay10 February 1908 Gainsborough TrinityN3–05,000Brown, Holford, Watkins
R322 February 1908 PortsmouthA1–020,000Holford
R47 March 1908 Wolverhampton WanderersA0–131,800

Squad statistics

Pos. Name League FA Cup Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
GKEngland Arthur Box 33060390
GKEngland Fred Rathbone 200020
GKWales Leigh Richmond Roose 300030
FBEngland Charlie Burgess 37060430
FBEngland William Cope 25060310
FBEngland Ernest Mullineux 13000130
FBEngland Harry Smith 100010
HBEngland George Baddeley 37461435
HBEngland Sam Baddeley 100010
HBEngland Frank Bentley 104151
HBEngland Joe Brough 100010
HBWales Lloyd Davies 200020
HBEngland Walter Rogers 100010
HBEngland Albert Sturgess 37160431
HBEngland Louis Williams 33130361
FWEngland Arthur Arrowsmith 7140111
FWEngland Amos Baddeley 15600156
FWEngland Freddie Brown 198632511
FWScotland Jackie Chalmers 930093
FWEngland Tom Coxon 9130121
FWEngland William Davies 10200102
FWEngland Ross Fielding 27210282
FWEngland George Gallimore 24652298
FWScotland Jimmy Gemmell 11200112
FWEngland Arthur Griffiths 401050
FWEngland Tom Holford 2912633515
FWEngland Syd Owen 540054
FWWales Mart Watkins 17431205
FWEngland Bill Williamson 500050
Own goals 011

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Matthews, Tony (1994). The Encyclopaedia of Stoke City. Lion Press. ISBN 0-9524151-0-0.
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