Waddington was replaced by George Eastham in March 1977, however he could not halt the club's slide to the Second Division in 1976–77. Eastham did not last long in the job, leaving during the 1977–78 season, in January 1978, after only 10 months in charge. Alan Durban, arriving from Shrewsbury Town, was selected as the club's new manager in February 1978. Durban achieved promotion to the First Division in his first full season in charge, 1978–79, on the last day of the season. After consolidating the club's position in the First Division, Durban left for Sunderland in 1981. Ritchie Barker, who was appointed for 1981–82, had a short spell in charge, but was sacked in December 1983. The club's new manager, Bill Asprey decided to bring back veteran Alan Hudson. The decision paid off as an improved second-half of the season led to Stoke avoiding relegation on the final day of the 1983–84 season.
The next season, commonly referred to as The Holocaust Season by fans,proved to be disastrous. Stoke finished the season with only 17 points, with just 3 wins all season. Mick Mills was appointed player-manager for the 1985–86 season. After four seasons in charge Mills was unable to sustain a challenge for promotion and was sacked in November 1989 following a poor start to the 1989–90 season, after spending £1m on players. His successor, Alan Ball, Jr. became the club's 5th manager in 10 years.
Ball struggled in his first season in charge, 1989–90, and his Stoke were relegated to the third tier of English football after finishing bottom of the Second Division. Ball kept his job for the start of the following season, 1990–91, but departed during February 1991, in the midst of an indifferent season that saw Stoke finish 15th in the Third Division.
Ball's successor, Lou Macari, was appointed in May 1991, prior to the start of the 1991–92 season. He clinched silverware for the club; the Football League Trophy was won with a 1–0 victory against Stockport County at Wembley, with Mark Stein scoring the only goal of the game. The following season, 1992–93, promotion was achieved from the third tier – now known as League One with Stoke finishing as league champions. Macari left in October 1993; Stein also departed, in a club record £1.5m move to Chelsea.
Joe Jordan's tenure in charge was short; as he departed the club less than a year after joining. Following Jordan's departure, Stoke opted to reappoint Lou Macari only 12 months after he had left. Stoke finished 4th in 1995–96 but were defeated in the play-off semi-final by Leicester City. Macari left the club at the end of the season, his last game in charge was the final league game at the Victoria Ground. Mike Sheron, who was signed two years previously from Norwich City, was sold for a club record fee of £2.5m in 1997.
Sunday, March 6, 2011
The Tony Waddington years
Tony Waddington was appointed as the club's manager in June 1960. He first joined the club in 1952 as a coach, before being promoted to assistant manager in 1957. Waddington pulled off a significant coup by enticing Stanley Matthews – now 46 years old – back to the club, 14 years after he had departed. The return of Matthews helped Stoke to an improved 8th position in 1961–62. Promotion was achieved in the next season, with Stoke finishing as champions. In their first season back in the 1st Division, 1963–64, Waddington guided Stoke to a mid-table finish. Matthews remained influential, as he helped the club to the League Cup final in 1964, although this followed by defeat to Leicester City over two legs.
Waddington counted on experience; Dennis Viollet, Jackie Mudie, Roy Vernon, Maurice Setters and Jimmy McIlroy were players signed in the latter stages of their careers. Matthews was awarded a knighthood for services to football in the 1965 New Year's Honours list. This was followed by his 701st, and final, league appearance for the club against Fulham in February 1965, shortly after his 50th birthday. Gordon Banks, England's 1966 World Cup-winning goalkeeper, joined in 1967 for £52,000 from Leicester. Regarded as the best goalkeeper in the world, Banks proved to be a shrewd signing for Waddington as he helped the club maintain stability in the 1st Division. For one season in 1967, Stoke City F.C. was imported as the Cleveland Stokers of Cleveland, Ohio playing in the United Soccer Association. The team emerged as runner-up of the Eastern Division, failing one point short of the championship final.
The club won its first significant trophy on 4 March 1972 in the League Cup Final. Stoke beat favourites Chelsea 2–1 in the final at Wembley Stadium in front of a crowd of 97,852 spectators.Preceding this victory, Stoke had progressed through 11 games in order to reach the final. This included four games with West Ham United in the semi-final; the two-legged match was replayed twice. Stoke fared well in the FA Cup; the club progressed to the semi-final stage in both the 1970–71 and 1971–72 seasons. However, on both occasions Stoke lost to Arsenal in a replay. This was Stoke's best cup run for some time, with them failing to defeat top-flight opposition in the FA Cup from 1975 until a 3–1 victory over Arsenal in the 5th Round of the 2009/2010 competition. Stoke City also became the first First Division side to play a match on a Sunday, when they faced Chelsea on 27 January 1974
The Butler Stand Roof was blown off in a storm, in January 1976. The repair bill, in the region of £250,000, put the club in financial trouble, which was only eased by the sales of Alan Hudson, Mike Pejic and Jimmy Greenhoff for a combined sum of £440,000. With the team depleted, relegation proved inevitable in 1976–77 season. Waddington, after a spell of 17 years in charge, left the club after a 1–0 home defeat to Leicester in March 1977.
Waddington counted on experience; Dennis Viollet, Jackie Mudie, Roy Vernon, Maurice Setters and Jimmy McIlroy were players signed in the latter stages of their careers. Matthews was awarded a knighthood for services to football in the 1965 New Year's Honours list. This was followed by his 701st, and final, league appearance for the club against Fulham in February 1965, shortly after his 50th birthday. Gordon Banks, England's 1966 World Cup-winning goalkeeper, joined in 1967 for £52,000 from Leicester. Regarded as the best goalkeeper in the world, Banks proved to be a shrewd signing for Waddington as he helped the club maintain stability in the 1st Division. For one season in 1967, Stoke City F.C. was imported as the Cleveland Stokers of Cleveland, Ohio playing in the United Soccer Association. The team emerged as runner-up of the Eastern Division, failing one point short of the championship final.
The club won its first significant trophy on 4 March 1972 in the League Cup Final. Stoke beat favourites Chelsea 2–1 in the final at Wembley Stadium in front of a crowd of 97,852 spectators.Preceding this victory, Stoke had progressed through 11 games in order to reach the final. This included four games with West Ham United in the semi-final; the two-legged match was replayed twice. Stoke fared well in the FA Cup; the club progressed to the semi-final stage in both the 1970–71 and 1971–72 seasons. However, on both occasions Stoke lost to Arsenal in a replay. This was Stoke's best cup run for some time, with them failing to defeat top-flight opposition in the FA Cup from 1975 until a 3–1 victory over Arsenal in the 5th Round of the 2009/2010 competition. Stoke City also became the first First Division side to play a match on a Sunday, when they faced Chelsea on 27 January 1974
The Butler Stand Roof was blown off in a storm, in January 1976. The repair bill, in the region of £250,000, put the club in financial trouble, which was only eased by the sales of Alan Hudson, Mike Pejic and Jimmy Greenhoff for a combined sum of £440,000. With the team depleted, relegation proved inevitable in 1976–77 season. Waddington, after a spell of 17 years in charge, left the club after a 1–0 home defeat to Leicester in March 1977.
Title challenge and league decline
The outbreak of World War II prevented any further progress as the league was suspended during the 1939–40 season for a period of 6 years. Following the resumption of the FA Cup, tragedy struck as 33 fans died and 520 were injured during 6th round tie away against Bolton Wanderers. In 1946–47, Stoke mounted a serious title challenge. The club needed a win in their final game of the season to win the First Division title. However, a 2–1 defeat to Sheffield United meant the title went to Liverpool instead. Stanley Matthews left with 3 games remaining of the 1946–47 season, opting to join Blackpool at the age of 32.John Malkin replaced him in the number 7 shirt.
Stoke succumbed to relegation from the First Division in 1952–53, during the season Bob McGrory resigned as the club's manager after 17 years in the role.
Stoke succumbed to relegation from the First Division in 1952–53, during the season Bob McGrory resigned as the club's manager after 17 years in the role.
The Victoria Ground and Stanley Matthews
The club became owners of the Victoria Ground circa 1919. This was followed by the construction of the Butler Street stand, which increased the overall capacity of the ground to 50,000. In 1925, Stoke-on-Trent was granted "city status" and this led the club to change its name to Stoke City F.C. in 1928.
The 1930s saw the début of club's most celebrated player, Stanley Matthews. Matthews, who grew up in Hanley, was an apprentice at the club and made his first appearance in March 1932, against Bury, at the age of 17. By end of the decade, Matthews had established himself as an England international and as one of the best footballers of his generation. Stoke achieved promotion from the 2nd Division in 1932–33 – as champions – however Matthews only featured in fifteen games in this season. He did however score his first goal for the club in a 3–1 win against local rivals Port Vale.
By 1934, the club's average attendance had risen to over 23,000, which in turn allowed the club to give the manager Tom Mather increased transfer funds. The club was now considered one of the top teams in the country. It was in this period that the club recorded its record league win, a 10–3 win over West Bromwich Albion in February 1937. In April of that year, the club achieved its record league crowd – 51,373 against Arsenal. Freddie Steele's 33 league goals in the 1936–37 season remains a club record
The 1930s saw the début of club's most celebrated player, Stanley Matthews. Matthews, who grew up in Hanley, was an apprentice at the club and made his first appearance in March 1932, against Bury, at the age of 17. By end of the decade, Matthews had established himself as an England international and as one of the best footballers of his generation. Stoke achieved promotion from the 2nd Division in 1932–33 – as champions – however Matthews only featured in fifteen games in this season. He did however score his first goal for the club in a 3–1 win against local rivals Port Vale.
By 1934, the club's average attendance had risen to over 23,000, which in turn allowed the club to give the manager Tom Mather increased transfer funds. The club was now considered one of the top teams in the country. It was in this period that the club recorded its record league win, a 10–3 win over West Bromwich Albion in February 1937. In April of that year, the club achieved its record league crowd – 51,373 against Arsenal. Freddie Steele's 33 league goals in the 1936–37 season remains a club record
Formation and the early years
Stoke City F.C., considered to be the second-oldest English football league club, formed in 1863, under the name Stoke Ramblers, when pupils of Charterhouse School formed a football club while apprentices at the North Staffordshire Railway works in Stoke-on-Trent. The club's first documented match was five years later, in October 1868, against an EW May XV at the Victoria Cricket Club ground. Henry Almond, the club's founder, was also captain, and scored the club's first ever goal. During this period they played at the Victoria Cricket Ground; however, they switched to a nearby ground at Sweetings Field in 1875 to cope with rising attendances.
In 1878, the club merged with Stoke Victoria Cricket Club, and became Stoke Football Club. They moved from their previous ground, Sweetings Field, to the Athletic Club ground, which soon became known as the Victoria Ground.It was around this time that the club adopted their traditional red-and-white striped kit. In August 1885, the club turned professional.
Stoke was one of the twelve founding members of The Football League when it was introduced in 1888. The club struggled in their first two seasons, 1888–89 and 1889–90, finishing bottom on both occasions. Stoke failed to be re-elected and joined Football Alliance which they won and thus were re-elected to the Football League. Stoke spent the next 15 seasons in the First Division and reached the FA Cup Semi-Final in the 1898–99 season before being relegated in 1907. Stoke went bankrupt and entered non-league football up until 1914, when the First World War meant the Football league was suspended for four years, until it eventually recommenced in August 1919 and Stoke re-joined. During this wartime period, Stoke entered the Lancashire Primary and Secondary leagues.
In 1878, the club merged with Stoke Victoria Cricket Club, and became Stoke Football Club. They moved from their previous ground, Sweetings Field, to the Athletic Club ground, which soon became known as the Victoria Ground.It was around this time that the club adopted their traditional red-and-white striped kit. In August 1885, the club turned professional.
Stoke was one of the twelve founding members of The Football League when it was introduced in 1888. The club struggled in their first two seasons, 1888–89 and 1889–90, finishing bottom on both occasions. Stoke failed to be re-elected and joined Football Alliance which they won and thus were re-elected to the Football League. Stoke spent the next 15 seasons in the First Division and reached the FA Cup Semi-Final in the 1898–99 season before being relegated in 1907. Stoke went bankrupt and entered non-league football up until 1914, when the First World War meant the Football league was suspended for four years, until it eventually recommenced in August 1919 and Stoke re-joined. During this wartime period, Stoke entered the Lancashire Primary and Secondary leagues.
Stoke City
Stoke City Football Club is an English Premier League association football club based in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire. Founded in 1863, Stoke are the oldest club in the Premier League, and are considered to be the second oldest professional football club in the world, after Notts County.
They play in the Premier League after winning promotion in 2008, prior to this Stoke had not participated in top flight football for twenty one years. Their first major trophy was won in the 1972 League Cup Final, when they beat Chelsea 2–1. The club have won the Football League Trophy on two occasions, firstly in 1992 and most recently in 2000. Their highest league finish in the top division is 4th in which they achieved this in the 1935–36 and 1946–47 seasons. They have also competed in European football in 1972 and 1974. In FA Cup Stoke have made it to the semi-final stage on three occasions firstly in 1899 and then in 1970 and 1971.
Stoke play their home fixtures at the Britannia Stadium, a 28,384 all-seater stadium reduced to 27,598 after segregation. The stadium was opened in 1997 they previously played at the Victoria Ground, which had been their home ground since 1878. The club's nickname is The Potters named after the pottery industry in Stoke-on-Trent and their traditional home kit is a red and white vertically striped shirt with white shorts and white socks.
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