1939–40 Stoke City F.C. season explained

Season:1939–40
Chairman:Mr H. Booth
League:War League West Regional Championship
League Result:1st
Cup1 Result:Third Round
Season Topscorer:Tommy Sale
(24)
Highest Attendance:16,268 vs Charlton Athletic
(26 August 1939)
Lowest Attendance:714 vs Tranmere Rovers
(6 January 1940)
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Pattern B1:_red_stripes
Pattern Ra1:_red_stripes
Pattern So1:_band_red
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Socks1:000000

The 1939–40 season was Stoke City's fifth season in the non-competitive War League.[1] It would have been their 26th season in the Football League First Division but after just three matches the League was cancelled due to World War II.

In 1939 World War II was declared and the Football League was cancelled. In its place were formed War Leagues and cups, based on geographical lines rather than based on previous league placement. However, none of these were considered to be competitive football, and thus their records are not recognised by the Football League and thus not included in official records.

Season review

Stoke started the 1939–40 season with a match against Wolverhampton Wanderers in the Football League Jubilee Fund losing 4–2. The Stoke players wore squad numbers for the first time in this match.[1] After just three First Division matches had been played the Football League was cancelled and although a regional war-league was set up attendances suffered alarmingly.[1] Stoke had looked a useful side with a lot of young, talented players before the hostilities came along and ruined the careers of many and from October 1939 to May 1946 the club missed out on what could have been a successful seven-year period.[1]

With the cancellation of the league action, the re-organised competitions started on 21 October 1939, with 82 of the 88 clubs participating.[1] Stoke drew their first match 4–4 with Everton with Tommy Sale scoring a fine hat-trick.[1] With players being called up for military duty and with travelling very difficult plus the fact that Stanley Matthews was in heavy demand for guest matches team selection was never easy for Bob McGrory.[1] Stoke brought in their own guest players to the Victoria Ground and they proved to be very successful as Stoke won the 1939–40 Western League finishing two points ahead of Liverpool.[1]

Final league table

First Division

Results

Stoke's score comes first

Legend

WinDrawLoss

Football League First Division

See main article: 1939–40 Football League.

MatchDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
126 August 1939 Charlton AthleticH4–016,268Soo, Sale, Smith (2)
228 August 1939 Bolton WanderersH1–213,067Gallacher
32 September 1939 MiddlesbroughA2–212,088Sale (2)

West Regional Championship

MatchDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
121 October 1939 EvertonA4–43,998Sale (3), Liddle
228 October 1939 Stockport CountyH4–22,100Sale, Soo, Ormston, Matthews
34 November 1939 WrexhamA4–43,959Peppitt (2), Smith, Ormston
411 November 1939 New BrightonH4–12,401Ormston (2), Sale (2)
518 November 1939 Manchester CityA1–18,038Sale (pen)
625 November 1939 ChesterH2–01,425Sale, Peppitt
72 December 1939 Crewe AlexandraA2–43,403Sale (2)
89 December 1939 LiverpoolH3–11,269Sale, Liddle, Matthews
96 January 1940 Tranmere RoversH1–0714Peppitt
1020 January 1940 Manchester UnitedA3–42,884Peppitt, Sale, Bowyer
1110 February 1940 EvertonH1–08,910Sale
1224 February 1940 Stockport CountyA5–12,037Peppitt (4), Soo
132 March 1940 WrexhamH3–12,974
149 March 1940 New BrightonA1–31,357Baker
1516 March 1940 Manchester CityH2–13,520Sale, Smith
1623 March 1940 ChesterA3–34,116Peppitt, Ormston
1725 March 1940 Port ValeH5–19,450Ormston (2), Sale, Own Goal (2)
1830 March 1940 Crewe AlexandraH1–12,460Sale
196 April 1940 LiverpoolA2–15,130Steele, Peppitt
206 May 1940 Port ValeA2–15,130Steele, Sale
2113 May 1940 Tranmere RoversA1–52,434Mountford
2225 May 1940 Manchester UnitedH3–23,227Peppitt (2), Ormston

Football League War Cup

RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
R1 1st Leg20 April 1940New BrightonA4–15,289Sale, Steele (3)
R1 2nd Leg27 April 1940New BrightonH2–13,654Sale, Steele
R2 1st Leg4 May 1940BarrowA2–011,870Steele (2)
R2 2nd Leg11 May 1940BarrowH6–111,870Steele, Sale (2), Ormston, Peppitt, Liddle
R318 May 1940EvertonA0–13,557

Friendlies

MatchDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
116 September 1939 Coventry CityH3–14,647Baker, Sale, Peppitt
223 September 1939 Port ValeH3–24,512Baker, Sale, Ormston
330 September 1939 West Bromwich AlbionA0–61,515
47 October 1939 Manchester UnitedH2–23,418Antonio, Own Goal
514 October 1939 BirminghamH3–22,171Smith, Westland (2)
616 December 1939 Sheffield WednesdayA2–12,035Sale, Liddle
725 December 1939 Bolton WanderersA0–31,707
825 December 1939 Bolton WanderersA1–52,932Ormston
930 December 1939 BuryA6–7700Sale (3), Baker, Peppitt, Matthews
1013 January 1940 Preston North EndA1–2956Sale (pen)
1122 March 1940 ChesterfieldA1–34,525Peppitt
1213 April 1940 Nottingham ForestA3–22,224Sale (3)

Squad statistics

Pos.NameMatches
AppsGoals
GK Pat Bridges10
GK David Jones190
GK Pat McMahon30
GK Douglas Westland30
GK Norman Wilkinson40
DF Harry Brigham300
DF Neil Franklin10
DF Jack Griffiths90
DF10
DF Jimmy Oakes40
DF Charlie Scrimshaw100
DF Jack Tennant50
MF223
MF Jock Kirton80
MF Alfred Massey130
MF Billy Mould290
MF Arthur Tutin50
FW George Antonio10
FW Frank Baker71
FW Frank Bowyer10
FW Patrick Gallacher31
FW Stanley Matthews192
FW Frank Mountford11
FW Alexander Ormston2611
FW Syd Peppitt2515
FW Tommy Sale2824
FW Clement Smith104
FW Frank Soo283
FW Freddie Steele910
FW James Westland10

Notes and References

  1. Book: Matthews, Tony. The Encyclopaedia of Stoke City. 1994. Lion Press. 0-9524151-0-0.

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