1940–41 Stoke City F.C. season explained

Season:1940–41
Chairman:Mr H. Booth
League Result:25th
Cup1 Result:First Round
Highest Attendance:4,980 vs Birmingham
(9 November 1940)
Lowest Attendance:300 vs Notts County
(25 January 1941)
Pattern La1:_red_stripes
Pattern B1:_red_stripes
Pattern Ra1:_red_stripes
Pattern So1:_band_red
Shorts1:FFFFFF
Socks1:000000

The 1940–41 season was Stoke City's sixth season in the non-competitive War League.[1]

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.[1]

Season review

With so many players unable to get leave from the army on matchdays this gave the club a perfect opportunity to field several younger players and when Stoke kicked off the 1940–41 season against Notts County on 31 August 1940 they fielded a side with an average age of 21.[1] Several clubs did not play as many matches as others during the season and Stoke, well below strength and lacking in form, conceded a remarkable 23 goals in just four games in December and January.[1]

Stoke's back line caved in regularly and seven goals were put past them on three occasions at Mansfield, Northampton and Walsall.[1] Stoke finished 25th (out of 34) in the final South Regional League this season when a points average decided league placings rather than points simply because some teams did not play as many games as others e.g. Birmingham played 16 and Stoke 36.[1]

Final league table

Results

Stoke's score comes first

Legend

WinDrawLoss

War League South Regional Championship

MatchDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
131 August 1940 Notts CountyH4–12,421Mountford (3), Sale
27 September 1940 Notts CountyA2–33,000Sale, Bowyer
314 September 1940 Mansfield TownA3–21,000Bowyer, Mountford, Liddle
421 September 1940 Mansfield TownH5–02,000Bowyer (2), Mountford (2), Liddle
528 September 1940 Leicester CityA0–13,000
65 October 1940 Leicester CityH3–32,814Mountford (2), Sale
712 October 1940 West Bromwich AlbionA1–04,091Bowyer
819 October 1940 West Bromwich AlbionH1–33,392Soo
926 October 1940 Nottingham ForestA3–31,500Mountford (2), Bowyer
102 November 1940 Nottingham ForestH5–0714Mountford, Bowyer, Sale, Soo (2)
119 November 1940 BirminghamH5–04,980Mountford (3), Ormston (2)
1216 November 1940 BirminghamA2–61,462Liddle, Smith
1330 November 1940 Tranmere RoversA2–21,000Mountford (2)
147 December 1940 Cardiff CityH5–12,000Mountford, Sale (2), Steele, Bowyer
1514 December 1940 Cardiff CityA0–4800
1621 December 1940 WalsallA2–2540Soo, Liddle
1725 December 1940 Mansfield TownA2–73,450Mountford, Smith
1828 December 1940 WalsallA1–53,518Steele
194 January 1941Leicester CityA2–63,000Mountford, Sale
2011 January 1941Leicester CityH3–52,000Mountford (2), Sale
2125 January 1941 Notts CountyH2–2300Sale, Dunkley
221 February 1941 Notts CountyA1–21,000Steele
231 March 1941 WalsallH1–11,045Sale
248 March 1941 WalsallA3–71,616Bowyer, Liddle, Longford
2515 March 1941 West Bromwich AlbionA2–22,086Liddle, Franklin
2622 March 1941 West Bromwich AlbionH0–2794
2729 March 1941 Nottingham ForestH4–0500Mountford (3), Sale
285 April 1941 Nottingham ForestA2–3200Basnett, Mitchell
2914 April 1941 Northampton TownA0–73,000
3026 April 1941 ChesterH1–2400Sale
313 May 1941 ChesterH0–11,200
3210 May 1941 Northampton TownH2–1400Bowyer, Brigham
3317 May 1941 ChesterfieldH2–2500Steele, Brigham
3424 May 1941 ChesterfieldA1–51,000Sale
352 June 1941 WrexhamA3–31,000Sale, Steele, Basnett
367 June 1941 Leicester CityA1–21,000Brigham

Football League War Cup

RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
R1 1st Leg15 February 1941Mansfield TownA1–62,000Mountford
R1 2nd Leg22 February 1941Mansfield TownH2–01,000Sale, Longford

Friendlies

MatchDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
123 November 1940 Royal Air Force XIH3–2825Sale (2), Smith
28 February 1941 Royal Air Force XIH9–1300Mountford (4), Steele (4), Sale
312 April 1941 Army XIH7–2400Mitchell (4), Liddle, Mountford (2)
421 April 1941 WrexhamA2–53,370Mitchell, Sale

Squad statistics

Pos.NameMatches
AppsGoals
GK Pat Bridges180
GK Lionel Hayward10
GK Dennis Herod130
GK Tom Holden30
GK David Jones10
GK Norman Wilkinson20
DF Harry Brigham303
DF Jack Challinor50
DF Neil Franklin331
DF Stanley Glover200
DF Harry Griffiths10
DF Jack Griffiths30
DF Eric Hampson220
DF Stanley Harrison110
DF Eric Hayward10
DF Bill Kinson20
DF John McCue140
DF Billy Mould20
MF Edwin Blunt10
MF Wally Gould10
MF Len Howell10
MF Jock Kirton40
MF Alfred Massey20
MF Clement Smith62
MF Arthur Turner110
MF Frank Soo184
MF Edward Wordley20
FW Fred Basnett52
FW Frank Bowyer2810
FW C. Curtis10
FW Robert Dunkley31
FW John Jackson20
FW Bobby Liddle327
FW Eric Longford72
FW Stanley Matthews120
FW Bert Mitchell61
FW Frank Mountford2923
FW Alexander Ormston32
FW Syd Peppitt40
FW Tommy Sale3617
FW Freddie Steele165
FW George Stevens10
FW Harry Ware10
FW James Westland10

Notes and References

  1. Book: Matthews, Tony. The Encyclopaedia of Stoke City. 1994. Lion Press. 0952415100.