1940–41 Stoke City F.C. season

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

Stoke City
1940–41 season
ChairmanMr H. Booth
ManagerBob McGrory
StadiumVictoria Ground
South Regional Championship25th
Football League War CupFirst Round
Highest home attendance4,980 vs Birmingham (9 November 1940)
Lowest home attendance300 vs Notts County (25 January 1941)

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

  • Note: Due to the inconsistent number of matches played by teams in 1940–41, positions were decided by goal-average.
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GAv
1 Crystal Palace 27 16 4 7 86 44 1.955
2 West Ham United 25 14 6 5 70 39 1.795
3 Coventry City 10 5 3 2 28 16 1.750
4 Arsenal 19 10 5 4 66 38 1.737
5 Cardiff City 24 12 5 7 75 50 1.500
6 Reading 26 14 5 7 73 51 1.431
7 Norwich City 19 9 2 8 73 55 1.327
8 Watford 35 15 6 14 96 73 1.315
9 Portsmouth 31 16 2 13 92 71 1.296
10 Tottenham Hotspur 23 9 5 9 53 41 1.293
11 Millwall 31 16 5 10 73 57 1.281
12 Walsall 32 14 7 11 100 80 1.250
13 West Bromwich Albion 28 13 5 10 73 57 1.281
14 Leicester City 33 17 5 11 83 73 1.137
15 Northampton Town 30 14 3 13 84 71 1.183
16 Bristol City 20 10 2 8 55 48 1.146
17 Mansfield Town 29 12 6 11 77 68 1.132
18 Charlton Athletic 19 7 4 8 37 34 1.088
19 Aldershot 24 14 2 8 73 68 1.074
20 Brentford 23 9 3 11 51 51 1.000
21 Chelsea 23 10 4 9 57 58 0.983
22 Birmingham City 16 7 1 8 38 43 0.884
23 Fulham 30 10 7 13 62 73 0.849
24 Luton Town 35 11 7 17 82 100 0.820
25 Stoke City 36 9 9 18 76 96 0.792
26 Queens Park Rangers 23 8 3 12 47 60 0.783
27 Brighton & Hove Albion 25 8 7 10 51 75 0.680
28 Nottingham Forest 25 7 3 15 50 77 0.649
29 Bournemouth 27 9 3 15 59 92 0.641
30 Notts County 21 8 3 10 42 66 0.636
31 Southend United 29 12 4 13 64 101 0.634
32 Southampton 31 4 4 23 53 111 0.477
33 Swansea Town 10 2 1 7 12 33 0.364
34 Clapton Orient 15 1 3 11 19 66 0.288
Source:

Results

Stoke's score comes first

Legend

Win Draw Loss

War League South Regional Championship

MatchDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
131 August 1940Notts CountyH4–12,421Mountford (3), Sale
27 September 1940Notts CountyA2–33,000Sale, Bowyer
314 September 1940Mansfield TownA3–21,000Bowyer, Mountford, Liddle
421 September 1940Mansfield TownH5–02,000Bowyer (2), Mountford (2), Liddle
528 September 1940Leicester CityA0–13,000
65 October 1940Leicester CityH3–32,814Mountford (2), Sale
712 October 1940West Bromwich AlbionA1–04,091Bowyer
819 October 1940West Bromwich AlbionH1–33,392Soo
926 October 1940Nottingham ForestA3–31,500Mountford (2), Bowyer
102 November 1940Nottingham ForestH5–0714Mountford, Bowyer, Sale, Soo (2)
119 November 1940BirminghamH5–04,980Mountford (3), Ormston (2)
1216 November 1940BirminghamA2–61,462Liddle, Smith
1330 November 1940Tranmere RoversA2–21,000Mountford (2)
147 December 1940Cardiff CityH5–12,000Mountford, Sale (2), Steele, Bowyer
1514 December 1940Cardiff CityA0–4800
1621 December 1940WalsallA2–2540Soo, Liddle
1725 December 1940Mansfield TownA2–73,450Mountford, Smith
1828 December 1940WalsallA1–53,518Steele
194 January 1941Leicester CityA2–63,000Mountford, Sale
2011 January 1941Leicester CityH3–52,000Mountford (2), Sale
2125 January 1941Notts CountyH2–2300Sale, Dunkley
221 February 1941Notts CountyA1–21,000Steele
231 March 1941WalsallH1–11,045Sale
248 March 1941WalsallA3–71,616Bowyer, Liddle, Longford
2515 March 1941West Bromwich AlbionA2–22,086Liddle, Franklin
2622 March 1941West Bromwich AlbionH0–2794
2729 March 1941Nottingham ForestH4–0500Mountford (3), Sale
285 April 1941Nottingham ForestA2–3200Basnett, Mitchell
2914 April 1941Northampton TownA0–73,000
3026 April 1941ChesterH1–2400Sale
313 May 1941ChesterH0–11,200
3210 May 1941Northampton TownH2–1400Bowyer, Brigham
3317 May 1941ChesterfieldH2–2500Steele, Brigham
3424 May 1941ChesterfieldA1–51,000Sale
352 June 1941WrexhamA3–31,000Sale, Steele, Basnett
367 June 1941Leicester 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 1940Royal Air Force XIH3–2825Sale (2), Smith
28 February 1941Royal Air Force XIH9–1300Mountford (4), Steele (4), Sale
312 April 1941Army XIH7–2400Mitchell (4), Liddle, Mountford (2)
421 April 1941WrexhamA2–53,370Mitchell, Sale

Squad statistics

Pos. Name Matches
Apps Goals
GK Pat Bridges 180
GK Lionel Hayward 10
GK Dennis Herod 130
GK Tom Holden 30
GK Douglas Jones 10
GK Norman Wilkinson 20
DF Harry Brigham 303
DF Jack Challinor 50
DF Neil Franklin 331
DF Stanley Glover 200
DF Harry Griffiths 10
DF Jack Griffiths 30
DF Eric Hampson 220
DF Stanley Harrison 110
DF Eric Hayward 10
DF Bill Kinson 20
DF John McCue 140
DF Billy Mould 20
MF Edwin Blunt 10
MF Wally Gould 10
MF Len Howell 10
MF Jock Kirton 40
MF Alfred Massey 20
MF Clement Smith 62
MF Arthur Turner 110
MF Frank Soo 184
MF Edward Wordley 20
FW Fred Basnett 52
FW Frank Bowyer 2810
FW C. Curtis 10
FW Robert Dunkley 31
FW John Jackson 20
FW Bobby Liddle 327
FW Eric Longford 72
FW Stanley Matthews 120
FW Bert Mitchell 61
FW Frank Mountford 2923
FW Alexander Ormston 32
FW Syd Peppitt 40
FW Tommy Sale 3617
FW Freddie Steele 165
FW George Stevens 10
FW Harry Ware 10
FW James Westland 10

References

  1. Matthews, Tony (1994). The Encyclopaedia of Stoke City. Lion Press. ISBN 0952415100.
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