1973–74 Stoke City F.C. season

Stoke City
1973–74 season
Chairman Albert Henshall
Manager Tony Waddington
Stadium Victoria Ground
Football League First Division 5th (46 Points)
FA Cup Third Round
League Cup Fourth Round
Top goalscorer League: John Ritchie (14)
All: Geoff Hurst & John Ritchie (15)
Highest home attendance 39,598 vs Leeds United (23 February 1974)
Lowest home attendance 13,843 vs Wolverhampton Wanderers (15 December 1973)
Average home league attendance 21,587
Home colours

The 1973–74 season was Stoke City's 67th season in the Football League and the 43rd in the First Division.

The season started well for Stoke as they won the short lived Watney Cup prior to the start of the new campaign. But their league form was poor and by January they were in the bottom six. But the signing of Alan Hudson from Chelsea sparked an upturn in results which accumulated in beating Leeds United 3–2 in February ending their 29 match un-beaten run. Stoke continued to climb the table and after remaining unbeaten in their final nine fixtures they took 5th position in the table and qualified for the UEFA Cup.[1]

Season review

League

Stoke, with no major summer signings, kicked off the 1973–74 season with George Eastham as assistant manager and the team got off to a fine start, winning the Watney Cup by beating Hull City 2–0 in the final.[1] The opening league form though, was poor although there was a glimmer of hope as Nantwich born Dave Goodwin made a goal-scoring debut against West Ham United.[1] By January 1974 Stoke were struggling in 17th position and the home support was slowly falling and Tony Waddington decided to sell the promising Stewart Jump to Malcolm Allison's Crystal Palace for £75,000 which raised a few questions from the supporters.[1]

But there was method to the manager's apparent madness as he pulled off another major transfer swoop when he paid £240,000 for Chelsea's Alan Hudson.[1] Hudson was an instant hit with the Stoke fans and in his debut against Liverpool he was named as man of the match, helping Stoke to a 1–1 draw.[1] Stoke's next home match against Hudson's old team Chelsea was the first League match to be played on a Sunday, Stoke winning 1–0 in front of 31,985.[1] Another big attendance, saw City's next home match against high-flying Leeds United who had gone 29 matches without defeat. At the time Don Revie's side were nine points clear at the top and they looked to be increasing their lead as they raced into a 2–0 lead, but Stoke rising to the challenge levelled before half time before Denis Smith grabbed the winner and Leeds' magnificent run was over, but they still took the First Division title.[1] Stoke lost just twice in the final 23 matches and raised up the table to claim 5th place and so qualifying for next season's UEFA Cup.[1]

FA Cup

Despite scoring twice at Bolton Wanderers Stoke lost 3–2 in the third round.[1]

League Cup

After narrow wins over Chelsea and Middlesbrough, Coventry City knocked Stoke out with a narrow victory of their own.[1]

Final league table

PosClubPWDLFAGAPts
1Leeds United422414466312.12962
2Liverpool422213752311.67757
3Derby County4217141152421.23848
4Ipswich Town4218111367581.15547
5Stoke City4215161154421.28646
6Burnley4216141256531.05746
7Everton4216121450481.04244
8Queens Park Rangers4213171256521.07743
9Leicester City4213161351411.24442
10Arsenal4214141449510.96142
11Tottenham Hotspur4214141445500.90042
12Wolverhampton Wanderers4213151449491.00041
13Sheffield United4214121644490.89840
14Manchester City4214121639460.84840
15Newcastle United4213121749481.02138
16Coventry City4214101843540.79638
17Chelsea4212131756600.93337
18West Ham United4211151655600.91737
19Birmingham City4212131752640.81337
20Southampton4211141747680.69136
21Manchester United4210122038480.79232
22Norwich City427152037620.59729

Key: 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 First Division

MatchDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
1 25 August 1973 LiverpoolA0–152,938
2 29 August 1973 Manchester UnitedA0–143,614
3 1 September 1973 Manchester CityH1–122,436Greenhoff 21'
4 5 September 1973 EvertonH0–022,435
5 8 September 1973 Queens Park RangersA3–318,118Hurst (2) 26', 67', Smith 64'
6 11 September 1973 EvertonA1–120,242Greenhoff 65'
7 15 September 1973 Ipswich TownH1–117,096Hurst 72'
8 22 September 1973 ArsenalA1–230,578Greenhoff 35'
9 29 September 1973 West Ham UnitedH2–016,395Goodwin 40', Hurst 68'
10 6 October 1973 Leeds UnitedA1–136,562Smith 89'
11 13 October 1973 Sheffield UnitedH1–217,975Colquhoun 30' (o.g.)
12 20 October 1973 SouthamptonA0–315,521
13 27 October 1973 Coventry CityH3–017,421Greenhoff (2) 6', 75', Hurst 72' (pen)
14 3 November 1973 Newcastle UnitedA1–227,941Ritchie 52'
15 10 November 1973 Norwich CityH2–015,363Ritchie 33', Goodwin 87'
16 17 November 1973 Birmingham CityH5–219,179Ritchie (2) 10' 83', Robertson 25', Hurst 60', Mahoney 70'
17 24 November 1973 BurnleyA0–114,478
18 8 December 1973 Tottenham HotspurA1–214,034Ritchie 62'
19 15 December 1973 Wolverhampton WanderersH2–313,843Smith 63', Robertson 62'
20 22 December 1973 West Ham UnitedA2–016,513Robertson 49', Greenhoff 84'
21 26 December 1973 Derby CountyH0–024,045
22 29 December 1973 Queens Park RangersH4–118,910Mahoney 49', Pejic 60', Ritchie 79', Greenhoff 85'
23 1 January 1974 Manchester CityA0–035,009
24 12 January 1974 Ipswich TownA1–118,581Hurst 70'
25 19 January 1974 LiverpoolH1–132,789Hurst 67'
26 27 January 1974 ChelseaH1–031,985Hurst 80' (pen)
27 2 February 1974 Wolverhampton WanderersA1–130,128Ritchie 68'
28 16 February 1974 Sheffield UnitedA0–019,972
29 23 February 1974 Leeds UnitedH3–239,598Pejic 27', Hudson 35', Smith 68'
30 2 March 1974 Derby CountyA1–128,176Ritchie 55'
31 9 March 1974 Coventry CityA0–225,136
32 16 March 1974 SouthamptonH4–120,415Hurst 13', Ritchie (3) 50', 75', 80'
33 23 March 1974 Norwich CityA0–419,842
34 30 March 1974 ArsenalA0–018,532
35 3 April 1974 Newcastle UnitedH2–116,437Greenhoff 23', Mahoney 57'
36 6 April 1974 BurnleyH4–019,253Ritchie 28' 80' (2 pen), Greenhoff 31', Hudson 77'
37 13 April 1974 Birmingham CityA0–029,467
38 15 April 1974 Leicester CityH1–021,468Hurst 87'
39 16 April 1974 Leicester CityA1–121,682Hurst 40'
40 20 April 1974 Tottenham HotspurH1–020,189Haslegrave 44'
41 27 April 1974 ChelseaA1–017,150Hudson 50'
42 29 April 1974 Manchester UnitedH1–027,392Ritchie 30'

FA Cup

Main article: 1973–74 FA Cup
RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
R36 January 1974 Bolton WanderersA2–339,138Ritchie 65', Haslegrave 84'

League Cup

RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
R28 October 1973 ChelseaH1–017,281Smith 48'
R331 October 1973 MiddlesbroughH1–119,194Pejic 50'
R3 Replay6 November 1973 MiddlesbroughA2–1 (aet)26,063Greenhoff 39', Pejic 106'
R420 November 1973 Coventry CityA1–217,483Hurst 35'

Watney Cup

RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
Quarter Final11 August 1973 Plymouth ArgyleA1–017,500Hurst
Semi Final15 August 1973 Bristol CityH4–113,812Hurst, Pejic, Greenhoff, Conroy
Final18 August 1973 Hull CityH2–018,159Greenhoff (2)

Texaco Cup

RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
R1 1st leg19 September 1973 Birmingham CityH0–09,530
R1 2nd leg2 October 1973 Birmingham CityA0–0 (1–3 pens)13,433

Friendlies

GameOpponentVenueResult
1Manchester UnitedH1–2
2Manchester CityA1–3
3Hamilton AcademicalA2–1
4AnorthosisA7–1
5Aris LimassolA3–2
6EPA LarnacaA5–1
7Levski SpartakA0–1

Squad statistics

Pos. Name League FA Cup League Cup Texaco Cup Watney Cup Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
GKEngland John Farmer 38010301030460
GKScotland Mike McDonald 4000100(1)0005(1)0
DFEngland Alan Bloor 27010000030310
DFEngland Alan Dodd 31(1)01040200036(1)0
DFEngland Jackie Marsh 31000402030400
DFEngland Mike Pejic 41210422031515
DFEngland Eric Skeels 1501010000(1)017(1)0
DFEngland Denis Smith 41410312030505
MFRepublic of Ireland Terry Conroy 5(3)00000203110(3)1
MFEngland George Eastham 200000101040
MFEngland Sean Haslegrave 2710(1)140203036(1)2
MFEngland Alan Hudson 18300000000183
MFEngland Stewart Jump 2(1)000100(1)0003(2)0
MFEngland Terry Lees 3(1)0000000003(1)0
MFWales John Mahoney 35310401030443
MFScotland Jimmy Robertson 37310201030443
FWEngland Dave Goodwin 4(1)2001010006(1)2
FWEngland Jimmy Greenhoff 399104110234713
FWEngland Geoff Hurst 3512104120324515
FWEngland Ian Moores 100000000010
FWEngland John Ritchie 26(4)141140200033(4)15
Own goals 100001

References

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