The 1913–14 season was Stoke's fifth season in the Southern Football League.

Stoke were now back in the poor quality Southern League Division Two and expectations were to gain an instant return to Division One. Stoke started the season well winning nine games in a row, however the team ran into poor form in the new year and ended up finishing 5th, 11 points from promotion. It was a bad performance and in April 1914 both chairman Mr Rev. A Hurst and manager Alfred Barker stepped down.

Season review

League Division Two of the Southern League for the 1913–14 season was made up of selection of poor Welsh clubs and a smattering of sides from around the London area, namely Luton Town, Brentford and Croydon Common. There was no money available, meaning the club had to rely on free transfers. There were still a number of new faces with the likes of former England international Fred Pentland joining from Halifax, James Bradley returning from Liverpool and Billy Herbert from Glossop. With Stoke doing well from the start of the season crowds were often good as Stoke embarked on a nine match winning run. However long distance travelling eventually caused Stoke problems and they lost their form and ended up finishing in a poor position of fifth.

The directors, obviously disappointed as were the players and supporters, at not winning promotion, vowed to continue to build the team despite having little money available. Alfred Barker was now under pressure from supporters and indeed some directors who questioned his wisdom to employ part-time staff. He and chairman A. Hurst both stepped down in April 1914. It was a sad way to see such key figures, responsible for saving the club, leave in such circumstances.

FA Cup After progressing past Shrewsbury Town and Barrow, Stoke lost to Aston Villa in the first round.

Final league table

Results

Stoke's score comes first

Legend WinDrawLoss

Southern Football League Division Two

MatchDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers1 6 September 1913 Croydon CommonH1–17,000Pentland2 13 September 1913 Croydon CommonA0–26,0003 20 September 1913 Mid RhonddaA2–02,500Pentland, A Smith4 27 September 1913 Ton PentreA2–14,000Pentland, Revill5 4 October 1913 AbertilleryH3–04,000A Smith (2), Revill6 11 October 1913 Treharris AthleticA5–03,000Pentland, Herbert (3), Jones7 18 October 1913 LlanelliH2–110,000Pentland, Herbert8 1 November 1913 Treharris AthleticH5–17,000Revill (2), Herbert (pen), A Smith, Dyke9 8 November 1913 Swansea TownA3–23,000Herbert (2), A Smith10 15 November 1913 BarryH7–14,500Herbert, A Smith (2), Jones (2), Revill, D Smith11 22 November 1913 AberdareA4–21,000Herbert, A Smith (3)12 6 December 1913 Newport CountyA2–33,000Turner (pen), A Smith13 25 December 1913 CaerphillyA5–13,000A Smith (3), D Smith (2)14 26 December 1913 CaerphillyH4–010,000Turner (pen), Revill, Bailey, Lean (o.g.)15 3 January 1914 AberdareH4–110,000Herbert (3), Jenkins (o.g.)16 17 January 1914 BrentfordA0–25,00017 24 January 1914 Ton PentreH2–05,000Revill, Turner (pen)18 14 February 1914 Mid RhonddaH1–04,000Revill19 21 February 1914 AbertilleryA0–13,50020 28 February 1914 BrentfordH2–16,000D Smith, Turner (pen)21 14 March 1914 PontypriddH5–14,000D Smith (2), Revill, A Smith, Jones22 17 March 1914 LlanelliA0–24,00023 21 March 1914 BarryA1–13,500Herbert24 28 March 1914 Newport CountyH2–04,000D Smith, Tempest25 4 April 1914 MardyA2–11,000Hamnett (2)26 10 April 1914 Luton TownA1–25,000D Smith27 11 April 1914 MardyH4–03,000D Smith (2), Watkin, Hargreaves28 13 April 1914 Luton TownH1–218,000Bradley29 18 April 1914 PontypriddA1–42,000A Smith30 25 April 1914 Swansea TownH0–15,000

FA Cup

RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers4QR29 November 1913 Shrewsbury TownH2–05,000D Smith, Herbert5QR13 December 1913 BarrowH3–110,000Holmes, Herbert (2)R110 January 1914 Aston VillaA0–426,094

Squad statistics Pos.NameLeagueFA CupTotalAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsGK Bert Gadsden30030330DF Richard Burton200020DF Charles James100010DF Jimmy McVay100010DF Alec Milne25030280DF Ernest Mullineux501060DF George Smart300030DF George Turner29430324MF Sam Baddeley701080MF James Bradley12130151MF Harry Davies100010MF Archie Dyke15130181MF Reg Forester100010MF Bob Hamnett520052MF Henry Hargreaves910091MF Crop Hawkins300030MF Joe Jones23400234MF Charles Parker900090MF Tancey Wharton17020190FW Tom Bailey15120171FW Albert Ellis300030FW Billy Herbert2413332716FW William Holmes202141FW Fred Pentland750075FW Tom Revill22920249FW Walter Rowlands100010FW Alf Smith2216302516FW Dick Smith1510111611FW William Smith400040FW Billy Tempest10110111FW Arthur Watkin710071–Own goals–2–0–2

References