The 1919–20 season was Stoke's 20th season in the Football League and the second in the Second Division.

With the country back to normal after the hostilities in Europe, a full league programme was restored for the 1919–20 season and Stoke were able to take their place back in the Football League since 1908. Stoke had an up and down season as they went on runs of victories and then runs of defeats and unsurprisingly finished in a mid table position of 10th. The 1919–20 season also saw the Potteries derby become a league fixture as local club Port Vale were elected into the football league due to the expulsion of Leeds City. Stoke won the first league meeting between the two clubs 3–0 at Vale's Old Recreation Ground.

Season review

League During the war Stoke had some success as they impressed in the Lancashire section of the war league. There was of course sadness as seven players died fighting in the war. These were goalkeeper Richard Herron, half-backs Henry Hargreaves and Stan Ripley and reserve team players George Limer, Jack Shorthouse, Tom Kinson and Bill Nixon. Stoke's exploits in the War-League not only brought prestige and standing, but also swelled the coffers to the extent of financial stability. It was hoped that the club was set for a bright future and, with virtually everyone retained who had acquitted themselves so well in the war period, promotion was the target. Two Scottish players George Jarvis (from Celtic) and Jock Stirling (from Bradford Park Avenue) joined the forward ranks, whilst goalkeeper Tom Kay became first choice keeper and would go on to make 70 successive appearances.

The 1919–20 season opened well with good sized crowds being entertained by a winning team. Stoke collected maximum points in eleven of the first 15 matches and they only failed to score in one. Bob Whittingham, who had been such a stalwart during the war, rejoined the club on a permanent transfer from Chelsea and at the same time (October) David Brown arrived from Dundee to give Stoke's forward line an impressive look. But amazingly and completely out of context, Stoke's fortunes took a dramatic turn as they lost the next five matches. The team did manage to recover and in the end finished in 10th spot. A mid-table position was acceptable since the club had sought, initially, to consolidate its position in the Second Division. But the supporters were disappointed with the end result after such a good start to the season.

FA Cup Fellow Second Division side Bury defeated Stoke in the first round 2–0.

Final league table

Results Stoke's score comes first

Legend WinDrawLoss

Football League Second Division

MatchDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers1 30 August 1919 BarnsleyH2–012,000Jarvis (2)2 1 September 1919 Hull CityA0–38,0003 6 September 1919 BarnsleyA2–17,000Jarvis, Tempest4 8 September 1919 Hull CityH3–110,000Jarvis (2), Maddock (pen)5 13 September 1919 BlackpoolH2–09,000Smith, Boxley6 20 September 1919 BlackpoolA1–36,000Herbert7 27 September 1919 West Ham UnitedH2–110,000Herbert (2)8 4 October 1919 West Ham UnitedA1–120,000Phillips9 11 October 1919 Stockport CountyH2–18,000Clarke, Stirling10 18 October 1919 Stockport CountyA1–37,000Boxley11 25 October 1919 Rotherham CountyH3–05,000Jarvis (2), Jones12 1 November 1919 Rotherham CountyA3–112,000Jarvis, Brown (2)13 15 November 1919 Bristol CityA2–16,000Parker, Whittingham14 17 November 1919 Bristol CityH2–08,000Whittingham, Twemlow (pen)15 22 November 1919 Grimsby TownH3–05,000Jones (2), Jarvis16 29 November 1919 Grimsby TownA0–24,00017 6 December 1919 BirminghamH0–130,00018 13 December 1919 BirminghamA1–240,000Page19 20 December 1919 Leicester CityA1–319,641Brown20 25 December 1919 Coventry CityA2–315,000Brown, Whittingham21 26 December 1919 Coventry CityH6–120,000Brown (2), Whittingham (2), Phillips (2)22 27 December 1919 Leicester CityH3–015,000Brown (2), Whittingham23 3 January 1920 FulhamA0–010,00024 17 January 1920 FulhamH1–07,000Parker25 24 January 1920 Nottingham ForestH0–28,00026 28 January 1920 Nottingham ForestA2–06,000Brown, Martin27 7 February 1920 Lincoln CityH1–310,000Whittingham28 14 February 1920 Lincoln CityA1–28,000Jarvis29 21 February 1920 BuryH1–112,000Twemlow (pen)30 28 February 1920 BuryA0–112,00031 6 March 1920 Port ValeA3–022,697Whittingham, Brown, Watkin32 13 March 1920 Port ValeH0–027,00033 20 March 1920 Clapton OrientA1–28,000Brown34 27 March 1920 Clapton OrientH2–018,000Brown, Maddock (pen)35 3 April 1920 Tottenham HotspurA0–240,00036 5 April 1920 Huddersfield TownH0–120,00037 6 April 1920 Huddersfield TownA0–330,00038 10 April 1920 Tottenham HotspurH1–310,000Maddock (pen)39 17 April 1920 South ShieldsA2–216,000Watkin (2)40 24 April 1920 South ShieldsH0–05,00041 26 April 1920 Wolverhampton WanderersA0–412,00042 1 May 1920 Wolverhampton WanderersH3–010,000Brown, Boxley (2)

FA Cup

RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorersR110 January 1920 BuryA0–212,000

Squad statistics Pos.NameLeagueFA CupTotalAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsGK Tom Kay42010430DF Percy Brooke400040DF Jack Maddock15300153DF Alec Milne30010310DF George Smart400040DF Billy Twemlow33210342MF George Clarke30110311MF Joe Jones15300153MF Charlie Parker34210352MF Dickie Smith33100331MF Harry Wootton100010FW Tommy Bowyer000000FW David Boxley840084FW David Brown3113103213FW Matthew Burton300030FW Bill Charnley200020FW Harry Crossthwaite12000120FW Billy Herbert11300113FW George Jarvis3010103110FW James Martin13100131FW Louis Page12100121FW Wilf Phillips13310143FW Jock Stirling20110211FW Billy Tempest36110371FW Billy Tompkinson100010FW Arthur Watkin11310123FW Bob Whittingham18800188

References