The 1933–34 season was Stoke City's 34th season in the Football League and the 20th in the First Division.
Now back in the First Division for the first time since the 1922–23 season Stoke were looking to establish themselves amongst the nation's elite. However, they struggled and by Christmas they were in the relegation places, but only three defeats in their last twelve matches saw Stoke survive comfortably and finished the season in 12th place with 41 points.
In the FA Cup Stoke advanced to the quarter final and played Manchester City where the largest attendance at an English football match was recorded with 84,569 packed into Maine Road.
Season review
League After a decade out of the First Division, Stoke were back in the top-flight for the first time since 1922. The atmosphere around the club was first-class with the directors re-signing the entire first team squad for the 1933–34 season. Consolidation was the obvious aim, but playing in the First Division was a totally different challenge and the reality of taking on better sides soon hit home.
Stoke struggled and by Christmas they found themselves in the relegation zone and looked to be heading back to the Second Division. It was at this juncture that Tom Mather made two vital decisions, firstly he signed Arthur Tutin a right-half from Aldershot for £500 and then he recalled Bob McGrory from the reserves at the age of 40. McGrory's presence boosted the sides morale and Stoke climbed up the table, eventually finishing 12th place. During the second half of the season they picked up more points than any other team with the exception of the top two Arsenal and Huddersfield Town. Stanley Matthews, never regarded for his goal scoring scored 15 goals, his best tally of his famous career.
FA Cup In the FA Cup Stoke advanced past Bradford Park Avenue, Blackpool and Chelsea before meeting Manchester City at Maine Road in the quarter Final. Man City won the tie 1–0 thanks to a goal from legendary striker Eric Brook. An attendance of 84,569 packed into Maine Road, the largest attendance at an English football match.
Final league table
Results Stoke's score comes first
Legend WinDrawLoss
Football League First Division
MatchDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers1 26 August 1933 ChelseaH1–032,456Liddle2 30 August 1933 LiverpoolA1–120,000Sale3 2 September 1933 SunderlandA1–425,000Johnson4 4 September 1933 LiverpoolH1–128,868Davies5 9 September 1933 PortsmouthH2–129,292Davies, Sale6 16 September 1933 Huddersfield TownA2–212,000Liddle, Palethorpe7 23 September 1933 Derby CountyH0–432,2738 30 September 1933 Wolverhampton WanderersH1–129,289Davies9 7 October 1933 Sheffield UnitedA2–111,380Palethorpe (2)10 14 October 1933 Aston VillaH1–137,511Turner (pen)11 21 October 1933 West Bromwich AlbionA1–522,771Sale12 28 October 1933 BirminghamH1–117,194Liddle13 4 November 1933 MiddlesbroughA1–66,748Davies14 11 November 1933 Manchester CityH0–124,08315 18 November 1933 ArsenalA0–340,00016 25 November 1933 EvertonH1–219,838Liddle17 2 December 1933 Leeds UnitedA0–220,00018 9 December 1933 Blackburn RoversH2–013,618Liddle, Sale19 16 December 1933 Newcastle UnitedA2–210,000Sale (pen), McArdle20 23 December 1933 Sheffield WednesdayH0–110,00021 25 December 1933 Leicester CityH2–111,200Sale, Bamber22 26 December 1933 Leicester CityA1–320,000Matthews23 30 December 1933 ChelseaA0–225,00024 6 January 1934 SunderlandH3–016,313Sale, Sellars, Davies25 20 January 1934 PortsmouthA1–320,000Matthews26 29 January 1934 Huddersfield TownH3–010,198Matthews, Sale, Soo27 3 February 1934 Derby CountyA1–521,200Matthews28 10 February 1934 Wolverhampton WanderersA2–025,125Sale, Johnson29 22 February 1934 Sheffield UnitedH3–014,997Johnson, Matthews, Davies30 24 February 1934 Aston VillaA2–125,000Johnson (2)31 8 March 1934 West Bromwich AlbionH4–113,698Sale (3), Matthews32 10 March 1934 BirminghamA1–016,000Sale33 17 March 1934 MiddlesbroughH2–017,129Sale, Matthews34 24 March 1934 Manchester CityA2–413,900Matthews, Johnson35 30 March 1934 Tottenham HotspurA0–020,00036 31 March 1934 ArsenalH1–143,163Matthews37 2 April 1934 Tottenham HotspurH2–032,000Johnson Ware38 7 April 1934 EvertonA2–225,000Ware (2)39 14 April 1934 Leeds UnitedH1–216,262Ware40 21 April 1934 Blackburn RoversA1–410,000Johnson41 28 April 1934 Newcastle UnitedH2–112,225Matthews, Sale42 5 May 1934 Sheffield WednesdayA2–212,000Matthews, Liddle
FA Cup
RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorersR313 January 1934 Bradford Park AvenueH3–022,306Matthews, Sale, SooR427 January 1934 BlackpoolH3–030,091Matthews, Sale, SooR52 February 1934 ChelseaH3–142,213Matthews (2), JohnsonQuarter final3 March 1934 Manchester CityA0–184,569
Squad statistics Pos.NameLeagueFA CupTotalAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsGK Norman Lewis12010130GK Roy John30030330DF John Bamber210021DF Arthur Beachill20000200DF Joe Buller100010DF John Howshall100010DF Charlie Scrimshaw8020100DF Billy Spencer31020330DF Bob McGrory26040300MF Charlie Curtis000000MF George Daniels200020MF Peter Jackson600060MF Peter McArdle610061MF William Robertson11000110MF Harry Sellars38140421MF Arthur Turner40140441MF Arthur Tutin24040280FW Harry Davies32630356FW Joe Johnson36841409FW Bobby Liddle33630366FW Stanley Matthews2911443315FW Joe Mawson200020FW Jack Palethorpe11300113FW Billy Robson200020FW Tommy Sale3215423617FW Frank Soo14122163FW Harry Ware13400134
References