The 1937–38 season was Stoke City's 38th season in the Football League and the 24th in the First Division.
It was a very up and down season for Stoke as they began well beating Derby County 8–1 in September to take them to the top of the table. However the season was dominated by a contract dispute between the board of directors and that of Stanley Matthews. Stoke's form dropped and they ended up being in a relegation fight which was won thanks to a 2–0 victory over Liverpool on the final day of the season.
Season review
League The family atmosphere within the club was still thriving, with the directors encouraging players to pay a 'thrift scheme' which would help the club financially but they received a major jolt when Stanley Matthews disputed the level of benefit to which he was entitled at the end of the season. Matthews did in fact refuse to re-sign for the new campaign stating that a player of his standing should receive the full £650 benefit rather than the normal £500. As a result, Stoke held him to his previous contract and Matthews was 21 days over the deadline before signing.
There were no major close season transfers, either in or out of the club but like previous seasons this proved to be no bad thing as the 1937–38 season got under way and, after a fine 8–1 victory over Derby County in mid September Stoke climbed to the top of the league. Sadly though as in the past injuries again interrupted the managers team and formation plans as both Freddie Steele and Charlie Scrimshaw suffered long-term injuries. In November 1937 Stoke accepted a £6,000 offer from West Bromwich Albion for Joe Johnson and in his place Bob McGrory selected Frank Baker. In October 1937 Stoke played Scottish champions Rangers in a benefit match for the victims of the Holditch Colliery disaster, raising £2,000 for the relief fund. A good sized crowd saw an entertaining 0–0 draw.
However, in the league Stoke's form fell away and Stoke slipped down the table and their performances were of 'poor quality' according to the local paper. In February and March with relegation a distinct possibility McGrory went out and signed Clement Smith from Chester, brought back Tommy Sale from Blackburn Rovers and swapped veteran Harry Davies for Port Vale's Tommy Ward. Stoke's injury jinx continued and with one game left at home to Liverpool Stoke required victory to keep their place in the First Division. To add to the drama star striker Freddie Steele arranged to get married on the morning of the match, he made it to the ground on time and scored a vital goal as Stoke won 2–0 to remain in the top division.
However the season was dominated by the continuing frictions between Matthews and the club board and in February 1938 Matthews handed in a transfer request after a fall out with manager Bob McGrory. Around 4,000 Stoke fans met with the directors at the King's Hall to see the board of directors come to the conclusion that Matthews must not leave. Matthews refused and reiterated his request to leave. Stoke rejected his request and Matthews wrote to the local paper thanking the fans for there support and he forged an uneasy truce with the management and board. Matthews pledged to do his best for his home town club and he did so until 1947 when he joined Blackpool.
FA Cup Stoke exited at the fourth round this season losing at home 2–1 to Bradford Park Avenue in a replay.
Final league table
Results
Stoke's score comes first
Legend WinDrawLoss
Football League First Division
MatchDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers1 28 August 1937 BirminghamH2–227,475Matthews, Steele2 30 August 1937 West Bromwich AlbionA1–022,113Tutin3 4 September 1937 MiddlesbroughA1–228,000Soo4 6 September 1937 West Bromwich AlbionH4–020,320Steele (3), Shaw (o.g.)5 11 September 1937 Derby CountyH8–132,954Steele (5), Westland (3)6 15 September 1937 LiverpoolA0–330,0007 18 September 1937 PortsmouthH3–122,580Steele (2), Baker8 25 September 1937 ChelseaA1–230,000Westland9 2 October 1937 Charlton AthleticH2–032,835Steele, Baker10 9 October 1937 Preston North EndA1–220,000Matthews11 16 October 1937 Manchester CityA0–041,20712 23 October 1937 ArsenalH1–140,000Liddle13 30 October 1937 BlackpoolA1–013,000Baker14 6 November 1937 Wolverhampton WanderersH1–137,930Baker15 13 November 1937 Bolton WanderersA0–125,00016 20 November 1937 SunderlandH0–031,81317 27 November 1937 EvertonA0–320,00018 4 December 1937 BrentfordH3–011,787Matthews (2), Steele19 11 December 1937 Leicester CityA0–212,00020 18 December 1937 Huddersfield TownH0–116,30221 25 December 1937 Grimsby TownA5–120,000Baker (2), Westland, Antonio, Peppitt22 27 December 1937 Grimsby TownH1–133,918Baker23 1 January 1938 BirminghamA1–125,000Steele24 15 January 1938 MiddlesbroughH3–013,825Baker, Matthews, Westland25 29 January 1938 PortsmouthA0–215,00026 2 February 1938 Derby CountyA1–46,000Westland27 5 February 1938 ChelseaH2–122,509Baker, Ward28 19 February 1938 Preston North EndH1–130,455Ward29 26 February 1938 Manchester CityH3–220,000Ward (2), Matthews30 2 March 1938 Charlton AthleticA0–316,00031 5 March 1938 ArsenalA0–435,00032 12 March 1938 BlackpoolH1–324,778Baker33 19 March 1938 Wolverhampton WanderersA2–235,000Sale, Smith34 26 March 1938 Bolton WanderersH3–219,249Sale (3)35 2 April 1938 SunderlandA1–128,000Sale36 9 April 1938 EvertonH1–115,003Peppitt37 16 April 1938 BrentfordA0–035,00038 18 April 1938 Leeds UnitedH0–124,93339 19 April 1938 Leeds UnitedA1–220,000Peppitt40 23 April 1938 Leicester CityH1–216,355Soo41 2 May 1938 Huddersfield TownA0–317,00042 7 May 1938 LiverpoolH2–021,408Baker, Steele
FA Cup
RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorersR38 January 1938 Derby CountyA2–128,768Baker, Bell (o.g)R422 January 1938 Bradford Park AvenueA1–131,347SooR4 Replay26 January 1938 Bradford Park AvenueH1–27,000Soo
Squad statistics Pos.NameLeagueFA CupTotalAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsGK Douglas Westland101020GK Norman Wilkinson41020430DF John Bamber600060DF Harry Brigham32030350DF Jack Challinor31030340DF Charlie Scrimshaw21000210MF Jock Kirton9030120MF Bill Moore200020MF Billy Mould10000100MF Clement Smith510051MF Frank Soo42232454MF Arthur Tutin34130371MF Arthur Turner32030350FW George Antonio24130271FW Frank Baker4111314412FW Bob Glassey000000FW Joe Johnson100010FW Bobby Liddle21100211FW Syd Peppitt431053FW Stanley Matthews38630416FW Alexander Ormston600060FW Billy Robson200020FW Tommy Sale850085FW Freddie Steele2315002315FW Tommy Ward540054FW James Westland23720257–Own goals–1–1–2
References