The 1960–61 season was Stoke City's 54th season in the Football League and the 21st in the Second Division.
With the unsuccessful Frank Taylor now departed his assistant Tony Waddington was appointed as the clubs new manager. It was a transitional season for Stoke but there was probably too much upheaval as performances out on the pitch were not good and despite a 9–0 win over Plymouth Argyle, Stoke finished in 18th place avoiding relegation by three points.
Season review
League A clear-out of players was under way in the summer of 1960 with two goalkeepers Bill Robertson and Wilf Hall both departing. Also leaving the Victoria Ground was long serving defender John McCue and a number of fringe players. To replace the hole left by the departure of the 'keepers Tony Waddington made his first signing, Irish international Jimmy O'Neill from Everton for £5,000.
There was no instant improvements as Stoke searched for a sustained run of success. An attack that could not score regularly was a major problem and it was so bad that by Christmas time centre-back Bill Asprey was moved up front and he impressed scoring twice in a 9–0 win over Plymouth Argyle and he also scored a hat-trick against Charlton Athletic. That win over Plymouth is Stoke second highest league victory. Ahead of the March transfer deadline, Waddington paid £7,000 to Blackpool for their winger Jackie Mudie whose vast experience brought guile to the attack. Mudie effectively replaced Dennis Wilshaw who broke his leg in the FA Cup at Newcastle and had to retire.
Stoke took 18th place in the Second Division at the end of Waddington's first season in charge their away form letting them down badly with just three wins recorded and 12 goals scored and for the first time since the 1907–08 season the average home attendance was under 10,000.
FA Cup In the FA Cup Stoke made it to the fifth round before losing to Newcastle United after beating West Ham United and a tricky three matches against Aldershot.
League Cup The 1960–61 season was also the start of a new cup competition the Football League Cup, Stoke made an embarrassing start losing 3–1 to Fourth Division Doncaster Rovers. Doncaster defender Tommy Hymers scored an own goal giving him the dubious honour of being Stoke's first League Cup goalscorer.
Final league table
Results
Stoke's score comes first
Legend WinDrawLoss
Football League Second Division
MatchDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers1 20 August 1960 Plymouth ArgyleA1–321,138Bullock2 22 August 1960 SunderlandH0–014,6903 27 August 1960 Norwich CityH1–111,716Wilshaw4 31 August 1960 SunderlandA0–419,0075 3 September 1960 Charlton AthleticA1–38,147Ratcliffe6 7 September 1960 PortsmouthA0–116,4977 10 September 1960 Sheffield UnitedH2–011,328Wilshaw (2)8 12 September 1960 PortsmouthH1–011,686King9 17 September 1960 Derby CountyA1–114,432Asprey10 24 September 1960 Swansea TownA0–09,52011 1 October 1960 Luton TownH3–09,395Wilshaw (2), Bentley12 8 October 1960 Leyton OrientH1–29,149Wilshaw13 15 October 1960 Scunthorpe UnitedA1–18,777Bentley14 22 October 1960 Ipswich TownH2–48,056Bentley, D Ward15 29 October 1960 Brighton & Hove AlbionA1–08,791Wilshaw16 5 November 1960 MiddlesbroughH1–19,019D Ward17 12 November 1960 Leeds UnitedA1–013,535King18 19 November 1960 SouthamptonH1–210,465King19 26 November 1960 Rotherham UnitedA0–08,33020 10 December 1960 Bristol RoversA0–113,40721 17 December 1960 Plymouth ArgyleH9–06,479Asprey (2), King (3), Wilshaw, Ratcliffe (2), Fincham (o.g.)22 24 December 1960 Huddersfield TownH2–210,029Wilshaw (2)23 26 December 1960 Huddersfield TownA0–013,78324 31 December 1960 Norwich CityA0–120,68125 16 January 1961 Charlton AthleticH5–310,988Asprey (3), Bentley, Wilshaw26 21 January 1961 Sheffield UnitedA1–413,865King27 11 February 1961 Swansea TownH1–310,517Davies (o.g.)28 23 February 1961 Luton TownA1–412,142Bullock29 4 March 1961 Scunthorpe UnitedH2–012,567King, Mudie30 11 March 1961 Ipswich TownA1–216,578King31 18 March 1961 Bristol RoversH2–07,826Ratcliffe, Bullock (pen)32 20 March 1961 Derby CountyH2–16,831Mudie, Bullock (pen)33 25 March 1961 MiddlesbroughA0–18,53434 31 March 1961 Lincoln CityA1–16,651Bullock35 1 April 1961 Rotherham UnitedH1–48,241King36 3 April 1961 Lincoln CityH0–06,38337 8 April 1961 SouthamptonA1–012,927Mudie38 10 April 1961 Leyton OrientA1–38,349King39 15 April 1961 Leeds UnitedH0–07,13040 22 April 1961 LiverpoolA0–313,38941 29 April 1961 Brighton & Hove AlbionH0–25,23242 3 May 1961 LiverpoolH3–14,463King, Bentley (2)
FA Cup
RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorersR37 January 1961 West Ham UnitedA2–221,545Ratcliffe, AndrewR3 Replay11 January 1961 West Ham UnitedH1–028,914WilshawR428 January 1961 AldershotH0–018,289R4 Replay1 February 1961 AldershotA0–0 (aet)16,489R4 2nd Replay6 February 1961 AldershotN3–016,672Wilshaw (2), AspreyR516 February 1961 Newcastle UnitedA1–346,170King 81'
League Cup
RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorersR218 October 1960 Doncaster RoversA1–35,694Hymers (o.g.)
Squad statistics Pos.NameLeagueFA CupLeague CupTotalAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsGK Geoff Hickson10000010GK Jimmy O'Neill4106010480DF Tony Allen4206010490DF Ron Andrew3706110441DF Eric Skeels3706010440DF Terry Ward2701010290DF Denis Wilson50400090DF Ron Wilson10000010MF Bill Asprey3564110407MF Gerry Bridgwood10000010MF Bobby Cairns60000060MF Bobby Griffiths00000000MF Bobby Howitt3506010420MF Alan Philpott10000010MF Ray White00000000FW John Anderson1000000100FW Tony Bentley2866010356FW Peter Bullock1750000175FW Johnny King411261104813FW Graham Matthews20000020FW Jackie Mudie1330000133FW Don Ratcliffe4146110485FW Derrick Ward1723010212FW Dennis Wilshaw241163003014–Own goals–2–0–1–3
References