The 1994–95 season was Stoke City's 88th season in the Football League and 32nd in the second tier.
In the summer of 1994 manager Joe Jordan made a number of alterations to his squad with the best being the signing of Canadian Paul Peschisolido from Birmingham City. As the season started there was no change in the fans' relationship with Jordan and it came as no surprise when he resigned in September. Asa Hartford took the caretaker role until Lou Macari made a return from Celtic. His first match back saw Stoke beat West Bromwich Albion 4–1 and there were high hopes that it could spark a promotion push. Alas just one win from 13 matches (26 December to 21 March) saw Stoke finish in a mid table position of 11th.
Season review
League In the summer of 1994 Joe Jordan brought in Canadian Paul Peschisolido from Birmingham City in a deal which sent striker Dave Regis to St. Andrews along with £200,000. He also brought in Carl Muggleton (who was on loan last season), Keith Downing and John Dreyer. Everyone knew that the 1994–95 season was going to be a tough one and manager Jordan arranged a strenuous pre-season training camp in Scotland. The league programme started with a 1–0 victory over Tranmere Rovers but this was followed up with poor results which saw Stoke lose 4–0 back-to-back at Reading and then Bolton Wanderers. Shortly after that defeat at Bolton Jordan resigned which was unsurprising as he remained unpopular with the club's supporters.
Asa Hartford assumed the role of caretaker manager for a short time and in his four games in charge Stoke won three. On 30 September 1994 Lou Macari became the first manager to have a second spell at the club returning from Celtic. His first match back saw Stoke beat West Bromwich Albion 4–1 but a poor defeat against Luton Town in the next match saw his attentions turn to strengthening the squad. In came Kevin Keen, Ray Wallace and Lárus Sigurðsson as Stoke entered 1995 just out of the top group of teams. But just one win in 13 saw Stoke fall further behind and whilst there was no danger of dropping too greatly there was no hope of catching the promotion contenders and Stoke had to settle for a mid-table finish of 11th picking up 63 points.
FA Cup Stoke didn't have to wait too long to come up against Joe Jordan who had returned to Bristol City and he was given a frosty reception by the supporters but his side managed to win the third round replay at the Victoria Ground 3–1.
League Cup Stoke drew Fulham in the second round and after a 3–2 loss at Craven Cottage Stoke beat Fulham 1–0 and progressed via the away goals rule. In the next round Stoke lost to eventual winners Liverpool, 2–1 at Anfield.
Final league table
Results
Legend WinDrawLoss
Football League First Division
MatchDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers1 13 August 1994 Tranmere RoversH1–015,915Gleghorn 49'2 20 August 1994 BurnleyA1–115,331Dreyer 90'3 27 August 1994 SunderlandH0–113,1594 30 August 1994 ReadingA0–47,1035 3 September 1994 Bolton WanderersA0–411,5156 10 September 1994 Southend UnitedH4–111,808Örlygsson 10', Edwards 13' (o.g.), Dreyer 47', Biggins 62'7 14 September 1994 Charlton AthleticH3–210,643Gleghorn 17', Örlygsson 22', Peschisolido 55'8 17 September 1994 Notts CountyA2–08,281Peschisolido (2) 31', 70'9 25 September 1994 Derby CountyA0–311,78210 2 October 1994 West Bromwich AlbionH4–114,203Carruthers (2) 24', 87', Wallace 35', Peschisolido 68'11 9 October 1994 Luton TownH1–211,712Carruthers 80'12 15 October 1994 MillwallA1–17,856Peschisolido 55'13 22 October 1994 Oldham AthleticA0–08,95414 30 October 1994 Wolverhampton WanderersH1–115,928Keen 17'15 2 November 1994 Sheffield UnitedH1–111,556Gleghorn 77'16 5 November 1994 BarnsleyA0–25,11717 19 November 1994 Grimsby TownH3–021,055Peschisolido (2) 23', 44', Carruthers 60'18 26 November 1994 WatfordA0–09,12619 30 November 1994 PortsmouthA1–05,272Beeston 74'20 4 December 1994 Oldham AthleticH0–112,55821 10 December 1994 BurnleyH2–013,040Örlygsson (2) 68' 83' (1 pen)22 17 December 1994 Tranmere RoversA1–07,601Carruthers 81'23 26 December 1994 Swindon TownH0–017,66224 28 December 1994 Bristol CityA1–38,500Cranson 83'25 31 December 1994 MiddlesbroughH1–115,914Gleghorn 20'26 14 January 1995 Wolverhampton WanderersA0–228,29827 4 February 1995 PortsmouthH0–29,70428 11 February 1995 Sheffield UnitedA1–113,900Peschisolido 18'29 21 February 1995 Grimsby TownA0–06,38430 25 February 1995 West Bromwich AlbionA3–116,591Scott 34', Peschisolido (2) 65', 80'31 4 March 1995 Derby CountyH0–013,46232 11 March 1995 SunderlandA0–112,28233 14 March 1995 Port ValeA1–119,510Sandford 33'34 18 March 1995 ReadingH0–114,12135 21 March 1995 Southend UnitedA2–44,240Allen 48', Biggins 59' (pen)36 25 March 1995 Notts CountyH2–110,204Gleghorn 13', Sturridge 77'37 1 April 1995 Charlton AthleticA0–010,00838 4 April 1995 WatfordH1–09,578Sigurðsson 43'39 8 April 1995 MiddlesbroughA1–220,867Peschisolido 30'40 12 April 1995 BarnsleyH0–010,75241 15 April 1995 Bristol CityH2–110,172Andrade 27', Peschisolido 89'42 17 April 1995 Swindon TownA1–010,549Örlygsson 35'43 22 April 1995 Port ValeH0–120,42944 29 April 1995 MillwallH4–39,111Scott 15', Gleghorn (2) 39', 65' Keen 90'45 3 May 1995 Bolton WanderersH1–115,557Örlygsson 12' (pen)46 7 May 1995 Luton TownA3–28,252Örlygsson 52', Peschisolido 79', Scott 87'
FA Cup
RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorersR37 January 1995 Bristol CityA0–09,683R3 Replay18 January 1995 Bristol CityH1–311,579Scott 17'
League Cup
RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorersR2 1st Leg20 September 1994 FulhamA2–33,721Örlygsson 69' (pen), Gleghorn 70'R2 2nd Leg29 September 1994 FulhamH1–07,440Peschisolido 2'R325 October 1994 LiverpoolA1–232,060Peschisolido 41'
Anglo-Italian Cup
RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorersGroup Match 124 August 1994CesenaA2–01,139Clark 38', Carruthers 76'Group Match 26 September 1994AnconaH1–13,380Biggins 50'Group Match 35 October 1994UdineseA3–11,200Downing 69', Biggins 73', Butler 74'Group Match 415 November 1994PiacenzaH4–07,240Butler 12', Carruthers (2) 37', 50', Gleghorn 85'Semi Final 1st leg24 January 1995Notts CountyA0–05,134Semi Final 2nd leg31 January 1995Notts CountyH0–0 (2–3 pens)10,741
Friendlies MatchOpponentVenueResult1Clevedon TownA2–02Newcastle TownA4–03Skoda XanthiH2–34Brechin CityA4–05Dundee UnitedA1–4
Squad statistics Pos.NameLeagueFA CupLeague CupAnglo-Italian CupTotalAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsGK Carl Muggleton240003040310GK Ronnie Sinclair22(2)020002026(2)0DF Mark Bailey0000000000DF John Butler38(3)020304(1)247(4)2DF John Clark5000001161DF Ian Clarkson15(3)020103(1)021(4)0DF Ian Cranson371203050471DF John Dreyer16(2)200203021(2)2DF Graham Potter10000(1)0001(1)0DF Lee Sandford34(1)120306045(1)1DF Lárus Sigurðsson22(1)10(1)0000022(2)1DF Ray Wallace16(4)110106024(4)1MF Paul Allen171000020191MF José Andrade2(2)10000002(2)1MF Carl Beeston15(1)100101017(1)1MF Keith Downing16010203(2)122(2)1MF Nigel Gleghorn44(2)720316155(2)9MF Gary Holt0000000000MF Kevin Keen15(6)200000015(6)2MF Steve Leslie0(1)000000(1)00(2)0MF Toddy Orlygsson387203110448MF Vince Overson33(2)020105041(2)0FW Jason Beckford2(2)00000103(2)0FW Wayne Biggins8(9)2001(1)03(1)212(11)4FW Martin Carruthers26(6)50(1)0304(2)333(9)8FW John Gayle1(3)00000203(3)0FW Paul Peschisolido39(1)1320323(1)047(2)15FW Keith Scott16(2)321000018(2)4FW Graham Shaw1(2)000000(1)01(3)0FW Simon Sturridge2(6)10(1)0001(1)03(8)1FW Shaun Wade0(1)00000000(1)0FW John Williams1(3)00000001(3)0–Own goals–1–0–0–0–1
References