The 1944–45 season was Stoke City's tenth season in the non-competitive War League.

In 1939 World War II was declared and the Football League was cancelled. In its place were formed War Leagues and cups, based on geographical lines rather than based on previous league placement. However, none of these were considered to be competitive football, and thus their records are not recognised by the Football League and thus not included in official records.

Season review Tommy Sale now entering the twilight zone of his eventful career again went goal crazy in the 1944–45 season, scoring 34 goals in 40 appearances. In league action, neighbours Port Vale were taken for 14 goals, Stoke winning 8–1 at home and 6–2 away all in the space of eight days (17–24 February 1945) and indeed, during that months Stoke hit 24 times in just four matches. Overall Stoke's form was not that great despite being in fine goalscoring form and they took 11th place in the first phase and 17th in the second.

Results

Stoke's score comes first

Legend WinDrawLoss

Football League North 1st Phase MatchDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers1 26 August 1944 Aston VillaA0–425,0002 2 September 1944 Aston VillaH3–110,000Pointon, Sale (2)3 9 September 1944 Northampton TownH5–09,000Pointon, Bowyer, Steele (3)4 16 September 1944 Northampton TownA1–12,500Bowyer5 23 September 1944 Wolverhampton WanderersH2–013,806Pointon (2)6 30 September 1944 Wolverhampton WanderersA1–412,134Sale7 7 October 1944 WalsallA1–15,000Sale8 14 October 1944 WalsallH0–24,0009 21 October 1944 BirminghamH0–06,00010 28 October 1944 BirminghamA1–18,000Steele11 4 November 1944 West Bromwich AlbionA3–218,656Sale (2), Matthews 12 11 November 1944 West Bromwich AlbionH2–38,067Sale, Steele 13 18 November 1944 Port ValeH2–018,000Bowyer (2)14 25 November 1944 Port ValeA0–39,61815 2 December 1944 Coventry CityA1–06,405Sale16 9 December 1944 Coventry CityH5–04,020Sale (3), Bowyer, Mannion17 16 December 1944 Leicester CityH5–25,000Sale (2), Matthews (2), Frame (o.g.)18 23 December 1944 Leicester CityA5–15,000Sale (2), Matthews, Bowyer, G Mountford19 26 December 1944 Derby CountyH4–28,000Sale (3), Basnett

Football League North 2nd Phase MatchDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers1 2 April 1945 Derby CountyA1–222,000Sellars2 7 April 1945 Manchester UnitedA1–645,616Chilton (o.g.)3 14 April 1945 Manchester UnitedH1–45,000Whalley (o.g.)4 5 May 1945 Port ValeH6–0800G Mountford (4), Sellars, Sale5 9 May 1945 Port ValeH4–25,000Sellars (2), Kirton, Jackson6 19 May 1945 EvertonH5–12,500G Mountford, Jackson, Sale, Sellars, Bayford7 21 May 1945 Crewe AlexandraA2–34,000Jackson (2)8 26 May 1945 EvertonA2–38,000Bowyer, Sale

Football League War Cup RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorersQR 30 December 1944Wolverhampton WanderersH2–09,896Bowyer, JacksonQR 6 January 1945WrexhamH2–212,000Sale (2)QR 13 January 1945WrexhamA1–28,000G MountfordQR 3 February 1945ChesterA3–23,500G Mountford, Basnett, SaleQR 10 February 1945ChesterH7–012,000Basnett (3), Sale (3), F MountfordQR 17 February 1945Port ValeH8–113,000Basnett, G Mountford (5), SooQR 24 February 1945Port ValeA6–218,000Sale (2), Steele (3), SooQR 3 March 1945Wolverhampton WanderersA3–117,784Sale (2), G MountfordQR 10 March 1945Crewe AlexandraH1–210,000LiddleQR 17 March 1945Crewe AlexandraA2–211,000Sale (2)QR 24 March 1945BuryA2–311,629Steele (2)QR 31 March 1945BuryH3–018,000Sale, G Mountford, BasnettR1 1st leg 21 April 1945Aston VillaH1–06,000JacksonR1 2nd leg 28 April 1945Aston VillaA0–215,000

Squad statistics Pos.NameMatchesAppsGoalsGK Dennis Herod250GK Emmanuel Foster60GK William Leigh20GK George Marks20GK Edgar Podmore60DF Harry Brigham360DF Roy Brown20DF Stuart Cowden150DF Neil Franklin320DF John McCue330DF Billy Mould20DF John Sellars195DF Cyril Watkin90DF Stan Williams30MF Arthur Cunliffe10MF Bill Kinson40MF Jock Kirton111MF Bobby Liddle111MF John Mannion51MF George Mountford2315MF Alexander Ormston40MF Tommy Pearson10MF Frank Soo83FW Albert Basnett10FW Fred Basnett177FW Eric Bayford21FW Frank Bowyer238FW Thomas Howshall10FW John Jackson236FW Stanley Matthews154FW Frank Mountford401FW Syd Peppitt20FW Bill Pointon84FW Tommy Sale4034FW Freddie Steele1710FW Bobby Windsor20

References