History of Stoke City F.C.

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Stoke City Football Club has its origins in Stoke Ramblers, a team formed by former pupils of the Charterhouse School whilst they were apprentices at the North Staffordshire Railway. The club dropped the Ramblers from their name, becoming Stoke Football Club and in 1888 they were founding members of the Football League. In 1925, the club's name was changed for the final time to Stoke City Football Club when Stoke-on-Trent was granted city status.

The club moved in 1997 to the

2000. In terms of league achievement the closest Stoke have come to winning the title was in the 1946–47 season
where a final day defeat cost Stoke top spot.

Graph showing Stoke City F.C.'s progress through the English football league system 1889 to the present

1863–1888: early years

It is claimed that Stoke Ramblers was formed in 1863 when former pupils of

Henry Almond, Stoke's founder and captain.[4] Stoke played four further fixtures in 1868, recording their first victory with a 2–0 win against Newcastle-under-Lyme. In 1875, to cope with rising attendances, the club switched to a ground at Sweetings Field,[5] not far from the Victoria Cricket Ground.[6] At this time, the only fixtures were friendly matches; this changed in 1877 when the Staffordshire Football Association was formed and created a new competition, the County Cup, which Stoke won in the inaugural season, beating Talke Rangers 1–0 in the final. In an earlier round, Stoke had recorded what is still the club's record victory, a 26–0 triumph over Mow Cop. Stoke retained the County Cup in the following season with a 2–1 win over Cobridge and established themselves as the largest club in the area.[1]

The Stoke squad of 1877–78

In 1878, the club merged with Stoke Victoria Athletic Club[6] and became known as Stoke Football Club. They moved from Sweetings Field to the Athletic Club ground, which soon became known as the Victoria Ground.[6] It was around this time that the club adopted their red and white striped kit.[1] Stoke entered the newly formed Birmingham Association Cup in 1881, although they were beaten 8–0 by Aston Villa in the first round. In the 1882–1883 season, Stoke reached the final of the Staffordshire Senior Cup but were beaten 3–2 by West Bromwich Albion. The club decided to enter the FA Cup for the first time in the 1883–84 season;[1] the competition itself had been founded 12 years earlier.[7] The threat of a rival football association, the British FA, forced the Football Association to legalise professionalism in 1885;[8] Stoke subsequently turned professional in August of that year. The club were defeated again in the FA Cup in 1885–86 after a replay defeat to Crewe Alexandra. The club's first victory in the competition came in the 1886–87 season with a 10–0 win over Caernarfon Wanderers at the Victoria Ground.[1]

1888–1900: founder members of the Football League

Stoke became one of the twelve founding members of

the Football League in 1888.[9] Stoke's manager, Harry Lockett, represented the club at a meeting in London, where the league's formation was discussed. Lockett played an instrumental role in its inception and became the league's first secretary; however he resigned from his role of manager in August 1890, in order to concentrate on his league responsibilities. Stoke struggled in their first two seasons in the league, 1888–89 and 1889–90, finishing in last place on both occasions.[10][11] The club failed to secure re-election to the league at the end of its second season, instead being replaced by Sunderland. As a consequence, Stoke started 1890–91 in the Football Alliance; they finished the season as champions.[12] The Football League was expanded to include fourteen clubs in 1891–92, which ensured Stoke were re-elected to the league, where they remained for the rest of the decade.[13]
In 1897, Stoke appointed Horace Austerberry, who in 1898–99 became the first manager to lead the club to the semi-final of the FA Cup.[14]

1900–1919: financial problems and rebirth

Stoke suffered financial problems around 1900, which ultimately led to the loss of the club's Football League status in 1908.

First World War meant the league was suspended for four years; it recommenced in August 1919. During this time, Stoke entered the Lancashire Primary and Secondary leagues.[16]

1919–1930: yo-yo years

The club became owners of the

Victoria Ground in 1919.[17] The Butler Street stand was constructed shortly afterward, increasing the overall capacity of the ground to 50,000.[6] Following the restart of the Football League, Stoke achieved promotion from the Second Division in the 1921–22 season under the stewardship of Arthur Shallcross, although this was followed by relegation in the 1922–23 season. Unable to prevent the club's bad form, Shallcross resigned in March 1923.[18] Tom Mather was appointed manager later in 1923, although Stoke were unable to mount another promotion challenge. They were instead relegated from the Second Division four years later in the 1925–26 season. The club's stay in Third Division North was brief, as Stoke won the championship during their first season in that league.[17] In 1925, Stoke-on-Trent was granted city status, and this led the club to change its name to Stoke City Football Club.[19]

1930–1938: emergence of The Wizard of Dribble

The 1930s saw the début of the club's most celebrated player,

Hanley, was an apprentice at the club and made his first appearance, aged 17,[20] in March 1932 against Bury.[21] By end of the decade, Matthews had established himself as an England international and one of the best footballers of his generation.[22] Matthews won his first England cap in 1934,[23] making him the first Stoke player in 30 years to play for England. Stoke achieved promotion from the Second Division in the 1932–33 season as champions, but Matthews only featured in 15 games, although he did score his first goal for the club in a 3–1 win against local rivals Port Vale.[22]

By 1934, the club's average attendance had risen to over 23,000, which allowed the club manager, Tom Mather, more transfer funds. Despite this, the core of the side consisted of young local players, such as Matthews, Tommy Sale and Freddie Steele.[24][25] Mathers resigned from his post in May 1935 to take the managerial job at Newcastle United, ending his 12-year tenure.[26] Bob McGrory was appointed as the club's manager shortly afterward; he had previously played for the club for 14 years.[27] In the 1935–36 season, the club finished fourth in the Football League First Division, nine points adrift of champions Sunderland. This was followed by two successive mid-table finishes, in 1936–37 and 1937–38. The club recorded its record league win, 10–3, over West Bromwich Albion in February 1937, in which Steele scored five goals.[28] In April of that year, the club achieved its largest league crowd—51,373 against Arsenal. Steele's 33 league goals in the 1936–37 season remains a club record in 2007.[24]

1938–1950: World War II and title challenge

By 1938, rumours purported that Stanley Matthews wanted to leave Stoke to further his career. This led to a meeting at Kings Hall, attended by three thousand people with a further thousand outside. Matthews opted to stay with Stoke and helped the club to finish in seventh place in the

Second World War prevented further progress as the league was suspended for six years. After resumption of the FA Cup, 33 fans died and 520 were injured during a sixth round away game against Bolton Wanderers when the crush barriers gave way on the terraces.[29][30]

At this time, the side was predominantly composed of local players who had come through the club's youth system, including Matthews, Sale, Steele and

centre-half.[31][32] In the 1946–47 season, Stoke mounted a serious title challenge: the club needed a win in their final game of the season to win the First Division title, but a 2–1 defeat to Sheffield United gave the title to Liverpool. Stanley Matthews left the club three games before the end of the 1946–47 season to join Blackpool at the age of 32 for a fee of £11,500.[30] The team subsequently failed to mount a title challenge in the following two seasons, 1947–48 and 1948–49, finishing 15th and 11th respectively.[33][34]

1950–1960: relegation and Second Division frustrations

The 1950s did not start well for the club; having avoided relegation in the 1950–51 and 1951–52 seasons, Stoke succumbed in 1952–53, finishing second from bottom.[35] Bob McGrory resigned as the club's manager in February 1952 after 17 years in the role.[27] His successor, Frank Taylor, consolidated the club's position in the Second Division but was unable to mount a sustained challenge for promotion, although Stoke came close in the 1954–55 season, missing by two points.[36] Taylor's failure to deliver promotion led to his dismissal in June 1960, after a 17th-place finish in the 1959–60 season.[37][38]

1960–1977: the Waddington years

By 1960 Stoke were struggling to attract supporters to the Victoria Ground, with the average attendance dropping below 10,000 for the first time in 40 years.

two legs.[41]

Waddington relied upon experience;

£52,000.[44] Regarded as the best goalkeeper in the world,[45][46] Banks proved to be a shrewd signing for Waddington as he helped the club maintain stability in the First Division.[41] However, Banks was forced to quit top-level football in 1972, after losing an eye in a road accident.[47][48]

The club won its first significant trophy on 4 March 1972, in the

1970–71 and 1971–72 seasons. However, on both occasions Stoke lost to Arsenal in a replay.[52]

Waddington was presented with a dilemma as both George Eastham and Peter Dobing retired not long after the club's League Cup win. Waddington responded by paying £240,000 to Chelsea for the services of Alan Hudson in early 1974.[53] This was followed by Geoff Salmons' arrival from Sheffield United for £160,000, in the same year.[54] Waddington later paid a world record fee for a goalkeeper, £325,000, to sign Peter Shilton from Leicester City.[55] The new personnel brought added impetus to Waddington's side, and Stoke were close to winning the League title in 1974–75, but an end of season slump led to a fifth-place finish, four points off the champions, Derby.[49]

The 1970s also saw Stoke compete at European Level for the first time in its history. Stoke qualified for the

aggregate.[56] Stoke qualified for the UEFA Cup two years later, due to their fifth-place finish in the First Division in the 1973–74 season.[57] In the 1974–75 competition, Stoke were again knocked out at the first stage. Stoke drew both legs against Dutch side Ajax, 1–1 and 0–0 respectively, but went out due to the away goals rule.[49]

The Butler Stand roof was blown off in a storm in January 1976.[6][58] The ground damage meant the club's next home game against Middlesbrough had to be played at Vale Park, the home of local rivals Port Vale. The repair bill, in the region of £250,000, put the club in financial trouble, which was eased by the sale of Alan Hudson, Mike Pejic and Jimmy Greenhoff for a combined sum of £440,000.[49] With the team depleted, relegation proved inevitable in the 1976–77 season. Waddington, after a spell of 17 years in charge, left the club after a 1–0 home defeat in March 1977.[59]

1977–1990: from First Division to Third

George Eastham, who had previously been Waddington's assistant, was appointed as manager in March 1977,[60] but the club's slide into the Second Division in 1976–77 season proved unstoppable. Eastham did not last long, leaving in January 1978 after only 10 months in charge.[61] The club's misery was compounded by a defeat to non-league Blyth Spartans in the FA Cup shortly afterwards.[62] Alan Durban, arriving from Shrewsbury Town,[63] was selected as the club's new manager in February 1978.[64] Durban achieved promotion to the First Division in his first full season, 1978–79, with a third-place finish.[49] After consolidating the club's position in the First Division, Durban left for Sunderland in 1981.[65]

Richie Barker, Durban's successor, was appointed manager in 1981.[66][67] He signed Mickey Thomas from Brighton and Hove Albion[68] and Mark Chamberlain from Port Vale,[69] as he set about building a side for the 1982–83 season. Thomas was signed for £200,000 and made over 60 appearances for the club, but was sold to Chelsea for £75,000 in 1984.[70] Winger Chamberlain, a £135,00 signing, proved successful as he made eight appearances for England during his stay at Stoke.[71] Barker's spell in charge was short-lived; he was sacked in his second season, 1983–84.[65] The club's new manager, Bill Asprey,[72] decided to bring back veteran Alan Hudson,[73] and the decision paid off as Stoke improved during the second half of the 1983–84 season and avoided relegation on the final day.[65]

The

player-manager for the 1985–86 season, following Asprey's departure in April 1985 due to ill health.[76][77]

His first task was to consolidate following the club's relegation in the previous season, which he achieved with a mid-table finish in the Second Division.

Alan Ball, became the club's fifth manager in 10 years. Peter Coates became the club's chairman in 1989, following numerous changes of chairmanship during the 1980s.[65] Ball struggled in his first season in charge, 1989–90, and his Stoke side were relegated to the third tier of English football after finishing bottom of the Second Division.[78]

The start of the 1990–91 season in the Third Division marked the first time Stoke had played at this level in 63 years. Ball kept his job for the start of this campaign but departed in February 1991 in the midst of an indifferent season that saw Stoke finish in their lowest league position of 14th.[79]

1990–1997: two spells under Lou Macari

Ball's successor,

1–0 victory against Stockport County at Wembley; Mark Stein scored the only goal of the game.[82] The following season, 1992–93, promotion was achieved from the third tier, with Stoke finishing as league champions. Stein, a £100,000 purchase from Oxford United,[83] scored 26 goals during the season as Stoke amassed a total of 93 points. Macari left in October 1993 to take over as manager of Scottish side Celtic, and Stein also departed in a £1.5m move to Chelsea.[79]

loan, partnering Sheron in attack. The season started well, with Stoke in fourth place at Christmas, but a poor second half of the season saw the club drop to an eventual 12th place.[42] Sheron was sold in 1997 for a club record fee of £2.5m.[85] Macari left the club at the end of the season, his last game in charge the final league game at the Victoria Ground in a match against West Bromwich Albion.[79]

1997–2008: the Britannia Stadium

Britannia Stadium,[86][87] after 119 years at the Victoria Ground, the longest time spent at a ground by any team in Britain at that time.[19] Chic Bates, Macari's assistant, was appointed manager for the club's inaugural season in the new ground.[88] Bates struggled as his side slipped from a play-off place towards the relegation zone, with the club's bad run culminating in a 7–0 home defeat to Birmingham City.[14] Bates was replaced by Chris Kamara in January 1998.[89] Kamara could not improve the club's fortunes, and he left in April.[90] Alan Durban, Stoke's manager two decades earlier, took charge for the remainder of season.[64] Durban was unable to keep the club up, with a 23rd-place finish consigning Stoke to relegation from the First Division.[91]

Gudjon Thordarson, in November 1999.[96][97]

Stoke won the

2–0 win against Brentford at the Millennium Stadium secured promotion.[101] Despite achieving the goal of promotion, Thordarson was sacked by Gunnar Gíslason, only five days after the club won the play-off final.[102] A campaign calling for Thordarson's reinstatement was organised by fans, but it proved unsuccessful.[103]

director of football, John Rudge, which escalated to the point where Boskamp threatened to quit.[116] Boskamp left at the end of the 2005–06 season, amidst a takeover by former chairman Peter Coates.[117]

City Council for a fee in the region of £6m.[121][122]

2008–2018: ten years in the Premier League

Stoke won automatic promotion to the

Mamady Sidibe's injury-time goal from a Rory Delap throw-in, giving Stoke City their first ever Premier League points.[126] The club went on to record a 12th-place finish in their first season back in the Premier League. A much cited aspect of the team's style of play has been the utilisation of Delap's long throw to create goal-scoring opportunities.[127] Pulis signed Robert Huth and Tuncay Şanlı from Middlesbrough for a combined fee in the region of £10 million,[128] in a bid to establish the club in the Premier League prior to the 2009–10 season. This feat was achieved comfortably as the club finished in 11th place, thereby securing a third season in the Premier League. Pulis bolstered his squad for 2010–11 season with the club record £8 million signing of Kenwyne Jones.[129]

A 3–0 win over

final 1–0 to Manchester City.[136] By reaching the final, Stoke qualified for the 2011–12 UEFA Europa League.[137] Despite a strong season, with an 8th-place finish in sight, defeat at home to Wigan Athletic in the final game meant that Stoke finished 13th in the 2010–11 season.[138]

On 28 July 2011, Stoke beat

Besiktas, Dynamo Kyiv and Maccabi Tel Aviv. Stoke finished second in the group and were handed a glamour tie against Spanish giants Valencia in the round of 32, following the draw manager Pulis stated that he is relishing the prospect of taking on one of Europe's top clubs.[140] Stoke lost both legs 1–0 to end their European campaign.[141][142] Pulis received criticism from some supporters after he fielded a weakened team in the second leg.[143] Stoke ended the 2011–12 season in 14th position in what was perceived to be a disappointing season.[144] The 2012–13 season saw Stoke make little progress, finishing in 13th position. Pulis subsequently left the club by mutual consent on 21 May 2013.[145]

He was replaced by another Welsh manager, Mark Hughes.[146][147] Hughes led Stoke to a ninth-place finish in 2013–14, their highest position in the Premier League and best finish since 1974–75.[148] Stoke again finished in ninth position in 2014–15, which ended with a 6–1 victory against Liverpool.[149] Despite breaking their transfer record twice (on Xherdan Shaqiri and then Giannelli Imbula), in 2015–16, Stoke did not make any progression and finished in ninth position for a third season running.[150] Stoke declined in 2016–17, finishing in 13th position.[151] The decline continued in 2017–18 under Mark Hughes and he was sacked in January 2018 with the club in the relegation zone. The board chose Paul Lambert to try and keep Stoke up but he managed just two wins in 15, ending Stoke's ten-year spell in the Premier League.[152]

2018–present: return to the Championship

The board appointed Derby County manager Gary Rowett for the 2018–19 season with his task to mount a quick return to the Premier League.[153] However despite spending over £30 million on new players, performances were very underwhelming and Rowett lost his job in January 2019.[154] They then decided to appoint a manager from the lower leagues, Luton Town's Welsh manager Nathan Jones.[155] Jones only won three of the remaining matches of the season, drawing eleven of them including four consecutive 0–0 draws as Stoke ended in 16th position.[156]

Jones was allowed to bring in ten new players for the 2019–20 season in order to fit his preferred 'diamond' formation. These changes failed to improve the team and they went on to have their worst start to a league campaign not winning any of their first ten matches.[157] Jones was sacked in November 2019 with the side bottom of the Championship table and he was replaced by Northern Ireland manager Michael O'Neill.[158] Results began to improve under O'Neill and the side began to pull away from danger until the season was suspended in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[159] Stoke won four of the remaining nine matches to avoid relegation and finish in 15th position, finishing eight points clear of the relegation zone.[160] Due to the pandemic the entire 2020–21 season was played without supporters and Stoke finished in 14th position.[161] In 2021–22 Stoke made a positive start to the season but a poor second half of the campaign saw the team fall out of play-off contention and they again finished in 14th.[162] A slow start to the 2022–23 season marked the end for O'Neill's time in charge and he was dismissed in August 2022, with Sunderland boss Alex Neil replacing him.[163][164]

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