Wikipedia

1890–91 Stoke F.C. season

The 1890–91 season was Stoke's only season in the Football Alliance.

Stoke
1890–91 season
ChairmanMr S. Barker
ManagerJoseph Bradshaw
StadiumVictoria Ground
Football Alliance1st (33 Points)
FA CupThird Round
Top goalscorerLeague: Alf Edge
(12)
All: Alf Edge
& Wilmot Turner
(12)
Highest home attendance4,000 vs Walsall Town Swifts
(11 October 1890)
Lowest home attendance1,000 vs Crewe Alexandra
(8 November 1890)
Average home league attendance2,136

Stoke played their only season in the Football Alliance which they won the title and were re-elected back into the Football League at the end of the season. Stoke found life much easier in the Alliance and lost just twice as they ended up with 33 points and their first league title.[1]

Season review

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League

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For the 1890–91 season Stoke joined the Football Alliance which comprised 12 teams made up from the Midlands and the North.[1] This was very much the secondary competition to the Football League and while Stoke had struggled in their two previous seasons, they quickly came to grips with life in the Alliance and finished as champions.[1] Stoke only lost two matches all season and were re-elected back into the Football League.[1] Both defeats came in Birmingham, 5–2 at St George's and 5–1 at Small Heath and in both games they had their goalkeeper (Bill Rowley and Wilf Merritt respectively) carried off due to injury.[1] With no reserve 'keepers available for the following fixtures Stoke resorted to utilising two outfield players, Hughie Phillips v Crewe Alexandra and Alf Underwood v Bootle in goal.[1] Eventually Ike Brookes the Staffordshire County cricket wicket-keeper was signed for the rest of the season and played in the last 12 matches where Stoke remained unbeaten to claim the title.[1]

FA Cup

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While out of the Football League, Stoke played a major part in the formation of the penalty kick when, in February 1891 they were knocked out of the FA Cup in the third round by Notts County 1–0 after two previous 3–0 victory's over Preston North End and Aston Villa. With time running out and Stoke pressing forward for an equalizer, Notts County's defender Jack Hendry handled in the area so the referee gave a free kick to Stoke. Notts County put all eleven men on the line and Stoke failed to score. This same referee, who recognised what an unjust event had occurred later became a football legislator and it was he who introduced the penalty kick to the Football League and FA Cup competitions for the 1891–92 season.[1]

Final league table

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Pos Team
 Pld W D L GF GA GAv Pts Qualification or relegation
1 Stoke[a] (E) 22 13 7 2 57 39 1.462 33 Football Alliance Champions, elected to Football League
2 Sunderland Albion[b] 22 12 6 4 69 28 2.464 30 Left to join the Northern League
3 Grimsby Town 22 11 5 6 43 27 1.593 27
4 Birmingham St George's 22 12 2 8 64 62 1.032 26
5 Nottingham Forest 22 9 7 6 66 39 1.692 23[c]
Source: [2]
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal average.
(E) Elected to the Football League
Notes:
  1. ^ New club in the Alliance
  2. ^ Left to join the Northern League
  3. ^ Two points deducted for fielding an unregistered player

Results

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Stoke's score comes first

Legend

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Win Draw Loss

Football Alliance

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Main article: 1890–91 Football Alliance
Match Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Scorers
1 13 September 1890 Birmingham St George's H 6–3 1,500 Ballham, Baker (4), Turner
2 20 September 1890 Grimsby Town H 2–1 2,000 Edge, Coupar
3 27 September 1890 Newton Heath H 2–1 2,000 Edge, Dunn
4 3 October 1890 Nottingham Forest A 2–2 2,000 Turner, Baker
5 4 October 1890 Grimsby Town A 1–1 2,000 Baker
6 11 October 1890 Walsall Town Swifts H 1–0 4,000 Baker
7 18 October 1890 Birmingham St George's A 2–5 2,000 Edge, Turner
8 1 November 1890 Small Heath A 1–5 2,500 Edge
9 8 November 1890 Crewe Alexandra H 2–2 1,000 Turner, Dunn
10 15 November 1890 Bootle H 2–1 1,500 Dunn (2)
11 22 November 1890 Sunderland Albion A 1–1 1,500 Dunn
12 29 November 1890 Nottingham Forest H 2–1 2,000 Dunn, Ballham
13 6 December 1890 Bootle A 2–2 1,000 Dunn, Baker
14 13 December 1890 The Wednesday A 4–2 6,000 Dunn, Baker (2), Edge
15 26 December 1890 Darwen H 6–2 3,000 Baker, Edge (2), Ballham, Turner (2)
16 27 December 1890 Small Heath H 4–2 3,000 Edge, Ballham, Turner (2)
17 3 January 1891 Sunderland Albion H 1–1 2,000 Naughton
18 5 January 1891 Newton Heath A 1–0 2,000 Turner
19 24 January 1891 Crewe Alexandra A 4–2 1,500 Coupar, Dunn, Ballham, Clifford
20 7 March 1891 Walsall Town Swifts A 3–1 4,000 Edge (2), Turner
21 21 March 1891 Darwen A 3–3 1,000 Edge, Turner, Dunn
22 4 April 1891 The Wednesday H 5–1 1,500 Edge, Naughton, Dunn, Christie, Ballham

FA Cup

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Main article: 1890–91 FA Cup
Round Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Scorers
R1 17 January 1891 Preston North End H 3–0 8,000 Ballham, Coupar, Turner
R2 31 January 1891 Aston Villa H 3–0 7,000 Ballham (2), Coupar
R3 14 February 1891 Notts County A 0–1 16,000

Squad statistics

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Pos. Name League FA Cup Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
GK   Ike Brookes 12 0 3 0 15 0
GK   Wilf Merritt 2 0 0 0 2 0
GK   Bill Rowley 6 0 0 0 6 0
FB   George Bateman 1 0 0 0 1 0
FB   Tommy Clare 22 0 3 0 25 0
FB   Jack Eccles 1 0 0 0 1 0
FB   Alf Underwood 21 0 3 0 24 0
HB   Davy Brodie 22 0 3 0 25 0
HB   Davy Christie 22 1 3 0 25 1
HB   Hughie Clifford 17 1 3 0 20 1
HB   Hughie Phillips 7 0 0 0 7 0
FW   Charlie Baker 17 11 0 0 17 11
FW   Lewis Ballham 20 6 3 3 23 9
FW   Peter Coupar 3 2 3 2 6 4
FW   Billy Dunn 21 11 3 0 24 11
FW   Alf Edge 22 12 3 0 25 12
FW   Willie Naughton 6 2 0 0 6 2
FW   Wilmot Turner 20 11 3 1 23 12

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h Matthews, Tony (1994). The Encyclopaedia of Stoke City. Lion Press. ISBN 0-9524151-0-0.
  2. ^ Blakeman, Mick; Brown, Tony; Warsop, Keith, eds. (2009). The Football Alliance Match by Match: 1889/90 to 1891/92. Nottingham: SoccerData. pp. 28–40. ISBN 978-1-905891-19-1.
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