1949–50 Stoke City F.C. season


The 1949–50 season was Stoke City's 43rd season in the Football League and the 29th in the First Division.
In June 1949, Stoke legend Freddie Steele left after 17 years with the club, scoring 159 goals. Stoke failed to find a suitable replacement, struggled throughout the season and ended up in a relegation battle. There was no end of season improvement in results and Stoke only stayed up due to the poor form of the relegated bottom two Birmingham City and Manchester City.

Season review

League

With Freddie Steele now moved on to Mansfield Town, the simmering unrest continued with Neil Franklin eager to move his family away from the Stoke-on-Trent area for health reasons. The local air at this time was far from clean due to the pottery industry at its peak and with kilns belching out smoke and fumes. With Steele gone manager Bob McGrory searched for a replacement and went out and spent £3,000 on Verdi Godwin from Manchester City, hoping that he would help the club find their goalscoring touch.
Franklin re-signed for the club in time for the 1949–50 season and his presence bolstered the defence whilst the forward line was struggling. By the end of October Stoke had just two wins to their name and were in deep relegation trouble so McGrory smashed the club's transfer record by paying £9,000 to Celtic for Leslie Johnston. However whilst Johnston was a fine footballer in Scotland he was not really up to the standard in English football and although he scored 22 goals in 92 games he was not the right player for the number 9 shirt. On 15 October Frank Baker broke his leg for the fifth time in two years and he decided to retire.
By January, there had been a modest improvement in performances out on the pitch and McGrory made his best signing for some time, persuading Freddie Steele who was now player-manager at Mansfield to part with young up and coming forward Harry Oscroft, Stoke handing over £8,000 plus Verdi Godwin who scored just twice in 23 matches. Soon after Oscroft's arrival, Stoke's defence started to leak goals and FA Cup finalists Arsenal put six past them at Highbury without a Stoke reply. Stoke managed just three points from their remaining eight matches this season and narrowly avoided relegation.

FA Cup

47,000 fans saw Stoke's cup run end at the third round losing 1–0 at home to Second Division Tottenham Hotspur.

Final league table

Key: P = Matches played; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; F = Goals for; A = Goals against; GA = Goal average; Pts = Points

Results

Stoke's score comes first

Legend

Football League First Division

MatchDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
120 August 1949Bolton WanderersA0–429,333
222 August 1949LiverpoolH0–027,205
327 August 1949Birmingham CityH3–128,069Bowyer, Godwin
431 August 1949LiverpoolA1–138,097Bowyer
53 September 1949Derby CountyA3–229,305Bowyer, Sellars, Kirton
65 September 1949BurnleyA1–225,062Bowyer
710 September 1949West Bromwich AlbionH1–336,815G Mountford
812 September 1949BurnleyH1–125,077Bowyer
917 September 1949Manchester UnitedA2–242,614F Mountford, Godwin
1024 September 1949ChelseaH2–328,650G Mountford, F Mountford
111 October 1949Newcastle UnitedA1–449,903Bowyer
128 October 1949FulhamH0–224,904
1315 October 1949Manchester CityA1–131,151F Mountford
1422 October 1949Charlton AthleticH0–320,740
1529 October 1949Aston VillaA1–130,000Sellars
165 November 1949Wolverhampton WanderersH2–140,111Sellars, F Mountford
1712 November 1949PortsmouthA0–033,257
1819 November 1949Huddersfield TownH0–020,038
1926 November 1949EvertonA1–230,000Peppitt
203 December 1949MiddlesbroughH1–017,297Bowyer
2110 December 1949BlackpoolA2–417,000Peppitt, Johnston
2217 December 1949Bolton WanderersH3–219,023Johnston, Bowyer
2324 December 1949Birmingham CityA0–120,000
2426 December 1949SunderlandA0–350,246
2527 December 1949SunderlandH2–141,635Bowyer, F Mountford
2631 December 1949Derby CountyH1–325,989Whiston
2714 January 1950West Bromwich AlbionA0–034,840
2821 January 1950Manchester UnitedH3–138,901G Mountford, Bowyer
294 February 1950ChelseaA2–245,097Johnston
3018 February 1950Newcastle UnitedH1–031,399Oscroft
3125 February 1950FulhamA2–230,000G Mountford, Bowyer
324 March 1950Manchester CityH2–029,986G Mountford, Bowyer
3311 March 1950Huddersfield TownA0–418,702
3418 March 1950EvertonH1–022,125Bowyer
3525 March 1950Wolverhampton WanderersA1–238,388Whiston
361 April 1950PortsmouthH0–126,456
378 April 1950Charlton AthleticA0–228,000
3810 April 1950ArsenalA0–630,064
3915 April 1950Aston VillaH1–020,590Meakin
4022 April 1950MiddlesbroughA0–232,000
4129 April 1950BlackpoolH1–117,797Johnston
426 May 1950ArsenalH2–522,225Oscroft

FA Cup

RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
R37 January 1950Tottenham HotspurH0–147,000

Squad statistics