1968–69 Stoke City F.C. season


The 1968–69 season was Stoke City's 62nd season in the Football League and the 38th in the First Division.
Stoke failed to improve on last season's near miss and again were involved in a relegation scrap. Stoke won just nine matches all season and scored just 40 goals as they narrowly avoided relegation by three points.

Season review

League

To address last season's lack of goals Waddington brought in Scottish international David Herd on a free transfer from Manchester United. There was tragedy in October 1968 as reserve team goalkeeper Paul Shardlow suffered a heart attack in a training match and died.
As the 1968–69 season began, once again Stoke found goals hard to come by, they only scored eight in their opening eleven league matches and although the feeling amongst the supporters was that the team was too good to be relegated they were lucky in the fact that Queens Park Rangers and Leicester City had poor seasons. Stoke could only manage 19th place in a very uneventful season which saw champions Leeds United gain revenge for last season by beating Stoke 5–1 at the Victoria Ground. It had been a nerve-wrecking season with Stoke seemingly involved in a relegation battle from the start, and thanks to some determined performances Stoke scrambled three points clear of the drop zone. The 1968–69 season did, however mark the debut of Denis Smith who was later to become club captain and would have a major impact on the club's fortunes during the 1970s.
At the end of the season in May 1969 Stoke City embarked on an end of season tour which saw them play against Congo Kinshasa and then on to Spain where they played against Catalonia giants Barcelona. The match was played in front of 65,000 at the Camp Nou and Stoke shocked the prestigious hosts with a 3–2 victory. David Herd scored twice and Harry Burrows hit a third to put Stoke into a 3–0 lead at half-time. Barcelona fought back scoring twice through Carles Rexach and Pedro Zabalza but a Stoke held on for a splendid victory.

FA Cup

After unspectacular wins over Fourth Division sides York City and Halifax Town, Stoke lost 3–2 away at Chelsea.

League Cup

eliminated Stoke in a second round replay 1–0 after a 1–1 draw at Ewood Park, John Mahoney scoring for the "Potters".

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
110 August 1968SunderlandH2–122,475Dobing, Stevenson
214 August 1968West Ham UnitedH0–222,131
317 August 1968Leeds UnitedA0–230,383
420 August 1968LiverpoolA1–246,674Conroy
524 August 1968Leicester CityH1–016,633Mahoney
628 August 1968SouthamptonA0–220,712
731 August 1968Wolverhampton WanderersA1–131,034Elder
87 September 1968Manchester CityH1–022,013Conroy
914 September 1968ArsenalA0–128,273
1021 September 1968Queens Park RangersH1–115,273Skeels
1128 September 1968Ipswich TownA1–320,943Dobing
125 October 1968Nottingham ForestA3–321,510Stevenson, Burrows, Herd
139 October 1968SouthamptonH1–014,105Allen
1412 October 1968BurnleyH1–314,160Mahoney
1519 October 1968EvertonA1–242,887Herd
1626 October 1968ChelseaH2–016,786Herd, Dobing
172 November 1968Tottenham HotspurA1–133,309Herd
189 November 1968Coventry CityH0–316,117
1916 November 1968West Bromwich AlbionA1–222,134Dobing
2023 November 1968Manchester UnitedH0–030,630
2130 November 1968Sheffield WednesdayA1–223,027Burrows
227 December 1968Newcastle UnitedH1–011,594Herd
2314 December 1968BurnleyA1–110,003Herd
2421 December 1968EvertonH0–020,491
2526 December 1968Nottingham ForestH3–120,331Dobing, Conroy, Eastham
2611 January 1969Tottenham HotspurH1–121,728Conroy
271 February 1969West Bromwich AlbionH1–120,567Conroy
281 March 1969SunderlandA1–416,092Conroy
295 March 1969ChelseaA0–119,856
308 March 1969Leeds UnitedH1–524,327Burrows
3115 March 1969Leicester CityA0–024,987
3218 March 1969Coventry CityA1–125,097Herd
3322 March 1969Wolverhampton WanderersH4–119,574Herd, Conroy, Dobing
3424 March 1969Manchester UnitedA1–139,931Stevenson
3529 March 1969Manchester CityA1–327,311Marsh
365 April 1969Ipswich TownH2–115,022Herd, Dobing
377 April 1969LiverpoolH0–027,389
388 April 1969West Ham UnitedA0–026,577
3912 April 1969Queens Park RangersA1–212,489Hunt
4019 April 1969ArsenalH1–314,989Burrows
4122 April 1969Sheffield WednesdayH1–18,826Vernon
4230 April 1969Newcastle UnitedA0–527,526

FA Cup

RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
R34 January 1969York CityA2–011,129Burrows
R425 February 1969Halifax TownH1–130,283Dobing
R4 Replay28 February 1969Halifax TownA3–024,981Conroy, Burrows
R512 February 1969ChelseaA2–339,191Burrows, Dobing

League Cup

RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
R24 September 1968Blackburn RoversA1–112,464Mahoney
R2 Replay11 September 1968Blackburn RoversH0–113,747

Friendlies

Squad statistics