1974–75 Stoke City F.C. season


The 1974–75 season was Stoke City's 68th season in the Football League and the 44th in the First Division.
Stoke back in European competition were handed a tough tie against Dutch giants Ajax. After a 1–1 draw at home Stoke dominated the second leg in Amsterdam but failed to find the back of the net and were knocked out on the away goals rule. In the league Stoke continued from where they left off the previous season in good form and for the first time since the 1946–47 season they were in the race for the First Division title. However, so were a number of other clubs, and with three matches left Stoke were third and on course for their best ever finish, but they took just a point in those games and finished in 5th position. There was a double blow for Stoke as they missed out on a UEFA Cup place after West Ham United won the FA Cup.

Season review

League

Before the start of the 1974–75 season Stoke signed Sheffield United forward Geoff Salmons and lined up for the opening match a 3–0 win over Leeds United. Despite exiting Europe Stoke's form in the First Division remained good, but Tony Waddington was worried to a certain extent about his last line of defence and in November he surprisingly decided to break the club transfer record with the signing of Peter Shilton for £325,000 which at the time was also a world record transfer for a goalkeeper. Within ten days of Shilton's arrival Stoke sat at the top of the table after beating his old club Leicester City 1–0.
Stoke's progress in 1974–75, however was severely handicapped by a remarkable injury crisis, Already without Alan Bloor and John Ritchie, Jimmy Greenhoff broke his nose against Birmingham City and then Jimmy Robertson broke his leg against Coventry City on Boxing Day. Despite this Stoke kept on performing well and by February were again were on top spot. A 2–2 draw at home to Wolverhampton Wanderers cost the team another broken leg, Mike Pejic which was followed by Denis Smith in the next home match against Ipswich Town. Yet Stoke still fought on with a reduced number of players, and after some fine results they lay in third with three games remaining If they won all three they would be champions of England for the first time. As it happened they failed to win any drawing twice and losing at Sheffield United and had to settle for fifth, four points behind champions Derby County. There was further disappointment for City as they lost out on a UEFA Cup place to West Ham.

FA Cup

Stoke went down 2–0 against Liverpool in the third round.

League Cup

Stoke beat Third Division Halifax Town 3–0 before being paired with Chelsea. After two draws the tie went to a 2nd replay and thanks to two own goals Stoke recorded their biggest League Cup win, 6–2. But they were knocked out by Ipswich Town in the next round.

UEFA Cup

Stoke were also involved in the UEFA Cup and were paired with Dutch giants Ajax. In the first leg at the Victoria Ground Ajax dominated the match and went in front through star winger Ruud Krol. Stoke, despite being outplayed, managed to find an equaliser through Denis Smith. In the second leg it was a case of the roles being reversed: this time it was Stoke who dominated the match but couldn't find a way past Piet Schrijvers, with Stoke going out on the away-goal rule.

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
117 August 1974Leeds UnitedH3–033,534Mahoney 50', Greenhoff 85', Ritchie 87'
220 August 1974EvertonA1–235,817Salmons 17'
324 August 1974Queens Park RangersA1–021,117Hurst 86'
428 August 1974EvertonH1–127,594Mahoney 75'
531 August 1974MiddlesbroughH1–123,484Ritchie 17'
67 September 1974Carlisle UnitedA2–014,507Hudson 5', Ritchie 58'
714 September 1974Coventry CityH2–022,482Mahoney 59', Ritchie 84'
821 September 1974LiverpoolA0–351,423
924 September 1974Ipswich TownA1–324,470Salmons 90'
1028 September 1974Derby CountyH1–123,589Hurst 28'
115 October 1974Sheffield UnitedH3–221,796Hurst 15', Greenhoff 38', Smith 57'
1212 October 1974Newcastle UnitedA2–238,228Salmons 25', Mahoney 63'
1319 October 1974BurnleyH2–023,466Marsh 13', Hurst 30'
1426 October 1974ChelseaA3–324,718Greenhoff 13', Haslegrave 60', Robertson 85'
152 November 1974Tottenham HotspurH2–224,668Salmons 8', Greenhoff 35'
169 November 1974Manchester CityA0–136,966
1716 November 1974Luton TownH4–220,646Hudson 3', Robertson 60', Greenhoff 62', 68'
1823 November 1974Wolverhampton WanderersA2–228,216Salmons 10', Robertson 58'
1927 November 1974Queens Park RangersH1–022,403Hurst 9'
2030 November 1974Leicester CityH1–029,793Smith 86'
217 December 1974Birmingham CityA3–033,999Greenhoff 14', 36', Moores 29'
2214 December 1974Leeds UnitedA1–334,685Moores 89'
2321 December 1974ArsenalH0–223,292
2426 December 1974Coventry CityA0–222,345
2528 December 1974West Ham UnitedH2–133,498Salmons 70', Hurst 76'
2611 January 1975Birmingham CityH0–026,157
2718 January 1975Leicester CityA1–121,734Hurst 57'
281 February 1975Manchester CityH4–032,007Moores 44', 84', Hudson 68', Hurst 87'
298 February 1975Tottenham HotspurA2–022,941Greenhoff 23', Hudson 32'
3015 February 1975Wolverhampton WanderersH2–230,611Conroy 87', Skeels 88'
3122 February 1975Luton TownA0–019,894
321 March 1975MiddlesbroughA0–225,766
3315 March 1975Derby CountyA2–129,985Greenhoff 75', 89'
3418 March 1975Ipswich TownH1–228,589Greenhoff 67'
3522 March 1975Carlisle UnitedH5–220,525Conroy 8', 65', 73', Greenhoff 66', Salmons 88'
3628 March 1975West Ham UnitedA2–229,811Conroy 40', 49'
3729 March 1975ArsenalA1–126,852Salmons 33'
3831 March 1975LiverpoolH2–045,954Conroy 20', 50'
395 April 1975ChelseaH3–026,375Conroy 28', 87', Greenhoff 63'
4012 April 1975Sheffield UnitedA0–233,255
4119 April 1975Newcastle UnitedH0–025,784
4226 April 1975BurnleyA0–019,191

FA Cup

RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
R34 January 1975LiverpoolA0–248,723

League Cup

RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
R211 September 1974Halifax TownH3–017,805Conroy 42', 67, 71'
R39 October 1974ChelseaA2–219,953Robertson 6', Hurst 47'
R3 Replay16 October 1974ChelseaH1–124,376Greenhoff 80'
R3 2nd Replay22 October 1974ChelseaH6–226,271Hurst 2', 67', Smith 10', Droy 37', Harris 44', Salmons 62'
R412 November 1974Ipswich TownA1–220,677Robertson 90'

UEFA Cup

RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
R1 1st leg18 September 1974AjaxH1–137,398Smith 76'
R1 2nd leg2 October 1974AjaxA0–029,000

Stoke eliminated on away goal rule

Friendlies

Squad statistics