1991–92 Stoke City F.C. season


The 1991–92 season was Stoke City's 85th season in the Football League and 3rd in the Third Division.
Lou Macari was appointed as Stoke City manager in June 1991 with the hope that he would be the man to bring life back into the club. He made an instant impact and Stoke were fully involved in the fight for promotion and it was very nearly achieved. Stoke reached the Football League play-offs for the first time but lost 2–1 on aggregate to Stockport County, Stoke did however beat County at Wembley in the final of the Football League Trophy. Stoke did well in terms of goalscoring with both Wayne Biggins and new signing Mark Stein scoring 20+.

Season review

League

The board appointed former Birmingham City manager Lou Macari on 18 June 1991. Macari had a glittering career at the highest level of the game. He was seen as a man who knew what was required to achieve results and he wasted no time in altering his squad. He brought in Steve Foley, Vince Overson, Ronnie Sinclair and forward Mark Stein from Oxford United for what turned out to be a bargain £100,000.
From the previous season's all-time low Stoke under Macari rose to great heights in 1991–92 and reached a Wembley final for the first time since 1972. In the Third Division Stoke were in the hunt for automatic promotion all season eventually having to settle for a play-off place where they came up against Stockport County. The first leg at Edgeley Park saw County win 1–0 thanks to a free-kick from Lee Todd after Carl Beeston had been sent-off and in the second leg Stoke went behind in the first minute and despite Stein pulling one back Stoke went out 2–1 on aggregate. Despite the obvious disappointment of missing out on promotion it was a positive season for Stoke and there was high hopes that it could be the start of the club's revival.

FA Cup

Stoke again drew non-league Telford United but this time the "Bucks" gained revenge beating Stoke 2–1.

League Cup

After beating Chesterfield in the first round Stoke drew Liverpool in the second and in the first leg at Anfield almost 8,000 Stoke fans made the trip to see Stoke make a great contest and come away with a 2–2 draw. Stoke again put up a fight in the second leg but went out of the competition losing 3–2.

League Trophy

After qualifying from their group which included Birmingham City and Walsall, Stoke then advanced past Cardiff City, Walsall, Leyton Orient and Peterborough United with Paul Ware scoring the vital goal to send Stoke through to Wembley. In the final against Stockport County a single goal from Mark Stein gave Stoke a 1–0 victory.

Final league table

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

Results

Legend

Football League Third Division

MatchDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
117 August 1991Bradford CityA0–17,556
224 August 1991BournemouthH1–110,011Biggins 17'
331 August 1991Peterborough UnitedA1–17,174Biggins 1'
44 September 1991Shrewsbury TownH1–010,182Biggins 53'
57 September 1991DarlingtonA1–04,230Ellis 57'
614 September 1991FulhamH2–210,567Biggins 25', Cranson 53'
717 September 1991Hartlepool UnitedH3–29,394Biggins 37', 39', Butler 75'
821 September 1991Preston North EndA2–26,345Biggins 41', 59'
928 September 1991Stockport CountyH2–26,345Biggins 14', 28'
105 October 1991Chester CityA0–04,212
1112 October 1991Bolton WanderersH2–012,420Biggins 16', Scott 80'
1219 October 1991Swansea CityA1–23,365Ellis 88'
1326 October 1991Leyton OrientH2–09,555Biggins 36', Cranson 71'
142 November 1991Huddersfield TownH0–210,116
155 November 1991BuryA3–13,245Ellis 3', 78', Overson 83'
1619 November 1991Exeter CityA0–05,309
1723 November 1991Torquay UnitedH3–09,124Biggins 2', Stein 34', 60'
1830 November 1991West Bromwich AlbionA2–217,207Overson 40', 52'
1914 December 1991Wigan AthleticH3–08,419Stein 17', Kelly 43', Biggins 81'
2021 December 1991BournemouthA2–15,436Biggins 10', Kelly 76'
2126 December 1991Peterborough UnitedH3–314,733Kevan 7', Stein 30', Biggins 70'
2228 December 1991Bradford CityH0–012,208
231 January 1992Shrewsbury TownA0–18,557
244 January 1992Birmingham CityH2–118,914Ware 52', Biggins 77'
2511 January 1992BrentfordA0–29,004
2618 January 1992ReadingH3–010,835Jones 24', Butler 54', Stein 71'
2725 January 1992Hull CityA1–04,996Russell 20'
281 February 1992Swansea CityH2–111,299Ware 41', Beeston 90'
298 February 1992Leyton OrientA1–07,153Beeston 4'
3012 February 1992West Bromwich AlbionH1–023,645Stein 28'
3115 February 1992Wigan AthleticA0–15,695
3222 February 1992BrentfordH2–116,417Butler 10', Stein 65'
3329 February 1992Birmingham CityA1–122,162Barnes 89'
344 March 1992ReadingA4–34,362Stein 28', Foley 30', Ware 60', McPherson 66'
357 March 1992Hull CityH2–313,563Barnes 52', Stein 73'
3611 March 1992BuryH1–212,385Barnes 85'
3714 March 1992Huddersfield TownA2–110,156Biggins 27', Stein 28'
3821 March 1992Exeter CityH5–213,634Biggins 16', Stein 33', Beeston 42', Grimes 61', Steele 90'
3928 March 1992Torquay UnitedA0–13,260
4031 March 1992FulhamA1–15,779Stein 72'
413 April 1992DarlingtonH3–013,579Biggins 10', 20', Stein 69'
4211 April 1992Hartlepool UnitedA1–14,360Stein 44'
4318 April 1992Preston North EndH2–116,151Stein 44', Biggins 50'
4420 April 1992Stockport CountyA0–08,129
4525 April 1992Chester CityH0–118,474
462 May 1992Bolton WanderersA1–39,997Stein 7'

Third Division Play-offs

FA Cup

RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
R115 November 1991Telford UnitedH0–09,974
R1 Replay26 November 1991Telford UnitedA1–24,032Biggins 81'

League Cup

RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
R1 1st Leg23 August 1991ChesterfieldH1–07,815Ellis 20'
R1 2nd Leg27 August 1991ChesterfieldA2–15,391Kelly 22', Beeston 68'
R2 1st Leg25 September 1991LiverpoolA2–218,389Cranson 28', Kelly 88'
R2 2nd Leg10 October 1991LiverpoolH2–322,355Biggins 75', 88'

League Trophy

RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
Preliminary Round 122 October 1991WalsallA2–03,758Sandford 51', 70'
Preliminary Round 218 December 1991Birmingham CityH3–15,982Barnes 15', Stein 29', Ware 73'
Southern Round 114 January 1992Cardiff CityH3–04,851Biggins 31', 80', Stein 76'
Southern Quarter Final2 February 1992WalsallH3–17,381Ware 18', Beeston 24', Stein 32'
Southern Semi Final17 March 1992Leyton OrientA1–03,792Stein 24'
Southern Final 1st Leg6 April 1992Peterborough UnitedH3–314,355Biggins 3', 5', Sandford 66'
Southern Final 2nd Leg15 April 1992Peterborough UnitedA1–012,214Ware 51'
Final16 May 1992Stockport CountyN1–048,339Stein 65'

Isle of Man Trophy

RoundOpponentResult
Quarter FinalIsle of Man XI7–0
Semi FinalSC Cambuur2–0
FinalSunderland2–0

Friendlies

Squad statistics