1999–2000 Stoke City F.C. season


The 1999–2000 season was Stoke City's 93rd season in the Football League and sixth in the third tier.
For the third pre-season Stoke were looking for a new manager but the directors were finding it difficult with first choice Tony Pulis joining Bristol City openly admitting that he felt the board lacked ambition. Second choice was Gary Megson and he accepted the job offer as did John Rudge who became director of football. Stoke slowly built up some decent results but there were still tensions between fans and the board and so when news spread that an Icelandic business consortium wanted to take over it became a no-brainer. Unfortunately for Megson new chairman Gunnar Gíslason appointed his own man, former Iceland national manager Gudjon Thordarson. In came a number of Icelandic players and the side did well winning the Football League Trophy and reached the play-offs against Gillingham. After beating the "Gills" 3–2 in the first leg, two controversial refereeing decisions cost Stoke dearly and they lost the second leg 3–0.

Season review

League

For the third consecutive summer, Stoke were hunting for a new manager, this time they had a clear favourite, Tony Pulis. However Pulis decided to join Bristol City after openly admitting that he felt the board lacked ambition. Second choice was Gary Megson, hard working and honest manager in the same mould as Pulis and he accepted Stoke's job offer. He appointed Nigel Pearson as his assistant and surprisingly John Rudge was made director of football after spending a long time at Port Vale. There was little expectation as the season began with some steady if unspectacular results and by the end of August Lárus Sigurðsson was sold to West Bromwich Albion for £350,000. Peter Thorne was proving to be a top player in the Second Division he scored the first few of his 30 goals. Stoke then went on a nine match unbeaten run and lifted themselves into the play-offs. In October news spread that a group of Icelandic businessmen were interested in taking control of the club and by mid November Stoke fans had their wishes granted and Gunnar Gíslason completed the Icelandic takeover under the name of Stoke Holding.
Gary Megson through no fault of his own was replaced by Gudjon Thordarson and in came a number of Icelandic players and the new era began well with Stoke beating Wycombe Wanderers 4–0 away. There was now a much better feeling about the club with the injection of new money and players but this was knocked back greatly in early 2000. On 23 February 2000 arguably one of the greatest footballers the world has ever seen Stanley Matthews died at the age of 85. Matthews was not just a club legend but also to Stoke-on-Trent as a whole. He was remembered in a perfect way with Stoke beating Chesterfield 5–1 with Thorne scoring four goals.
Stoke maintained their form from this match and went unbeaten until the final match of the season but despite a 1–0 defeat at Reading Stoke finished two points above Bristol Rovers and entered the play-offs. Their opponents were Gillingham and in the first leg 22,124 saw Stoke make a great start going into a 2–0 lead thanks to Arnar Gunnlaugsson and Kyle Lightbourne Gillingham pulled one back but Thorne restored Stoke's two goal advantage. Andy Hessenthaler then scored in injury time meaning the second leg would be a very tough match. In the second leg at Priestfield Stadium referee Rob Styles sent off both Graham Kavanagh and Clive Clarke for minor offences and Gillingham went on to win 3–0.

FA Cup

Another early exit for Stoke this season, defeated 2–0 away at Blackpool.

League Cup

After beating last seasons opponents Macclesfield Town Stoke lost 3–1 to Premier League Sheffield Wednesday.

League Trophy

Stoke began their Football League Trophy campaign on a cold December night against Third Division Darlington at the Britannia Stadium. With the scores level after normal time Kyle Lightbourne scored a golden goal to send Stoke through. Away wins over Oldham Athletic, Blackpool and Chesterfield saw Stoke in the area final against Rochdale. A 3–1 win in the first leg was followed by a 1–0 win in the second earning a place in the final against Bristol City. A crowd of 75,057 at Wembley saw Graham Kavanagh opened the scoring for Stoke before Paul Holland equalised for the Robins. Peter Thorne scored a close range winner for Stoke after 82 minutes earning Stoke their second Football League Trophy win.

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

Stoke's score comes first

Legend

Pre-Season Friendlies

Football League Second Division

MatchDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
17 August 1999Oxford UnitedH1–211,300Kavanagh 59'
214 August 1999Preston North EndA1–211,465Thorne 8'
322 August 1999MillwallH3–17,054Thorne 15', Connor 51', Kavanagh 84'
428 August 1999BurnleyA0–111,328
530 August 1999GillinghamH1–18,369Sigurðsson 87'
64 September 1999Cambridge UnitedA3–14,007Connor 19', Oldfield 81', Thorne 86'
711 September 1999ChesterfieldA2–04,285Lightbourne 50', 90'
818 September 1999Wigan AthleticH1–111,195Lightbourne 48'
925 September 1999WrexhamA3–25,924Thorne 27', Lightbourne 50', Mohan 78'
102 October 1999Scunthorpe UnitedH1–013,068Connor 90'
119 October 1999ReadingH2–19,621Mohan 68', Jacobsen 89'
1216 October 1999BournemouthA1–15,990Clarke 62'
1319 October 1999Cardiff CityA2–16,146Thorne 23', O'Connor 58'
1423 October 1999WrexhamH2–010,545O'Connor 58', Kavanagh 58'
153 November 1999Notts CountyH0–111,619
166 November 1999BuryA0–04,280
1714 November 1999Bristol CityH1–110,775Mohan 66'
1823 November 1999Wycombe WanderersA4–04,345Kavanagh 44', Daníelsson 45', Thorne 62', Mohan 71'
1927 November 1999Colchester UnitedH1–114,183Lightbourne 82'
204 December 1999Oxford UnitedA1–15,700Thorne 79'
2118 December 1999Bristol RoversH1–210,379Keen 52'
2226 December 1999BlackpoolA2–15,274Robinson 21', Kavanagh 57'
2328 December 1999Oldham AthleticH0–013,709
243 January 2000BrentfordA1–06,792Thorne 60'
258 January 2000Luton TownH2–110,016Connor 24', Lightbourne 87'
2614 January 2000Preston North EndH2–110,285Kippe 3', O'Connor 87'
2722 January 2000MillwallA0–111,548
2829 January 2000BurnleyH2–215,354Thorne 68', Davis 71'
295 February 2000GillinghamA0–37,801
308 February 2000Luton TownA1–25,396O'Connor 33'
3112 February 2000Cambridge UnitedH1–09,429Connor 31'
3219 February 2000Colchester UnitedA0–14,364
3326 February 2000Wigan AthleticA2–19,429Kavanagh 28', O'Connor 77'
344 March 2000ChesterfieldH5–111,968Thorne 8', 18', 41', 61', Jacobsen 90'
3511 March 2000Notts CountyA0–09,677
3618 March 2000Wycombe WanderersH1–19,738Gunnlaugsson 54'
3725 March 2000BlackpoolH3–010,002Gunnarsson 62', Mohan 69', Guðjónsson 71'
3828 March 2000Bristol CityA2–28,103Lightbourne 26', Kavanagh 39'
391 April 2000Bristol RoversA3–39,312Thorne 10', 62', 79'
404 April 2000Oldham AthleticA1–04,474Thorne 23'
418 April 2000BrentfordH1–09,955Thorne 8'
4222 April 2000BournemouthH1–015,022Thorne 81'
4324 April 2000Scunthorpe UnitedA2–05,435Thorne 24', 39'
4430 April 2000Cardiff CityH2–114,192Gunnlaugsson 3', O'Connor 69'
453 May 2000BuryH3–014,792Thorne 11', 55', 81'
466 May 2000ReadingA0–113,146

Second Division play-offs

RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
Semi-final 1st Leg13 May 2000GillinghamH3–222,124Gunnlaugsson 1', Lightbourne 8', Thorne 67'
Semi-final 2nd Leg17 May 2000GillinghamA0–3 10,386

FA Cup

RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
R130 October 1999BlackpoolA0–24,721

League Cup

RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
R1 1st Leg10 August 1999Macclesfield TownA1–12,551Keen 8'
R1 2nd Leg25 August 1999Macclesfield TownH3–05,003Connor 59', Thorne 69', O'Connor 75'
R2 1st Leg14 September 1999Sheffield WednesdayH0–09,313
R2 2nd Leg22 September 1999Sheffield WednesdayA1–310,993Kavanagh 74'

League Trophy

RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
R18 December 1999DarlingtonH3–2 3,341Lightbourne 25', 93', Reed 40'
R218 January 2000Oldham AthleticA1–0 4,682O'Connor 116'
Quarter final25 January 2000BlackpoolA2–14,943Gunnarsson 19', Kavanagh 79'
Semi final15 February 2000ChesterfieldA1–03,825O'Connor 82'
Area final 1st Leg14 March 2000RochdaleA3–14,241Hansson 4', Thorne 21', 27'
Area final 2nd Leg22 March 2000RochdaleH1–016,876Thorne 86'
Final16 April 2000Bristol CityN2–175,057Kavanagh 32', Thorne 82'

Squad statistics