1888–89 Stoke F.C. season

March 2015 March 2015 Stoke 1888–89 Harry Lockett Mr S.Barker Victoria Ground Football League 12th (12 Points) FA Cup First Qualifying Round Bob McSkimming (6) Bob McSkimming (6) 5,000 vs Blackburn Rovers (1 December 1888) 1,500 vs Everton (15 December 1888) 3,450 1887–88 1889–90 _red_stripes_2 _stoke_88_89 _red_stripes_2 FFFFFF 000000 The 1888–89 season was Stoke's first season in the Football League, Stoke becoming one of the 12 founder members. There was a major change to English football in 1888–89 following the formation of the Football League. Stoke successfully joined the league along with 11 other professional football clubs. Managed by Harry Lockett Stoke struggled throughout the season and ended up finishing bottom of the table after managing just four victories. Season review League Prior to the 1888–89 season clubs played in friendlies, Staffordshire Senior Cup and in the FA Cup which Stoke entered for the first time in 1883. However once a team has been knocked out of the cup there was little excitement for players and supporters and so a league format was advocated by the chairman of Aston Villa, William McGregor and in the spring of 1888 the Football League was formed with McGregor as its first president. Harry Lockett represented Stoke at the meeting in Anderton's Hall Hotel, London and was successful as three weeks later Stoke joined the league and Lockett was appointed as the league's first secretary which he went on to occupy from 1888 to 1902.Matthews Tony The Encyclopaedia of Stoke City 1994 Lion Press 0-9524151-0-0 Stoke's first league match was at the Victoria Ground against midlands rivals and FA Cup holders West Bromwich Albion. A crowd in excess of 4,500 attended the contest which was won 2–0 by the visitors thanks to late goals from Joe Wilson and George Woodhall which meant that the "Baggies" were the first side to be top of the table. Stoke had the misfortune to finish bottom of the table, albeit on goal-average at the end of the first league season after only winning 4 of their 22 matches. These were 3–0 both home and away over Notts County the team who finished level on points with Stoke, 4–3 v Burnley and 2–1 against Blackburn Rovers. Frank Staton had the honour of scoring the club's first league goal which came in a 5–1 loss at Aston Villa. Stoke's first win was against Notts County on 22 September with two goals from Billy Tunncliffe and a strike from the clubs first Scottish player Bob McSkimming who went on be the leading goalscorer with six. Stoke's heaviest defeat was a 7–0 loss away at the eventual winners of both League and cup Preston North End. Two Stoke players failed to board the train on the morning of that game at Deepdale and so Preston agreed to loan two of their reserves (Bill Smalley and Alfred Dempsey) to make up the numbers. Alf Underwood and Bob McSkimming were Stoke's only ever-presents and Bill Rowley only missed one game. Stoke successfully applied for re-election to along with Burnley, Derby County and Notts County. FA Cup On the same day as the first qualifying round Stoke's first team had an away match against Preston North End so Stoke's reserve side, the Stoke Swifts played the FA Cup tie against Warwick County which they lost 2–1. Final league table STK Results Stoke's score comes first Legend WinDrawLoss Football League 1888–89 Football League MatchDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers18 September 1888West Bromwich AlbionH0–24,524215 September 1888Aston VillaA1–53,000Staton322 September 1888Notts CountyH3–03,000Tunnicliffe (2), McSkimming429 September 1888AccringtonH2–45,000Staton, McSkimming56 October 1888Preston North EndA0–73,500613 October 1888Bolton WanderersA1–23,000Slater720 October 1888BurnleyH4–34,500Sloane, Tunnicliffe (2), Lawton827 October 1888Blackburn RoversA2–53,000McSkimming (2)93 November 1888Aston VillaH1–14,000Shutt1012 November 1888Preston North EndH0–34,5001117 November 1888Wolverhampton WanderersH0–12,5001224 November 1888Notts CountyA3–02,500McSkimming, Milarvie (2)131 December 1888Blackburn RoversH2–15,000McSkimming, Edge148 December 1888BurnleyA1–23,000Edge1515 December 1888EvertonH0–01,5001622 December 1888Wolverhampton WanderersA1–42,500Sloane1729 December 1888West Bromwich AlbionA0–24,9001812 January 1889EvertonA1–27,000Milarvie1919 January 1889Bolton WanderersH2–24,000Milarvie (2)2026 January 1889Derby CountyA1–23,000Edge216 April 1889Derby CountyH1–14,000Sayer2220 April 1889AccringtonA0–22,000 FA Cup 1888–89 FA Cup RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorersQR16 October 1888 Warwick CountyH1–21,500Wainwright Squad statistics Pos.NameLeagueFA CupTotalAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsGKENG Charlie Hassall001010GKENG Wilf Merritt100010GKENG Bill Rowley21000210FBENG George Bateman000000FBENG Albert Bourne001010FBENG Tommy Clare21000210FBWAL 1807 Edgar Montford001010FBENG Alf Underwood22000220HBENG Albert Farmer001010HBSCO Billy Hendry200020HBENG Will Holford001010HBENG Bob Ramsay21000210HBENG George Shutt21100211HBENG Elijah Smith21000210FWENG Charlie Baker100010FWSCO Bob Barr300030FWENG Alfred Dempsey100010FWENG Alf Edge19310203FWENG Tom Forrester001010FWENG Freddie Gee100010FWENG Billy Hutchinson100010FWENG George Lawton13100131FWSCO Bob McSkimming22600226FWSCO Bob Milarvie15500155FWENG Harry Montford101020FWSCO Thomas Moore100010FWENG Jimmy Sayer711081FWENG George Slater210021FWSCO Jimmy Sloane11200112FWENG Bill Smalley100010FWENG Frank Staton420042FWENG Billy Tunnicliffe841094FWENG Tom Wainwright101121 References Category:Stoke City F.C. seasons Stoke