1903–04 Stoke F.C. season

March 2015 March 2015 Stoke 1903–04 Horace Austerberry Mr W Cowlishaw Football League First Division Victoria Ground 16th (27 Points) FA Cup First Round Arthur Capes (11) Arthur Capes (11) 16,000 vs Bury (1 September 1903) 4,000 vs West Brom (28 November 1903) 8,610 1902–03 1904–05 FFFFFF FFFFFF FFFFFF 000000 000000 The 1903–04 season was Stoke's 15th season in the Football League. Any hopes Stoke fans had that last season's achievement of finishing sixth would signal a change in the club's fortunes were short-lived as the 1903–04 season was another poor one for Stoke. The team was in a hard relegation battle again and for the third time in four seasons Stoke required a final day escape and again they survived. Stoke drew the final match 1–1 with Derby County giving Stoke one more point than relegated Liverpool.Matthews Tony The Encyclopaedia of Stoke City 1994 Lion Press 0-9524151-0-0 Season review League Off the pitch, Stoke's financial problems continued after spending £2000 on a roof for the Butler Street Stand meaning that the season's budget was spent before a ball was kicked. Stoke did receive some support from the church who agreed to provide a 21-year lease on the Victoria Ground enabling Stoke to continue improving their ground. Hopes for similar improvements on the pitch however were short-lived as the 1903–04 season was another poor one for Stoke and their supporters. The team were in deep relegation trouble from Christmas onwards. Arthur Lockett such a key figure in the side last season signed for Aston Villa, and although one or two other players were drafted in few looked to have any real class. Stoke's best signing was that of Fred Rouse from Grimsby Town who would eventually be sold for a profit. By January 1904 Mart Watkins had followed Lockett to Villa and at Easter time there was certainly an element of déjà vu about the position the club were in. West Bromwich Albion were sitting bottom of the table with 21 points from 30 games whilst Stoke were above them with the same number of points and matches played, while Liverpool had 22 points and Derby 23. Again it all came down to the final match of the season and yet again Stoke survived, a point against Derby was enough to keep Stoke up. FA Cup Stoke lost 3–2 at home to Aston Villa in the first round in front of 15,000 spectators with Stoke's goals coming from George Baddeley and Sam Higginson. Final league table First Division y STK Results Stoke's score comes first Legend WinDrawLoss Football League First Division 1903–04 Football League MatchDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers1 1 September 1903 BuryH4–116,000Davies, Higginson, Watkins, Capes2 5 September 1903 Manchester CityH1–215,000Whitehouse3 12 September 1903 Notts CountyA0–112,0004 19 September 1903 Sheffield UnitedH3–412,000Whitehouse, Higginson, Bradley5 26 September 1903 Newcastle UnitedA0–115,0006 3 October 1903 Aston VillaH2–014,000Watkins, Whitehouse7 10 October 1903 MiddlesbroughA0–215,0008 17 October 1903 LiverpoolH5–210,000Whitehouse, Capes, Holford, Holdcroft (2)9 24 October 1903 BuryA2–25,000Holford, Coxon10 31 October 1903 Blackburn RoversH6–210,000 Holford, Coxon, Watkins, Whitehouse, Capes, Eastham (o.g.)11 14 November 1903 The WednesdayH3–112,000Coxon, Watkins, Capes12 21 November 1903 SunderlandA0–310,00013 25 November 1903 Nottingham ForestA2–41,500Baddeley, Capes14 28 November 1903 West Bromwich AlbionH5–04,000Watkins, Whitehouse, Davies (2), Higginson15 5 December 1903 Small HeathA0–15,00016 12 December 1903 EvertonH2–37,000Watkins, Coxon17 19 December 1903 Wolverhampton WanderersH5–16,000Watkins (2), Capes (3)18 25 December 1903 Blackburn RoversA0–225,00019 26 December 1903 Derby CountyA0–518,00020 28 December 1903 MiddlesbroughH0–010,00021 2 January 1904 Manchester CityA2–216,000Capes, Whitehouse22 9 January 1904 Notts CountyH0–28,00023 16 January 1904 Sheffield UnitedA1–112,000Gallimore24 23 January 1904 Newcastle UnitedH2–36,000Capes, Holford25 30 January 1904 Aston VillaA1–310,000Capes26 13 February 1904 LiverpoolA0–013,00027 5 March 1904 Nottingham ForestH2–37,000Leonard (2)28 12 March 1904 The WednesdayA0–115,00029 19 March 1904 SunderlandH3–110,000Leonard, Bradley, Haworth30 26 March 1904 West Bromwich AlbionA0–38,10731 2 April 1904 Small HeathH1–05,000Coxon32 4 April 1904 Wolverhampton WanderersA0–06,00033 9 April 1904 EvertonA1–012,000Whitehouse34 23 April 1904 Derby CountyH1–15,000Whitehouse FA Cup 1903–04 FA Cup RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorersR16 February 1904 Aston VillaH2–315,000Higginson, Baddeley Squad statistics Pos.NameLeagueFA CupTotalAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsGKENG Jack Benton100010GKENG Arthur Box000000GKWAL 1807 Leigh Richmond Roose32010330GKWAL 1807 Horace Viner100010FBENG Harry Benson13000130FBENG Charlie Burgess22000220FBENG Arthur Hartshorne26010270FBWAL 1807 Sam Meredith701080HBENG George Baddeley34111352HBENG James Bradley29210302HBENG Tom Holford34310353HBENG Albert Sturgess300030FWENG Arthur Capes2811102911FWENG Tom Coxon21510225FWWAL 1807 Lloyd Davies730073FWENG Ross Fielding501060FWENG George Gallimore310031FWENG Jack Haworth410041FWENG Sam Higginson20311214FWENG Charlie Hinks100010FWENG Ted Holdcroft17300173FWENG Arthur Leonard10300103FWENG John Murphy000000FWENG Albert Pitt400040FWENG Fred Rouse100010FWENG Alf Smith100010FWWAL 1807 Mart Watkins19800198FWENG Frank Whitehouse31910329–Own goals–1–0–1 References Category:Stoke City F.C. seasons Stoke F.C.