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1970–71 Stoke City F.C. season


FieldValue
clubStoke City
season1970–71
managerTony Waddington
chairmanAlbert Henshall
stadiumVictoria Ground
leagueFootball League First Division
league result13th (37 points)
cup1FA Cup
cup1 resultSemi-final
cup2League Cup
cup2 resultSecond round
cup3Texaco Cup
cup3 resultFirst round
cup4Anglo-Italian Cup
cup4 resultGroup Stage
league topscorerJohn Ritchie
(13)
season topscorerJohn Ritchie
(19)
highest attendance39,889 vs Manchester United
(20 March 1971)
lowest attendance13,358 vs Manchester City
(14 April 1971)
average attendance19,905
prevseason1969–70
nextseason1971–72
pattern_la1_red_stripes
pattern_b1_red_stripes
pattern_ra1_red_stripes
shorts1FFFFFF
socks1FFFFFF

(13) (19) (20 March 1971) (14 April 1971) The 1970–71 season was Stoke City's 64th season in the Football League and the 40th in the First Division.

Stoke had a successful season making it to the semi-final of the FA Cup for only the second time in their history. Stoke made it through seven matches before facing Arsenal, where after building a 2–0 lead at Hillsborough Stoke let slip in the final few minutes and Arsenal levelled at 2–2. In the replay the "Gunners" won 2–0 at Villa Park. In the league Stoke finished in a mid-table position of 13th with 37 points, Stoke did record a famous win over Arsenal beating the eventual league champions 5–0 in September.

Season review

League

Stoke had a good opening spell to the 1970–71 season, losing just three of their first 12 matches one of which was a crushing 5–2 defeat at Midlands rivals West Bromwich Albion. But generally the defence looked strong and solid and indeed six clean sheets were kept during that period. Stoke's sixth home game of the season on 26 September was against Bertie Mee's impressive Arsenal side at the Victoria Ground. Because of local travel difficulties (bus driver strike) just over 18,000 fans saw the match and those lucky enough to be there watch one of the best performances by a Stoke City side.

Arsenal, who would go on to become First Division and FA Cup winners were well beaten 5–0 by Stoke in front of the Match of the Day cameras. As the season wore on Stoke found it difficult to maintain a consistent run of form in the First Division and their attentions soon turned towards the FA Cup. With the cup a distraction Stoke did well to finish in a mid table position of 13th.

FA Cup

After Christmas Stoke became heavily involved in the FA Cup and they came very close to making it to their first final. Revenge was gained over Millwall in the third round and then Huddersfield Town proved to be difficult to get the better of, the tie finally being decided in a second replay at Old Trafford, Stoke winning 1–0 thanks to a goal from Jimmy Greenhoff. In the fifth round Stoke met Ipswich Town and after a goalless draw, Denis Smith scoring the only goal at Portman Road to send Stoke through to face Hull City in the quarter-final. The tie at Boothferry Park was a cracking encounter with Stoke winning 3–2 to claim a place in the semi-final for the first time since 1899, 75 years ago.

Their opponents in the semi-final were Arsenal with the tie played at Hillsborough Stadium in Sheffield. Stoke produced a dominant first half display and went into the half time break 2–0 up, with Smith and Ritchie scoring the goals that sent Stoke supporters ecstatic. Alas it was not to be as Arsenal clawed their way back into the match thanks to two second half goals from Peter Storey with the last being a penalty in the last minute of the game. Stoke were left to rue only scoring two goals in their first half dominance as the "Gunners" earned a replay they hardly deserved. Villa Park was the venue for 'part two' of the contest and in front of 62,356, Arsenal comfortably won 2–0 and went on to lift the trophy and complete a domestic double alongside their First Division league title. On the eve of the final, Stoke won the third place play off against Everton 3–2.

League Cup

Millwall knocked Stoke out of the League Cup 2–1 in the second round.

Final league table

Results

Stoke's score comes first

Legend

WinDrawLoss

Football League First Division

Main article: 1970–71 Football League

MatchDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
115 August 1970Ipswich TownH0–017,099
219 August 1970Newcastle UnitedH3–015,197Burrows 22', Ritchie (2) 38', 89'
322 August 1970Derby CountyA0–235,461
426 August 1970West Bromwich AlbionA2–522,607Ritchie 12', Conroy 55'
529 August 1970Crystal PalaceH0–013,469
62 September 1970Nottingham ForestH0–013,951
75 September 1970Wolverhampton WanderersA1–121,056Greenhoff 25'
812 September 1970Leeds UnitedH3–022,592Ritchie (2) 20', 90', Burrows 47'
919 September 1970Manchester CityA1–435,473Bernard 80'
1026 September 1970ArsenalH5–018,153Ritchie (2) 28', 43', Conroy 62', Greenhoff 64', Bloor 84'
113 October 1970BlackpoolA1–125,324Dobing 56'
1210 October 1970West Ham UnitedH2–123,033Greenhoff 36', Dobing 89'
1317 October 1970Ipswich TownA0–218,159
1424 October 1970Tottenham HotspurA0–336,238
1531 October 1970Huddersfield TownH3–117,625Greenhoff 5', Conroy (2) 54', 75'
167 November 1970Manchester UnitedA2–247,451Conroy 1', Ritchie 72'
1714 November 1970EvertonH1–126,240Ritchie 42'
1818 November 1970Leeds UnitedA1–425,004Conroy 15'
1921 November 1970ChelseaA1–236,227T Smith 30'
2028 November 1970SouthamptonH0–016,848
215 December 1970Coventry CityA0–123,775
2212 December 1970BurnleyH0–013,299
2319 December 1970Derby CountyH1–021,906Burrows 60'
2426 December 1970LiverpoolA0–047,103
259 January 1971Newcastle UnitedA2–025,680Greenhoff 1', Burrows 62'
2616 January 1971West Bromwich AlbionH2–020,882Conroy 23', 78'
2730 January 1971SouthamptonA1–219,500Greenhoff 20'
286 February 1971Coventry CityH2–117,208Mortimer (o.g.) 45', Greenhoff 50'
2920 February 1971ChelseaH1–226,592Conroy 47'
3023 February 1971BurnleyA1–112,209Conroy 12'
3127 February 1971Huddersfield TownA1–015,626Conroy 78' (pen)
3213 March 1971EvertonA0–238,924
3320 March 1971Manchester UnitedH1–239,889Ritchie 77'
343 April 1971Crystal PalaceA2–316,963Ritchie (2) 81', 90'
357 April 1971Wolverhampton WanderersH1–022,808Burrows 61' (pen)
3610 April 1971LiverpoolH0–128,810
3713 April 1971BlackpoolH1–113,916Jump 16'
3817 April 1971West Ham UnitedA0–126,269
3924 April 1971Manchester CityH2–013,358Bernard 20', Ritchie 52'
4027 April 1971Nottingham ForestA0–013,502
411 May 1971ArsenalA0–155,011
425 May 1971Tottenham HotspurH0–114,019

FA Cup

Main article: 1970–71 FA Cup

RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
R32 January 1971MillwallH2–121,398Ritchie 31', Greenhoff 77'
R423 January 1971Huddersfield TownH3–334,231Greenhoff 3', Burrows 65', Conroy 75'
R4 Replay26 January 1971Huddersfield TownA0–0 (aet)40,231
R4 2nd Replay8 February 1971Huddersfield TownN1–039,302Greenhoff 68'
R513 February 1971Ipswich TownH0–036,809
R5 Replay16 February 1971Ipswich TownA1–030,232Smith 74'
Quarter-final6 March 1971Hull CityA3–241,452Conroy 45', Ritchie (2) 70', 81'
Semi-final27 March 1971ArsenalN2–254,770Smith 22', Ritchie 31'
Semi-final Replay31 March 1971ArsenalN0–262,356
3rd Place play-off7 May 1971EvertonN3–25,031Bernard 27', Ritchie (2) 47' 80'

League Cup

Main article: 1970–71 Football League Cup

RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
R29 September 1970MillwallH0–010,230
R2 Replay16 September 1970MillwallA1–212,789Conroy 57'

[[Texaco Cup]]

Main article: 1970–71 Texaco Cup

RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
R1 1st Leg14 September 1970MotherwellA0–114,450
R1 2nd Leg30 September 1970MotherwellH2–1 (3–4 pens)15,779Bloor, Burrows

[[Anglo-Italian Cup]]

Main article: 1971 Anglo-Italian Cup

RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
Group match 126 May 1971RomaH2–211,520Greenhoff 13', Smith 58'
Group match 229 May 1971Hellas VeronaH2–010,252Ritchie 53', Jump 78'
Group match 31 June 1971RomaA1–037,450Ritchie 56'
Group match 44 June 1971Hellas VeronaA1–28,000Ritchie 88'

Friendlies

MatchOpponentVenueResult
1ArdsA1–0
2PortadownA5–0
3GlentoranA1–1
4Finn HarpsA3–0
5Crewe AlexandraA3–1
6Shrewsbury TownA2–2
7East FifeA1–0
8MarseilleA1–2
9RCD MallorcaA0–3

Squad statistics

Pos.NameLeagueFA CupLeague CupTexaco CupAnglo-Italian CupTotalAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
GKENG Gordon Banks390100101040550
GKENG John Farmer300010100(1)05(1)0
DFENG Alan Bloor36180202140522
DFNIR Alex Elder3(2)00(3)00000104(5)0
DFENG Jackie Marsh34(2)08020104049(2)0
DFENG Mike Pejic420100202040600
DFENG Eric Skeels27(2)09(1)0101(1)04042(4)0
DFENG Denis Smith36082202041523
MFENG Mike Bernard402101102020553
MFIRE Terry Conroy3411922120004714
MFENG George Eastham16(3)060200(1)00024(4)0
MFENG Sean Haslegrave15070000040260
MFENG Stewart Jump10(1)10(1)000002112(2)2
MFENG Terry Lees4(3)01(1)00000005(4)0
MFWAL John Mahoney15(3)03(1)000004022(4)0
MFSCO Willie Stevenson3(2)0001000004(2)0
FWENG Harry Burrows33(1)5810(1)0210043(2)7
FWENG Peter Dobing11200202000152
FWENG Jimmy Greenhoff337832020314811
FWENG John Ritchie26(1)13561(1)0204338(2)22
FWENG Terry Smith2(1)1000000002(1)1
Own goals100001

References

References

  1. Matthews, Tony. (1994). "The Encyclopaedia of Stoke City". Lion Press.
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