The 1984–85 season was Stoke City's 78th season in the Football League and 52nd in the First Division.
1984–85 season | ||
---|---|---|
Chairman | Frank Edwards | |
Manager | Bill Asprey (until April 2) Tony Lacey (caretaker) | |
Stadium | Victoria Ground | |
Football League First Division | 22nd (17 Points) | |
FA Cup | Third Round | |
League Cup | Second Round | |
Top goalscorer | League: Ian Painter (6) All: Ian Painter (9) | |
Highest home attendance | 21,013 vs Manchester United (26 December 1984) | |
Lowest home attendance | 4,597 vs Norwich City (24 April 1985) | |
Average home league attendance | 10,700 | |
| ||
Bill Asprey was given the managerial position on a permanent basis by the board following the previous season's close escape. However Stoke won three of their 42 league matches managing to pick up 17 points, a record low which would stand for 21 years. Stoke scored 24 goals and conceded 91 giving them a goal difference of –67. Supporters stopped attending matches with crowds falling below 5,000. The season became known as The Holocaust season and Stoke would not gain a return to the top flight until 2008.[1][2]
Season review
editLeague
editThe directors did not hesitate in appointing Bill Asprey on a full-time basis, but there was a shock for the supporters when it was announced that both Paul Maguire and Peter Hampton were being released.[1] Asprey had decided to start building his own team but he knew that there was no money available for him and so a club once filled with international stars had to loan players from other clubs.[1] As the season started goals were almost non-existent and by autumn Asprey had sold Robbie James for £100,000 to Queens Park Rangers so he could buy Keith Bertschin a proven goalscorer from Norwich City.[1]
Still there was no improvement and as the season wore on Stoke struggled to even compete with their First Division rivals and it turned into a case of when and not if Stoke would be relegated.[1] Stoke went down breaking almost every record available: fewest goals scored (24); fewest wins (3); and lowest points tally (17).[1] Ian Painter was top goalscorer with six of which four were penalties.[1] With the season drawing to a close Asprey was relieved of his duties as his health had been affected by the season's traumas and Tony Lacey took over the last eight matches losing all of them.[1] Chairman Frank Edwards took the full brunt of the supporters protests following relegation before he died following a heart attack.[1] Sandy Clubb took over from Edwards and he appointed Mick Mills as manager as the club began to rebuild in the Second Division.[1]
FA Cup
editLuton Town knocked out Stoke after a replay in the third round.[1]
League Cup
editStoke were defeated by Third Division Rotherham United in the second round.[1]
Final league table
edit
Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
18 | Coventry City | 42 | 15 | 5 | 22 | 47 | 64 | −17 | 50 | |
19 | Queens Park Rangers | 42 | 13 | 11 | 18 | 53 | 72 | −19 | 50 | |
20 | Norwich City[a] (R) | 42 | 13 | 10 | 19 | 46 | 64 | −18 | 49 | Relegation to the Second Division |
21 | Sunderland (R) | 42 | 10 | 10 | 22 | 40 | 62 | −22 | 40 | |
22 | Stoke City (R) | 42 | 3 | 8 | 31 | 24 | 91 | −67 | 17 |
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals scored
(R) Relegated
Notes:
- ^ Norwich City would have qualified for the UEFA Cup as League Cup winners.
Results
editStoke's score comes first
Legend
editWin | Draw | Loss |
Football League First Division
editMatch | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorers |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 25 August 1984 | Luton Town | A | 0–2 | 8,626 | |
2 | 27 August 1984 | Aston Villa | H | 1–3 | 12,605 | Painter 44' |
3 | 1 September 1984 | Sheffield Wednesday | H | 2–1 | 13,032 | McIlroy 35', Heath 44' |
4 | 15 September 1984 | Leicester City | H | 2–2 | 13,591 | Hemming 65', Bould 69' |
5 | 19 September 1984 | Norwich City | A | 0–0 | 13,051 | |
6 | 22 September 1984 | Arsenal | A | 0–4 | 26,758 | |
7 | 29 September 1984 | Sunderland | H | 2–2 | 8,882 | Dyson 75', Bould 87' |
8 | 6 October 1984 | Nottingham Forest | A | 1–1 | 14,129 | Berry 11' |
9 | 13 October 1984 | Southampton | H | 1–3 | 9,643 | Heath 41' |
10 | 20 October 1984 | West Ham United | H | 2–4 | 9,945 | Painter 81', Chamberlain 90' |
11 | 27 October 1984 | Tottenham Hotspur | A | 0–4 | 23,477 | |
12 | 3 November 1984 | Liverpool | H | 0–1 | 20,567 | |
13 | 10 November 1984 | West Bromwich Albion | A | 0–2 | 12,258 | |
14 | 17 November 1984 | Everton | A | 0–4 | 26,705 | |
15 | 24 November 1984 | Watford | H | 1–3 | 10,564 | Painter 58' (pen) |
16 | 1 December 1984 | Newcastle United | A | 1–2 | 21,135 | McIlroy 55' |
17 | 4 December 1984 | Queens Park Rangers | A | 0–2 | 8,403 | |
18 | 8 December 1984 | Ipswich Town | H | 0–2 | 7,925 | |
19 | 15 December 1984 | Chelsea | A | 1–1 | 20,534 | Dyson 71' |
20 | 22 December 1984 | Sheffield Wednesday | A | 1–2 | 19,799 | Bould 45' |
21 | 26 December 1984 | Manchester United | H | 2–1 | 21,013 | Painter 70' (pen), Saunders 75' |
22 | 29 December 1984 | Queens Park Rangers | H | 0–2 | 10,811 | |
23 | 1 January 1985 | Coventry City | A | 0–4 | 9,829 | |
24 | 12 January 1985 | Leicester City | A | 0–0 | 10,111 | |
25 | 2 February 1985 | Sunderland | A | 0–1 | 14,762 | |
26 | 23 February 1985 | Liverpool | A | 0–2 | 31,368 | |
27 | 2 March 1985 | Tottenham Hotspur | H | 0–1 | 12,533 | |
28 | 12 March 1985 | West Bromwich Albion | H | 0–0 | 6,995 | |
29 | 16 March 1985 | Southampton | A | 0–0 | 14,608 | |
30 | 23 March 1985 | Nottingham Forest | H | 1–4 | 7,453 | Parkin 10' |
31 | 27 March 1985 | Aston Villa | A | 0–2 | 10,874 | |
32 | 30 March 1985 | Arsenal | H | 2–0 | 7,371 | Painter 55' (pen), Dyson 62' |
33 | 6 April 1985 | Manchester United | A | 0–5 | 42,940 | |
34 | 8 April 1985 | Luton Town | H | 0–4 | 6,985 | |
35 | 20 April 1985 | Everton | H | 0–2 | 18,258 | |
36 | 24 April 1985 | Norwich City | H | 2–3 | 4,597 | Bertschin 10', Saunders 90' |
37 | 27 April 1985 | Watford | A | 0–2 | 14,586 | |
38 | 4 May 1985 | Newcastle United | H | 0–1 | 7,088 | |
39 | 6 May 1985 | Ipswich Town | A | 1–5 | 14,150 | Bertschin 69' |
40 | 11 May 1985 | Chelsea | H | 0–1 | 8,905 | |
41 | 14 May 1985 | West Ham United | A | 1–5 | 13,362 | Painter 63' (pen) |
42 | 17 May 1985 | Coventry City | H | 0–1 | 6,930 |
FA Cup
editRound | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorers |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
R3 | 5 January 1985 | Luton Town | A | 1–1 | 7,270 | Painter 78' |
R3 Replay | 9 January 1985 | Luton Town | H | 2–3 | 9,917 | Painter 47' (pen), Chamberlain 68' |
League Cup
editRound | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorers |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
R2 1st Leg | 26 September 1984 | Rotherham United | H | 1–2 | 8,221 | Saunders 65' |
R2 2nd Leg | 9 October 1984 | Rotherham United | A | 1–1 | 6,898 | Painter 22' |
Friendlies
editMatch | Opponent | Venue | Result |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Parkway Clayton | A | 4–1 |
2 | Cardiff City | A | 0–3 |
3 | Oldham Athletic | A | 2–3 |
Squad statistics
editPos. | Name | League | FA Cup | League Cup | Total | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
GK | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
GK | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 0 | |
GK | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 16 | 0 | |
GK | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | |
GK | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 0 | |
DF | 38 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 42 | 3 | |
DF | 2(3) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2(3) | 0 | |
DF | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 0 | |
DF | 37 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 41 | 3 | |
DF | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 12 | 0 | |
DF | 14(2) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 15(2) | 1 | |
DF | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 10 | 0 | |
DF | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 0 | |
MF | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
MF | 31(1) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 31(1) | 1 | |
MF | 16(1) | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 19(1) | 0 | |
MF | 34 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 37 | 0 | |
MF | 34 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 36 | 2 | |
MF | 8(5) | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 11(5) | 1 | |
MF | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
FW | 24(1) | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 26(1) | 2 | |
FW | 27(1) | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 31(1) | 2 | |
FW | 34(2) | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0(1) | 0 | 34(3) | 2 | |
FW | 20 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 24 | 0 | |
FW | 38 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 42 | 9 | |
FW | 17(6) | 2 | 0(2) | 0 | 2 | 1 | 19(8) | 3 |