1926–27 Stoke City F.C. season
Introduction The 1926–27 season was Stoke City's 27th season in the Football League and the first in the Third Division North.With relegation last season Stoke found themselves playing in the bottom tier of the Football League the Third Division North. Whilst there was obvious disappointment of the clubs failures it soon became clear that an instant return to the Second Division would be achieved as Stoke proved to be too good for their league opponents and ended the season as champions with 63 points and an impressive goal average of 2.3.
Season review ===League===After the trauma of two pretty bad seasons, there was to be a turn around in Stoke's fortunes in 1926–27 and from the outset there was never any doubt that promotion back to the Second Division would be achieved.There had been reservations regarding the midfield, but manager Tom Mather gambled and switched Harry Sellars to right-half, brought in Cecil Eastwood from Preston North End to occupy left-half and slotted Tom Williamson between them. Thanks to the consistent form of this trio Stoke were on top of the league throughout the season, achieving ten doubles over their opponents. During the season a number of teams made their one and only trip to the Victoria Ground these were Ashington who were beaten 7–0, Durham City 4–0, Nelson 4–1, Wigan Borough 2–0 and New Brighton who managed a 1–1.In the return fixture against New Brighton Stoke produced what was easily their worst display of the season and crashed to a 5–0 defeat.Stoke moved into April 1927 sitting on top of the table, but they were rocked by a 4–0 defeat to second place Rochdale. A 2–0 win over Tranmere Rovers eased the tensions but a 3–1 defeat at Doncaster Rovers on Good Friday put the celebrations on hold again, and although they beat Durham City 24 hours later, a goalless draw with Doncaster left Stoke with just a three-point lead over Rochdale. With three games remaining Stoke required four points to secure the title and with it promotion. However promotion was sealed in the next match against Accrington Stanley Stoke winning 1–0 thanks to a Jack Eyres goal and news that both Rochdale and Nelson had been beaten meant that Stoke took the title and returned to the Second Division at the first time of asking.===FA Cup===In the FA Cup Stoke were embarrassed as Welsh League side Rhyl Athletic took Stoke to a second replay before winning 2–1.
Final league table
Results ''Stoke's score comes first''===Legend===WinDrawLoss===Football League Third Division North===MatchDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers1 28 August 1926 Bradford Park AvenueH0–011,3882 30 August 1926 Wigan BoroughH2–06,778Johnson, Wilson3 4 September 1926 WalsallA1–07,000Davies4 6 September 1926 Wigan BoroughA3–03,500Bussey, Archibald, Wilson5 11 September 1926 NelsonH4–110,557Beswick, Johnson, Wilson (2)6 13 September 1926 Hartlepools UnitedH3–18,237Davies, Wilson (2)7 18 September 1926 ChesterfieldA1–14,600Wilson8 22 September 1926 Hartlepools UnitedA3–13,000Wilson (2), Johnson9 25 September 1926 AshingtonH7–08,927Wilson (5), Davies, Williams10 2 October 1926 New BrightonA0–54,00011 9 October 1926 WrexhamH2–08,806Wilson, Davies12 16 October 1926 BarrowH4–09,638Wilson (3), Bussey13 23 October 1926 Crewe AlexandraA2–014,765Wilson, Bussey14 30 October 1926 Stockport CountyH0–112,52315 6 November 1926 SouthportA3–03,500Davies, Williams, Wilson16 13 November 1926 RochdaleH3–111,144Davies, Johnson, Williamson17 20 November 1926 Tranmere RoversA1–14,000Williamson18 4 December 1926 Accrington StanleyA1–05,000Johnson19 18 December 1926 Halifax TownA2–27,964Bussey, Armitage20 25 December 1926 Rotherham UnitedH4–113,580Bussey, Armitage (2), Wilson21 27 December 1926 Rotherham UnitedA2–24,000Bussey, Wilson22 1 January 1927 Lincoln CityH2–012,035Bussey, Armitage23 8 January 1927 Durham CityH4–07,382Armitage, Williamson (2), Wilson24 15 January 1927 Bradford Park AvenueA0–321,45825 22 January 1927 WalsallH4–110,125Archibald, Davies, Eyres (2)26 29 January 1927 NelsonA0–16,00027 5 February 1927 ChesterfieldH3–29,759Davies, Archibald, Williams28 12 February 1927 AshingtonA2–04,708Williams, Eyres29 19 February 1927 New BrightonH1–112,209Williams30 26 February 1927 WrexhamA6–24,000Williams, Davies, Eyres (3), Wilson31 5 March 1927 BarrowA0–04,15532 12 March 1927 Crewe AlexandraH2–116,827Eyres, Watkin33 19 March 1927 Stockport CountyA2–228,460Watkin, Archibald34 26 March 1927 SouthportH4–07,826Watkin, Davies, Williamson, Eyres35 2 April 1927 RochdaleA0–43,33836 9 April 1927 Tranmere RoversH2–06,950Cull, Davies37 15 April 1927 Doncaster RoversA1–317,974Archibald38 16 April 1927 Durham CityA2–12,956Davies, Bussey39 18 April 1927 Doncaster RoversH0–015,90340 23 April 1927 Accrington StanleyH1–08,440Eyres41 30 April 1927 Lincoln CityA3–13,330Davies, Eyres, Wilson42 7 May 1927 Halifax TownH5–110,280Davies (2), Eyres (2), Archibald===FA Cup===RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorersR127 November 1926 Rhyl AthleticA1–15,000WilsonR1 Replay2 December 1926 Rhyl AthleticH1–17,662DaviesR1 2nd Replay6 December 1926 Rhyl AthleticN1–23,000Davies
Squad statistics Pos.NameLeagueFA CupTotalAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsGK Bob Dixon41030440GK Dick Williams100010DF Arthur Beachill100010DF Bob McGrory42030450DF Billy Spencer36020380DF Harry Watson001010MF Ewart Beswick10100101MF Tommy Dawson501060MF Cecil Eastwood39020410MF Reginald Hodgkins300030MF Peter Jackson101020MF Harry Sellars30030330MF Tom Williamson28520305FW Bobby Archibald37600376FW Len Armitage22500225FW Walter Bussey15800158FW John Cull10100101FW Harry Davies3915324217FW Jack Eyres1712101812FW Charles Hallam602080FW Dick Johnson15530185FW Frank Watkin530053FW Joey Williams28630316FW Charlie Wilson3125313426
References