1951–52 Stoke City F.C. season


The 1951–52 season was Stoke City's 45th season in the Football League and the 31st in the First Division.
Stoke made a truly awful start to the 1951–52 season claiming just a single point from the first eleven matches. Results slowly started to improve and back to back home wins in the final two matches saw Stoke survive relegation.

Season review

League

In the summer of 1951 there was a major change at boardroom level at Stoke as chairman Mr H. Booth stepped down after 15 years and Mr T. Preece took over in temporary charge. Stoke suffered an opening day mauling at Newcastle United losing 6–0 and it set the tone for a woeful start to the season as they took just two points from the first 22 on offer, finding themselves firmly bedded at the foot of the division. McGrory went out and spent £45,000 on three new players to arrest the decline, he exchanged Albert Mullard plus £10,000 for Alan Martin another £10,000 for Billy McIntosh and again smashed the club's transfer record with the purchase of Northern Irish striker Sammy Smyth for a fee of £25,000. Smyth certainly had the desired impact scoring 12 goals becoming top scorer for the season.
After these arrivals Stoke's form improved and with five straight wins Stoke caught up with the rest of the division however four defeats later they found themselves unable to pull away from a relegation fight. A cruel 5–4 defeat at home to Newcastle did not help, but Stoke somehow managed to take the fight to the final two matches of the season. Stoke had the worst goal average in the division but with both Fulham and Huddersfield Town in terrible form Stoke knew that two more wins would see them safe and that's what they managed leaving them three points clear of Huddersfield.
One interesting scoreline this season came in the League match at Villa Park on 16 February 1952. Aston Villa were on the fringe of forcing themselves in the title race but they came unstuck against a determined Stoke side and lost 3–2. On the scoresheet for the "Potters" was their goalkeeper Dennis Herod who had broken his arm earlier during the match and so swapped positions with left winger Sammy Smyth and went on to score the winning goal five minutes after half time.

FA Cup

After a good win over Sunderland in the third round Stoke were humbled by Third Division South side Swindon Town in a replay.

Final league table

Key: P = Matches played; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; F = Goals for; A = Goals against; GA = Goal average; Pts = Points

Results

Stoke's score comes first

Legend

Football League First Division

MatchDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
118 August 1951Newcastle UnitedA0–640,127
220 August 1951West Bromwich AlbionH1–122,696Oscroft
325 August 1951Bolton WanderersH1–222,442Malkin
429 August 1951West Bromwich AlbionA0–118,903
51 September 1951Derby CountyA2–420,243Oscroft, Mullard
63 September 1951FulhamH1–121,000Malkin
78 September 1951Manchester UnitedA0–443,660
812 September 1951FulhamA0–516,500
915 September 1951Tottenham HotspurH1–627,000Oscroft
1017 September 1951Charlton AthleticH1–217,500McIntosh
1122 September 1951Preston North EndA0–229,980
1229 September 1951BurnleyH2–128,577Siddall, Martin
136 October 1951Aston VillaH4–132,455Smyth, Oscroft, Moss
1413 October 1951SunderlandA1–041,826Smyth
1520 October 1951Wolverhampton WanderersH1–043,205Oscroft
1627 October 1951Huddersfield TownA2–019,495Smyth
173 November 1951ChelseaH1–230,000Smyth
1810 November 1951PortsmouthA1–430,223Oscroft
1917 November 1951LiverpoolH1–224,000Smyth
2024 November 1951BlackpoolA2–419,892McIntosh
211 December 1951ArsenalH2–130,000Sellars
228 December 1951Manchester CityA1–020,397Smyth
2315 December 1951Newcastle UnitedH4–525,393Smyth, Oscroft, Siddall
2422 December 1951Bolton WanderersA1–120,088Smyth
2526 December 1951MiddlesbroughA0–327,055
2629 December 1951Derby CountyH3–127,000Malkin, Oscroft, Smyth
275 January 1952Manchester UnitedH0–036,389
2819 January 1952Tottenham HotspurA0–245,176
2926 January 1952Preston North EndH0–025,000
309 February 1952BurnleyA0–429,971
3116 February 1952Aston VillaA3–240,000Sellars, Oscroft, Herod
321 March 1952SunderlandH1–124,208Sellars
338 March 1952Wolverhampton WanderersA0–333,000
3415 March 1952Huddersfield TownH0–019,000
3522 March 1952ChelseaA0–130,000
3629 March 1952PortsmouthH2–011,375Martin, McIntosh
375 April 1952LiverpoolA1–230,000McIntosh
3812 April 1952BlackpoolH2–330,000Martin, Siddall
3914 April 1952Charlton AthleticA0–420,000
4019 April 1952ArsenalA1–447,962Mountford
4126 April 1952Manchester CityH3–125,000Siddall, Smyth, Bowyer
423 May 1952MiddlesbroughH3–210,993Brown, McCue

FA Cup

RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
R312 January 1952SunderlandA0–045,099
R3 Replay14 January 1952SunderlandH3–131,841Smyth, McIntosh, Malkin
R42 February 1952Swindon TownA1–128,140Smyth
R4 Replay4 February 1952Swindon TownH0–129,332

Squad statistics