1990–91 Stoke City F.C. season


The 1990–91 season was Stoke City's 84th season in the Football League and 2nd in the Third Division.
Stoke City entered the 1990–91 season in the Third Division for only the second time in their history and the feeling from the supporters was that a club of Stoke's size should be able to easily gain an instant return to the second tier. However Stoke experienced their worst ever season in terms of league position as they could only muster a 14th-place finish. Alan Ball was sacked in February and his assistant Graham Paddon took over for the remainder of the season.

Season review

League

The 1990–91 season will long be remembered by Stoke supporters as the club finished in its lowest ever league position of 14th in the third tier. Manager Alan Ball was dismissed in late February after a 4–0 defeat at Wigan Athletic with Graham Paddon filling the gap until the end of the season. The overall team performances were of a low standard with some embarrassing defeats being suffered against the likes of Shrewsbury Town, Leyton Orient, Cambridge United and Bournemouth.
It was all meant to be so different when the season started with Stoke beating Rotherham United 3–1 on the opening day which was followed by a commanding away victory at Tranmere Rovers. The club were in the top three until the start of December, but as the first half of the season came to an end Stoke's form began to suffer and after exiting the FA Cup Stoke had two awful performances against Exeter City and Preston North End and their form completely dropped off. Results briefly improved after Paddon took over, and following a victory over Mansfield Town in late March, the club were in 9th place, just three points outside the play-offs. After that win however, Stoke earned just 4 points from their last 9 matches, ending both any remaining promotion hopes and Paddon's chance of becoming permanent manager; he resigned after the season ended and returned to former club Portsmouth as a coach. Stoke had an abysmal disciplinary record this season and at times the attitude of the players on the pitch left lot to be desired. And so, despite boasting the largest supporter base and wage budget, Stoke had a season to forget in the Third Division.

FA Cup

Stoke overcame non-league Telford United in a replay but were knocked out 2–0 at Burnley in the second round.

League Cup

A dull two legs against Swansea City was finally ended with minutes remaining thanks to a goal from Tony Kelly. However Stoke were well beaten by West Ham United 5–1 on aggregate in the next round.

League Trophy

Stoke's first Football League Trophy campaign saw them fail to get out of a group containing Mansfield Town and Northampton Town.

Final league table

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

Results

Legend

Football League Third Division

MatchDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
125 August 1990Rotherham UnitedH3–112,748Blake 15', Kennedy 44', Thomas 49'
231 August 1990Tranmere RoversA2–110,327Ellis 36', Kennedy 43'
38 September 1990Birmingham CityH0–116,009
415 September 1990BournemouthA1–16,374Statham 84'
518 September 1990Chester CityA1–13,759Thomas 7'
622 September 1990Southend UnitedH4–011,901Ware 38', Biggins 41', 49', Cornwell 68'
729 September 1990Shrewsbury TownH1–312,672Sandford 26'
82 October 1990Crewe AlexandraA2–17,200Biggins 42', Ware 77'
96 October 1990Bolton WanderersA1–08,521Evans 61'
1013 October 1990FulhamH2–112,394Ellis 26', 68'
1120 October 1990Cambridge UnitedH1–112,673Biggins 54'
1224 October 1990Bradford CityA2–18,068Kelly 58', Thomas 88'
1327 October 1990Grimsby TownA0–210,799
143 November 1990ReadingH0–112,245
1510 November 1990Wigan AthleticH2–012,756Biggins 20', Kennedy 68'
1624 November 1990BuryA1–15,118Thomas 47'
171 December 1990Exeter CityA0–25,377
1816 December 1990BrentfordH2–210,995Hilaire 10', Sandford 65'
1922 December 1990Preston North EndA0–27,532
2026 December 1990Swansea CityH2–212,534Biggins 44', Thomas 70'
2129 December 1990Huddersfield TownH2–011,869Ellis 15', 48'
221 January 1991Leyton OrientA2–06,371Ellis 9', Thomas 59'
2312 January 1991Tranmere RoversH1–113,461Butler 77'
2419 January 1991Rotherham UnitedA0–06,236
252 February 1991Chester CityH2–311,037Kelly 60', Hilaire 68'
265 February 1991Southend UnitedA0–15,164
2716 February 1991BuryH2–29,885Biggins 45', 65'
2823 February 1991Wigan AthleticA0–43,728
2927 February 1991BournemouthH1–37,797Biggins 50'
302 March 1991Exeter CityH2–18,536Biggins 27', 85'
315 March 1991Mansfield TownA0–02,941
329 March 1991BrentfordA4–07,249Thomas 64', Blake 69', Beeston 86', Clarke 90'
3313 March 1991Crewe AlexandraH1–015,455Devlin 90'
3416 March 1991Shrewsbury TownA0–26,210
3519 March 1991FulhamA1–03,131Biggins 61'
3623 March 1991Bolton WanderersH2–213,869Devlin 47', Kelly 55'
3726 March 1991Mansfield TownH3–19,113Clarke 30', 60', Blake 53'
3830 March 1991Swansea CityA1–24,418Ellis 88'
391 April 1991Preston North EndH0–111,524
406 April 1991Huddersfield TownA0–36,520
4113 April 1991Leyton OrientH1–27,957Beeston 27'
4216 April 1991Birmingham CityA1–26,726Ellis 45'
4320 April 1991Cambridge UnitedA0–35,726
4427 April 1991Bradford CityH2–16,943Ellis 17', Butler 45'
454 May 1991Grimsby TownH0–011,832
4611 May 1991ReadingA0–14,101

FA Cup

RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
R117 November 1990Telford UnitedA0–03,709
R1 Replay21 November 1990Telford UnitedH1–011,880Sandford 14'
R212 December 1990BurnleyA0–212,949

League Cup

RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
R1 1st Leg29 August 1990Swansea CityH0–07,806
R1 2nd Leg4 September 1990Swansea CityA1–04,464Kelly 86'
R2 1st Leg26 September 1990West Ham UnitedA0–315,870
R2 2nd Leg10 October 1990West Ham UnitedH1–28,411Evans 37'

League Trophy

RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
PR116 November 1990Northampton TownH1–14,339Barnes 60'
PR28 January 1990Mansfield TownA0–31,600

Friendlies

Squad statistics