1902–03 Stoke F.C. season

The 1902–03 season was Stoke's 14th season in the Football League.

Stoke
1902–03 season
ChairmanMr W Cowlishaw
ManagerHorace Austerberry
StadiumVictoria Ground
Football League First Division6th (37 Points)
FA CupThird Round
Top goalscorerLeague: Mart Watkins
(12)

All: Mart Watkins
(13)
Highest home attendance15,000 vs The Wednesday
(29 November 1902)
Lowest home attendance5,000 vs Bolton Wanderers
(18 April 1903)
Average home league attendance8,050

After two seasons of narrow escapes the 1902–03 season provided Stoke fans a welcome relief as they finished in sixth place and could have won the league but failed to win their last four fixtures.[1]

Season review

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League

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After a couple of desolate campaigns it did seem that the 1902–03 season would, bring some progress as the club attempted to build on a somewhat poor defence.[1] A fine half-back was now taking shape with Tom Holford flanked by local players George Baddeley and James Bradley.[1] This trio played together 74 times for Stoke at senior level and became a formidable midfield three.[1] But perhaps the most significant signing at this time was that of 27-year-old inside-left Arthur Capes signed from Nottingham Forest.[1] He became captain of the side and provided a useful number of goals for Stoke in his two seasons with the club.[1] The directors also visited Scotland, again to sign Jack Forrest from Motherwell but after scoring twice on his debut against Wolverhampton Wanderers he was unable to settle in the Potteries and left for Bradford.[1]

An ultimate sixth-place finish in the table does not exaggerate the work put in by both Cowlishaw and Austerberry for this was Stoke's best season so far in League football.[1] In fact after a hard fought 0–0 away at Sunderland on Good Friday, Stoke were lying fourth and had a mathematical chance of taking the title.[1] But they only won one of their remaining four games allowing Sheffield Wednesday to win the league.[1]

FA Cup

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In the FA Cup Stoke accounted for Glossop and Nottingham Forest before bowing out 3–0 to Derby County.[1]

Final league table

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Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GAv Pts
4 Sheffield United 34 17 5 12 58 44 1.318 39
5 Liverpool 34 17 4 13 68 49 1.388 38
6 Stoke 34 15 7 12 46 38 1.211 37
7 West Bromwich Albion 34 16 4 14 54 53 1.019 36
8 Bury 34 16 3 15 54 43 1.256 35
Source: World Football
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal average; 3) Goals scored

Results

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Stoke's score comes first

Legend

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Win Draw Loss

Football League First Division

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Match Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Scorers
1 6 September 1902 Newcastle United A 0–5 15,000
2 13 September 1902 Wolverhampton Wanderers H 3–0 10,000 Forrest (2), Higginson
3 15 September 1902 Notts County H 0–2 8,000
4 20 September 1902 Liverpool A 1–1 10,000 Forrest
5 27 September 1902 Sheffield United H 0–1 10,000
6 4 October 1902 Grimsby Town A 2–2 5,000 Watkins, Capes
7 11 October 1902 Aston Villa H 1–0 10,000 Watkins
8 18 October 1902 Nottingham Forest A 3–1 8,000 Watkins, Capes, Whitehouse
9 25 October 1902 Bury H 1–0 12,000 Watkins
10 1 November 1902 Blackburn Rovers A 1–1 3,000 Holford
11 8 November 1902 Sunderland H 1–1 7,000 Baddeley
12 15 November 1902 Derby County H 2–0 7,000 Watkins (2)
13 22 November 1902 Everton A 1–0 18,000 Whitehouse
14 29 November 1902 The Wednesday H 4–0 15,000 Whitehouse, Bradley, Watkins, Johnson
15 6 December 1902 West Bromwich Albion A 1–2 11,235 Bradley
16 20 December 1902 Bolton Wanderers A 3–2 5,000 Whitehouse (3)
17 25 December 1902 Bury A 1–2 4,000 Watkins
18 26 December 1902 Blackburn Rovers H 0–2 10,000
19 27 December 1902 Middlesbrough H 0–2 6,000
20 3 January 1903 Newcastle United H 5–0 8,000 Watkins, Capes, Lockett (2), Baddeley
21 10 January 1903 Wolverhampton Wanderers A 0–1 6,000
22 17 January 1903 Liverpool H 1–0 7,000 Johnson
23 24 January 1903 Sheffield United A 3–1 12,000 Watkins, Capes, Whitehouse
24 31 January 1903 Grimsby Town H 1–1 10,000 Capes
25 14 February 1903 Nottingham Forest H 3–2 8,000 Capes, Watkins, Higginson
26 14 March 1903 Derby County A 0–2 6,000
27 21 March 1903 Everton H 2–0 6,000 Higginson, Holford
28 28 March 1903 The Wednesday A 0–1 7,000
29 4 April 1903 West Bromwich Albion H 3–0 5,500 Higginson, Watkins, Whitehouse
30 10 April 1903 Sunderland A 0–0 20,000
31 11 April 1903 Notts County A 0–3 7,000
32 13 April 1903 Aston Villa A 0–2 10,000
33 18 April 1903 Bolton Wanderers H 2–0 5,000 Capes, Harris
34 25 April 1903 Middlesbrough A 1–1 10,000 Harris

FA Cup

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Round Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Scorers
R1 7 February 1903 Glossop A 3–2 2,000 Watkins, Whitehouse, Capes
R2 21 February 1903 Nottingham Forest H 0–0 25,000
R2 Replay 26 February 1903 Nottingham Forest A 2–0 24,850 Capes, Baddeley
R3 7 March 1903 Derby County A 0–3 16,00

Squad statistics

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Pos. Name League FA Cup Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
GK   Leigh Richmond Roose 25 0 3 0 28 0
GK   Herbert Salt 1 0 0 0 1 0
GK   Tom Wilkes 8 0 1 0 9 0
FB   Harry Benson 6 0 0 0 6 0
FB   Charlie Burgess 31 0 4 0 35 0
FB   Bill Capewell 1 0 0 0 1 0
FB   Andy Clark 18 0 4 0 22 0
FB   Arthur Hartshorne 4 0 0 0 4 0
FB   Sam Meredith 6 0 0 0 6 0
FB   Herbert Smith 3 0 0 0 3 0
HB   Samuel Ashworth 9 0 1 0 10 0
HB   George Baddeley 30 2 3 1 33 3
HB   James Bradley 29 2 4 0 33 2
HB   Ted Holdcroft 1 0 0 0 1 0
HB   Tom Holford 33 2 4 0 37 2
HB   Albert Sturgess 1 0 0 0 1 0
HB   Sam Whittingham 0 0 0 0 0 0
FW   Arthur Bridgett 7 0 0 0 7 0
FW   Arthur Capes 32 7 4 2 36 9
FW   Jack Forrest 6 3 0 0 6 3
FW   George Harris 7 2 0 0 7 2
FW   Sam Higginson 12 4 3 0 15 4
FW   Freddie Johnson 23 2 1 0 24 2
FW   Arthur Lockett 22 2 4 0 26 2
FW   Ben Prosser 1 0 0 0 1 0
FW   Mart Watkins 29 12 4 1 33 13
FW   Frank Whitehouse 29 8 4 1 33 9

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Matthews, Tony (1994). The Encyclopaedia of Stoke City. Lion Press. ISBN 0-9524151-0-0.