The 1975–76 season was Stoke City's 69th season in the Football League and the 45th in the First Division.
After two very successful league campaigns there was high hopes for the 1975–76 season as Stoke looked to establish themselves amongst the best in the country. Their form was good and going into the new year Stoke were in the top half of the table and looking good. But disaster struck in January 1976 as winds of hurricane force battered Stoke-on-Trent and the Victoria Ground was badly damaged. The roof of the Butler Street stand collapsed and Stoke had to play a league match against Middlesbrough at nearby Vale Park whilst repair work was carried out. Results declined thereafter and Stoke took 12th position.
Season review
League There had been heavy transfer costs incurred in 1974–75 with the club recording a loss of £448,342 and therefore now in debt despite an increase in the average attendance. Geoff Hurst was sold to West Bromwich Albion for £20,000, the only outgoing transfer for cash in the summer of 1975, although two other notable departures were those of club record goalscorer John Ritchie who retired after finding the back of the net a record 176 times for the "Potters" and also goalkeeper John Farmer. Hopes were high again of a successful season, but Stoke stayed stubbornly in the middle of the division never threatening the top or bottom to the table.
After some good and bad results, on 2 January 1976 Stoke experienced perhaps their greatest misfortune. In a powerful storm which hit the Stoke-on-Trent area the Butler Street stand had part of its roof blown off by strong winds and the Victoria Ground was closed while repair work was carried out. Near neighbours Port Vale offered Stoke the use of Vale Park and on the one occasion they used it Middlesbrough were beaten 1–0 with Ian Moores scoring in front of 21,009. Stoke were allowed back home for their next match against Tottenham Hotspur in the FA Cup on 24 January. Stoke lost the momentum they had and finished the season in 12th spot. Eric Skeels left the club at the end of the season. Skeels is Stoke's all-time record appearance holder having made 592 appearances for the club in all competitions.
FA Cup Stoke beat both Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City before losing to Sunderland in a replay.
League Cup Fourth Division Lincoln City caused a shock as they beat Stoke 2–1 at Sincil Bank.
Final league table
Results
Stoke's score comes first
Legend WinDrawLoss
Football League First Division
MatchDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers1 16 August 1975 West Ham UnitedH1–223,744Moores 89'2 20 August 1975 Wolverhampton WanderersH2–222,551Bowers 53', Conroy 57' (pen)3 23 August 1975 ArsenalA1–028,025Hudson 42'4 27 August 1975 Leicester CityA1–122,878Hudson 3'5 30 August 1975 Manchester UnitedH0–123,3376 6 September 1975 MiddlesbroughA0–320,9757 13 September 1975 Leeds UnitedH3–223,139Conroy 32', Pejic 40', Greenhoff 73'8 20 September 1975 Coventry CityA3–018,965Greenhoff 44', Moores (2) 47', 77'9 24 September 1975 Manchester CityA0–128,91510 27 September 1975 Derby CountyH1–025,097Greenhoff 11'11 4 October 1975 Norwich CityA1–022,318Haslegrave 73'12 11 October 1975 Ipswich TownH0–121,97813 18 October 1975 Sheffield UnitedA2–023,410Greenhoff (2) 75', 84'14 25 October 1975 Newcastle UnitedH1–124,057Greenhoff 60'15 1 November 1975 BurnleyA1–018,269Moores 55'16 8 November 1975 EvertonH3–224,651Salmons 12', Robertson 80', Moores 81'17 15 November 1975 Tottenham HotspurA1–125,698Moores 71'18 22 November 1975 Sheffield UnitedH2–121,959Salmons (2) 20', 28' (1 pen)19 29 November 1975 Queens Park RangersA2–322,328Moores 46', Bloor 55'20 6 December 1975 Aston VillaH1–128,492Greenhoff 22'21 13 December 1975 ArsenalH2–118,628Salmons 73', Greenhoff 80'22 20 December 1975 West Ham UnitedA1–321,135Bloor 34'23 26 December 1975 LiverpoolH1–132,092Salmons 52'24 27 December 1975 Birmingham CityA1–137,166Moores 40'25 10 January 1976 Leeds UnitedA0–236,90926 17 January 1976 MiddlesbroughH1–021,009Moores 87'27 31 January 1976 Wolverhampton WanderersA1–224,190Conroy 72'28 7 February 1976 Leicester CityH1–221,001Moores 3'29 21 February 1976 Tottenham HotspurH1–217,113Greenhoff 6'30 3 March 1976 Newcastle UnitedA1–037,459Burns (o.g.) 19'31 6 March 1976 BurnleyH4–116,062Smith (2) 18', 30', Greenhoff 25', Mahoney 75'32 13 March 1976 Ipswich TownA1–122,812Smith 83'33 20 March 1976 Queens Park RangersH0–122,84834 24 March 1976 Derby CountyA1–130,156Bloor 2'35 27 March 1976 Aston VillaA0–032,35936 2 April 1976 Manchester CityH0–018,79837 7 April 1976 EvertonA1–216,974Greenhoff 59' (pen)38 10 April 1976 Coventry CityH0–116,05939 17 April 1976 LiverpoolA3–544,069Conroy 30', Moores 60', Bloor 89'40 19 April 1976 Birmingham CityH1–019,918Gallagher 6' (o.g.)41 21 April 1976 Manchester UnitedA1–053,879Bloor 87'42 24 April 1976 Norwich CityH0–215,598
FA Cup
RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorersR33 January 1976 Tottenham HotspurA1–126,715Mahoney 31'R3 Replay24 January 1976 Tottenham HotspurH2–129,520Moores 35', Salmons 88' (pen)R44 February 1976 Manchester CityH1–038,073Greenhoff 81'R514 February 1976 SunderlandH0–041,171R5 Replay17 February 1976 SunderlandA1–247,583Smith 77'
League Cup
RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorersR210 September 1975 Lincoln CityA1–213,472Greenhoff 18'
Friendlies GameOpponentVenueResult1Pwllheli & DistrictA7–12Olympique de MarseilleA0–03AS MonacoA1–04CruzeiroA0–35Atlético MadridA0–06BuxtonA3–27Stafford RangersA2–08Brighton & Hove AlbionA1–19Stockport CountyA2–210Port ValeA1–111RCD EspanyolA2–1
Squad statistics Pos.NameLeagueFA CupLeague CupTotalAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsGK Peter Shilton4205010480DF Alan Bloor3254010375DF Danny Bowers6(1)120008(1)1DF Alan Dodd39(1)0501045(1)0DF Kevin Lewis90000090DF John Lumsdon9(1)000009(1)0DF Jackie Marsh25(1)0401030(1)0DF Mike Pejic3912010421DF Eric Skeels40000040DF Denis Smith1933100224MF Terry Conroy1641010184MF Sean Haslegrave23(5)1001024(5)1MF Alan Hudson3425010402MF John Mahoney3815110442MF Kevin Sheldon30000030MF Jimmy Robertson12(6)1500017(6)1FW Garth Crooks20000020FW Dave Goodwin2(2)000002(2)0FW Jimmy Greenhoff401151114613FW Ian Moores29(3)114(1)11034(4)12FW Geoff Salmons39(1)5510044(1)6–Own goals–2–0–0–2
References