The 1915–16 season was Stoke's first season in the non-competitive War League.
With the start of World War I, all Football League football was cancelled. In its place were formed War Leagues, based on geographical lines rather than based on previous league placement. Stoke contested the Lancashire Section in the Principal Tournament, and the Southern Division of the Midland Section in the Subsidiary Tournament. However, none of these were considered to be competitive football, and thus their records are not recognised by the Football League.
Season review With Peter Hodge returning to his family in Scotland former club great, Joe Schofield returned to the club in 1915 as manager for the War-time seasons and with a number of first team players joining the army Stoke fielded a number of 'guest' players as did many other clubs. For the whole war Stoke played in the Lancashire section and in the 1915–16 season ended up in mid-table position of 8th while in the Midland Section Secondary Competition Stoke finished 4th. Stoke's best result was a 7–1 win over Chesterfield Town and guest forward Bob Whittingham was top scorer with 26 goals to his name.
Final league table
Lancashire Section Primary Competition
Midland Section Secondary Competition
Results
Stoke's score comes first
Legend WinDrawLoss
Lancashire Section Primary Competition
MatchDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers1 4 September 1915 Preston North EndH3–16,000Smith, Jones, Whittingham2 11 September 1915 Stockport CountyA1–34,000Smith3 18 September 1915 LiverpoolH2–28,000Whittingham (2)4 25 September 1915 BuryH3–27,000Whittingham (2), Herbert5 2 October 1915 Manchester UnitedH0–06,5006 9 October 1915 BlackpoolA1–14,000Herbert7 16 October 1915 Southport CentralH2–03,000Whittingham, Tempest8 23 October 1915 Oldham AthleticA3–12,000Whittingham (2), Herbert9 30 October 1915 EvertonH3–24,000Whittingham, Smith, Hargreaves10 6 November 1915 Bolton WanderersA1–24,000Smith11 13 November 1915 Manchester CityH1–07,000Parker12 20 November 1915 RochdaleH1–14,000Whittingham13 27 November 1915 BurnleyA2–34,000Whittingham, Hargreaves14 4 December 1915 Preston North EndA3–23,500Whittingham (2), Ellis15 11 December 1915 Stockport CountyH0–23,00016 18 December 1915 LiverpoolA0–27,50017 25 December 1915 BuryA2–42,000Herbert, Whittingham18 1 January 1916 Manchester UnitedA2–18,000Hargreaves, Ellis19 8 January 1916 BlackpoolH3–17,500Whittingham, Watkin (2)20 15 January 1916 Southport CentralA1–12,000Whittingham21 22 January 1916 Oldham AthleticH2–16,000Whittingham (2)22 29 January 1916 EvertonA1–44,000Whittingham (pen)23 5 February 1916 Bolton WanderersH1–114,000Parker24 12 February 1916 Manchester CityA2–410,000Own Goal, Ellis25 19 February 1916 RochdaleA1–33,000Whittingham26 26 February 1916 BurnleyH2–213,000Whittingham, Smith
Midland Section Secondary Competition MatchDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers1 4 March 1916 Chesterfield TownA0–32,0002 11 March 1916 Nottingham ForestH0–14,0003 18 March 1916 Leicester FosseA1–27,500Whittingham4 25 March 1916 Notts CountyH3–06,000Whittingham (2), Smith5 1 April 1916 Derby CountyA2–44,000Smith (2)6 8 April 1916 Chesterfield TownH7–17,000Herbert (3), Ellis, Turner, Boxley (2)7 15 April 1916 Nottingham ForestA1–34,000Morris8 22 April 1916 Leicester FosseH1–06,000Own Goal9 24 April 1916 Derby CountyH6–16,000Own Goal, Whittingham (2), Herbert, Boxley, Harrison10 29 April 1916 Notts CountyA0–34,000
Squad statistics Pos.NameMatchesAppsGoalsGK Richard Herron360DF G. Cameron20DF George Clarke20DF Albert Groves20DF Alec McClure20DF Alec Milne10DF George Smart320DF George Turner361DF Billy Twemlow10MF Frank Bentley110MF George Handley20MF Billy Harrison71MF Joe Jones331MF A. Morris61MF Charlie Parker282MF Jack Shelton260FW David Boxley23FW Billy Briscoe20FW Matthew Burton10FW S. Cooper10FW Albert Ellis204FW Reginald Forrester10FW Thomas Greaves70FW Henry Hargreaves223FW Billy Herbert358FW Jack Peart10FW Dick Smith237FW Billy Tempest131FW Billy Tompkinson40FW G. Ward10FW Arthur Watkin32FW Albert Whitehurst10FW Bob Whittingham3226
References