1969–70 Stoke City F.C. season


The 1969–70 season was Stoke City's 63rd season in the Football League and the 39th in the First Division.
Stoke seemingly had an abundance of talent emerging as the 1960s gave way for the 1970s and Waddington addressed the past two seasons lack of goals by bringing back John Ritchie from Sheffield Wednesday and Jimmy Greenhoff from Birmingham City. It was a promising season with Stoke finishing in 9th position with 45 points.

Season review

League

After two poor seasons, Tony Waddington recognised the goalscoring shortcomings and won over some of the worried supporters by bringing in former Leeds United forward Jimmy Greenhoff for a club record £100,000 and also brought back John Ritchie from Sheffield Wednesday. There was certainly a feeling around Stoke, with the infusion of forward talent that the club was putting together a side that could cause a few raised eyebrows in the First Division and whilst Alex Elder and Tony Allen were early season selections in defence they were soon drifting from the spotlight allowing local defenders Jackie Marsh and Mike Pejic to break into the team.
With Gordon Banks in goals and the ever improving centre back pairing of 'hard men' Alan Bloor and Denis Smith, Stoke's back line looked solid. In midfield Irish winger Terry Conroy had now settled in England and was beginning to show his skill and pace on the wide positions. The improvements were there for all to see and the directors were keen to bring the best to the Victoria Ground and in September 1969 they achieved their aim. Brazilian star Pelé came over with his team Santos to play Stoke in a friendly, Pelé starring in a 3–2 win for the South Americans.
Early on in the 1969–70 season after winning six and drawing five for their first 15 matches, Stoke suffered a 6–2 reverse at Everton when John Farmer, making his only appearance of the season, was carried off due to injury and defender Denis Smith had to go in goal. They quickly put that defeat behind them and lost only once of the next ten matches. But an absence of victories between 17 January and 28 March saw the team slip down into mid-table and finished up in 9th spot, their highest league finish for 22 years.

FA Cup

Stoke advanced past Oxford United 3–2 in a replay following a goalless draw at the Manor Ground before being knocked at Watford.

League Cup

There was no progress in this seasons league cup, as Stoke lost 2–0 at home to Burnley.

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
19 August 1969Wolverhampton WanderersA1–333,260Burrows
212 August 1969Nottingham ForestA0–022,470
316 August 1969West Ham UnitedH2–123,362Dobing, Ritchie
420 August 1969Nottingham ForestH1–120,029Burrows
523 August 1969Derby CountyA0–036,170
627 August 1969Coventry CityH2–025,507Conroy, Greenhoff
730 August 1969SouthamptonH2–122,037Burrows, Dobing
86 September 1969Crystal PalaceA1–326,745Ritchie
913 September 1969SunderlandH4–216,939Ritchie, Greenhoff, Herd
1017 September 1969West Bromwich AlbionA3–124,869Ritchie, Greenhoff, Smith
1120 September 1969LiverpoolA1–345,745Burrows
1227 September 1969Manchester CityH2–029,739Ritchie, Greenhoff
134 October 1969Leeds UnitedA1–235,860Greenhoff
146 October 1969West Ham UnitedA3–326,860Burrows, Smith
1511 October 1969ArsenalH0–025,801
1618 October 1969EvertonA2–648,684Burrows, Dobing
1725 October 1969Tottenham HotspurH1–119,550Herd
181 November 1969Manchester UnitedA1–154,061Burrows
198 November 1969BurnleyH2–118,434Greenhoff, Eastham
2015 November 1969Sheffield WednesdayA2–016,444Greenhoff, Ritchie
2122 November 1969Ipswich TownH3–319,285Ritchie, Burrows
226 December 1969Newcastle UnitedH0–117,767
2313 December 1969SunderlandA3–015,205Dobing, Burrows,
2420 December 1969Crystal PalaceH1–012,426Greenhoff
2526 December 1969Derby CountyH1–037,456Burrows
2627 December 1969SouthamptonA0–023,215
2710 January 1970LiverpoolH0–230,038
2817 January 1970Manchester CityA1–031,565Conroy
2931 January 1970Leeds UnitedH1–136,506Dobing
307 February 1970ArsenalA0–026,363
3114 February 1970Wolverhampton WanderersH1–128,862Pejic
3221 February 1970Tottenham HotspurA0–129,972
3328 February 1970Manchester UnitedH2–238,740Burrows, Smith
347 March 1970Ipswich TownA1–116,139Burrows
3517 March 1970ChelseaA0–128,996
3620 March 1970Newcastle UnitedA1–328,460Ritchie
3727 March 1970BurnleyA1–116,127Stevenson
3828 March 1970Sheffield WednesdayH2–116,632Ritchie
3930 March 1970EvertonH0–133,083
404 April 1970Coventry CityA3–027,754Ritchie, Dobing
4113 April 1970ChelseaH1–222,707Stevenson
4215 April 1970West Bromwich AlbionH3–211,804Ritchie, Greenhoff, Bernard

FA Cup

RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
R34 January 1970Oxford UnitedA0–015,686
R3 Replay7 January 1970Oxford UnitedH3–217,204Stevenson, Ritchie
R424 January 1970WatfordA0–123,354

League Cup

RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
R23 September 1969BurnleyH0–219,296

Friendlies

Squad statistics