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1995–96 Stoke City F.C. season

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Stoke City
1995–96 season
ChairmanPeter Coates
ManagerLou Macari
StadiumVictoria Ground
Football League First Division4th (73 Points)
Play-offsSemi-final
FA CupThird Round
League CupFourth Round
Anglo-Italian CupGroup Stage
Top goalscorerLeague: Mike Sheron
(16)

All: Mike Sheron
(16)
Highest home attendance18,897 vs Southend United
(5 May 1996)
Lowest home attendance8,618 vs Tranmere Rovers
(16 September 1995)
Average home league attendance12,279

The 1995–96 season was Stoke City's 89th season in the Football League and 33rd in the second tier.

Prior to the start of the 1995–96 season, the possibility of building a new stadium to bring Stoke up to the requirements of the Taylor Report was discussed. On the pitch Stoke enjoyed their most successful season for quite a long time as they mounted a push for promotion to the Premier League and made the end-of-season play-offs against Leicester City. However, Leicester scored the only goal in the two-legged tie and they were the team that went on to be promoted.[1]

Season review

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League

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There were few transactions taking place in the summer of 1995 with the main talk being about a change of home.[1] The Taylor Report had come to the conclusion that all football stadia in England should be all-seater and the best option for Stoke would be to build a new stadium rather than convert the Victoria Ground.[1] The season began slowly with one win picked up in the first eight matches and with Icelandic midfielder Toddy Orlygsson leaving for Oldham Athletic after a contract dispute.[1] But wins over Midlands rivals West Bromwich Albion and Wolverhampton Wanderers kick started Stoke's season and after a 5–0 win at home against Luton Town, City went on a run of six wins in seven and took the team into the play-off zone.[1] In November Stoke completed a master-stroke signing swapping Keith Scott, for Mike Sheron at Norwich City.[1] He formed a great partnership with Simon Sturridge and the pair scored 29 goals between them this season.[1]

Fielding a settled side, Stoke continued to remain in the hunt for promotion and after a 2–0 win at home to rivals Barnsley at the start of March Stoke put distance between themselves and 7th.[1] But on transfer deadline day Paul Peschisolido was controversially sold back to Birmingham City with Macari claiming not to have been aware of any deal.[1] Attention was diverted by Sheron's club record run of seven goals in seven games as five wins out the last seven cemented Stoke place in the play-offs.[1] By this time it was agreed and ratified that in two years Stoke would be moving to a new purpose-built all-seater stadium.[1] Stoke's opponents in the play-offs were Martin O'Neill's Leicester City whom Stoke had already beaten twice in the league.[1] The first leg at Filbert Street ended 0–0.[1] In the second leg, Stoke produced a poor performance and Leicester scored the only goal, Garry Parker's left-foot volley ending Stoke's hopes of promotion.[1]

FA Cup

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Stoke outplayed Premier League Nottingham Forest but fell to a 2–0 defeat in a replay.[1]

League Cup

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Stoke drew Chelsea in the second round and after a 0–0 draw at home Stoke produced a brilliant performance away at Stamford Bridge and came away with a memorable 1–0 victory thanks to a 75th-minute goal from Paul Peschisolido.[1] Alas Stoke couldn't match another Premiership side, Newcastle United, who eased to a 4–0 win.[1]

Final league table

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Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification or relegation
2 Derby County (P) 46 21 16 9 71 51 +20 79 Promotion to the Premier League
3 Crystal Palace 46 20 15 11 67 48 +19 75 Qualification for the First Division play-offs
4 Stoke City 46 20 13 13 60 49 +11 73
5 Leicester City (O, P) 46 19 14 13 66 60 +6 71
6 Charlton Athletic 46 17 20 9 57 45 +12 71
Source: [citation needed]
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goals scored; 3) Goal difference
(O) Play-off winners; (P) Promoted

Results

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Legend

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Win Draw Loss

Football League First Division

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Match Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Scorers
1 12 August 1995 Reading H 1–1 11,932 Wallace 12'
2 19 August 1995 Leicester City A 3–2 17,719 Peschisolido (2) 9', 23', Gleghorn 33'
3 27 August 1995 Port Vale H 0–1 14,283
4 30 August 1995 Ipswich Town A 1–4 10,848 Peschisolido 83'
5 2 September 1995 Oldham Athletic H 0–1 8,663
6 9 September 1995 Watford A 0–3 7,130
7 12 September 1995 Birmingham City A 1–1 19,005 Carruthers 52'
8 16 September 1995 Tranmere Rovers H 0–0 8,618
9 24 September 1995 West Bromwich Albion H 2–1 9,612 Peschisolido 14', Keen 51'
10 28 September 1995 Crystal Palace A 1–1 14,613 Carruthers 36'
11 7 October 1995 Norwich City H 1–1 12,016 Wallace 67'
12 14 October 1995 Wolverhampton Wanderers A 4–1 26,486 Gleghorn 36', Potter 41', Wallace 85', Carruthers 90'
13 22 October 1995 Derby County H 1–1 9,436 Keen 66'
14 28 October 1995 Grimsby Town A 0–1 5,477
15 4 November 1995 Luton Town H 5–0 9,382 Peschisolido 14', Sturridge (2) 73', 87', Gayle 75', Gleghorn 90'
16 11 November 1995 Southend United A 4–2 5,967 Sturridge (3) 32', 63', 75', Gleghorn 65'
17 18 November 1995 Portsmouth A 3–3 8,030 Gayle (2) 29', 61', Sturridge 63'
18 22 November 1995 Sunderland H 1–0 11,754 Wallace 21'
19 25 November 1995 Millwall H 1–0 12,590 Gleghorn 62'
20 2 December 1995 Norwich City A 1–0 15,707 Gleghorn 53'
21 9 December 1995 West Bromwich Albion A 1–0 14,819 Peschisolido 35'
22 16 December 1995 Crystal Palace H 1–2 12,090 Sheron 87'
23 23 December 1995 Sheffield United H 2–2 12,265 Gleghorn 27', Sheron 46'
24 26 December 1995 Barnsley A 1–3 9,229 Gleghorn 68'
25 30 December 1995 Huddersfield Town A 1–1 15,669 Sheron 57'
26 13 January 1996 Leicester City H 1–0 15,071 Sheron 47'
27 20 January 1996 Reading A 0–1 8,082
28 10 February 1996 Ipswich Town H 3–1 12,239 Sheron (2) 37', 75', Gleghorn 65'
29 17 February 1996 Birmingham City H 1–0 15,716 Sturridge 25'
30 24 February 1996 Tranmere Rovers A 0–0 18,312
31 28 February 1996 Watford H 2–0 10,114 Cranson 48', Wallace 62'
32 2 March 1996 Barnsley H 2–0 12,663 Keen 39', Sheron 70'
33 9 March 1996 Sheffield United A 0–0 14,468
34 12 March 1996 Port Vale A 0–1 16,737
35 16 March 1996 Huddersfield Town H 1–1 13,157 Sturridge 66'
36 23 March 1996 Charlton Athletic A 1–2 12,770 Sheron 41'
37 30 March 1996 Derby County A 1–3 17,245 Sheron 22'
38 1 April 1996 Wolverhampton Wanderers H 2–0 16,361 Sheron 3', Sturridge 58'
39 6 April 1996 Grimsby Town H 1–2 12,524 Sheron 35'
40 9 April 1996 Luton Town A 2–1 7,689 Sturridge 86', Sheron 90'
41 13 April 1996 Portsmouth H 2–1 11,471 Wallace 7', Sheron 90'
42 17 April 1996 Charlton Athletic H 1–0 12,969 Sheron 29'
43 21 April 1996 Sunderland A 0–0 21,276
44 27 April 1996 Millwall A 3–2 10,105 Sheron 28', Sturridge (2) 32', 70 (pen)
45 30 April 1996 Oldham Athletic A 0–2 10,271
46 5 May 1996 Southend United H 1–0 18,897 Sheron 12'

First Division play-offs

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Round Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Scorers
Semi-final 1st Leg 12 May 1996 Leicester City A 0–0 20,325
Semi-final 2nd Leg 15 May 1996 Leicester City H 0–1 21,037

FA Cup

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Round Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Scorers
R3 6 January 1996 Nottingham Forest H 1–1 17,947 Sturridge 27'
R3 Replay 17 January 1996 Nottingham Forest A 0–2 17,372

League Cup

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Round Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Scorers
R2 1st Leg 20 September 1995 Chelsea H 0–0 15,574
R2 2nd Leg 4 October 1995 Chelsea A 1–0 16,272 Peschisolido 75'
R3 25 October 1995 Newcastle United H 0–4 23,000

Anglo-Italian Cup

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  • Note: The final group match against Reggiana was postponed and never replayed the result defaulted at 0–0.
Round Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Scorers
Group Match 1 5 September 1995 Foggia A 1–1 4,200 Peschisolido 65'
Group Match 2 11 October 1995 Salernitana H 2–2 5,071 Peschisolido 3', Wallace 47'
Group Match 3 8 November 1995 Brescia H 1–1 4,193 Dreyer 90'
Group Match 4 13 December 1995 Reggiana A 0–0

Squad statistics

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Pos. Name League FA Cup League Cup Anglo-Italian Cup Play-offs Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
GK England Phil Morgan 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
GK England Carl Muggleton 6 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 6 0
GK England Mark Prudhoe 39 0 2 0 3 0 2 0 2 0 48 0
GK Scotland Ronnie Sinclair 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 2 0
DF England Mark Birch 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
DF England David Brightwell 0(1) 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1(1) 0
DF England Ian Clarkson 43 0 2 0 3 0 2 0 2 0 52 0
DF England Ian Cranson 23(1) 1 1 0 0(1) 0 1 0 0 0 25(2) 1
DF England John Dreyer 4(15) 0 1 0 0 0 1(1) 1 0 0 6(16) 1
DF England Graham Potter 38(3) 1 2 0 3 0 3 0 2 0 48(3) 1
DF England Lee Sandford 46 0 2 0 3 0 2 0 2 0 55 0
DF Iceland Lárus Sigurðsson 46 0 2 0 3 0 2 0 2 0 55 0
DF England Ray Wallace 44 6 2 0 3 0 3 1 2 0 54 7
DF England Justin Whittle 7(1) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 9(1) 0
MF England Carl Beeston 13(3) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 13(3) 0
MF Scotland Mark Devlin 5(5) 0 0 0 0 0 0(2) 0 2 0 7(7) 0
MF England Nigel Gleghorn 46 9 2 0 3 0 3 0 2 0 56 9
MF England Kevin Keen 27(6) 3 2 0 2 0 2 0 0 0 33(6) 3
MF Scotland Chris McDonald 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
MF Iceland Toddy Orlygsson 6(1) 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 8(1) 0
MF England Vince Overson 18 0 0 0 3 0 1 0 0 0 22 0
FW England Martin Carruthers 10(14) 3 1 0 3 0 2 0 0(1) 0 16(15) 3
FW England John Gayle 5(5) 3 0(1) 0 0 0 1(1) 0 0 0 6(7) 3
FW Canada Paul Peschisolido 20(6) 6 1 0 3 1 2 2 0 0 26(6) 9
FW England Keith Scott 6(1) 0 0 0 0 0 0(1) 0 0(1) 0 6(2) 0
FW England Mike Sheron 23(5) 16 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 25(5) 16
FW England Simon Sturridge 30(11) 12 2 1 1 0 2 0 2 0 37(11) 13

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q Lowe, Simon (2000). Stoke City The Modern Era - A Complete Record. Desert Island Books. ISBN 1-874287-39-2.