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 there was a lot of talk about the possibility of building a new stadium to bring Stoke up to the requirements of the Taylor Report. 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
League
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 the poor-scoring 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]
League Cup
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
Key: P = Matches played; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; F = Goals for; A = Goals against; GD = Goal difference; Pts = Points
Results
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
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 | |
Anglo-Italian Cup
- Note: The final group match against Reggiana was postponed and never replayed the result defaulted at 0–0.
References
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 Lowe, Simon (2000). Stoke City The Modern Era - A Complete Record. Desert Island Books. ISBN 1-874287-39-2.
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