# 2004–05 Stoke City F.C. season

The 2004–05 season was Stoke City's 98th season in the Football League and the 38th in the second tier, it was also the first season in the new re-branded Football League Championship.
With supporter expectation now rising there were hopes that Stoke could soon begin to mount a serious attempt to return to the top flight. But after a poor summer in terms of transfer activity those hopes subsided, but soon returned after a good start to the season with Stoke going top of the table in early September. But any hopes of a promotion push soon vanished with some poor performances and most notably a lack of goals being scored. In fact Stoke went on a dull run of 'binary' results, from 23 October 2004 to 22 February 2005 the only score line was that of 0–0, 1–0, 0–1 and 1–1. Supporters began to vent their anger at the lack of entertainment on offer as the side fell into mid-table obscurity and a final finish of 12th the outcome of a forgettable season.

## Season review
### League

Prior to the start of the season the Football League went through a re-branding process with the First Division been renamed the Football League Championship. Stoke had a poor summer in the transfer market with only Dave Brammer and Steve Simonsen joining the club before the start of the season. However these worries were forgotten with a fine pre-season victory over Spanish giants Valencia. Stoke began the 2004–05 season very well beating promotion favourites Wolverhampton Wanderers 2–1 on the opening day. Victories over Gillingham, Cardiff City and Derby County followed and after a thrilling win over Ipswich Town Stoke went top of the table.
However Stoke then lost their form and went seven matches without a win before beating Millwall 1–0 on Halloween. Prior to that on 22 October Stoke drew 1–1 away at Leicester City a result which sparked a dull run of results. Through until 22 February the only score line was that of 0–0, 1–0, 0–1 and 1–1 which saw manager Tony Pulis come under heavy criticism from supporters form the lack of attacking football and entertainment on offer. New signings again failed to arrive with Michael Duberry from Leeds United and Lewis Buxton from Portsmouth the only mainstays from a series of loans, however both players were defenders. Ade Akinbiyi was sold to Burnley despite there being a lack of goalscoring. The 'binary' run of results finally ended with a 3–2 win over Leicester City which prompted an upturn in results but any hopes of a late push for a play-off place was ended with an awful defeat at home to rock bottom Rotherham United.

### FA Cup

Stoke drew Premier League side Arsenal away in the third round and took the lead through Wayne Thomas. But Stoke could not hold out and Arsenal scored twice to go through 2–1.

### League Cup

Stoke made another poor exit in the first round losing against League One side Oldham Athletic.

## Final league table

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| 10 | Millwall | 46 | 18 | 12 | 16 | 51 | 45 | +6 | 66 |
| 11 | Queens Park Rangers | 46 | 17 | 11 | 18 | 54 | 58 | −4 | 62 |
| 12 | Stoke City | 46 | 17 | 10 | 19 | 36 | 38 | −2 | 61 |
| 13 | Burnley | 46 | 15 | 15 | 16 | 38 | 39 | −1 | 60 |
| 14 | Leeds United | 46 | 14 | 18 | 14 | 49 | 52 | −3 | 60 |

## Results

Stoke's score comes first

### Legend

| Win | Draw | Loss |

### Pre-Season Friendlies

| Match | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorers |
| 1 | 11 July 2004 | Newcastle Town | A | 4–1 | | Noel-Williams, Clarke, Akinbiyi, Neal |
| 2 | 13 July 2004 | Wrexham | A | 1–1 | 1,821 | Noel-Williams 40' |
| 3 | 17 July 2004 | Mansfield Town | A | 1–0 | | Russell 28' |
| 4 | 23 July 2004 | AS Roma | A | 0–2 | | |
| 5 | 23 July 2004 | Levski Sofia | A | 1–1 | | Taggart |
| 6 | 28 July 2004 | Valencia | H | 1–0 | 9,905 | Asaba 30' |
| 7 | 31 July 2004 | West Bromwich Albion | H | 2–1 | | Brammer 16', Akinbiyi 32' |

### Football League Championship

| Match | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorers | Report |
| 1 | 8 August 2004 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | H | 2–1 | 17,066 | Russell 50', Clarke 70' (pen) | Report |
| 2 | 10 August 2004 | Sheffield United | A | 0–0 | 19,723 | | Report |
| 3 | 14 August 2004 | Rotherham United | A | 1–1 | 5,925 | Akinbiyi 85' | Report |
| 4 | 21 August 2004 | Gillingham | H | 2–0 | 13,234 | Noel-Williams 42', Akinbiyi 72' | Report |
| 5 | 28 August 2004 | Cardiff City | A | 1–0 | 12,929 | Noel-Williams 37' | Report |
| 6 | 30 August 2004 | Derby County | H | 1–0 | 18,673 | Hall 90+3' | Report |
| 7 | 11 September 2004 | Preston North End | A | 0–3 | 12,759 | | Report |
| 8 | 14 September 2004 | Ipswich Town | H | 3–2 | 23,029 | Thomas (2) 45', 75', Akinbiyi 85' | Report |
| 9 | 18 September 2004 | Nottingham Forest | H | 0–0 | 21,115 | | Report |
| 10 | 25 September 2004 | Burnley | A | 2–2 | 12,981 | Akinbiyi (2) 34', 50' | Report |
| 11 | 28 September 2004 | Leeds United | A | 0–0 | 25,759 | | Report |
| 12 | 2 October 2004 | Queens Park Rangers | H | 0–1 | 16,877 | | Report |
| 13 | 16 October 2004 | Reading | H | 0–1 | 15,574 | | Report |
| 14 | 19 October 2004 | West Ham United | A | 0–2 | 29,808 | | Report |
| 15 | 23 October 2004 | Leicester City | A | 1–1 | 22,882 | Asaba 37' | Report |
| 16 | 30 October 2004 | Millwall | H | 1–0 | 14,125 | Greenacre 86' | Report |
| 17 | 2 November 2004 | Wigan Athletic | H | 0–1 | 15,882 | | Report |
| 18 | 6 November 2004 | Reading | A | 0–1 | 14,831 | | Report |
| 19 | 13 November 2004 | Crewe Alexandra | H | 1–0 | 17,640 | Noel-Williams 64' | Report |
| 20 | 20 November 2004 | Plymouth Argyle | A | 0–0 | 15,264 | | Report |
| 21 | 27 November 2004 | Sunderland | H | 0–1 | 16,980 | | Report |
| 22 | 4 December 2004 | Watford | A | 1–0 | 12,169 | Noel-Williams 24' | Report |
| 23 | 11 December 2004 | Coventry City | H | 1–0 | 15,744 | Akinbiyi 21' | Report |
| 24 | 17 December 2004 | Brighton & Hove Albion | A | 1–0 | 6,028 | Akinbiyi 85' | Report |
| 25 | 26 December 2004 | Preston North End | H | 0–0 | 20,350 | | Report |
| 26 | 28 December 2004 | Ipswich Town | A | 0–1 | 26,217 | | Report |
| 27 | 1 January 2005 | Nottingham Forest | A | 0–1 | 22,051 | | Report |
| 28 | 3 January 2005 | Burnley | H | 0–1 | 15,689 | | Report |
| 29 | 14 January 2005 | Queens Park Rangers | A | 0–1 | 13,559 | | Report |
| 30 | 22 January 2005 | Leeds United | H | 0–1 | 18,372 | | Report |
| 31 | 5 February 2005 | Wigan Athletic | A | 1–0 | 9,938 | Noel-Williams 39' | Report |
| 32 | 19 February 2005 | Millwall | A | 1–0 | 11,036 | Jones 15' | Report |
| 33 | 22 February 2005 | Leicester City | H | 3–2 | 14,076 | Brammer 24', Noel-Williams 34', Taggart 59' | Report |
| 34 | 26 February 2005 | Coventry City | A | 0–0 | 13,871 | | Report |
| 35 | 5 March 2005 | Brighton & Hove Albion | H | 2–0 | 14,908 | Noel-Williams (2) 39', 44' (2 pen) | Report |
| 36 | 12 March 2005 | Sheffield United | H | 2–0 | 17,019 | Noel-Williams (2) 57', 59' | Report |
| 37 | 15 March 2005 | Gillingham | A | 1–2 | 7,766 | Jones 54' | Report |
| 38 | 19 March 2005 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | A | 1–1 | 28,103 | Noel-Williams 41' | Report |
| 39 | 2 April 2005 | Rotherham United | H | 1–2 | 16,552 | Noel-Williams 83' | Report |
| 40 | 5 April 2005 | Cardiff City | H | 1–3 | 12,785 | Hill 40' | Report |
| 41 | 9 April 2005 | Derby County | A | 1–3 | 27,640 | Taggart 7' | Report |
| 42 | 16 April 2005 | Plymouth Argyle | H | 2–0 | 13,017 | Jones 28', Russell 41' | Report |
| 43 | 19 April 2005 | West Ham United | H | 0–1 | 14,534 | | Report |
| 44 | 23 April 2005 | Crewe Alexandra | A | 2–0 | 9,166 | Neal 79', Noel-Williams 89' | Report |
| 45 | 30 April 2005 | Watford | H | 0–1 | 15,229 | | Report |
| 46 | 8 May 2005 | Sunderland | A | 0–1 | 47,350 | | Report |

### FA Cup

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorers | Report |
| R3 | 9 January 2005 | Arsenal | A | 1–2 | 36,579 | Thomas 44' | Report |

### League Cup

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorers | Report |
| R1 | 24 August 2004 | Oldham Athletic | A | 1–2 | 2,861 | Asaba 24' | Report |

## Squad statistics

| No. | Pos. | Name | League | League | FA Cup | FA Cup | League Cup | League Cup | Total | Total | Discipline | Discipline |
| No. | Pos. | Name | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | | |
| 1 | GK | Ed de Goey | 17 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2 | DF | Wayne Thomas | 35 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 37 | 3 | 6 | 1 |
| 3 | DF | Clive Clarke | 42 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 44 | 1 | 7 | 1 |
| 4 | MF | John Eustace | 2(5) | 0 | 0(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2(6) | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| 5 | DF | Michael Duberry | 25 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 25 | 0 | 4 | 1 |
| 6 | DF | Clint Hill | 31(1) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 32(1) | 1 | 7 | 1 |
| 7 | FW | Carl Asaba | 14(19) | 1 | 0(1) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 15(20) | 2 | 4 | 0 |
| 8 | MF | Dave Brammer | 42(1) | 1 | 0 | 0(1) | 0 | 0 | 42(2) | 1 | 8 | 0 |
| 9 | FW | Gifton Noel-Williams | 41(5) | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0(1) | 0 | 41(6) | 13 | 2 | 1 |
| 10 | FW | Ade Akinbiyi | 29 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 30 | 7 | 6 | 0 |
| 11 | MF | Kevin Harper | 8(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8(1) | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 14 | GK | Ben Foster | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 15 | GK | Steve Simonsen | 29(2) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 31(2) | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 16 | DF | Marcus Hall | 19(1) | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 21(1) | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| 17 | MF | Darel Russell | 45 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 47 | 2 | 7 | 0 |
| 18 | MF | Lewis Neal | 10(13) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 11(13) | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 19 | FW | Chris Greenacre | 18(14) | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 20(14) | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| 20 | DF | Richard Keogh | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 21 | MF | John Halls | 20(2) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 22(2) | 0 | 5 | 1 |
| 22 | MF | Steve Guppy | 0(4) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0(4) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 22 | DF | Lewis Buxton | 14(2) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15(2) | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| 23 | MF | Karl Henry | 14(20) | 0 | 0(1) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 15(21) | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| 24 | DF | Chris Clark | 1(2) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1(2) | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 25 | DF | Gareth Owen | 0(2) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0(2) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 27 | DF | Chris Barker | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 27 | FW | Jason Jarrett | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 27 | FW | Kenwyne Jones | 13 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| 28 | DF | Andy Wilkinson | 0(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 29 | FW | Michael Ricketts | 1(10) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1(10) | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 30 | FW | Martin Paterson | 0(3) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0(3) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 31 | FW | Jermaine Palmer | 0(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 32 | DF | Gerry Taggart | 31 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 32 | 2 | 10 | 1 |
| 33 | MF | Þórður Guðjónsson | 0(2) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0(2) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 34 | MF | Tryggvi Guðmundsson | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 35 | MF | Jay Denny | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 36 | DF | Carl Dickinson | 0(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 |