# 1984–85 Stoke City F.C. season

The 1984–85 season was Stoke City's 78th season in the Football League and 52nd in the First Division.
Bill Asprey was given the managerial position on a permanent basis by the board following the previous season's close escape. However Stoke won three of their 42 league matches managing to pick up 17 points, a record low which would stand for 21 years. Stoke scored 24 goals and conceded 91 giving them a goal difference of –67. Supporters stopped attending matches with crowds falling below 5,000. The season became known as The Holocaust season and Stoke would not gain a return to the top flight until 2008.

## Season review
### League

The directors did not hesitate in appointing Bill Asprey on a full-time basis, but there was a shock for the supporters when it was announced that both Paul Maguire and Peter Hampton were being released. Asprey had decided to start building his own team but he knew that there was no money available for him and so a club once filled with international stars had to loan players from other clubs. As the season started goals were almost non-existent and by autumn Asprey had sold Robbie James for £100,000 to Queens Park Rangers so he could buy Keith Bertschin a proven goalscorer from Norwich City.
Still there was no improvement and as the season wore on Stoke struggled to even compete with their First Division rivals and it turned into a case of when and not if Stoke would be relegated. Stoke went down breaking almost every record available: fewest goals scored (24); fewest wins (3); and lowest points tally (17). Ian Painter was top goalscorer with six of which four were penalties. With the season drawing to a close Asprey was relieved of his duties as his health had been affected by the season's traumas and Tony Lacey took over the last eight matches losing all of them. Chairman Frank Edwards took the full brunt of the supporters protests following relegation before he died following a heart attack. Sandy Clubb took over from Edwards and he appointed Mick Mills as manager as the club began to rebuild in the Second Division.

### FA Cup

Luton Town knocked out Stoke after a replay in the third round.

### League Cup

Stoke were defeated by Third Division Rotherham United in the second round.

## Final league table

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 18 | Coventry City | 42 | 15 | 5 | 22 | 47 | 64 | −17 | 50 | |
| 19 | Queens Park Rangers | 42 | 13 | 11 | 18 | 53 | 72 | −19 | 50 | |
| 20 | Norwich City (R) | 42 | 13 | 10 | 19 | 46 | 64 | −18 | 49 | Relegation to the Second Division |
| 21 | Sunderland (R) | 42 | 10 | 10 | 22 | 40 | 62 | −22 | 40 | Relegation to the Second Division |
| 22 | Stoke City (R) | 42 | 3 | 8 | 31 | 24 | 91 | −67 | 17 | Relegation to the Second Division |
* ↑ Norwich City would have qualified for the UEFA Cup as League Cup winners.

## Results

Stoke's score comes first

### Legend

| Win | Draw | Loss |

### Football League First Division

| Match | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorers |
| 1 | 25 August 1984 | Luton Town | A | 0–2 | 8,626 | |
| 2 | 27 August 1984 | Aston Villa | H | 1–3 | 12,605 | Painter 44' |
| 3 | 1 September 1984 | Sheffield Wednesday | H | 2–1 | 13,032 | McIlroy 35', Heath 44' |
| 4 | 15 September 1984 | Leicester City | H | 2–2 | 13,591 | Hemming 65', Bould 69' |
| 5 | 19 September 1984 | Norwich City | A | 0–0 | 13,051 | |
| 6 | 22 September 1984 | Arsenal | A | 0–4 | 26,758 | |
| 7 | 29 September 1984 | Sunderland | H | 2–2 | 8,882 | Dyson 75', Bould 87' |
| 8 | 6 October 1984 | Nottingham Forest | A | 1–1 | 14,129 | Berry 11' |
| 9 | 13 October 1984 | Southampton | H | 1–3 | 9,643 | Heath 41' |
| 10 | 20 October 1984 | West Ham United | H | 2–4 | 9,945 | Painter 81', Chamberlain 90' |
| 11 | 27 October 1984 | Tottenham Hotspur | A | 0–4 | 23,477 | |
| 12 | 3 November 1984 | Liverpool | H | 0–1 | 20,567 | |
| 13 | 10 November 1984 | West Bromwich Albion | A | 0–2 | 12,258 | |
| 14 | 17 November 1984 | Everton | A | 0–4 | 26,705 | |
| 15 | 24 November 1984 | Watford | H | 1–3 | 10,564 | Painter 58' (pen) |
| 16 | 1 December 1984 | Newcastle United | A | 1–2 | 21,135 | McIlroy 55' |
| 17 | 4 December 1984 | Queens Park Rangers | A | 0–2 | 8,403 | |
| 18 | 8 December 1984 | Ipswich Town | H | 0–2 | 7,925 | |
| 19 | 15 December 1984 | Chelsea | A | 1–1 | 20,534 | Dyson 71' |
| 20 | 22 December 1984 | Sheffield Wednesday | A | 1–2 | 19,799 | Bould 45' |
| 21 | 26 December 1984 | Manchester United | H | 2–1 | 21,013 | Painter 70' (pen), Saunders 75' |
| 22 | 29 December 1984 | Queens Park Rangers | H | 0–2 | 10,811 | |
| 23 | 1 January 1985 | Coventry City | A | 0–4 | 9,829 | |
| 24 | 12 January 1985 | Leicester City | A | 0–0 | 10,111 | |
| 25 | 2 February 1985 | Sunderland | A | 0–1 | 14,762 | |
| 26 | 23 February 1985 | Liverpool | A | 0–2 | 31,368 | |
| 27 | 2 March 1985 | Tottenham Hotspur | H | 0–1 | 12,533 | |
| 28 | 12 March 1985 | West Bromwich Albion | H | 0–0 | 6,995 | |
| 29 | 16 March 1985 | Southampton | A | 0–0 | 14,608 | |
| 30 | 23 March 1985 | Nottingham Forest | H | 1–4 | 7,453 | Parkin 10' |
| 31 | 27 March 1985 | Aston Villa | A | 0–2 | 10,874 | |
| 32 | 30 March 1985 | Arsenal | H | 2–0 | 7,371 | Painter 55' (pen), Dyson 62' |
| 33 | 6 April 1985 | Manchester United | A | 0–5 | 42,940 | |
| 34 | 8 April 1985 | Luton Town | H | 0–4 | 6,985 | |
| 35 | 20 April 1985 | Everton | H | 0–2 | 18,258 | |
| 36 | 24 April 1985 | Norwich City | H | 2–3 | 4,597 | Bertschin 10', Saunders 90' |
| 37 | 27 April 1985 | Watford | A | 0–2 | 14,586 | |
| 38 | 4 May 1985 | Newcastle United | H | 0–1 | 7,088 | |
| 39 | 6 May 1985 | Ipswich Town | A | 1–5 | 14,150 | Bertschin 69' |
| 40 | 11 May 1985 | Chelsea | H | 0–1 | 8,905 | |
| 41 | 14 May 1985 | West Ham United | A | 1–5 | 13,362 | Painter 63' (pen) |
| 42 | 17 May 1985 | Coventry City | H | 0–1 | 6,930 | |

### FA Cup

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorers |
| R3 | 5 January 1985 | Luton Town | A | 1–1 | 7,270 | Painter 78' |
| R3 Replay | 9 January 1985 | Luton Town | H | 2–3 | 9,917 | Painter 47' (pen), Chamberlain 68' |

### League Cup

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorers |
| R2 1st Leg | 26 September 1984 | Rotherham United | H | 1–2 | 8,221 | Saunders 65' |
| R2 2nd Leg | 9 October 1984 | Rotherham United | A | 1–1 | 6,898 | Painter 22' |

### Friendlies

| Match | Opponent | Venue | Result |
| 1 | Parkway Clayton | A | 4–1 |
| 2 | Cardiff City | A | 0–3 |
| 3 | Oldham Athletic | A | 2–3 |

## Squad statistics

| Pos. | Name | League | League | FA Cup | FA Cup | League Cup | League Cup | Total | Total |
| Pos. | Name | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| GK | Paul Barron | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| GK | Joe Corrigan | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 0 |
| GK | Peter Fox | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 16 | 0 |
| GK | Stuart Roberts | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| GK | Barry Siddall | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 0 |
| DF | Steve Bould | 38 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 42 | 3 |
| DF | Aaron Callaghan | 2(3) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2(3) | 0 |
| DF | Alan Dodd | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 0 |
| DF | Paul Dyson | 37 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 41 | 3 |
| DF | Wayne Ebanks | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 12 | 0 |
| DF | Chris Hemming | 14(2) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 15(2) | 1 |
| DF | Robbie James | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 10 | 0 |
| DF | Tony Spearing | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 0 |
| MF | Carl Beeston | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| MF | George Berry | 31(1) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 31(1) | 1 |
| MF | Alan Hudson | 16(1) | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 19(1) | 0 |
| MF | Chris Maskery | 34 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 37 | 0 |
| MF | Sammy McIlroy | 34 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 36 | 2 |
| MF | Steve Parkin | 8(5) | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 11(5) | 1 |
| MF | Terry Williams | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| FW | Keith Bertschin | 24(1) | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 26(1) | 2 |
| FW | Mark Chamberlain | 27(1) | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 31(1) | 2 |
| FW | Phil Heath | 34(2) | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0(1) | 0 | 34(3) | 2 |
| FW | Brendan O'Callaghan | 20 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 24 | 0 |
| FW | Ian Painter | 38 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 42 | 9 |
| FW | Carl Saunders | 17(6) | 2 | 0(2) | 0 | 2 | 1 | 19(8) | 3 |