# 1983–84 Stoke City F.C. season

The 1983–84 season was Stoke City's 77th season in the Football League and the 51st in the First Division.
Manager Ritchie Barker decided to change his tactics prior to the start of the season which was seen a strange decision as Stoke played well in the previous season playing good football. He change to the long ball style of play and whilst it worked with other sides in the Division it didn't with Stoke and results were poor. Barker was sacked and his assistant Bill Asprey took over and he brought back club legend Alan Hudson which sparked a revival with a 4–0 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers on the final day of the season seeing Stoke stay up by two points.

## Season review
### League

It was apparent during the summer of 1983 at a coaching course at Lilleshall that manager Ritchie Barker was converted to the long ball game. In truth it was used by several sides with great success in 1983–84, but not with Stoke. Another youth team product Paul Bracewell was sold to Sunderland for £250,000 and that money was spent on Paul Dyson and Robbie James. Stoke used their new style of play in their pre-season friendlies which drew some interesting results but was quite clear that the players were unhappy at the change and once the season started they struggled desperately out on the pitch. In their first 24 matches they managed just three wins and in deep relegation trouble and it was no surprise to see Barker sacked by the board.
Bill Asprey was put in charge of the team and his task was to get Stoke out of trouble and his first move was to bring back Alan Hudson and sell Mickey Thomas. Hudson inspired a great recovery and Stoke's latter season performances were of a high standard yet the threat of relegation was still there but Stoke's fine efforts saw them take the relegation battle all the way to the final day of the season. Stoke came up against already relegated Wolverhampton Wanderers. It turned out to be an easy game for Stoke as they won 4–0 with Paul Magurie scoring all the goals leaving Stoke safe in 18th place with 50 points two more than Birmingham City.

### FA Cup

No progress was made in the FA Cup, Stoke losing 2–0 at home to Everton who would go on to lift the cup.

### League Cup

Stoke beat Peterborough United and Huddersfield Town before losing to Sheffield Wednesday in the fourth round.

## Final league table

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 16 | Luton Town | 42 | 14 | 9 | 19 | 53 | 66 | −13 | 51 | |
| 17 | West Bromwich Albion | 42 | 14 | 9 | 19 | 48 | 62 | −14 | 51 | |
| 18 | Stoke City | 42 | 13 | 11 | 18 | 44 | 63 | −19 | 50 | |
| 19 | Coventry City | 42 | 13 | 11 | 18 | 57 | 77 | −20 | 50 | |
| 20 | Birmingham City (R) | 42 | 12 | 12 | 18 | 39 | 50 | −11 | 48 | Relegation to the Second Division |

## Results

Stoke's score comes first

### Legend

| Win | Draw | Loss |

### Football League First Division

| Match | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorers |
| 1 | 27 August 1983 | Everton | A | 0–1 | 22,658 | |
| 2 | 29 August 1983 | West Bromwich Albion | H | 3–1 | 16,156 | Painter (2) 26', 35', Maguire 57' |
| 3 | 3 September 1983 | Manchester United | H | 0–1 | 23,704 | |
| 4 | 6 September 1983 | Birmingham City | A | 0–1 | 13,728 | |
| 5 | 10 September 1983 | Ipswich Town | A | 0–5 | 16,315 | |
| 6 | 17 September 1983 | Watford | H | 0–4 | 12,619 | |
| 7 | 24 September 1983 | Leicester City | A | 2–2 | 10,215 | Painter 11', Maguire 25' |
| 8 | 1 October 1983 | West Ham United | H | 3–1 | 13,825 | McAughtrie 30', Chamberlain 70', Thomas 80' |
| 9 | 15 October 1983 | Sunderland | A | 2–2 | 11,923 | James (2) 27', 70' |
| 10 | 22 October 1983 | Notts County | A | 1–1 | 7,684 | Bould 74' |
| 11 | 29 October 1983 | Coventry City | H | 1–3 | 11,836 | Thomas 40' |
| 12 | 5 November 1983 | Tottenham Hotspur | H | 1–1 | 14,727 | Thomas 25' |
| 13 | 12 November 1983 | Aston Villa | A | 1–1 | 19,272 | Chamberlain 44' |
| 14 | 19 November 1983 | Liverpool | A | 0–1 | 26,529 | |
| 15 | 26 November 1983 | Nottingham Forest | H | 1–1 | 11,655 | Chamberlain 7' |
| 16 | 3 December 1983 | Southampton | A | 1–3 | 15,301 | James 13' |
| 17 | 10 December 1983 | Luton Town | H | 2–4 | 10,329 | James (2) 36', 65', (1 pen) |
| 18 | 17 December 1983 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | A | 0–0 | 8,679 | |
| 19 | 26 December 1983 | Norwich City | H | 2–0 | 12,049 | Maguire 23', James 82' |
| 20 | 31 December 1983 | Manchester United | A | 0–1 | 40,164 | |
| 21 | 2 January 1984 | Leicester City | H | 0–1 | 13,728 | |
| 22 | 14 January 1984 | Everton | H | 1–1 | 8,435 | Heath 68' |
| 23 | 17 January 1984 | Queens Park Rangers | A | 0–6 | 9,320 | |
| 24 | 21 January 1984 | Watford | A | 0–2 | 14,076 | |
| 25 | 28 January 1984 | Arsenal | H | 1–0 | 12,840 | Maguire 75' (pen) |
| 26 | 4 February 1984 | West Ham United | A | 0–3 | 18,775 | |
| 27 | 11 February 1984 | Ipswich Town | H | 1–0 | 10,315 | Painter 87' |
| 28 | 18 February 1984 | Coventry City | A | 3–2 | 7,937 | Hampton 41', Chamberlain 67', O'Callaghan 81' |
| 29 | 25 February 1984 | Notts County | H | 1–0 | 11,725 | Chamberlain 8' |
| 30 | 3 March 1984 | Tottenham Hotspur | A | 0–1 | 18,271 | |
| 31 | 10 March 1984 | Aston Villa | H | 1–0 | 13,967 | Painter 73' |
| 32 | 17 March 1984 | Birmingham City | H | 2–1 | 13,506 | Dyson 21', Bould 56' |
| 33 | 24 March 1984 | West Bromwich Albion | A | 0–3 | 13,681 | |
| 34 | 31 March 1984 | Sunderland | H | 2–1 | 11,047 | Painter 22', Dyson 28' |
| 35 | 7 April 1984 | Arsenal | A | 1–3 | 21,211 | Chamberlain 70' |
| 36 | 14 April 1984 | Liverpool | H | 2–0 | 24,372 | Painter 21', Russell 50' |
| 37 | 21 April 1984 | Norwich City | A | 2–2 | 16,084 | McIlroy 5', Chamberlain 70' |
| 38 | 23 April 1984 | Queens Park Rangers | H | 1–2 | 13,735 | Russell 2' |
| 39 | 28 April 1984 | Nottingham Forest | A | 0–0 | 13,625 | |
| 40 | 5 May 1984 | Southampton | H | 1–1 | 12,171 | Maguire 80' |
| 41 | 7 May 1984 | Luton Town | A | 1–0 | 9,867 | Painter 5' |
| 42 | 12 May 1984 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | H | 4–0 | 18,977 | Maguire (4) 17', 41', 49', 89' (2 pens) |

### FA Cup

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorers |
| R3 | 7 January 1984 | Everton | H | 0–2 | 16,462 | |

### League Cup

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorers |
| R2 1st Leg | 5 October 1983 | Peterborough United | H | 0–0 | 11,085 | |
| R2 2nd Leg | 26 October 1983 | Peterborough United | A | 2–1 | 9,898 | O'Callaghan 41', James 61' |
| R3 1st Leg | 8 November 1983 | Huddersfield Town | H | 0–0 | 14,175 | |
| R3 2nd Leg | 22 November 1983 | Huddersfield Town | A | 2–0 | 14,191 | Bould 8', Magurie 52' |
| R4 | 30 November 1983 | Sheffield Wednesday | H | 0–1 | 18,633 | |

### Friendlies

| Match | Opponent | Venue | Result |
| 1 | Parkway Clayton | A | 4–0 |
| 2 | Wokingham | A | 8–4 |
| 3 | Oswestry Town | A | 1–0 |
| 4 | Shrewsbury Town | A | 1–1 |
| 5 | IFK Mariehamn | A | 7–2 |
| 6 | Lydsdal | A | 4–0 |
| 7 | Oviksalliansen | A | 4–4 |
| 8 | Strömsund | A | 10–0 |
| 9 | Kramfors | A | 6–1 |

### FA Youth Cup

| Round | Opponent | Venue | Result |
| Round 2 | Chester City | A | 2–1 |
| Round 3 | Walsall | H | 3–0 |
| Round 4 | Luton Town | H | 3–2 |
| Quarter Final | Chelsea | A | 2–1 |
| Semi Final 1st Leg | Arsenal | H | 3–2 |
| Semi Final 2nd Leg | Arsenal | A | 3–0 |
| Final 1st Leg | Everton | A | 2–2 |
| Final 2nd Leg | Everton | H | 0–2 |

## 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 | Mervyn Cawston | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| GK | Richard Dawson | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| GK | Peter Fox | 42 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 48 | 0 |
| DF | Steve Bould | 38 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 43 | 3 |
| DF | Paul Dyson | 38 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 44 | 2 |
| DF | Peter Hampton | 31(1) | 1 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 37(1) | 1 |
| DF | Chris Hemming | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| DF | Robbie James | 40 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 46 | 7 |
| DF | David McAughtrie | 17 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 23 | 1 |
| DF | Robbie Savage | 5(2) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5(2) | 0 |
| MF | George Berry | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 9 | 0 |
| MF | Peter Griffiths | 3(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0(1) | 0 | 3(2) | 0 |
| MF | Alan Hudson | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 0 |
| MF | Chris Maskery | 16(3) | 0 | 0(1) | 0 | 2(1) | 0 | 18(5) | 0 |
| MF | Sammy McIlroy | 39(1) | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 43(1) | 1 |
| MF | Steve Parkin | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| MF | Dennis Tueart | 2(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3(1) | 0 |
| FW | Mark Chamberlain | 39(1) | 7 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 45(1) | 7 |
| FW | Neville Chamberlain | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| FW | Phil Heath | 3(1) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3(1) | 1 |
| FW | Paul Maguire | 24(9) | 9 | 1 | 0 | 3(1) | 1 | 28(10) | 10 |
| FW | Brendan O'Callaghan | 37(1) | 1 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 43(1) | 2 |
| FW | Ian Painter | 30(4) | 8 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 32(4) | 8 |
| FW | Colin Russell | 11 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 2 |
| FW | Mickey Thomas | 16 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 21 | 3 |