# 1890–91 Stoke F.C. season

The 1890–91 season was Stoke's only season in the Football Alliance.
Stoke played their only season in the Football Alliance which they won the title and were re-elected back into the Football League at the end of the season. Stoke found life much easier in the Alliance and lost just twice as they ended up with 33 points and their first league title.

## Season review
### League

For the 1890–91 season Stoke joined the Football Alliance which comprised 12 teams made up from the Midlands and the North. This was very much the secondary competition to the Football League and while Stoke had struggled in their two previous seasons, they quickly came to grips with life in the Alliance and finished as champions. Stoke only lost two matches all season and were re-elected back into the Football League. Both defeats came in Birmingham, 5–2 at St George's and 5–1 at Small Heath and in both games they had their goalkeeper (Bill Rowley and Wilf Merritt respectively) carried off due to injury. With no reserve 'keepers available for the following fixtures Stoke resorted to utilising two outfield players, Hughie Phillips v Crewe Alexandra and Alf Underwood v Bootle in goal. Eventually Ike Brookes the Staffordshire County cricket wicket-keeper was signed for the rest of the season and played in the last 12 matches where Stoke remained unbeaten to claim the title.

### FA Cup

While out of the Football League, Stoke played a major part in the formation of the penalty kick when, in February 1891 they were knocked out of the FA Cup in the third round by Notts County 1–0 after two previous 3–0 victory's over Preston North End and Aston Villa. With time running out and Stoke pressing forward for an equalizer, Notts County's defender Jack Hendry handled in the area so the referee gave a free kick to Stoke. Notts County put all eleven men on the line and Stoke failed to score. This same referee, who recognised what an unjust event had occurred later became a football legislator and it was he who introduced the penalty kick to the Football League and FA Cup competitions for the 1891–92 season.

## Final league table

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GAv | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 1 | Stoke (E) | 22 | 13 | 7 | 2 | 57 | 39 | 1.462 | 33 | Football Alliance Champions, elected to Football League |
| 2 | Sunderland Albion | 22 | 12 | 6 | 4 | 69 | 28 | 2.464 | 30 | Left to join the Northern League |
| 3 | Grimsby Town | 22 | 11 | 5 | 6 | 43 | 27 | 1.593 | 27 | |
| 4 | Birmingham St George's | 22 | 12 | 2 | 8 | 64 | 62 | 1.032 | 26 | |
| 5 | Nottingham Forest | 22 | 9 | 7 | 6 | 66 | 39 | 1.692 | 23 | |
* ↑ New club in the Alliance
* ↑ Left to join the Northern League
* ↑ Two points deducted for fielding an unregistered player

## Results

Stoke's score comes first

### Legend

| Win | Draw | Loss |

### Football Alliance

| Match | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorers |
| 1 | 13 September 1890 | Birmingham St George's | H | 6–3 | 1,500 | Ballham, Baker (4), Turner |
| 2 | 20 September 1890 | Grimsby Town | H | 2–1 | 2,000 | Edge, Coupar |
| 3 | 27 September 1890 | Newton Heath | H | 2–1 | 2,000 | Edge, Dunn |
| 4 | 3 October 1890 | Nottingham Forest | A | 2–2 | 2,000 | Turner, Baker |
| 5 | 4 October 1890 | Grimsby Town | A | 1–1 | 2,000 | Baker |
| 6 | 11 October 1890 | Walsall Town Swifts | H | 1–0 | 4,000 | Baker |
| 7 | 18 October 1890 | Birmingham St George's | A | 2–5 | 2,000 | Edge, Turner |
| 8 | 1 November 1890 | Small Heath | A | 1–5 | 2,500 | Edge |
| 9 | 8 November 1890 | Crewe Alexandra | H | 2–2 | 1,000 | Turner, Dunn |
| 10 | 15 November 1890 | Bootle | H | 2–1 | 1,500 | Dunn (2) |
| 11 | 22 November 1890 | Sunderland Albion | A | 1–1 | 1,500 | Dunn |
| 12 | 29 November 1890 | Nottingham Forest | H | 2–1 | 2,000 | Dunn, Ballham |
| 13 | 6 December 1890 | Bootle | A | 2–2 | 1,000 | Dunn, Baker |
| 14 | 13 December 1890 | The Wednesday | A | 4–2 | 6,000 | Dunn, Baker (2), Edge |
| 15 | 26 December 1890 | Darwen | H | 6–2 | 3,000 | Baker, Edge (2), Ballham, Turner (2) |
| 16 | 27 December 1890 | Small Heath | H | 4–2 | 3,000 | Edge, Ballham, Turner (2) |
| 17 | 3 January 1891 | Sunderland Albion | H | 1–1 | 2,000 | Naughton |
| 18 | 5 January 1891 | Newton Heath | A | 1–0 | 2,000 | Turner |
| 19 | 24 January 1891 | Crewe Alexandra | A | 4–2 | 1,500 | Coupar, Dunn, Ballham, Clifford |
| 20 | 7 March 1891 | Walsall Town Swifts | A | 3–1 | 4,000 | Edge (2), Turner |
| 21 | 21 March 1891 | Darwen | A | 3–3 | 1,000 | Edge, Turner, Dunn |
| 22 | 4 April 1891 | The Wednesday | H | 5–1 | 1,500 | Edge, Naughton, Dunn, Christie, Ballham |

### FA Cup

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorers |
| R1 | 17 January 1891 | Preston North End | H | 3–0 | 8,000 | Ballham, Coupar, Turner |
| R2 | 31 January 1891 | Aston Villa | H | 3–0 | 7,000 | Ballham (2), Coupar |
| R3 | 14 February 1891 | Notts County | A | 0–1 | 16,000 | |

## Squad statistics

| Pos. | Name | League | League | FA Cup | FA Cup | Total | Total |
| Pos. | Name | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| GK | Ike Brookes | 12 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 15 | 0 |
| GK | Wilf Merritt | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| GK | Bill Rowley | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 |
| FB | George Bateman | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| FB | Tommy Clare | 22 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 25 | 0 |
| FB | Jack Eccles | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| FB | Alf Underwood | 21 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 24 | 0 |
| HB | Davy Brodie | 22 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 25 | 0 |
| HB | Davy Christie | 22 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 25 | 1 |
| HB | Hughie Clifford | 17 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 20 | 1 |
| HB | Hughie Phillips | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 |
| FW | Charlie Baker | 17 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 17 | 11 |
| FW | Lewis Ballham | 20 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 23 | 9 |
| FW | Peter Coupar | 3 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 6 | 4 |
| FW | Billy Dunn | 21 | 11 | 3 | 0 | 24 | 11 |
| FW | Alf Edge | 22 | 12 | 3 | 0 | 25 | 12 |
| FW | Willie Naughton | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 2 |
| FW | Wilmot Turner | 20 | 11 | 3 | 1 | 23 | 12 |