Players Parade at Goodison Park

Appearance record to end of 1969-70 season

Football League – Division 1

Saturday 13th March 1971

By Alan Williams, Daily Express, in Everton Matchday Magazine

STOKE CITY

Alan Bloor

Local boy ALAN BLOOR was playing so well at centre half a couple of years ago that Stoke supporters were expecting an England call any day. Then Alan suffered a calf muscle injury and lost the No 5 job to Denis Smith. It took him time to fight back and now he is playing as well as ever, but along Smith in the back line.

Alan Bloor´s Leauge career:

Stoke Apps. 179 (3)  Goals 7

Denis Smith

Most improved player in the Stoke line-up is 23-year-old centre half DENIS SMITH, now ranked among the contenders for an England chance.

Born in the Potteries, Dennis has improved himself a man of courage by recovering from four serious leg injuries – two cracks in his left leg as a schoolboy and two breaks in the right leg after joining Stoke. “I´ve never known anyone with such courage,” says manager Waddington of the young defender who crabbed N0 5 spot when Alan Bloor was injuried two years ago. Denis remember his last visit to Goodison all too well…. He went into goal when John Farmer was hurt and we won 6-2!

Denis Smith´s Leauge career:

Stoke Apps. 54  Goals 4

Eric Skeels

ERIC SKEELS has only a Second Division Championship to show for 12 years´ service at the Victoria Ground, but, at 31, he has no regrets about devoting his soccer life to Stoke City. He has never wanted to move anywhere else and has always showed lojalty and 100 per cent, effort in midfield or as full back. He says of the currant team: “It´s the best all-round side since I´ve been here,” And the ever-reliable Skeels should now.

Eric Skeel´s Leauge career:

Stoke Apps. 384 (2)  Goals 6

Gordon Banks

GORDON BANKS, generally recognised as the world´s greatest goalkeeper, has only won one major honour as a club footballer – a Leauge Cup trophy while playing for Leicester against Stoke. He also played in two losing FA Cup Final teams at Leicester, but otherwise, the rewards for his skills have been confined mainly to the England team, where he recently gained his 63th cap in Malta.

Now at 31, he is proud to hold the Stoke captaincy and hope to finish his career with a Cup Winners´ medal for the Potteries club.

Sheffield-born Gordon started out in Leauge soccer with Chesterfield, once  appearing for them in the FA Youth Cup Final against Manchester United, but soon moved on to Leicester, where he made over 300 appearances before being transferred for £50,000 on the emergence of Peter Shilton. To say Stoke been pleased with the investment is a major understatement.

Gordon Banks´s Leauge career:

Chesterfield Apps. 23

Leicester City Apps. 293

Stoke Apps. 111

Henry Burrows

Stoke stuck a bargain when they signed hard-shooting winger HENRY BURROWS from Aston Villa for £30,000 sixyears ago. The Haydock-born raider scored one of Villa´s goal in the first-ever Leauge Cup Final and won an Under-23 cap before joining Stoke.

Henry Burrows´s Leauge career:

Aston Villa Apps. 147  Goals 53

Stoke Apps. 196 (3)  Goals 63

Jimmy Greenhoff

JIMMY GREENHOFF signed for £100,000 from Birmingham early last season, is Stoke´s most expensive player. Fast and powerful, the Barnsley-born striker entered Leauge soccer during the early years of Leeds´ upsurge and played regulary for them in the European Fairs Cup.

Then he was sold to Birmingham for £70,000 and won four England Under-23 caps. But he was unhappy with Second Division football and welcomed the move to the Potteries.

Jimmy Greenhoff´s Leauge career:

Leeds Apps. 89 (6)  Goals 19

Birmingham Apps.  31  Goals 14

Stoke Apps. 33  Goals 9

John Farmer

The man with one of soccer´s most unenviable job is Stoke goalkeeper JOHN FARMER…. He has to act as deputy to the great Gordon Banks.

Staffordshire-born Farmer won England Under-23 cap against Wales in 1967, but since the arrival of Banks, he has played only when the England man was injuried or on international duty. Even then, John has had little luck – like last years visit at Goodison Park. Gordon was our with a broken wrist and John was looking forward to a month in the first team, but he cracked a rib and was carried off.

John Farmer´s Leauge career:

Stoke Apps. 66

John March

This is JOHN MARCH´s third season as a regular member of Stoke´s defence and the local-born right back has established as one of the steadiest defenders in the business. John wears contact lenses, and aid he settled for two years ago when he find difficulty in timing his tackles under the lights at Halifax. He used them for the first time in April 1969, and found that “I could read the game better.”

John March´s Leauge career:

Stoke Apps. 66 (3)  Goals 1

Sean Haslegrave

Stoke have given first-team chance to two young forwards this season. Local-born 18-year-old SEAN HASSLEGRAVE is now holding a regular place, while 18-year-old, 6 ft 2 ins striker Terry Smith scored on his debut against Chelsea. Cheltenham-born Smith played rugby and soccer at school and nearly signed for Bristol City.

Sean Hasslegrave´s Leauge career:

Stoke Apps. -

Terry Smith

Stoke have given first-team chance to two young forwards this season. Local-born 18-year-old Sean Hasslegrave is now holding a regular place, while 18-year-old, 6 ft 2 ins striker TERRY SMITH scored on his debut against Chelsea. Cheltenham-born Smith played rugby and soccer at school and nearly signed for Bristol City.

Terry Smith´s Leauge career:

Stoke Apps. -

Terry Lees

Stoke´s youth scheme has been producing good prospects in the last couple of years, and two young midfield players have emerged this season. Prestwich-born Stewart Jump, an 18-year-old former Manchester schoolboy player, was first to get into the team, making his debut at Coventry on February 6^th.

TERRY LEES, also 18 and born in Stoke, has also pressing for his chance, having been named as substitute five times. Terry´s father used to play for Blackpool Reserves, but Terry has always supported Stoke.

Terry Lees´s Leauge career:

Stoke Apps. -

Terry Conroy

TERRY CONROY is Stoke´s top marksman this season and holds a regular place on the international  scene with the Republic of Ireland.

Terry, born in Dublin, started out in the famous Home Farm nursery, where he won Eire caps at youth and amateur levels.

He served an apprenticeship in the printing trade and he was 20 before he turned half-time professional with Glentoran. But he was soon signed with Stoke and thr red-haired Irishman has blossomed as a forward of outstanding qualities. But Terry wondered if he was ever going to win an Irish cap. He was chosen three times but was withdrawn for club games twice and then wasn´t picked when named in the squad. He finally made his debut in Prague in October, 1969 ….just 24 hours after playing a Leauge match!

Terry Conroy´s Leauge career:

Stoke Apps. 65 (6)  Goals 9

Stewart Jump

Stoke´s youth scheme has been producing good prospects in the last couple of years, and two young midfield players have emerged this season. Prestwich-born STEWART JUMP, an 18-year-old former Manchester schoolboy player, was first to get into the team, making his debut at Coventry on February 6^th.

Terry Lees, also 18 and born in Stoke, has also pressing for his chance, having been named as substitute five times. Terry´s father used to play for Blackpool Reserves, but Terry has always supported Stoke.

Stewart Jump´s Leauge career:

Stoke Apps. -

Mike Pejic

MIKE PEJIC, the 20-year-old son of a Yugoslav immigrant, won his way into First Division football the hard way – by dislodging experienced Irish international Alex Elder from the Stoke team. Mike, only 5 ft 8 ins tall, but powerful in the tackle, made his debut in 1968-69 and became a regular last season.

Mike Pejic´s Leauge career:

Stoke Apps. 33  Goals 1

Mike Bernard

MIKE BERNARD, the driving force of Stoke´s midfield section, is enjoying the best season of his life – and has won an Under-23 cap. Mike´s job is primary to win the ball in midfield and Sir Alf Ramsey recognised his ability by naming him as a substitute for the Under-23 game against Germany and Sweden and then giving him a cap against Wales at Wrexham. Born in Shrewsbury.

Mike Bernard´s Leauge career:

Stoke Apps. 48 (12)  Goals 2

John Ritchie

Big centre forward JOHN RITCHIE has just returned to first-team duty after a cartilage operation. He had scored ten goals when he dropped out of action and was displaying the form that tempted Stoke to buy him for the second time in his career.

John originally signed from Kettering Town but after scoring a stack of goals was sold to Sheffield Wednesday for £60,000. He did well at Hillsborough, too, but Stoke had to pay only £30,000 when they bought him back last season.

John Ritchie´s Leauge career:

Stoke Apps. 110  Goals 64

Sheffield Wednesday Apps. 88 (1)  Goals 35

Stoke Apps. 31 (2)  Goals 14

John Mahoney

JOHN MAHONEY, son of a former Oldham Rugby Leauge player, has lived most of his life in England but he was born in Cardiff and that qualified him for Wales caps in the Under-23 and senior teams. Yet, when John was a 18-year-old striker with Crewe, he thought he was English and wanted to wear the white shirt on international duty. Even Crewe had his birthplace listed as Denton, Manchester!

John later cost Stoke a £10,000 fee

John Mahoney´s Leauge career:

Crewe Apps. 16 (2)  Goals 5