Taken from the 1960 School Magazine "The Review"

FIRST XI

Congratulations to our First XI of the 1959-60 season. They have good reason to be proud of themselves, having gone the whole season without defeat. This, the last team of the old Stanfield Technical School, has indeed set a fine example to those who will follow in the new school, an example that will be difficult to equal in spite of the wonderful facilities that are to come. At the start of the season we expected to have a good team, having a fair nucleus from the '58-'59 team, and some good material coming from the Colts, but they combined to form a team far superior to our expectations.

As captain we were fortunate to have Rutter once again. In the previous season he had established himself as a fine captain and out standing player. This season he even improved on his former showing and had the full confidence of the team from the start. A special word for Rutter for having lead the team through such a successful season. In Rutter's absence, Palfreyman took over the captaincy most efficiently.

G. GLOVER.

---

FIRST XI FOOTBALL REPORT. SEASON 1959-60

The team for the 1959-60 season was outstanding, being undefeated throughout. The team played so well that it is very difficult to single out any matches. However, there are two games worthy of special mention.

The first game was played against Crewe Grammar School at Crewe. The pitch was very heavy and the top surface very slippery. Both teams found the conditions very difficult and many well meant passes went astray. Both goalkeepers were kept very busy throughout the game. It was a backward and forward struggle, with our team coming out with the honours with a narrow one goal to nil win, Hunt scoring the only goal. This was our first win at Crewe for many years.

The second game was played against Nantwich Grammar School at Nantwich. This game was played on a hard, dry pitch with a very lively ball. After some good opening moves by both sides the game settled down to a hard battle of thrustful attacks and hard defensive tackling. Johnson, after avoiding a hard tackle, put through a defence splitting pass for Hunt to run on to score the first goal. A few minutes later Johnson shot from the edge of the penalty area just past the outstretched fingers of the Nantwich goalkeeper to score our second goal.

After half-time, Nantwich hit back quickly, scoring two goals in a matter of a few minutes to level the score at two goals all. The game was again very even until a few minutes before the final whistle, when Thompson managed to screw the ball back into the Nantwich net from an incredible angle. So the game ended with a narrow three goals to two win for the School team.

• T. Hassall. (goalkeeper). Played well all through the season, making some daring saves.
• F. Chesworth (right back). Stem, hard tackler, always making good use of the ball.
• J. Palfreyman (left back). Commanding full back with a good turn of speed.
• A. Matthews (centre half). Commanding in the centre, keeping calm in all circumstances.
• K. Capper (left half). Strong attacking wing half. Tenacious tackler and good ball player.
• P. Thompson (right wing). Very fast with a very good right foot shot.
• S. Rigby (inside right). Had an enormous amount of energy, playing a large part in attack and defence.
• D. Hunt (centre forward). Brilliant opportunist, the team's highest goal scorer.
• J. Edwards (inside left). A good constructive forward who is lethal with either foot.
• F. Pedley (left wing). A constructive player with a cool footballing brain.
• N. Johnson. Proved a very able reserve. At the end of the season having a regular place in the team. Yet another good ball player and opportunist

Results

Alleyne's Grammar School	2	Stanfield	2
Hanley High School	1	Stanfield	1
Stanfield	5	Market Drayton	2
Stanfield	3	Crewe Villa	1
Stanfield	6	Stoke Technical College	0
Stanfield	1	Burton-on-Trent H. S.	1
Market Drayton	0	Stanfield	2
Stanfield	3	Crewe Grammar School	1
Stanfield	5	Crewe Villa	1
Stanfield	3	Alleyne's Grammar School	0
Crewe Grammar School	0	Stanfield	1
Burton-on-Trent H. S.	1	Stanfield	3
Stoke Technical College	2	Stanfield	2
Stanfield	4	Nantwich Grammar School	3
Nantwich Grammar School	2	Stanfield	3
Stanfield	0	Hanley High School	0

Goals

Played	Won	Lost	Drawn	For	Against
16	11	0	5	44	17

---

Second XI

The second XI played a few matches, without a great deal of success. No team spirit was possible, as fixtures were infrequent and changes many.

Rigby, G., acted as captain and carried out his duties most conscientiously. Some Friday afternoons Rigby was to be found dashing around frantically trying to find an eleventh player. To his credit, the team was never short.

			Goals
			For	Against
26th Sept.	Hanley High School	A	0	7	Lost
3rd Oct	Crewe Nomads	H	4	1	Won
17th Oct.	North Staffs. Tech.	C.A	1	2	Lost
7th Nov.	Crewe Grammar School	H	1	6	Lost
16th Jan.	North Staffs. Tech.	C.A.	2	4	Lost
6th Feb.	Crewe Grammar School	A	2	8	Lost
16th Feb.	Hanley High School	H	Postponed

---

UNDER 15 XI

The 1959-60 season was not one of our best, since we did not seem able to play consistently well. We had our good matches and we succeeded in topping the Burslem League and in winning the Handley Cup. On the other hand, we had some frightful matches, as on that never to be forgotten day when we lost 1-13 to Nantwich Grammar School. We seemed to lose form whenever we met a grammar or technical school and unfortunately, too often when we were losing, our team showed no fighting spirit. This is not the way to win football matches.

Our poor form was no fault of the captain, P. Dunn.

S. ERNEST.

Results

Alleyne's Grammar School	7	Stanfield	6
Stanfield	1	Hanley High School	7
Stanfield	7	Bradeley	0
Middleport	0	Stanfield	0
Stanfield	4	Moorland	1
Stanfield	3	Burton on Trent H. S.	1
Stanfield	2	Park	0
Bradeley	1	Stanfield	3
Stanfield	1	Middleport	0
St. John's	3	Stanfield	2
Park	0	Stanfield	5
Stanfield	3	Alleyne's Grammar School	8
Stanfield	3	St. John's	2
Burton on Trent H. S.	8	Stanfield	2
Stanfield	1	Nantwich Grammar School	7
Nantwich Grammar School	13	Stanfield	1

The Review for October 1966 makes this the 1965/66 team.

Under 15

This was a most successful season for the Colts XI. Of all matches played, only one was lost. Credit is due to all players, for they had before them not only a League programme to complete, but also a full list of Cup, League Cup, City Cup and Friendly matches to play. Right through the season the team excelled in every department and once more brought a deal of honour and prestige to the school. The standard of football was of the highest order and was played with an enthusiasm and determination which must have given great satisfaction both to those who played and those who watched.

LEAGUE RECORD

P	W	L	D	F	A	Pts.
18	16	1	1	127	17	33

Woolley, Foster, Wright and Barlow were ever-present members of the City Schoolboys' Team. Maskery, Garner, Wright, Foster, Barlow and Woolley formed the backbone of the Stoke North team which, under the captaincy of Wright, reached the final of the Leckie Shield Competition, only to be beaten by Aldridge & Brownhills Association by two goals to one. Further honours went to Woolley who represented the county on a number of occasions.

The school team were Stoke North champions, Stoke North League Cup winners, and Stoke-on-Trent City Cup winners.

MICHAEL BARLOW (CAPT.)