1980–81 Stoke City F.C. season
The 1980–81 season was Stoke City’s 74th in the Football League and 48th in the First Division. Managed by Alan Durban and chaired by Percy Axon, the team played at the Victoria Ground. It was a year of change, with several players coming and going.
Key changes and arrivals:
- Garth Crooks left for Tottenham Hotspur for a club-record fee of £650,000.
- Goalkeeper Roger Jones moved to Derby County.
- New signings included Peter Hampton from Leeds United (£170,000), Paul Maguire from Shrewsbury Town (£262,000), plus Iain Munro and Peter Griffiths.
Season arc:
- Stoke had a poor start, conceding 12 goals in their first four games, including heavy losses at Norwich City (5–1) and Nottingham Forest (5–0).
- They gradually recovered and finished in 11th place with 42 points, avoiding any relegation worries. The campaign had many draws (18), which some fans found disappointing.
Cup performance:
- FA Cup: Third round. They drew Wolverhampton Wanderers 2–2 at home, but lost 2–1 in the replay.
- League Cup: Second round, eliminated by Manchester City after a 1–1 draw at home and a 3–0 defeat away (aggregate 4–1).
Top scorer:
- Lee Chapman was the leading scorer with 17 goals in all competitions (15 in the league).
Attendance highlights:
- Highest home attendance: 24,549 vs Manchester United on 4 October 1980.
- Lowest home attendance: 10,722 vs Ipswich Town on 23 August 1980.
- Average home league attendance: 15,580.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 17:01 (CET).