Stoke
Trents
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Stoke Trents
Semi-Finalists 1951
Formed 1948
Colours: Violet & Orange
Feeder Teams: Burton Brewers, Burslem Valiants, Stafford Ladies of Mercia, Hednesford Miners, Tamworth Lambs
Semi Finalists: 1951
Record Appearances:
Abigail Daker 74 {1951-1958}
Record Scorer:
Nicolette Oldham 37 {1951-1952}
Record Victory
6-1 vs Atlanta Fire {5th March 1957}
Record Defeat
1-9 vs Glasgow 1951
Most Goals in a Game
Nicolette Oldham {4} 5-2 vs Belfast {1951}, 5-3 vs Wandsworth {1951}
June Binns {4} 6-1 Atlanta Fire {5th March 1957}
Most Goals in a Season
Nicolette Oldham {30} {1951} {Golden Bat}
Season History
1951 Semi-Finalists
1952 First Round
1953 First Round
1954 First Round
1955 First Round
1956 Failed to Qualify
1957 Failed to Qualify
1958 Failed to Qualify
Players of the Year
None
Young Players of the Year
None
Team of the Season
Nicolette Oldham {1951}
Golden Bat
Nicolette Oldham {1951}
Silver Bat
None
Bronze Bat
None
Nations Cup Champions
None
The Stoke Story
The Stoke Trents were formed in 1948 to represent the English County of Staffordshire. Potters was initially chosen as their nickname to reflect the major industry of the area but a objection was raised from Speedway team, Haley Potters. Rather than challenge the very popular local team in a public relations exercise they likely to suffer in, the team opted to take the name Trents instead, named after the river that flows through the Potteries. They were allocated the colours Violet & Orange.
The Trents dominated the first season, winning the twelve team League programme to be declared British Champions in 1951. That saw them progress to the knockout competition to claim the World title where they were hugely disappointed to lose in the Semi-Finals, although had the consolation of Nicolette Oldham winning the inagural Golden Bat.
The Trents largely rested on their laurels in the spring of 1952 and were caught by surprise at the sudden rise of standard within the game that season. They failed to get out of their group and have largely struggled ever since, finishing bottom of their group in 1953 & 1954, having to qualify for the first time in 1955 and then ultimately failing to qualify in 1956. The Trents never qualified again and became fouder members of the Secondary Championship in 1959.
Stoke Starting Seven
1959
Netminder: Abigail Daker: Age 24: Rated 2 {Okay}
Left Guard: Valerie Booth: Age 24: Rated 2 {Okay}
Right Guard: Anne Pringle: Age 24: Rated 4 {Very Good}
Sweeper: Beth Bloom: Age 17: Rated 1 {Average}
Centre: Mary Leek: Age 25: Rated 3 {Good}
Attacker: Janet Colclough: Age 25: Rated 5 {Excellent}
Shooter: Edna Gibson: Age 30: Rated 2 {Okay}
Coach: Virginia Lyon: Age 36: Rated 0 {Average}
Joined from South Carolina this season
Substitutes
RG: Eileen Kennington {Average}
CE: Sheena Morris {Okay}
AT: Marion Ascot {Okay}
1959 Team Rating {Okay}
1958 World Ranking {51}
Highest {3} 1952
Stoke Legends
1951
Nicolette Oldham: 24 appearances, 30 goals {1951} - Golden Bat 1951
Nicolette Oldham
Golden Bat {1951}
Date and place of Birth: 23rd July 1930; Stoke on Trent, England
Age: 28 [as of June 27th 1959]
Position: Shooter
Debut: 1951
Appearances: 34 {1951-1952}
Goals: 37
Oldham was born in Stoke-on-Trent in 1930 and was working in a typing pool when encouraged by friends to successfully try out for the Stoke Trents in 1950. In the 1951 season she dominated defences to be the most lethal shooter in the competition, hitting thirty goals to guide Stoke to the title of British Champions, which was basically a twelve team league to determine the seven teams who would join the Junior Champions in the World Championship Quarter-Finals. Oldham scored against Junior Champs, Croydon in the last eight but was policed out of the Semi-Final against Liverpool, which the Trents lost.
The sharp rise in playing standards the following season affected both Stoke, who did little by way of recruitment, and Oldham, who found scoring opportunities much harder to come by. She managed just seven goals in a season where Stoke failed to progress beyond round one. Faced with the prospect of losing her place in 1953, she dropped back to amateur status, joining the Burslem Valiants and still turns out regularly in the Staffordshire County League. Away from the game she's married to a painter and ecorator and has a three year old son.