Editing Stanley Matthews (section)

===Post-war resumption with Stoke===
The regular Football League returned in time for the [[1946–47 Stoke City F.C. season|1946–47]] season, during which Matthews played 23 league games and contributed to 30 of the club's 41 league goals.<ref>{{harvnb|Matthews|2000|p=251}}</ref> Stoke matched their record finish of fourth in the league, finishing just two points shy of champions [[Liverpool F.C.|Liverpool]] after losing to [[Sheffield United F.C.|Sheffield United]] on the final day of the season. However, in February, Matthews was returning from a knee injury when manager McGrory told him he was not in the first XI for the game against Arsenal; the press reported this as a bust-up.<ref>{{harvnb|Matthews|2000|p=226}}</ref> Relations between McGrory, the Stoke City board, and Matthews had indeed always been sour – though once again a story that the players sided against Matthews were untrue.<ref>{{harvnb|Matthews|2000|p=238}}</ref> Recalled against [[Brentford F.C.|Brentford]], only after the game did he find out that this was only because he was a last-minute replacement for an injured [[Bert Mitchell]].<ref>{{harvnb|Matthews|2000|p=247}}</ref> Matthews put in a second transfer request, which the Stoke board eventually accepted.<ref name="page 248">{{harvnb|Matthews|2000|p=248}}</ref> He selected Blackpool as his next club as he still lived in the area following his service in the RAF; the Stoke board sanctioned the move on the condition that the deal was to remain a secret until the end of the season, not to disrupt the club's title bid.<ref name="page 248"/> The secret was revealed in a matter of hours, as an unknown person informed the press.<ref name="page 248"/>