Stoke City F.C.

] Pulis was sacked at the end of the 2004-05 season, following disagreement between himself and the club's owners. [cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/s/stoke_city/4630755.stm |title=Manager Pulis is sacked by Stoke |work=BBC Sport |publisher=British Broadcasting Corporation |date=2005-06-28 |accessdate=2007-07-01]

Dutch manager Johan Boskamp was named as Pulis' successor on 29 June 2005, only a day after Pulis was sacked. [cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/s/stoke_city/4633511.stm |title=Boskamp named as new Stoke boss |work=BBC Sport |publisher=British Broadcasting Corporation |date=2005-06-29 |accessdate=2007-06-12] Boskamp broke the club's transfer record in signing Sambégou Bangoura for a fee in the region of £1m. [cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/s/stoke_city/4181162.stm |title=Potters complete Bangoura signing |work=BBC Sport |publisher=British Broadcasting Corporation |date=2005-08-30 |accessdate=2007-07-01] Despite his spending on new players, Boskamp's side was inconsistent and only a mid-table finish was achieved. [cite web |url=http://soccernet.espn.go.com/tables?league=eng.2&season=2005&column=none&order=false&cc=5739 |title=English League Championship Table - 2005/06 |work=ESPN |publisher=Disney Corporation |accessdate=2007-07-01] Boskamp left at the end of the 2005-06 season, amidst a takeover bid by former-chairman Peter Coates. [cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/s/stoke_city/4960852.stm |title=Boskamp confirms exit from Stoke |work=BBC Sport |publisher=British Broadcasting Corporation |accessdate=2007-07-01 |date=2006-04-30] On 23 May 2006, Coates completed his takeover of Stoke City, marking the end of Gunnar Gislason's chairmanship of the club. [cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/s/stoke_city/5007780.stm |title=Coates takes over as Stoke owner |work=BBC Sport |publisher=British Broadcasting Corporation |date=2006-05-23 |accessdate=2007-07-01] Coates is a former shareholder of the catering company which supplies to the majority of Northern England's football grounds, Stadia Catering, as well as being the chairman of Bet365, [cite news |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/stoke/content/articles/2005/09/01/sport_news_staffordshire_feature.shtml |title=Coates returns to Potters' helm |work=BBC Radio Stoke |publisher=British Broadcasting Corporation |date=2005-09-01 |accessdate=2008-01-18] the betting company which provides services in many sporting venues, albeit not including the Britannia Stadium. Coates chose former-manager Tony Pulis as Boskamp's successor in June 2006. [cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/s/stoke_city/5075140.stm |title=Pulis confirmed as Stoke manager |work=BBC Sport |publisher=British Broadcasting Corporation |accessdate=2007-07-01 |date=2006-06-14] Pulis took Stoke close to a play-off place, however an eventual 8th-place finish was achieved in the 2006-07 season. [cite web |url=http://soccernet.espn.go.com/tables?league=eng.2&season=2006&column=none&order=false&cc=5739 |title=English League Championship Table - 2006/07 |work=ESPN |publisher=Disney Corporation |accessdate=2007-07-01]

Return to top flight football

date = 2008-05-02| accessdate = 2008-09-06]

Their first top flight match was at the Reebok Stadium where they were beaten by a dominant Bolton Wanderers team 3–1, with Ricardo Fuller scoring Stoke's only goal in the last minute. [cite news|title=Bolton 3-1 Stoke |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/7551165.stm| publisher = BBC Sport| date = 2008-08-16| accessdate = 2008-09-06] Following the result, bookmaker Paddy Power paid out on Stoke to be relegated after just one game. [cite news|title=Play it by the book, Paddy - and give Stoke City a chance |url=http://www.sportingo.com/football/a10000_play-it-by-book-paddy-give-stoke-city-chance| publisher = Sportingo| date = 2008-08-18| accessdate = 2008-09-06] However, in their first Premier League home match, Stoke picked up all three points against Aston Villa in a close 3-2 win. [cite news|title=Stoke 3-2 Aston Villa |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/7565062.stm| publisher = BBC Sport| date = 2008-08-23| accessdate = 2008-09-06]

upporters

Stoke have an unfortunate history of hooliganism [cite web |url=http://www.stokecity-mad.co.uk/news/loadfeat.asp?cid=ED91&id=37521 |title=STOKE CITY AND SCENES FROM SOCCER HISTORY #5 |date=2002-02-18 |work=Stoke City MAD |first=Simon |last=Lowe |accessdate=2008-01-18] [cite news |url=http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/liverpool-fc/liverpool-fc-news/2007/10/19/mersey-football-supporters-among-best-behaved-in-land-100252-19977768/ |title=Mersey football supporters among best behaved in land |publisher=Trinity Mirror North West & North Wales Limited |date=2007-10-19 |first=Ben |last=Rossington |work=Liverpool Echo |accessdate=2008-01-18] along with Cardiff City and Millwall. Trouble is automatically expected when visiting fans with any history meet. [cite news |url=http://observer.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,,1011451,00.html |title=Hooligans ready for big kick-off |first=Denis |last=Campbell |date=2003-08-03 |accessdate=2008-01-18 |publisher=Guardian News and Media |work=The Observer] In response to these criticisms, the club introduced an Away Travel ID scheme. [cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/s/stoke_city/2682885.stm |title=ID scheme 'big success' |work=BBC Sport |publisher=British Broadcasting Corporation |date=2003-01-22 |accessdate=2008-01-18] Incidents have occurred with the teams QPRcite news
title=Arrests follow violence at match
publisher=BBC News
date=2004-10-03
url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/staffordshire/3711178.stm
accessdate=2008-06-05] , Wolvescite news
title=Violence hits streets after match
publisher=Express and Star
date=2008-02-11
url=http://www.expressandstar.com/2008/02/11/violence-hits-streets-after-match
accessdate=2008-06-05] , Everton cite news
title=Hooligan Troublespots - Stoke City
publisher=BBC News
url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/static/in_depth/programmes/2002/hooligans/diary/stoke_city.stm
accessdate=2008-06-05] and Cardiff City.

Stoke fans mainly consider their biggest rivals to be Port Vale, although in the past they have stated Manchester United and Wolverhampton Wanderers to be rivals.

Players

:"As of 26 September 2008."cite web
title = Player Profiles
url = http://www.stokecityfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/ProfilesDetail/0,,10310,00.html
publisher = Stoke City FC
accessdate = 2007-11-03]

Current squad

Out on loan

Notable former players

Despite having a relative lack of success for a club who played top-flight football for many years, the club has seen some famous names play for the club over the years, which can be seen below, including Sir Stanley Matthews, who played for the club in two terms from a youth player to his retirement at 50 years of age.

* Sir Stanley Matthews
* Sir Geoff Hurst
* Gordon Banks (most capped player, 73)
* Peter Shilton
* Alan Hudson
* Peter Dobing (captain of League Cup winning team)
* Alan Bloor
* Alan Dodd
* Jimmy Greenhoff
* Terry Conroy
* Adrian Heath
* John Ritchie (all-time top scorer, with 171 goals in league and cup)
* Freddie Steele (top league goalscorer)
* Eric Skeels (most appearances, 575)
* Neil Franklin
* Mike Pejic
* Paul Maguire
* George Berry
* John Mahoney
* Leigh Richmond Roose (early 20th century goalkeeper)
* Frank Soo (first non-white person to play for England)
* George Eastham
* Frank Bowyer
* Denis Smith
* Garth Crooks
* Mark Stein
* Mike Sheron
* Peter Hoekstra
* Ed de Goey

Managerial history

Stoke have a history of management casualties, few British clubs have seen a higher turnover of managers from the mid 80's till the mid 2000'sFact|date=May 2007.

Club mascot

Stoke have 2 club mascots called Pottermus, and Pottermiss (a female version of Pottermus). Pottermus was created when Stoke City moved to the Britannia Stadium in the 1997-98 season, while Pottermiss was created in the 2002-03 season. Occasionally, Pottermus, also known as Hippo rides a motorcycle around the pitch in a leather jacket; he was the first club mascot to hold a motorcycle licence and has also won the mascots' grand national on two occasions. He famously removed the head of Nuneaton Borough's mascot, a bear, at one match and also likes to use his wrestling skills on any visiting mascots.

American club partnership

In January 2008 the Austin Aztex, who will be joining the United Soccer Leagues in 2009, and Stoke City announced a team partnership and will share training information and players, with Austin acting as a potential player resource for Stoke. [cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/s/stoke_city/7203023.stm |title=Stoke do deal with US franchise |date=2008-01-22 |publisher=BBC Sports] The Potters hope the relationship will unearth untapped American talents as Texas is considered to be one of the hotbeds for American football talent. Stoke City also look to build an American fan base by sending young players to get playing time and selling Stoke City merchandise in Austin.

Club honours

Football League Championship
*Champions 1932-33, 1962-63
*Runners-up 2007-08

Football League 1
*Champions 1992-93
*Play-off winners 2001-02

Third Division (North) (Equivalent level to Football League 1)
*Champions 1926-27

League Cup
*Winners 1971-72
*Runners-up 1963-64

Football League Trophy
*Winners 1991-92, 1999-2000

Watney Cup
*Winners 1973

Isle of Man Trophy
*Winners 1988, 1992, 1993

Records

Attendance records:
* 51,130 (Victoria Ground) v Arsenal 29 March 1937
* Estimated 52,000 at the Centenary Game against Real Madrid 1963
* 28,218 (Britannia Stadium) v Everton 5 January 2002

Record results:
* Record league victory: 10-3 v West Bromwich Albion (1937)
* Record league defeat: 0-10 v Preston North End (1889)

Record Signing:
* Dave Kitson signed from Reading: £5.5million (July 2008)

References

External links

* [http://www.stokecityfc.com/ Official Website]
* [http://www.givemefootball.com/club-list/stoke-city Official PFA Team Page]
* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/s/stoke_city/default.stm Stoke City on BBC Sport]
* [http://www.thepotterstrust.org.uk/ Potters Trust - Official supporters club]

succession box
before=Birmingham City
title=Football League Trophy Winners
years=1991-92
after=Port Valesuccession box
before=Wigan Athletic
title=Football League Trophy Winners
years=1999-2000
after=Port Vale