Stoke City FC #1: Na 23 jaar terug op het hoogste niveau

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Stoke City Football Club is a football club based in Stoke-on-Trent, England. Stoke is the second-oldest Football League club in the world as it was founded in 1863. The club plays in the Football League Championship, the second tier of English football.

The club’s nickname is The Potters (after the pottery industry in Stoke-on-Trent) and its home kit consists of a red & white vertical-striped shirt with white shorts and white socks. The club is currently owned by Kidsgrove Road Limited, a subsidiary of Bet365, with Peter Coates as the club's chairman. It was owned by Stoke Holding, from 1999 to 2006, which was in turn owned by a consortium of Icelandic businessmen. Coates completed his takeover on May 22 2006.

Stoke play their home fixtures at the Britannia Stadium, a 28,000 all-seater stadium. The stadium was opened in 1997; prior to this date Stoke had played at the Victoria Ground, which had been their home ground since 1878(a record of 119 years which is still unbeaten by any English club).

Stoke have not participated in the top flight since the 1984-85 season when they were relegated with a total of 17 points, which would be a record low tally for twenty-one years. Stoke's first major trophy was won in the 1972 League Cup Final, when Stoke beat Chelsea 2-1. The club have won the Football League Trophy on two occasions, firstly in 1992 and then in 2000.

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Belgen
Carl Hoefkens

Nederlanders
* Ed de Goey
* Peter Hoekstra
* Dick Schreuder
* Hans Segers

Overig
* Gordon Banks
* Michael Duberry
* Neil Franklin
* Bruce Grobbelaar
* Thordur Gudjonsson
* Alan Hudson
* Sir Geoff Hurst
* Sir Stanley Matthews
* Mike Pejic
* John Ritchie
* Peter Shilton
* Eric Skeels
* Frank Soo
* Freddie Steele

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Op zondag 27 april 2008 11:46 schreef Barnet_Bee het volgende:
Phil Taylor en Robbie Williams zijn fanatieke Port Vale-fans, dus die zullen wel niet op de tribune gaan zitten bij Stoke

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Stoke City manager Tony Pulis says his side are under "good pressure" ahead of Sunday's promotion decider with Leicester City.

City need only a point at the Britannia Stadium on Sunday to return to the top flight after a 23-year absence.

Pulis told BBC Radio Stoke: "I was at this club when we had to beat Reading to stay up. That was real pressure.

"This is good pressure. Fighting to be in the Premier League is better than having to fight to stay up."

The game will reunite the Stoke boss with some old friends.

Leicester boss Ian Holloway started his career alongside Pulis at Bristol Rovers and is godfather to his son Anthony.

Pulis also worked with Foxes chairman Milan Mandaric at Portsmouth, a relationship that ended in some acrimony.

"I know what Milan's like" said Pulis. "We fell out and I had a long fight to get my money, but that was all sorted. We've spoken since and we've been okay."

The Foxes will travel to the Britannia also in desperate need of a result, knowing that victory would ensure they win their battle against relegation.