Stoke City are a small town club already playing above their station.... They play fantasy football compared to only a few seasons ago. I'll be happy to see us mid table in the premiership with the odd run in Europe or a domestic cup for the next 20 years. I gave up on God years ago but in Pulis I still trust and shall continue to do as long as he keeps us in the premiership. He could sign Carlton Palmer for all I care...... as long as premiership status is continued.
This has to be the bigest load of bullshit I've read on not606 since I started to post....... small town club... get real! Stoke in the 70's were up there with the Arsenal's, Liverpool's Chelsea's and Man U. Playing in Europe, winning Cup Finals and sell out crowds. Small town club bullshit and I'm surprised to hear that comment from a fellow Stokie if indeed you are a fellow Stokie because no true Stokie I know would call us a " small town club"
oldnicky mate it made my blood boil it's the kind of crap you get from away fans not your own fans! small town club my arse!
well said Waddo Ive never read such ****e in all my life. What a load of old **** he cant be a stoke fan.
How Rude...... A guy called Voltaire once said something along the lines of "I may disagree with every word you say but I will defend you unto death your right to say it." I believe there are two ways to respond to comments that you do not agree with, reasoned debate or a list of expletives..... I prefer the first. I believe every club has a natural place to which they gravitate. Several factors affect this position and only drastic changes to an area can affect them. Owners and managers, through their decisions, affect where we sit in comparison to this line only in the short term. So, let’s look at how some of these factors affect Stoke. Ground Size 26th largest in the English leagues Catchment Area Stoke on Trent at 239k is the 22nd largest city, supposedly only Nottingham is smaller in size with more than one professional club to cater for. Naturally comparable or bigger teams are close to the south, east and northwest of the Brit. I now live in south staffordshire and have 5 professional clubs closer. The pubs are full of Wolves, WBA and Villa fans. My point is more than 20 teams have the luxury of a better natural catchment area. Affluence Stoke has had a dire macro economy my whole life (I’m 44) The deaths of the pottery and mining industries were a blow that Stoke is still yet to recover from. Unemployment is right now at 10% Perhaps the best measure of an areas success is population growth. Between 1991 and 2001 Stoke shrank by 3.5% - A feat only matched by Birkenhead, Salford and Belfast. History I’m not sure where we stand in an overall success league but one league cup, two Autoglass trophies, and our league positional and European history surely cannot make us top 20. All in all, without rose tinted specs I found in the Boothen, I’d say our natural level is championship. This is why I continue to be so enthralled by SCFC being on MOTD every week. TP and PC are leading us into a fourth year of fighting above our weight and while it continues I shall back them vociferously irrelevant of anything else. 4TH bottom shall remain my own personal objective for Stoke as long as we remain at the elite level. What they have done is slowly becoming recognised as the model to over achieve. We are the new Wigan or Bolton but one day, mark my words, we will gravitate back to where we should naturally be. I’m happy for anyone to denigrate what I’ve had to say just please use something other than an *
Waddo please...... I may not remember 72, my first football memories are the 74 world cup and the ManU / Southampton FA Cup. I was however around during those few glory years in the early eighties. My favourite all time player is Mark Chamberlain and top game I've been to would be the 4-4 draw with luton town in that era. If you want to cyber bash me do it with something more than a one off line based upon ignorance.
Steve I can't be bothered rising to your carp anymore and will choose to ignore you, you're not my cup of tea and obviously a prat. Now take your Stoke is a small town mentality and bore someone else please!
Steve Fair enough, that's your oppinion I respect it. BUT, I know Waddo, Conroy, Old Nick me and many more were around before the 70s. Small Club compared too Arsenal, Utd etc. But, certainly not a small town club mate. Above our station? No way we've earned the right to be here. You are kidding right?
Hey Potts, Yes, I think the way I used the term was a little over zealous. What I was trying to explain and did so in later posts was that we are fighting above our weight right now and should be more thankful of the people who got us here. This wave TP Out nonesense makes me want to stand up for him.
Steve, I too respect your opinion, whilst not necessarily agreeing with it. I think that the image you have portrayed of Stoke and the tone of your rhetoric is in the pejorative sense. Hence other Stokies anger. Sorry no asterisks
I prefer the term realistic to perjorative but I get your point Nick It seems bashing TP is PC if you get my drift yet mention the natural problems he faces and you are full of excrement and can't be a Stoke fan. As you and Potts both know I can stick up for myself and readily view my opinions... I think stiring up a hornets nest at such a quiet time of year helps make my day go by.
