Match Day Thread Stoke City v Preston North End Bet 365 Stadium 26/1/2019

In 1902 Arnold Bennett wrote the book Anna and the five Towns, featuring the towns of the Potteries, the tale is about Anna's bid for freedom and independence, it's a bit like Brexit but based in Stoke. There is suicide, bankruptcy and Anna main love tops himself a jovial book.

However since the book was written nothing really has changed in Stoke it is still a rubbish hole the kind of place if it was hit by a nuclear armageddon after the dust cleared nobody would ever know the difference.

And against this background of misery we travel on Saturday in the hope of inflicting more misery on them however come 5 pm we will win as we will be going back North and not having to stay there.

Always found them to be a hostile bunch of supporters when we used to venture to the old Victoria Ground they always thought we lacked money and were quite eager to give some to us usually thrown at high velocity from distances upwards of 30 yards.

Speaking of the Victoria Ground didn't have that bad a record their although do remember a League cup tie circa 1993, in those days it was a two legged affair and even though we were absolutely pants in those days we had won the firsty leg 1-0.

In the return we were still actually drawing 0-0 very late into the game, having kicked off at 7.30pm the clock t the old ground seemed to stop on 9.10 for about 20 minutes and true to form late Stoke goal took the game into extra time and we capitulated 4-0.

Only been to the Brittania as it was once winning 1-0 Jackson scoring early on under Moyes on a Boxing Day.

As previously stated truly odd fans after all who would take 4000 to a Checkatrade game to watch their under 21's get buried by those other neandertals Port Vale.

You can tell what you are up against when their major song to support the side is a tale of a man knifing a woman to death, Delilah, a song made famous by Welsh underwear collector Tom Jones, although I always prefered the version by the Sensational Alex Harvey Band







Stoke City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire. Founded as Stoke Ramblers in 1863 the club changed its name to Stoke in 1878 and then to Stoke City in 1925 after Stoke-on-Trent was granted city status. They are the second-oldest professional football club in the world, after Notts County, and were a founding member of the Football League in 1888.[4] The team competes in the Championship, the second tier of English football.

Their first, and to date only, major trophy, the League Cup was won in 1972, when the team beat Chelsea 2–1. The club's highest league finish in the top division is fourth, which was achieved in the 1935–36 and 1946–47 seasons. Stoke played in the FA Cup Finalin 2011, finishing runners-up to Manchester City and have reached three FA Cup semi-finals; in 1899 then consecutively in 1971 and 1972. Stoke have competed in European football on three occasions, firstly in 1972–73 then in 1974–75 and most recently in 2011–12. The club has won the Football League Trophy twice, in 1992 and in 2000.

Stoke's home ground is the 30,089 all-seater, bet365 Stadium. Before the stadium was opened in 1997, the club was based at the Victoria Ground, which had been their home ground since 1878. The club's nickname is 'The Potters', named after the pottery industry in Stoke-on-Trent and their traditional home kit is a red and white vertically striped shirt, white shorts and stockings. Stoke's traditional rivals are Midlands clubs West Bromwich Albion and Wolverhampton Wanderers whilst their local rivals are Port Vale with whom they contest the Potteries derby.

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City relegated last seaon turned to serial Midlands manager Gary Rowett until they realised they were heading into mid table oblivion sacked him to appoint Nathan Jones Luton manager who will take them into mid table oblivion,
Tough game ahead wrap up warm it's always cold in Stoke still in a nuclear winter

Team News: Stoke City

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Manager Alex Neil has even more options available to him for the weekend’s trip to face Nathan Jones’ Stoke City in the EFL Championship.

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The Lilywhites’ boss welcomes back Josh Earl after his one match suspension and former Stoke City man Louis Moult has another week’s training under his belt to give further opportunities should he choose to make any changes.

Skipper Tom Clarke will be assessed later in the week, but he too could return after a calf problem ruled him out of the win at Queens Park Rangers last weekend.

Fellow defender and new signing Joe Rafferty will also be available for selection, after completing his move from Rochdale, signing a three-and-a-half year deal with the club on Wednesday.
This would mean only the long-term casualties of Callum Robinson (hamstring) and Billy Bodin and Josh Harrop (both ACL) are the only players unavailable as the team make the short trip down the M6.
New Potters boss Nathan Jones utilised a 3-5-2 formation for their impressive win over league leaders Leeds United last weekend and the question will be whether he chooses to retain this, after the success, or revert to his favoured diamond for the visit of PNE.

Former Blackpool midfielder Charlie Adam has been given a pivotal role in the City side since the appointment of the former Luton boss and the experienced Scot could again anchor the midfield.

He has a strong squad with a lot of top flight experience at his disposal should he wish to make any changes to the side that defeated Marcelo Bielsa’s side last Saturday.

Ref Watch: Stoke City

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Taking charge of his second PNE game of the season, but his first in the EFL Championship, is referee Oliver Langford.
Prior to refereeing our Carabao Cup third round tie with Middlesbrough back in September, it had been 12 months since he last took charge of a game at Deepdale.

West Midlands official prior to the Boro game, last took charge of our Tuesday night clash with Cardiff City at Deepdale in September 2017, when the Lilywhites ran out 3-0 winners against Neil Warnock’s Bluebirds.

The previous season he took charge of three North End games. His first was the live Sky victory over Wigan Athletic back in September 2016, his second, our first match of the new year, at Burton Albion and his third the goalless draw away at Barnsley in February.
He also twice took charge of the Lilywhites in 2015/16; the goalless draw against Derby County, when goalkeeper Anders Lindegaard made his debut for the club, and the April trip to Middlesbrough.
His first game in change of North End before that was the clash with Swindon at the County Ground in November 2014.

This will also be his second Potters game of the season, having officiated their goalless draw at Nottingham Forest in November, so this is his first game at the Bet365 Stadium this season, which has for him included 23 games thus far, issuing 73 cautions and five red cards, two of which came in his last game, Reading’s 2-0 home win over Forest.

He will be assisted by Phil Dermott and Adam Crysell, with experienced match official Andy Woolmer acting as the fourth official for the game.

 

The BBC did a series on Anna & The 5 Towns. It was excellent. Hope to stuff them.

 

Stoke City 0 Preston North End 2 Browne, Potts

Stoke City line-up: Butland, Bauer, Allen, Williams, Etebo, Afobe (Crouch, 79), Tymon (Sorensen, 43), Martins Indi, Shawcross ©, Clucas, Campbell (McClean, 61). Subs not used: Federici, Ince, Bojan, Edwards.

PNE line-up: Rudd, Fisher, Hughes, Pearson, Storey, Davies, Potts, Gallagher © (Johnson, 74), Stockley (Barkhuizen, 58), Browne, Maguire (Nmecha, 81). Subs not used: Ripley, Earl, Ledson, Huntington.

Attendance: 25,053 (2,041 PNE fans)

Referee: Mr O Langford

Another win on the road personal view at better win than at QPR given that we had to with stand a strong Stoke second half display had a bit of luck but deserved the wimn.
Unchanged from last week although had to change subs before kick off as Moult pulled up lame in teh warm up, Huntington coming in. Started really well with Gally testing Butland early on, earned a series of corners before taking a deserved lead, Fisher cutting into the area, tried his luck with a shot ball came back to him, fed Browne who turned and fired home left footed from the edge of the box , his 10th of the season.
Dominated against a home side who had set up to play on the break with their main weapon a long ball for Afobe to chase, caused us little problem until getting towards half time when the gawme got a bit fiesty due to Stoke not exactly playing ball after one of ours was injured, this actually roused their supprt from their slumbers.
Tactical change on half time by Stoke changed personel and formation. Half time in the lead.
Second half City started to play some football and were causing problems, they were unlucky not to level although the ball ran kindly for them but Davies made an immense clearence from Afobe?
Corners were causing us difficulties but we had chances on the break to kill the game off, Maguire having a cross cleared when we two men spare waiting for it.
Crouch came on to add his height to the attack more corners and from one City hit the inside off the post within a minute they were two down, we broke down the right Maguire this time found Potts unmarked two up.
Done and dusted not quite Potts brought down McClean who took and missed the penalty Rudd getting his body in teh way ball hitting the bar and cleared to safety. All that was left was for Pearson to troll McClean which succeded JOB DONE.

Stoke City manager Nathan Jones told BBC Radio Stoke:

"It just shows our inconsistency at the moment and we need to find consistency in performance.

"I didn't change too much from last week (beating Leeds 2-1) as the players deserved to go forward with that, but we didn't start well, keep the ball well enough, impose ourselves.

"I thought we lacked a little bit of energy and that just shows the inconsistency they've had all season and we have to improve on that.

"We've picked a good enough side to go out there and play well and we didn't really do that. We have to be better than that."

Preston manager Alex Neil told BBC Radio Lancashire:

"To be honest, it was a continuation of what we did at QPR really (a 4-1 away win last Saturday).

"I thought we were great, moved the ball really well. We showed real bravery throughout the game, even after going 1-0 up.

"We made Stoke really change their shape before half-time, which I think was a real compliment to us."

 

Edit Cluclas duffed the pen