“Meet the new boss, same as the old boss” Stoke didn’t really reset during pre-season as much as they remained on standby. After four opening games in which criticism of Michael O’Neill intensified on the airwaves, terraces and social media cesspits, the verdict for the season is already in with 42 games to go. We’re … Continue reading Meet Stoke City, a club failing to hit ‘reset’
Association football is lovingly referred to around the world as the ‘beautiful game’ and it has been a constant source of iconic sporting images throughout the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. There are certain photographs which are instantly recognisable to football supporters, either because they showcase a special moment in time or encompass the emotions … Continue reading Stoke City Legends: Mark Stein
The numbers don’t just say stick with Jones, they scream it. Ask any professional stats person, which I am in no way one of, and they will tell you that the rule of thumb is that you can control 50% of what goes on in a football match. This means the other 50% is up … Continue reading Things can only get better: Why Stoke should stick with Nathan Jones
There we go, five months of Nathan Jones and it was...well, it probably wasn’t everything we had all hoped it to be. Stoke stumbled to a 16th placed finish and results wise Jones failed to improve on Rowett’s abject failure. But for some reason I, and I believe a relatively significant proportion of the rest … Continue reading Jonesball Revisited
I’d like to start with a moan. Could Frank Lampard’s Derby County politely piss off into oblivion. ‘Oooo don’t they play good football. Oooo they gave Chelsea (‘s reserves) a good game. I bet Stoke fans wish they didn’t have Rowett.’ Piss off. (If any Derby fans are reading this yes, I’m rattled). Put bluntly, … Continue reading Shithouse? What Shithouse?
A Week In Red, White & Purple September 22nd, 2018 4:30pm. We reach my dad’s car in one of the industrial car parks outside the Bet365, having opted to leave on 70 mins whilst Stoke trailed Blackburn by 3 goals. I check my phone, it’s 3-2. We pull away from the ground, messages fly in, … Continue reading Embrace The Chaos
Resident stats nerd Tom Thrower takes a look at Stoke's opponents in the opening six games... Leeds United Pre-season Record: P6 W3 D2 L1 GF12 GA10 Last season Finished: 13th Marcelo Bielsa, provided he has not left before our clash on Sunday, is without doubt the most exciting manager in the Championship. The Argentinian, nicknamed … Continue reading Championship Preview – Part 1
Football should be fun, and a lot of people seem to forget that. From those berating your team's best player at the game, to the maddening cyber-twats of Twitter and the forums, I wonder what a lot of people actually get out of football other than higher blood pressure. Of course, I regularly join in … Continue reading Daring to Expect
While Ricardo Fuller asking “Who is he again, Mark Cartwright? Really? If Stoke wasn’t in the Premiership, would he be here?” is entertaining there is a question to Cartwright’s role and many seem to be confused over what exactly he does. People seem to blame him for plenty of the issues at the club, without … Continue reading In Defence of Mark Cartwright (Sort of)
“Optimism. Noun: hopefulness and confidence about the future or the success of something” Ten years in the Premier League have come and gone for Stoke City. It wasn’t a shock departure either, instead it was a slow deterioration which began when Mark Hughes’ Stoke side were knocked out of the League Cup semi-final by Liverpool, … Continue reading The Optimism Paradox
The Wizards of Drivel Podcast 