[Archived] Stoke City Preview 18th April

[colin]

My Dad took me to a few games at Ewood when I was nothing but a primary school child in shorts . I remember seeing Bryan Douglas; Ronnie Clayton; Fred Pickering & Fred Else. But it never really stuck.

A few years later I had a bit of hero-worship for Gordon Banks as he had just got himself a World Cup winners medal. Then he moved from Leicester City to Stoke City. My Dad took me to see a couple of games at both Filbert Street & The Victoria Ground.I think he just fancied a day out with his younger son and watching a game of football.

I was still supporting Stoke from afar as a callow youth in 1972 when they beat Chelsea in the League Cup final. Their only trophy ever. George Eastam & Terry Conroy scored the goals. Terry Conroy had the biggest and bestest ginger sideburns ever.

Many years later, after I caught the Rovers' bug I went to see us at The Victoria ground. April 21st 1990. We won 1-0 after a very late David Mail penalty. Rubbish game. Super Atko; Simon Garner; Scotty Sellars; Keith Hill; Howard Gale; jumpers for goal posts.

Onwards to 2009............

You can get all and probably more than you need about Stoke City from here.

Stoke City FC on Wikipedia

Stoke City's manager, Tony Pulis seems to have an obsession with tall players. If he had Maradonna; Best; & Cruyff in his squad he's probably leave them on the bench.

This season we beat Stoke 3-0 at Ewood on 21st December just after Paul Ince had been given the boot and it was Sam's first game in charge. We won quite comfortably with a couple from Benni & one from Jason. It was a good day all round and gave us a Christmas bonus.

On the 2nd February Stoke got a home win against Manchester City

"Pulis has assembled a combative squad that cost a fraction of the £32.5m that City have splurged on just one Brazilian superstar and it was symbolic of how this match went that it was Glenn Whelan, the Stoke midfielder who five years ago was released for free by City after one appearance as a substitute, who came off the pitch clutching Robinho's shirt. "He's one of their biggest stars and I raced up to him as soon as the whistle went," said ­Whelan. "I've already got Rooney's and Robbie Keane's this season, so this is another one for the collection. They're just nice to have, something to look back on when I've finished."

If that makes Whelan sound like a tourist in the top flight he, like team-mates such as the former Manchester United reserve Ryan Shawcross, have regularly shown this season that they belong in the Premier League – at least when playing at the Britannia, where the narrowness of the pitch and its openness to the elements makes it so ­daunting a destination that only Manchester United and Chelsea (you can add Everton to that list - Colin) have won here. "Teams don't fancy ­coming here, especially when the wind gets up, so we try to capitalise on that," said Whelan."

Stoke's recent form is as follows:

7th February they lost away at Sunderland 2-0

21st February was a 2-2 draw at home with Portsmouth with the four goals all coming in the last 22 minutes and with thePortsmouth equaliser being a 90th minute og.

1st March they got a 2-2 draw at Villa Park with the two goals coming in the last five minutes

4th March saw them beat The Piggies 2-0 at home

14th March they lost away 3-1 to Everton

21st March they beat Boro 1-0 at home

4th April they were away at West Brom and they won 2-0. Their first away win of the season, and their first in the top flight for 24 years

This is an article in The Guardian from the day before the game

The Guardian

11th April they played Newcastle at The Britannia and drew 1-1

"It is better for Shearer's squad not to consider what a pounding they took from Tony Pulis's team in the magnificently raucous ground.... but the atmosphere overall is a blessing to the antiseptic Premier League. Stoke, six points in front of Newcastle, are close to clinching survival. Their methods are direct yet well executed, and nobody can complain about a high-tempo approach based on getting the ball wide so that crosses are served up for determined attackers. It might not be pretty, but it is pretty darned good."

Stoke's home record is now played 16; won 8; drawn 5; and lost 3

The away record is played 16; won 1; drawn 4; and lost 11

It's going to be an ugly game. Allerdyce v Pulis will not be Holland v Brazil. Probably like the rest of us I reckon 1 point will be OK & 3 will be a very lucky bonus.

[philipl]

At last a sane post after reading so much angst in the Liverpool aftermath and vinjay up his tree writing to himself in the sale thread. Fancy us to win this in a riproaring cup tie atmosphere.

[RovertheHill]

Stoke's home form is impressive. If we sit back like we did at Anfield we will lose this. However, if we have a go at them it may just throw them off their stride. So I suppose it depends on Allardyce tactics and then whether Che Warnock et al can be @rsed to follow them. Hope fully the atmosphere will drive them on

[Hughesy]

Rovers to win 2-1. Roared on by 3000 rovers fans - should be a cracking day.

[bubblerrovers]

Right, imporant question where can we drink before the match? Any good pubs for away fans. This won't be a good match sober.

[T4E]

This game is huge. It's another "must not lose" as opposed to "must win". We should be able to pick up the wins we need in our remaining home games, but atleast a point here and away to City would be a huge helping hand.

[waggy]

i reckon we should play jason brown up front,or but out a tannoy call for any fit supporter

[rovgers]

Right, imporant question where can we drink before the match? Any good pubs for away fans. This won't be a good match sober.

After reading the "football ground guide", there only seems to be one alternative to drinking in the ground and thats at the power league complex.

Its only a couple of minutes away from the ground and I've read it welcomes away fans.

The only problem is that a few thousand fans will all be arriving at the same time, so expect a big queue!!

Link to the site:

Stoke away guide

[JAL]

Stoke look organised with everyone of their players knowing their positions within the team and the game plan, sadly the last two Rovers games we've looked the complete opposite... a complete shambles.

With one or two of our 'stars' seemingly not focused, Rovers go into this game at a massive disadvantage.

Can you really see them pulling off a result based on the last two games - I cant. but they simply have to make sure they dont lose otherwise all our confidence will be drained by another bad defeat.

Good luck to all those going and beware of the Stoke fans causing trouble, now is the time to flex some muscle in more ways than one.

Come on Rovers!

[rovgers]

Stoke look organised with everyone of their players knowing their positions within the team and the game plan,

This might be due to the fact that stoke are playing with a settled side, which is something that we haven't been able to do due to injuries

Can you really see them pulling off a result based on the last two games - I cant.

based on the last 2 games? one of the games we played rubbish and still managed to show the fight at the end to get all 3 points. I would be more than happy to get the same result

[b12_simon]

i reckon we should play jason brown up front,or but out a tannoy call for any fit supporter

I'll take my boots and shinnies just in case...

[rovgers]

If pedersen is fit on saturday, the press will have field day with him taking long throws for us and delap taking the throws for them!

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

I just want a full 90 minutes performance from our team that states they DO give a flying one about the club and its fans.....3 points would also be nice too!

[sanlorenzo]

Any news on RSC? Will he play? Why is there never any information about his status until the last minute?

[Rover9]

I just want a full 90 minutes performance from our team that states they DO give a flying one about the club and its fans.....3 points would also be nice too!

Agreed! This is the game where the players need to pull their socks up and put in a shift, us fans will be there and giving it our all and it would be nice to see the same pride in the shirt down on the pitch aswel

[Hughesy]

Cant wait for this one - over 40 coaches heading there for this one so our support should be great.

We need to out sing the very vocal stoke fans.

[rovgers]

Cant wait for this one - over 40 coaches heading there for this one so our support should be great.

We need to out sing the very vocal stoke fans.

We will need to be very loud if we are to out sing the stoke fans, the geordies on 606 said that the stoke fans were the loudest that they've heard this season.

[Hughesy]

They have 1 song which is unbelivable loud - cant tell what they sing, but its loud.

[Ewood Spark]

They have 1 song which is unbelivable loud - cant tell what they sing, but its loud.

That'll be Delilah ... Tom Jones 60's classic which they have adopted for no apparent reason.

[den]

Sounds like Rocky is out again.

Without him and Roberts, I really can't see us getting anything from this one.

[Claytons Left Boot]

For Rocky read 'crocky.'

When Citeh came calling we should have snapped their hands, arms, feet, legs and willies off. I'm not wearing hindsight glasses either. £18m or thereabouts sailing down Bolton Road. The trustees must have watched it go past with expressions on their faces like dogs that had just had their tea snatched away.

[sambo]

Anyone else think that Santa is putting his whole injury thing on a bit? He seems to be forever out with niggles.

[Hughesy]

No he's dedicated to the cause and is obviously happy to play through the pain barrier via injections to save our club.

[SamTheShrew]

I dont think he is putting it on one bit. he needs to be playing to get a move

[bigbrandjohn]

For Rocky read 'crocky.'

When Citeh came calling we should have snapped their hands, arms, feet, legs and willies off. I'm not wearing hindsight glasses either. £18m or thereabouts sailing down Bolton Road. The trustees must have watched it go past with expressions on their faces like dogs that had just had their tea snatched away.

Spot on, too much dithering all round. we were greedy and we will pay for it. It's like we didnt get a replacement because he isn't playing and yet we dont have the 18 million.