Thetownend.com

Basically I'm from a Stoke City forum who're now starting something where we get the perspective of opposition supporters. It will be interesting to get some of your thoughts. Would appreciate it if you lot could answer five questions for us ahead of our game:

1) What do you think of Tony Pulis and his tactics?

2) If you could sign one Stoke player, who would it be?

3) What are your expectations for your club/Stoke this season?

4) Who will be your most important player against Stoke?

5) What is your prediction for the match?


Thanks a lot, look forward to getting some responses.

Forum link: eighteensixtythree.proboards.com

1. Each to their own. Admire Stoke in sticking 2 fingers at the establishment as much as possible, like the real Wimbledon did for a number of years.The fact is Pulis earned you promotion by playing that way, and helped you get into Europe for the first time in years. You won't find us playing like that under PdC.

2. I don't think one Stoke player could put up with PdC, especially his pre-seasons. Virtually double sessions, 7 days a week.

3. Challenging for promotion to the Championship is our aim, and we've made a pretty good start so far. No goals conceded so far, and we now hold a FL record having conceded only 1 goal in the last 19 home games. Stoke's aim should be the top ten in the Prem and annoy the so called 'big clubs'.

4. I think big Aden Flint will enjoy the aerial challenge.

5. I think we'll be very competitive. We did beat Wigan in the FA Cup last season, so you cannot count anything out.

1) What do you think of Tony Pulis and his tactics?
Pulis was always a bit of a clogger as a player against us, big and solid and not scared to a tackle....albeit fair or not, played against us many times for Bournemouth and Bristhole Rovers and he has got Stoke playing in a similar way that works for him and Stoke. You are getting results by being physically stronger and fitter than them and playing the long ball, if it works for you then great even if it doesn't make the best of games to watch as a neutral.

2) If you could sign one Stoke player, who would it be?
If it was any player it would be Shawcross who is solid and gives 100% every game, if it was to compliment our current side then for me it would be Crouch, massively under rated player IMO.

3) What are your expectations for your club/Stoke this season?
I HOPE we can get direct promotion but anything less than play offs would be disappointing for me. For Stoke I would think creeping into europe would be achievable but mid table probably more likely.

4) Who will be your most important player against Stoke?
We have many players that can change a game in the cup, Foderingham in goal, McCormack at CB but our biggest talent, who when hes on form runs the show is of course Matt Ritchie.

5) What is your prediction for the match?
I think we can take you to extra time after a 1-1 draw in normal time, we are very fit and will push you all the way but feel you will probably have the strength to beat us in extra time by a single goal.

I went to the Victoria Ground as a young teenager in 79-80 when we were a 3rd division side and you in division 1, much like we are both now, and we came to you and got a 2-2 draw after outplaying you for most of the game even though we scored a late equaliser.

We went on to beat you at home in the replay (not needed now as its over in 1 game) and we went on to the Semi Finals of the League Cup that season......maybe we can emulate that again? who know.

1. Effective. Has served them well thus far in the top division.

2. Crouch. Knows where the net is and a very tidy footballer despite his gangly frame.

3. Us-Play offs. Stoke-Mid table

4. Richie. Our prize asset and potential match winner

5. 1-0 to Stoke.


Thought the booing of Ramsey was pathetic by the way. The cheek of getting his leg broken by a Stoke player. How dare he

I agree that no boos should have been directed at Ramsey anyway, but people need to realise our fans weren't booing him simply because he got injured - bit because of the childish way in which he responded to Shawcross' offer of an apology.

Indeed, and the way he was unhappy with the prospect of Shawcrosd being included in the Wales squad. Sometimes shit things happen in football, but they are accidental.

1) What do you think of Tony Pulis and his tactics?
Pulis is the perfect manager, at the perfect club at the perfect time. Much like PdC

2) If you could sign one Stoke player, who would it be?
Shawcross

3) What are your expectations for your club/Stoke this season?
Swindon promotion - Stoke to carry on ruffling feathers

4) Who will be your most important player against Stoke?
Sir Wes - goalkeeper

5) What is your prediction for the match?
If you put out anything like what could be deemed a 2nd eleven we will win


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1.....Tony Pulis is a decent manager and his tactics work well,years back under Lou Macari the tactics were often scrutinized but the results are the proof of the pudding.
2...Player i would sign is Robert Huth,very good in the air and a good leader.
3..My expectations are changing on a weekly basis for Swindon Town,right now i would settle for the playoffs but i have a sneeky feeling that we could win this league at a canter.
As for Stoke with there brilliant home support they should get enough points to easily finish mid table and maybe push for the top eight.
4..Most probably Matt Ritchie but i feel a lot will centre on if our striker/s can ruffle a few feathers in the Stoke defence because we will not concede many in my view...if any at all.
5..I have a feeling it has 0-0 :zzz:written all over it....it is a good chance for both clubs to progress.

Stoke are a club to be admired at present,they get a lot of unwarranted flack when in fact they do at times play some nice footy,only gripe is the towels.....get a grip ;)

is the wheatsheaf still operating as a live music venue? Saw the charlatans at trentham gardens years ago and had a cracking night.

And do you sir think it is fair that Arsenal fans boo Shawcross, despite the challenge being 50/50 and a lot less dangerous than most tackles you will see each weekend?

the only thing more tedious that watching the way Stoke play is listening to people talk about their 'incredible' support

Although it was clearly an accident,Arsenal fans booing the player who broke one of theirs legs is understandable. A bit diffrent to booing the victim in my opinion.

1) What do you think of Tony Pulis and his tactics?

Not pretty but effective, and anything that winds up Arsene Wenger is fine by me

2) If you could sign one Stoke player, who would it be?

Crouch

3) What are your expectations for your club/Stoke this season?

Going by last season, this season's start and the methods of PDC, anything other than a promotion push, particularly for autos, would be disappointment. Regarding Stoke, I see them being mid-table if not higher.

4) Who will be your most important player against Stoke?

Tough one, given Stoke's tactics then either Foderingham or Flint, but then there's Ritchie. I'll plump for the latter.

5) What is your prediction for the match?

I don't generally do predictions, but after last season's cup exploits we shouldn't be underestimated

Send out a second eleven and watch what happens cos PDC doesn't do half-hearted and will be all out for a win!

COYR

I remember when we beat Stoke 6-0 at the CG, and the Stoke fans ended up doing the conga !!

I was in the townend for that game, wasn't Mick Mills their manager at the time?

Alan Ball.

Well, that explains the 6-0 then!

No, I think it was Mick Mills.

Edit: just had a look at Wikipedia and that must have been Mick Mills' last game in charge and Alan Ball took over from him.

My money is on Alan Ball.............not a lot though,i remember feeling really bad that his own fans were calling for his head.

But you have got me wondering now :hmmm:

Wasn't it Mick Mills last game in charge before being sacked...hence the conga?

EDIT....sacked on 7th November 1989.....3 days after we beat them.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=nVuDTHq0Fi4

See the above amended post ;)

 :doh:

I remember the Stoke fans singing Mills out whilst doing the conga and our fans joined in with the singing of it.

 http://www.youtube.com/v/nVuDTHq0Fi4&hl=en&color1=0x5d1719&color2=0xcd311b&border=1

Note the Stoke fans on the bank celebrating our goals. :eek:

http://www.stanjames.com/betting/index.asp?sl=slm&gi=1&sltc=351242.2&sle=1608788.2&slm=11264304.2

Paolo 20/1 to replace Mr Pulis!

The Yellowbellies are worried Coventry may pinch Wilder  :Ride On Fatbury's Lovestick:

Rightly so. Nearly making the league 2 playoffs is no mean feat.

Somehow I think Cov will appoint someone who is currently out of a job, as I don't think they can afford the compo.

He's short, he's fat
He's going to get the sack
Micky Mills, Micky Mills!
repeat

a great laugh in the Town End, at the Stratton Bank with the Conga, a 6-0 win and the prediction confirmed the very next week ... what's not to like?

I'd forgotten that Bamber and Kamara played for Stoke in that game...and Bamber got an OG 8)

We played some beautiful one touch football in that game...not dissimilar to how we're playing now.

Dean Holdsworth is the favourite apparently.

And don't forget he won two cup finals....

Yet there were 500 less there to see it than was at the County Ground v Franchise!

Did we not beat them in their first game at the Brittania, 1-0 Cowe?

Yeah, I noticed that....interesting :hmmm:

Yes, we did beat them, but the score was 2-1. We were 1-0 down at half time then we got two late(ish) goals from Allison and Hay. I went and had a 2-1 win in the pre-match on the train sweepstake.

August 97. Got up the next morning to be greeted by Mrs Taylor saying..."Diana and Dodi have been in an accident and it sounds like they're both dead" queue a nation in mourning, the Queen of all our hearts and various assorted bollocks...don't get me started on that one ::)

I can't remember the scorers or result I was so upset about England's Rose.

August 97 - Jesus, doesn't seem like 15 years ago. Thank fuck I was on the plane to Ibiza when the news broke (Diana, not Stoke). Scared the shit out of me as a nervous flier, lots of stewardesses looking concerned, the "bing bing" of their phone and then eventually the captain starting his announcement with the words "ladies and gentleman I'm afraid I have some bad news...". Never been so relieved it wasn't the engines! Then it was 2 weeks partying without the national grief.

Anyway...

That'd make a great sketch.

"I have some bad news... Princess Diana has been killed in a car crash."

"Thank fuck for that!"

That was pretty much how it went in real life Benzel.

It was soon after Peter Thorne left us.  Stoke were relegated that season if i#m not mistaken?

I enjoy watching Stoke on the telly normally.  Particulalrly against 'the big clubs'.