Why I don't like Stoke

[Midlands Robin]

It all started back in 2000. I'd finally managed to find enough time and money to be able to get my first Season Ticket. The 99-2000 season was not a great time to start though. It was the season after our relegation in embarrassing fashion after the John Ward / Benny fiasco. Halfway through the season the most unpopular City manager of all time, Clueless Pulis had walked out on us to join Pompy prompting a One Team cover that thanked all of the directors, players and supporters of Portsmouth Football club for taking him off our hands. For some reason our board decided to replace him with a scout (Tony Fawthrop) and the acadamy director (Dave Burnside) whose collective managerial experience at any level was zero. Scott Davidson our young chairman was running out of ideas and clearly starting to realise that he didn't have enough money to get City to where he wanted us to be and the whole mood around the club was as flat as pancake. Attendances had barely climbed above 10000 all season and to cap it all, we spent most of the season behind the sags in the table. 

There was however, a ray of light at the end of the tunnel. Thanks to a 5-1 drubbing of Exeter in the Southern Area final first leg and the intervention of Peter Beadle's backside salvaging a 1-1 draw on a cold wet Tuesday night in Exeter, City were on their way to Wembley for what would be their first appearance there in over a decade and the last chance to see the old twin towers before their demolition at the end of that year. The Northern Area winners were Stoke City. A big club with a big following which would set up a great day out in London. 

There were signs however, that it was just not going to be our day. In February 2000 Stoke legend Sir Stanley Matthews had passed away and it was announced that this game would be dedicated to Sir Stanley and that the FA Cup hymn 'Abide with me' would be sung before kick off. 

City announced that we had lost the draw to wear our home shirts and therefore as the nominal 'away team' we would celebrate our trip to Wembley with a special shirt to mark the occasion. Bad omen number 2. I can almost hear the telephone call to our kit supplier. The one where the guy on the other end of the phone has to cover the mouth piece and tell his mate that he's finally managed to find somewhere to offload that kit that no one wants. So, for our big day out at Wembley, the mighty Reds would be wearing an horrendous gold shirt with a BLUE and WHITE stripe down the front. BLUE and WHITE? Seriously? I know, I know, City had a blue and white kit for the 1909 FA Cup Final but that was in pre gaseous days when the Eastville Squaters FC were still playing in a park somewhere with jumpers for goal posts. By the year 2000, the last thing any self respecting City fan wanted to see on a kit at Wembley was blue and white.

With ticket sales totalling over 75000 the atmosphere on the day was set to be a cracker. As most people know, Stoke sing a song about some Welsh bloke who murders his wife with a knife for laughing at him. No, I don't get it either. So to ensure that every City fan would do his duty, the last issue of One Team had the words to Drink up thee Cider printed on it in the hope that we could all get beyond the bit where we are 'going down the rovers' and actually give the Stoke fans a run for their money in the song stakes. So come the big day and the stadium announcer says here's a song for the Stoke fans and 37000 voices sing Delilah in unison it was rather impressive. The stadium announcer then says 'here's a song for the City fans', I turn to my mate and say this is going to be good as I expect 37000 City fans to launch into the Cider song. Suddenly, from the Wembley PA System comes 'you're everywhere and nowhere baby.....' as Hi Ho Silver Lining plays. Cue 37000 City fans all looking at each other in confusion. The song falls flat with a half assed 'Hi Ho Bristol City' for the chorus. This day was not going well.

And on to the match.

In two previous attempts that season, City had not managed to beat Stoke. We'd drawn both games, 1-1 away thanks to a late goal from Brian Tinnion and 2-2 at home just a few weeks before the final thanks to a brace from Tony Thorpe. Stoke started the better of the two sides and went a goal up while City really struggled to find their feet. Moving into the second half, slowly City started to come back into the game and then, in the 74th minute the ball was hit across the Stoke goal and Paul Holland sprang like an arthritic salmon all of about 4 feet into the air and headed the ball home. 1-1 and at last things were going our way. But it wasn't to be. in the 82nd minute, Louis Carey gave away a free kick on the edge of our box. To this day I have no idea what his conversation with the referee was about. Maybe Lewis was trying to find out which idiot thought Hi Ho Silver lining was the appropriate song or maybe he just felt like having a nice chat with the ref but either way the Stoke player politely enquired of the ref that while he was having a chat to Louis would he mind very much if he got on with the free kick. The ref told him to carry on and a few seconds later the ball was in the back of the net. 2-1 Stoke and that's how it ended.

To make matters worse, as the coaches left the stadium at the end of the game we found ourselves stuck in the inevitable traffic jam. Just then, passing us slowly in the outside lane a coach load of Stoke fans drew level with the windows of our coach. Insults were exchanged like two passing ships at the battle of Trafalgar. A broadside of middle fingers, bare arses and general abuse all directed from the Stoke coach as we were sat in our gloom after the days events. It was a long, long journey home. 

City ended the season in 9th place in the table, 2 places and 16 points behind the sags. Scott Davidson resigned as chairman the following year. Tony Fawthrop almost had the City managers job full time but it fell through and City would have to wait another 15 years to taste further success at Wembley. 

And to this day, I still don't like Stoke. 

Let's hope we can knock them out of the cup tonight. COYR.

 

[The Dolman Pragmatist]

I've just had a look at the discussion about tonight on one of their forums, and they seem to be a decent bunch.  Lots of credit to us for our good form recently, and certainly not taking this game lightly, in fact most of them feel they should play a full strength team.  A few photos of Aden Flint posted and they seem in awe of his physique, but some have spotted his weakness on the ground and feel that starting with Peter Crouch would be playing into Flinty's hands.

It would be a little ironic if we made more changes than them tonight!  I get the feeling that Hughes really wants to progress in this competition...

[Kodjias Wrist]

I think this was my first or second city game. I don't hate them for winning because they were the better side, i disliked them for beating us at their place in 08 because tht sidibie was like bas savage and managed to rip us apart. Fair play to them though for how far they have gone.

[1bristolcity]

Ended Paul Cheesley's career. Firstly

Too much to list after that. 

[Wanderingred]

I have zero ill feeling towards Stoke,,they beat us fair and square in both 2000 and 2008. For some reason though, my old man absolutely loathes them, almost to Gas hating levels. I think it stems back to his naughtier days in the 70s.

No reason whatsoever why we can't turn this lot over tonight. COYR!

[City exile 79]

14 minutes ago, Midlands Robin said:

It all started back in 2000. I'd finally managed to find enough time and money to be able to get my first Season Ticket. The 99-2000 season was not a great time to start though. It was the season after our relegation in embarrassing fashion after the John Ward / Benny fiasco. Halfway through the season the most unpopular City manager of all time, Clueless Pulis had walked out on us to join Pompy prompting a One Team cover that thanked all of the directors, players and supporters of Portsmouth Football club for taking him off our hands. For some reason our board decided to replace him with a scout (Tony Fawthrop) and the acadamy director (Dave Burnside) whose collective managerial experience at any level was zero. Scott Davidson our young chairman was running out of ideas and clearly starting to realise that he didn't have enough money to get City to where he wanted us to be and the whole mood around the club was as flat as pancake. Attendances had barely climbed above 10000 all season and to cap it all, we spent most of the season behind the sags in the table. 

There was however, a ray of light at the end of the tunnel. Thanks to a 5-1 drubbing of Exeter in the Southern Area final first leg and the intervention of Peter Beadle's backside salvaging a 1-1 draw on a cold wet Tuesday night in Exeter, City were on their way to Wembley for what would be their first appearance there in over a decade and the last chance to see the old twin towers before their demolition at the end of that year. The Northern Area winners were Stoke City. A big club with a big following which would set up a great day out in London. 

There were signs however, that it was just not going to be our day. In February 2000 Stoke legend Sir Stanley Matthews had passed away and it was announced that this game would be dedicated to Sir Stanley and that the FA Cup hymn 'Abide with me' would be sung before kick off. 

City announced that we had lost the draw to wear our home shirts and therefore as the nominal 'away team' we would celebrate our trip to Wembley with a special shirt to mark the occasion. Bad omen number 2. I can almost hear the telephone call to our kit supplier. The one where the guy on the other end of the phone has to cover the mouth piece and tell his mate that he's finally managed to find somewhere to offload that kit that no one wants. So, for our big day out at Wembley, the mighty Reds would be wearing an horrendous gold shirt with a BLUE and WHITE stripe down the front. BLUE and WHITE? Seriously? I know, I know, City had a blue and white kit for the 1909 FA Cup Final but that was in pre gaseous days when the Eastville Squaters FC were still playing in a park somewhere with jumpers for goal posts. By the year 2000, the last thing any self respecting City fan wanted to see on a kit at Wembley was blue and white.

With ticket sales totalling over 75000 the atmosphere on the day was set to be a cracker. As most people know, Stoke sing a song about some Welsh bloke who murders his wife with a knife for laughing at him. No, I don't get it either. So to ensure that every City fan would do his duty, the last issue of One Team had the words to Drink up thee Cider printed on it in the hope that we could all get beyond the bit where we are 'going down the rovers' and actually give the Stoke fans a run for their money in the song stakes. So come the big day and the stadium announcer says here's a song for the Stoke fans and 37000 voices sing Delilah in unison it was rather impressive. The stadium announcer then says 'here's a song for the City fans', I turn to my mate and say this is going to be good as I expect 37000 City fans to launch into the Cider song. Suddenly, from the Wembley PA System comes 'you're everywhere and nowhere baby.....' as Hi Ho Silver Lining plays. Cue 37000 City fans all looking at each other in confusion. The song falls flat with a half assed 'Hi Ho Bristol City' for the chorus. This day was not going well.

And on to the match.

In two previous attempts that season, City had not managed to beat Stoke. We'd drawn both games, 1-1 away thanks to a late goal from Brian Tinnion and 2-2 at home just a few weeks before the final thanks to a brace from Tony Thorpe. Stoke started the better of the two sides and went a goal up while City really struggled to find their feet. Moving into the second half, slowly City started to come back into the game and then, in the 74th minute the ball was hit across the Stoke goal and Paul Holland sprang like an arthritic salmon all of about 4 feet into the air and headed the ball home. 1-1 and at last things were going our way. But it wasn't to be. in the 82nd minute, Louis Carey gave away a free kick on the edge of our box. To this day I have no idea what his conversation with the referee was about. Maybe Lewis was trying to find out which idiot thought Hi Ho Silver lining was the appropriate song or maybe he just felt like having a nice chat with the ref but either way the Stoke player politely enquired of the ref that while he was having a chat to Louis would he mind very much if he got on with the free kick. The ref told him to carry on and a few seconds later the ball was in the back of the net. 2-1 Stoke and that's how it ended.

To make matters worse, as the coaches left the stadium at the end of the game we found ourselves stuck in the inevitable traffic jam. Just then, passing us slowly in the outside lane a coach load of Stoke fans drew level with the windows of our coach. Insults were exchanged like two passing ships at the battle of Trafalgar. A broadside of middle fingers, bare arses and general abuse all directed from the Stoke coach as we were sat in our gloom after the days events. It was a long, long journey home. 

City ended the season in 9th place in the table, 2 places and 16 points behind the sags. Scott Davidson resigned as chairman the following year. Tony Fawthrop almost had the City managers job full time but it fell through and City would have to wait another 15 years to taste further success at Wembley. 

And to this day, I still don't like Stoke. 

Let's hope we can knock them out of the cup tonight. COYR.

 

I got absolutely slaughtered about ten days before that game. Came home and ordered 5 of them shirts for me and every one who I was going with. Didn't remember doing it until they were delivered. I still have mine. 

[Kodjias Wrist]

3 minutes ago, 1bristolcity said:

Ended Paul Cheesley's career. Firstly

Too much to list after that. 

Never realised this was at stoke, I was under the impression it was the Arsenal game in which he scored??

Could have got some decent money for the lad !

[Nogbad the Bad]

 

13 minutes ago, Kodjias Wrist said:

Never realised this was at stoke, I was under the impression it was the Arsenal game in which he scored??

Could have got some decent money for the lad !

Cheese's injury was at AG, the Tuesday after the Highbury game.

A combination of Shilton and Pejic.

[Rudolf Hucker]

It was at AG v Stoke in our first home match in the old Div One. A beautiful, sunny August evening; Cheese goes up with Peter Shilton to challenge for the ball from a corner at the old Open End (now Atyeo End) then lands awkwardly suffering what proved to be a career-ending injury.

[Rudolf Hucker]

I've never liked Tom Jones. I really dislike his music, his voice, The Voice - in fact, everything about him. In particular, I hate "Delilah". Ergo, I 'kin hate Stoke. Simple really! 

[Major Isewater]

I took my brother in law and my nephew, hoping to convert them to the cause.

They had a great day , often shouting out ' come on Bristol ' , being impressed by everything and not at all hurt by the winning, cheating goal .

 

I was also hoping for penalties and some busty City girls behind the goal but lightning doesn't strike twice ! 

[Major Isewater]

34 minutes ago, Rudolf Hucker said:

I've never liked Tom Jones. I really dislike his music, his voice, The Voice - in fact, everything about him. In particular, I hate "Delilah". Ergo, I 'kin hate Stoke. Simple really! 

He has , apparently, slept with a thousand women ...

 

 

lightweight . 

[Eastside Moonwalker]

Stoke won me £900 on an acca once, can't really hate them as they paid for 2 holidays

[phantom]

20 minutes ago, Eastside Moonwalker said:

Stoke won me £900 on an acca once, can't really hate them as they paid for 2 holidays

I'm guessing the other teams in the bet helped too 

[Phileas Fogg]

I quite like them, I like the players they buy, I like how they do things - good atmosphere there too.

I actually think what we're trying to do is relatively close to the Stoke model.

[Mr Popodopolous]

Their rep under Pulis was deservedly very poor. Although there was something novel about big sides being antsy about a Rory Delap long throw.

Now though, they play better football- few years ago Bojan, Shaqiri, Arnautovic- great flair when they put it together. Now Jese Rodriguez, others too the next notch down.

I was very unenthused and I'm still not vastly enthused about tonight but the more I think of it, it's a decent test. A decent barometer, yet one we are capable of winning in.

[phantom]

1 hour ago, Midlands Robin said:

City announced that we had lost the draw to wear our home shirts and therefore as the nominal 'away team' we would celebrate our trip to Wembley with a special shirt to mark the occasion.

 

In two previous attempts that season, City had not managed to beat Stoke. We'd drawn both games, 1-1 away thanks to a late goal from Brian Tinnion and 2-2 at home just a few weeks before the final thanks to a brace from Tony Thorpe.

 

And to this day, I still don't like Stoke. 

 

What annoyed me the most about the shirt for Wembley was we had already brought out a "one off" shirt for the away fixture with Stoke that season that could easily have been used!!

The 1-1 away game, I will always remember for being freezing cold and there was ice everywhere in the seats just behind the goal - couldn't stand that gob shite Gavin Ward that played in goal for Sjoke that season, he was always chirping away at the supporters just behind the net, giving sneaky little hand gestures to wind up supporters (it was this season he did it at the Gas and one of their fans took exception and ran on the pitch to whack him) Tins hit the ball from near the halfway and sailed over Wards head into the back of the net, but the real highlight was the back peddling Ward was now caught up in the back of the goal net with nowhere to go and suffered a whole barrage of abuse from the fans in the front view rows, at the end of the game he had to be restrained by one of his team mates as he was trying to get to the City fans.

The home game was just as fun, back then I used to sit behind the goal in the Atyeo stand, during the warm plenty of people were onto Ward about getting lobbed by Tins and he was fuming before the game started, numerous times during the game he was more interested in chirping with the City fans then concentrating on the game, Thorpe's second goal came about where Ward was too busy talking nonsense and was slow to react and saw Thorpe score

 

Add to this that Graham Kavanagh and Nicky Mohan played for them too and there are plenty of reasons why back in those days they were a team to love to hate 

 

I'm with @Midlands Robin on this, I've detested Sjoke for many years too, that bloody Delilah song is up there with that Irene song as something that gives me a sudden bout of tourettes!!

[RedJim]

I remember that Auto Windscreens final as a 13 year-old who was really just getting fanatical about City. It was a good induction to how it really is to be a City fan - I was just getting old enough to understand that City will inevitably let you down. Now I'm 31 and I'm as cynical as those twice my age. I'm still recovering from the shock of watching such a well-balanced, cohesive, controlled performance on Saturday!

Got no issues with Stoke as a club, good support, though why they boo Ramsey for breaking his leg at the Britannia is beyond me. Also got a lot of time for Peter Crouch - a rare example of a footballer with a bit of self-deprecating humour and humility. Can't stand Hughes though - whinging git.

[Cider-Head23]

41 minutes ago, Eastside Moonwalker said:

Stoke won me £900 on an acca once, can't really hate them as they paid for 2 holidays

They won me £400 once when they were the late kick off only needed them to beat Wolves so also cant really hate them. 

[Gert Mare]

I remember it going bang off in a couple of pubs approaching Wembley that day

[B1ackbird]

Whenever I put them in my goals galore acca, they don't oblige, but that's probably my fault rather than Stokes.

[Midlands Robin]

I remember the first time I visited their new ground, the (insert sponsors name here) stadium. 

The game was an awful affair and I can't for the life of me remember the result but we didn't win. All I remember was that there was some sort of clash of kits and we had to change strip at half time and that it was a shit game.

At the end of the match, leaving the away end, there was a big fence around the back of the away stand within which the coaches had parked. There were gates that closed off this section and these had been shut to hold the away fans back. There was a reasonably big mob of Stoke fans who seemed to want to get in and share their bottles and cans with us but the local police wouldn't let them so instead they took to throwing them over the top of the fence at us. 

Eventually they were moved on and the gates were opened to allow the away fans to leave. As my mate and I were walking up the slope towards the main road we got talking to a friendly copper. There were rows of cars waiting to leave the stadium and as we passed one the copper we were chatting to suddenly said to us, excuse me lads. He then turned around. Opened the door of one of the cars in the queue and pulled out a Stoke fan in the process of rolling a massive cannabis joint. 

A funny day out. 

[B1ackbird]

2 hours ago, Rudolf Hucker said:

It was at AG v Stoke in our first home match in the old Div One. A beautiful, sunny August evening; Cheese goes up with Peter Shilton to challenge for the ball from a corner at the old Open End (now Atyeo End) then lands awkwardly suffering what proved to be a career-ending injury.

God Rudolf I could have sworn it was the East end of the ground, too much cider obviously...

[Eastside Moonwalker]

56 minutes ago, phantom said:

I'm guessing the other teams in the bet helped too 

This is true, but Stoke was the last game on the night so it sort of depended on them 

[Stortz]

31 minutes ago, Cheesleysmate said:

I remember it going bang off in a couple of pubs approaching Wembley that day

It was bloody lively in Leicester Square the night before too!

[Red-Robbo]

Stoke is a cross between early '80s Merseyside and post-ISIS Mosul. It really is the land that fashion forgot.

That said, I have Stokie friends and I've never had a problem with the club's fans.

[cider-manc]

I grew up in Stafford, so 20 mins south of Stoke.

Most of mates from Stafford support them so it is difficult to hate them. However my old Maths teacher nearly swung it... What a ***** he was.

On my last day of school when all the kids write on each others shirts he wrote "Hope you enjoyed wembley" on mine.

I'm not bitter .....****.

[myol'man]

For me it was the visit to the old Victoria Ground, 2nd Feb. 1980, we were both involved in the relegation scrap, but after that 1-0 defeat most of us knew that our first division days were numbered. If we had won we would have been 5 points clear of Stoke and relegation (2 points for a win remember) The trapdoor was opening!

We would never have guessed that here we are 37 years later and have never got back to the top table 

[RUSSEL85]

Reading their forum, they seem pretty level headed bunch and quite complimentary about us as a team plus they expect a tough game against us. I do have a feeling we may be brought back down to earth tonight but I hope im wrong. I did like the comment about the next round draw taking place on the International Space Station 

[Bar BS3]

3 hours ago, Midlands Robin said:

It all started back in 2000. I'd finally managed to find enough time and money to be able to get my first Season Ticket. The 99-2000 season was not a great time to start though. It was the season after our relegation in embarrassing fashion after the John Ward / Benny fiasco. Halfway through the season the most unpopular City manager of all time, Clueless Pulis had walked out on us to join Pompy prompting a One Team cover that thanked all of the directors, players and supporters of Portsmouth Football club for taking him off our hands. For some reason our board decided to replace him with a scout (Tony Fawthrop) and the acadamy director (Dave Burnside) whose collective managerial experience at any level was zero. Scott Davidson our young chairman was running out of ideas and clearly starting to realise that he didn't have enough money to get City to where he wanted us to be and the whole mood around the club was as flat as pancake. Attendances had barely climbed above 10000 all season and to cap it all, we spent most of the season behind the sags in the table. 

This sounds remarkably reminiscent of how they must feel in Horfield right now..!