My most memorable recollection of Stoke City came in 1967 at Upton Park when my uncles Pete and Joe took me to the game for a tenth birthday treat.
To be strictly accurate, Pete took me as Joey couldn’t drag himself out of the Duke of Edinburgh on the infamous Green Street. I think we caught up with him on the way back to Grandma’s house on Belton Road in Forest Gate. Joe was matey with the Edinburgh’s guv’nor and closing time didn’t exist for him – God knows what he’d do during Covid restrictions if he were still with us.
The game itself was incredible.
That West Ham, complete with Bobby Moore, Geoff Hurst and Martin Peters [later an NCFC hero of course], scored three in the first half. Harry Redknapp played a blinder on the right wing. But the second half was a completely different tub of jellied eels.
Stoke, prominently featuring George Eastham, blew the Hammers away in the second half and scored four to win 4-3. Even at that young age I could see what an attractive, $hit or bust side they were then – they matched West Ham in that respect – but that was over 50 years ago. So you can see where I’m going from here, I’m sure.
Yep, Pulisball. It kept Stoke in the Premier League for quite some time, but at what price for their poor suffering fans? C’mon, we all hated watching them and now the poor old Owls have to put up with it. My Wednesday mate Sean says that since the appointment of Tony Pulis he’s not quite as gutted as he once was about the current Covid-induced fan ban.
But Stoke now have ex Northern Ireland boss Michael O’Neill in charge and are doing pretty well so far this season, certainly on a par with us in terms of both position and points as they are six places, but just three points adrift from us after that bizarre encounter with Huddersfield and our own triumph at Boro. From what I’ve seen of them [admittedly mainly via Colin Murray’s excellent EFL on Quest] they will not be a pushover by any manner of means.
Stars? Not really. But they do have Angus *he’s got some hair but we don’t care* Gunn in goal on loan from Southampton. Unfortunately for Angus he has picked up an ankle injury and won’t feature against the Canaries. You never let us down when you were here Angus but if you feel like persuading your replacement – whoever that might be – to have an off day on Tuesday we’ll love you even more.
Others worthy of a mention include midfielder Nick Powell and the up front trio of Tyrese Campbell, Sam Vokes and the somewhat clumsy but sometimes effective Steven Fletcher. The latter will give Grant Hanley the type of tussle he will obviously relish, but only two from these three will start, of course, as Stoke seem to play a form of 4-4-2. I’d guess Campbell and Fletcher, at least from the off.
And then there’s Ryan Shawcross who seems to have been around forever. Not my favourite player by any manner of means but he does have a certain “presence” which is hard for opposition forwards to ignore.
Talking of Methuselah, the Potters also have the gift of Jon-Obi Mikel, which reminds me a bit of the time Chris Hughton decided to sign Joseph Yobo on a short-term deal. A nice idea on paper but, hrrm.
In terms of players in common I can only really think of Neil Adams, who began his career as “one of their own” in the Potteries, Cameron Jerome and Crouchy. Peter Crouch was loaned to us for a few months from Villa in 2003 while the Potters had him as fully owned property a fair while later. I’m sure we must have signed from or sold to Stoke directly on occasions but nobody comes to mind just now [Darel Russell and Wayne Biggins – Ed].
Obscure fact: Stoke-on-Trent isn’t actually a City in the traditionally accepted way – more a collection of towns such as Burslem, Hanley and a few large villages. Oh and Robbie Williams comes from there but for some reason chooses to support Port Vale. But so did Sir Stanley [as well as briefly managing them] so I guess there’s a precedent of sorts in there somewhere. And there’s a triptych-style statue at the Britannia, luckily of Mr Matthews rather than Mr Williams.
This is going to be a really, really tough task for the Yellows so I’m going for a 1-1.
And if any of our readers disputes what a match that was back in 1967 [I couldn’t believe I would find MotD footage of it]:
A lovely read Martin to start the day and a pleasant trip down memory lane at the end. I was thirteen at the time and it was truly a magical time for football.
I’m with you, in that it’s going to be a tough game this evening and I’d snatch your hand off for a point. The old adage about doing it on a Tuesday night in Stoke was never more true especially for our injury hit squad which is looking rather too thin for my liking.
I’m curious to know, is Sean not your mate the rest of the week? I’ll get my coat 😉
Hi Bob
Yes, growing up in that era was truly something, wasn’t it? Every kid of every generation would say the same of course but they’d all be wrong, he he!
I wrote this over the weekend so I didn’t realise quite how bad the injury situation would look on Monday. Having said that we’ve still got a decent starting XI but what really concerns me is the bench. I bet Daniel Farke’s concerned too, but there’s so little he can do about it.
As for your line about Sean you can have the MFW “kindly leave the stage” award for November, which will disappoint another of our regulars who often uses the catchprase while making similar jests. Morning Jim 🙂
Thanks a lot.
Hi. Nice read. Stoke fan here. Just wanted to let you know that one of our greatest ever pieces of business was conducted with the Canaries. We swapped Keith Scott for Mike Sheron in 1995. He went on to score 34 in 69 apps and sold for 2.75m to QPR in 1997. A kings ransom back in the day. looking forward to tonight.
Hi Brendan – good to hear from you.
It’s funny you should mention Scott and Sheron. Both were utterly ineffectual for us so I’m glad you got more out of Sheron than we ever did.
We signed him from Man City for quite a tidy sum back in the day but got zilch in return while Keith Scott was, if anything, even worse for us. He had all the speed of a geriatric sloth.
I’m glad Michael O’Neill has changed your style, which means I’m looking forward to watching as well, although I think our ridiculous recent injury bulletin tips it in your favour.
MFW is always pleased to hear from supporters of other clubs – thank you.
The injury list is not a happy read, particularly as many are long term. I understand that both Leitner and Drmic would need to get fit but surely they ought to be put through an intense fitness regime just in case. They are still employed by NCFC.
We still have a decent starting 11 but the quality of the bench is concerning.
I will be pleased if we can keep in the top 6 until January. We can then assess new signings, loan call backs and our injury list.
Tough game tonight. I too would be happy with a point and no yellow cards.
OTBC
Hi Colin
In his usual diplomatic way Daniel Farke has ruled out Leitner and Drmic. He’s used gentle words, but he’s still ruled them out. It’s second or third article on the Pink ‘Un this morning but I can’t post a link unfortunately.
*I will be pleased if we can keep in the top 6 until January. We can then assess new signings, loan call backs and our injury list* – you, me and most of us are sharing that thought I am sure!
It seems tougher to me than it did 48 hours ago and that’s for sure.
Thanks a lot.
https://www.pinkun.com/norwich-city/farke-explains-leitner-and-drmic-situation-1-6941881
Cheers mate
It just came up in greyscale when I tried to post it remotely!
2003 yes crouch on loan and didn’t we get huckerby that year too initially on loan happy memories……well stoke scoring for fun atm so will be interesting to see if we can keep them out ….but the injuries again ?!!@$ i know some are from game time but are a lot of them training injuries too 🤔
Hi Jim
Yes we got Crouch from Villa, Kevin Harper from Pompey and Hucks from Man City all at more or less the same time.
Crouch and Harper went back to their parent clubs before Christmas and so did Hucks….
But one of the three returned with a bang on the pitch on Boxing Day, although he was ineligible for Forest that particular match of course. And we won 1-0!
Thanks
Remember the game well from the N & P lower and the announcement pitch side, really gave the club a huge lift at the time. Huck’s demolition of Cardiff in the 4-1 trouncing a couple of weeks earlier lives strong in my mind. One of our greatest ever signings Huck’s, went on to play over 200 games for us. One of the few players to give me goose bumps when in possession. Gazza, Hoddle, Best are others, Mario when standing over a freekick too!
All three loan signings made a difference to be fair that season.
Spot on, Colin. That Hucks masterclass in the 4-1 win over Cardiff has to be the best individual performance in a City shirt I’ve ever seen. And to think, on the day we thought it’d be the last time we’d see him in the yellow and green.
I remember driving from Blofield that Boxing Day and parking in the Clarence Harbour where I knew the pub security guys.
Before I’d fully emerged from the car my mate Slim rushed over and said “we’ve got him, we’ve got him”.
My reponse was something like: *have you been overdoing the weed again mate?*.
It was all too true and truly wonderful, although I didn’t believe it until I saw the pitchside announcement with my own two eyes. One of the greatest *matchday experiences* I ever had – Hucks couldn’t actually play that day of course but we still won, 1-0 against Forest.
There were many behind the scenes involvements necessary to get that deal to happen but it was certainly one of my finest days as an NCFC supporter.
One of my favourite Canary moments was vs Stoke back in the 80s. George Berry kept jumping for the ball using Kevin Drinkell’s shoulders to rest on. Drinks kept pointing this out to the ref who wasn’t interested. The next next time big George did it Drinks flicked his legs up so he had him in a fireman’s lift and ran over to the ref pointing at him. Waved away and laughs all around.
Not many laughs in the Pulis era that I can recall.
Hi Bruce
I wasn’t at that game – work meant I was at White Hart Lane more than Carrow Road in the 80s – but I’ve heard that story a couple of times before from friends who were. George Berry was a monster!
Pulis and laughs don’t belong in the same sentence.
Thanks – good recollection.
Hi Bruce. Yes, I was at that game, and laughed my head off at the incident. Drinks used to smoke 40 a day, and that happened quite late in the game, with Berry no light weight. I don’t know where he got the stamina or the lung power, but it even made the referee laugh. One of my favourite players, and one of my favourite memories.
Ian Crook used to smoke like a trooper too, and even Johann Cruyff was apparently on 10 a day. Which was probably 20. I always tell the quack 10 rather than 20 anyway 🙂
Hi Martin
Aug 30th 1972 Norwich 2 Stoke 0, an early match in our first ever season in the old League 1 Gordon Banks V Kevin Keelan.
I was stationed at RAF Stanmore Park and had an old Triumph Hearld myself and 3 mates decided we would like to see a midweek game so travelled after work to the city game, I had loaned my season ticket to a family friend so the only tickets available was the old River End.
The old Triumph got us there with minutes to spare and it wasn’t a bad game then that long journey back.
On the injury side I read Farke’s comments on both Leitner and Drmic yesterday I can understand his point of view in not selecting them as he sees not future for them but leaving them completely out of training seems to be cutting his nose of in that no clubs will be interested in either loaning or buying players that haven’t been training for nearly a year and surely Drmic just might be an option god forbid Pukki gets injured.
Farke says it will take both players 3 weeks to get fit enough to be considered for the bench so at least doing that it gives him a bigger selection during these testing times.
Supporters in grounds from Dec 2nd unexpected but the moans from the bigger clubs are coming think and fast saying that 4k will not help with their loses and it could cost more than they take in, but it has to start somewhere, will it help league 1/2 clubs only time will tell and can we see supporters from the bigger clubs going to these clubs to help in their financial straits let’s hope so.
I will hope for a win tonight but a tough draw will be good.
Onwards and upwards
OTBC
Stay safe and stay healthy
Hi Alex
I can only guess that DF doesn’t want either Drmic or Leitner anywhere near what’s left of the first team squad for reasons of potential disruption. He’s got a stubborn streak has our Daniel so don’t expect that situation to change.
I can only say that any move to get any number of fans inside the grounds has to be good but personally I’m not returning until we’re back to full capacity. No friends around, no bars open, being trapped inside the ground for about four hours + wearing masks until I can take what would not be my regular seat is not for me I’m afraid so I won’t even be applying for a ticket until things are back to the true normal.
As I said to our guest Brendan [above] I fear the latest injury bulletin has flipped this one very much in Stoke’s favour.
One of the more embarrassing incidents in my life involved my old third-hand K-reg Herald convertible – the very last of them with that plate I’d guess. I ran out of petrol on the old A11 just outside Harlow [the gauge was barely in the red] and was walking around the car cussing when a biker and his pillion stopped to offer their help.
I think it was the pillion who looked at me and said: *I know what’s wrong*. He flipped the boot, lifted the mat and turned a small lever. First time start. There was a gallon and a bit reserve tank that I didn’t even know existed. Red face for me and friendly laughter from the bikers.
Lots of soft top leaks and a lovely walnut dash tho!
I’m revising to 2-0 Stoke. Am I a traitor or a realist? We’ll see.
Cheers mate
I will stick with a narrow win for city.
On the cars my first was a Hillman Limp followed by a ford consul with a full leather front bench seat and the gear stick on the steering column, the think is the leather smelt great even after a fish and chip supper in the car
I never owned an Imp but my girlfriend of the time did back in the late 70s.
The choke was a lever next to the handbrake which to my knowledge was unique.
Dad had a Consul 375 in Sunburst Yellow with a white roof but the bench seat was tacky plastic, not leather. Column change I think.
Anyway I’d better stop before MFW turns into My Ford Writer.
This evening’s teamsheet will be interesting indeed. I follow the under-23s from afar but I’ve had a bet with myself that the bench will include some dude I’ve never heard of!
Excellent Martin and cripes how did you find that footage!
Hi Chris
It was pure luck cos unlike yourself, Martin B, Allan and other MFW writing folks I go from memory rather than research [it tends to create a dialogue when I get things wrong] so it was simply personal curiosity.
I put West Ham 3 Stoke City 4 into Google and bingo!
As an aside I once thought Stanley Matthews played in that game and much later uncle Pete told me I’d seen the great man play but that must have been as early as 1964 when I was about seven. Those were the days 🙂
Cheers
9th March 1963, when I was 15…… Stoke were the Bank of England club then, at least for the second tier. They had just signed Jimmy McIlroy, had Dennis Quixhall and of course Stanley Matthews playing at 50!
Our nondescript lot thrashed them 6-0, with Conway scoring an unlikely hat trick. I think Oliver got a goal or two too. The star was actually Gerry Mannion who had their full back on toast all game. Most of the goals were Mannion crosses headed in by the strikers. Great days.
Tonight a boring 0-0 will do……..
Hi Nick
As venerable as I am those names are really before my time. I’ve heard of Gerry Mannion and also an Albert Quixhall, but he could have been a blues guitarist for all I can remember!
Tonight a boring 0-0 will do? Too right mate, too right.
Thanks
February 1962. First game at Carrow vs Stoke aged 8. Watched game through bars of pitch railings in Barclay. Can only name 3 players present. Stanley Matthews,many of crowd there especially to see him, for City Ron Ashman and the even then balding Bill Punton – a hero to this day. City won 1-0. No idea who scored.
Not there for the 1963 game but remember the score. It was the winter of the big freeze. According to the Stoke programme on a more recent visit it was there first game in months. Didn’t matter we won – some things will never change.
Hi Gerry
They always reckoned the presence of Stanley Matthews on the pitch would put about an extra 5,000+ on the gate whenever he played away.
I met Bill Punton once when he was in charge of Diss – even that seems like a lifetime ago now, of course!
As a six-year-old in London I have vague memories of that winter back in 1963. I don’t think there will ever be a repeat of it but I can, again vaguely, recall my infants school being shut when the boilers cut out. And stayed cut out.
A fine memory – thanks for sharing.