Stoke City FC

Stoke City FC (known as Stoke FC to 1925) is an English football club based in the city of Stoke-on-Trent. The club was founded in 1863 and, after Notts County, making it the second oldest professional football club in the world. Some messages indicate that the club was founded in 1868. The club plays in the Premier League and plays its home games at the Britannia Stadium.



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[hide] *1 History  ==History[ Edit] == ===History up to WWI[ Edit] === The club was founded in 1863 as Stoke Ramblers and played friendly matches for a long time, the home stadium was Sweetings Field. This changed in 1877 when the Staffordshire Football Association was founded and a Cup tournament organized was that Stoke won. On the way to the final, the club defeated Mow Cop with 26-0, a club record. Also the following season the club won the Cup and was allowed to call the largest club in the area. In 1878, the club merged with Stoke Victoria Athletic Club and became Stoke Football Club. The new home of the club was the Athletic Ground, which soon called Victoria Ground would get. This would be 119 years long the home of the club. The club now also took the current club colours. In 1881 the club took part in the new Birmingham Association Cup. In the first round, however, the club got a beating of Aston Villa (8-0). In 1883 Stoke reached the final of the Staffordshire Senior Cup and losing 3-2 to West Bromwich Albion. In 1883/84, the club for the first time to take part in the FA Cup, the most important competition of the country, which is already 12 years existed. The club was already defeated in the first round. By the threat of the rival British Football Association had to bond the FA forced to accept professionalism in 1885. Stoke decided to in August of that year to adopt the professional status. A year later the club won for the first time in the FA Cup, with 10-0 against Caernarfon Wanderers.
 * 1.1 History up to WWI
 * 1.2 interwar period
 * 1.3 Post-war seasons
 * 1.4 -The Waddington years
 * 1.5 Recent history
 * 2 Palmares
 * 3 Stoke in Europe
 * 4 Selection 2013/14
 * 5 notable former players
 * 5.1 Belgians
 * 5.2 Dutch
 * 5.3 Other
 * 6 external link

In 1888, the club was one of the twelve founding members of the Football League and on 8 september 1888, and lost, the club played its first match, against West Bromwich Albion. The club was twice last and was not re-elected for the third season and was replaced by Sunderland. Stoke this stepped over to the Football Alliance, a competitive League and became champion. Stoke was allowed back to the Football League and left the Football Alliance, which would be a season later the new second division. In 1892/93 ended the club for the first time in the middle bracket, but the rest of the Decade ended the club mostly in the lower regions. In 1898/99 for the first time the club reached the semi-finals of the FA Cup and lost in it from Derby County. In the early twentieth century the club could avoid the relegation just a couple of times, but in1906/07 could no longer be averted. Stoke got with heavy financial problems and had to, despite a 10th place in the second division, withdraw from the Football League. Stoke decided to register for the Birmingham & District League. A year later wrote a second team at the Stoke Southern Leaguein. Stoke became champion in the first year of participation. The club continued to play in both competitions to 1915 until their request to return to the Football League was approved. Because the League was shut down because of WWI, however, four years the club had to wait for a return. During the war the club played in the Lancashire Primary and Secondary Leagues. ===Interwar Period[ Edit] === In 1919, the club owner of the Victoria Ground Stadium. There was still a stand have been added so that the capacity was increased to 50,000. Stoke played in the second division until 1921/22, when the club was runners-up behind Nottingham Forest. However, the return was not good and the club was relegated after one season. The club went into a downward spiral and relegated to the third division after three seasons.Stoke became champion and returned back right away. In 1925, Stoke-on-Trent city rights and as a result, the name was changed to Stoke City Football Club in 1928.

In 1932 debuted the most celebrated player of the club, Stanley Matthews, one of the greats in English football. Matthews was 17 when he played his first game against Bury. In 1934, he was first called up to thenational team. He was the first Stoke player in 30 years which was called for an international match. In 1932/33 Stoke was promoted. In 1934 was the average number of spectators per match 23,000, making trainer Tom Mather got more money for transfers. However, a number of players from the own youth such as Matthews, Tommy Sale and Freddie Steele. Mathers left the club In 1935 after twelve years for Newcastle United.The club finished In the League two years in a row in the middle bracket. Bob McGrory, who formerly played for the club for 14 years was now trainer. In 1935/36, the club was fourth, with just one point behind the numbers two and three. In February 1937 the club West Bromwich defeated 10-3, the biggest League victory in club history. Freddie Steele scored five times. In april of that same year the club had also his record number of spectators, 51.373 against Arsenal. Steele scored 33 goals that season, also a club record. With Neil Franklin was there in 1939 a new talent discovered. By WORLD WAR II soccer for six years was shut down. ===Post-war seasons<span class="mw-editsection" len="340" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[ Edit<span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] === <p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.399999618530273px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">At the resumption in 1946/47 the club obtained its best result, when it finished fourth with only two points behind champion Liverpool. The club was previously been fourth, but when the club had a bigger gap on the champion. Stoke did until the last round for the title, but a defeat against Sheffield United threw a spanner in the works. Stanley Matthews was three games before the end switched to Blackpool for £ 11,500.Hereinafter referred to as the club could no longer end up in the top ten and in 1952 took McGrory resigned as trainer after could be just avoided relegation. The following season Stoke penultimate and relegated.The next ten years the club played in the second division and finished mostly in the middle bracket and occasionally in the subtop. The spectators came for the first time in 40 years and decreased an average of less than 10,000. ===-The Waddington years<span class="mw-editsection" len="339" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[ Edit<span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] === <p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.399999618530273px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">In 1960 was appointed Tony Waddington . In a match against Preston in 1961 challenged only 8.409 spectators on. Waddington took out the now 46-year-old Stanley Matthews back to the club, fourteen years after his departure. Fourteen days after the low turnout to Preston challenged 35.974 spectators for the return of Matthews. Stoke finished eighth that season and the next season was even the title.

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.399999618530273px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">The return was difficult, but the club reached the final of the League Cup, but lost this by Leicester City. Waddington drove on experienced players as Dennis Viollet, Jackie Mudie, Roy Vernon, Maurice Setters andJimmy McIlroy. Matthews was knighted In 1965 for his football performance. In February 1965, he played his 701st game against Fulham, shortly after his fiftieth birthday. This was his last game in a 33-year career.

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.399999618530273px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">In 1967, goalkeeper Gordon Banks bought from Leicester for £ 52,000. Banks with the national team became world champion in 1966. Yet did Stoke it be great in the League and finished each year in the middle bracket. Banks remained until 1972 when he had to leave the top football because he had lost an eye in a car accident. On 4 March 1972 the club won his only prize so far, the League Cup. Stoke defeated Chelsea2-1 favorite on Wembley for 97.852 spectators. In 1971 and 1972 Stoke also reached the semi-finals of the FA Cup, but lost both times from Arsenal. With the win in the League Cup should the European club play in the UEFA Cup, but lost there in the first round of the German Kaiserslautern.

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.399999618530273px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">After George Eastham and Peter Dobin on retirement the club in 1972 went to get new players. Alan Hudson was bought by Chelsea for £ 240,000 in 1974 and that same year was also purchased from Sheffield United for £ 160,000 Geoff Salmon. Peter Shilton was despoiled at Leicester City for £ 325,000. The sum was at that time a world record for a goalkeeper. In 1973/74 the club was fifth. The following season the club did vied for the League title, but slab Act at the end of the season and dropped to fifth place with only 4 points behind champion Derby County, a much smaller margin than the previous season when Stoke had sixteen points behind the champion. In the UEFA Cup, the club was eliminated in the first round by Ajax.

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.399999618530273px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">After the roof of the Butler Stand-stand was blown off in a severe storm and the square was damaged the club had to swerve to Vale Park, the stadium of the second club from Port Vale, Stoke-on-Trent. The repair cost was around the £ 250,000 and this led the club in financial trouble. Players Alan Hudson, Mike Pejic and Jimmy Greenhoff were sold for £ 440,000. Relegation was inevitable in 1976/77. Waddington took in March 1977 resigned after 17 years. ===Recent history<span class="mw-editsection" len="340" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[ Edit<span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] === <p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.399999618530273px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">George Eastham, former player of the club, took the helm but he held it but 10 months. Stoke suffered vision loss In the FA Cup by losing of Blyth Spartans, not even a club from the Football League. Trainer Alan Durban was in February 1978 and led the team the following season to the promotion. After two seasons, the club was eleventh and Durban left the club for Sunderland. The following seasons the club hovered between the middle bracket and just above relegation zone.

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.399999618530273px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">1984/85 season is referred to by the fans remembered as The Holocaust Season. Stoke ended signed off last with only 17 points. The club won only three games and counted 23 points behind the next-to-last in the standings, Sunderland. It was a record low in the top class since the introduction of the 3-point system. This record was broken by Sunderland in 2005/06, that only 15 managed to amass points. Stoke had to say goodbye to the eersteklassevoetbal for a long time. After several mediocre seasons started the club in 1990 and relegated to Salad bowls even to the third Division. After two seasons, the club chance of promotion, but lost in the play-offs by Stockport County. The following season the club champion and in 1995/96 the club was very close to a promotion to the Premier League, but was in the semi-finals of the playoffs stopped by Leicester.

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.399999618530273px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">In 1997 the club moved to the new Brittania Stadium, that offered to 28,000 spectators. The first season in the new home port was not good and Stoke relegated. West Bromwich the club even gave a beating to win by 7-0. In 2000 the club won the Football League Trophy against Bristol City for 75.057 spectators. After a few years third class, with a few times a missed promotion in the play-offs, the club could in 2001/02 through the playoffs return to the second division.

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.399999618530273px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">The season 2004/05 was disappointing and a twelfth place was part of the club. On 28 June 2005 was one of the reasons why Tony Pulis dismissed trainer. A day later Johan Boskamp was appointed as new coach, but departed at the end of the season after disagreements with the Board. Forest camp pulled among other players as Carl Hoefkens Sambégou Bangoura to and. In June 2006 he was succeeded by Tony Pulis, who was trainer for Boskamp even though. In the 2007/08 season Stoke was second and promoted, after 23 years, to the Premier League. In the first season, the club was twelfth. ==Palmares<span class="mw-editsection" len="328" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-family:sans-serif;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[ Edit<span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] ==
 * League Cup
 * 1972


 * Football League Trophy
 * 1992, 2000

==Stoke in Europe<span class="mw-editsection" len="335" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-family:sans-serif;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[ Edit<span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] == <p lang="en" len="57" style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.399999618530273px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">Total points for UEFA coefficient: 16.0 ==Selection 2013/14<span class="mw-editsection" len="336" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-family:sans-serif;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[ Edit<span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] == <p lang="en" len="30" style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.399999618530273px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">Updated on 31 August 2013 ==Notable former players<span class="mw-editsection" len="342" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-family:sans-serif;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[ Edit<span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] ==
 * Q = qualifying round
 * PO = play-off
 * R = round
 * Group = group stage
 * PUC = points UEFA coefficients