Awright Koppites

[Exiled_red]

The thing is, with the way that money in football is going if you aren't in the top 6 you basically have the option to either play good football or win. You can try to do both but that doesn't really seem to work effectively - look at Blackpool last year, and Wigan this. Stoke play to their strengths, it may not be pretty, but judging by their league position it's effective.

[Craig_H]

Yeah but that doesnt explain teams like Newcastle, Norwich, Swansea etc.
And even teams like Everton who dont exactly play attractive tippy-tappy stuff, still dont abhor football the way Stoke do.

Everyone plays to their strengths and that's fine but Stoke quite simply take it well beyond what can still be called 'football'.

[pondus]

Mate, I was brought up on trips to Rochdale, Gillingham, Walsall and the soapdodgers themselves, Port bloody Vale. I saw us lose 4-0 to Rotherham twice in two seasons. I saw us lose 0-7 to Birmingham City at home. I saw us go into a final-day relegation battle with Man City where a win could have seen us safe and we lost 5-2, and both teams were relegated to the third division in the worst experience I’ve ever had at a football match. I saw us capitulate feebly, countless times, under a succession of managers – ones who played directly, ones who played percentages and ones who tried to play the game “the right way” (spare me). The one thing they shared in common was that they were absolutely dog s**t.

So do I enjoy stuffing Arsenal 3 times at our place? Do I enjoy watching my team win an FA Cup semi-final at Wembley by the biggest margin in 80 years? Do I enjoy grinding out hard-earned points at places like White Hart Lane and Anfield? Do I enjoy playing and winning real European cup ties against the likes of Besiktas, Dinamo Kiev and Valencia?

I think you know the answer!

That said, it’s not as if we don’t question the way TP sets the team up sometimes (show me a set of fans that doesn’t) and a lot of us would prefer us to keep possession and play it on the ground a bit more… but it’s horses for courses innit – TP plays football his way and what he’s achieved doing so is nothing short of remarkable – anyone who could turn their back on it because of gripes about the style of play either aint a football supporter or doesn’t have a heart.

and

[Nicey]

Mate, I was brought up on trips to Rochdale, Gillingham, Walsall and the soapdodgers themselves, Port bloody Vale. I saw us lose 4-0 to Rotherham twice in two seasons. I saw us lose 0-7 to Birmingham City at home. I saw us go into a final-day relegation battle with Man City where a win could have seen us safe and we lost 5-2, and both teams were relegated to the third division in the worst experience I’ve ever had at a football match. I saw us capitulate feebly, countless times, under a succession of managers – ones who played directly, ones who played percentages and ones who tried to play the game “the right way” (spare me). The one thing they shared in common was that they were absolutely dog s**t.

So do I enjoy stuffing Arsenal 3 times at our place? Do I enjoy watching my team win an FA Cup semi-final at Wembley by the biggest margin in 80 years? Do I enjoy grinding out hard-earned points at places like White Hart Lane and Anfield? Do I enjoy playing and winning real European cup ties against the likes of Besiktas, Dinamo Kiev and Valencia?

I think you know the answer!

That said, it’s not as if we don’t question the way TP sets the team up sometimes (show me a set of fans that doesn’t) and a lot of us would prefer us to keep possession and play it on the ground a bit more… but it’s horses for courses innit – TP plays football his way and what he’s achieved doing so is nothing short of remarkable – anyone who could turn their back on it because of gripes about the style of play either aint a football supporter or doesn’t have a heart.

Anychance we can just shake hands and call it a 0-0 with a TV Replay are your place

[Fosterbloke]

Is Stoke as bad as Mansfield? Just wondered if I should avoid both places if I come back to the UK.

[Exiled_red]

Anychance we can just shake hands and call it a 0-0 with a TV Replay are your place

He's a Stoke fan we're not playing them in the cup.

[Neil Young]

It's an easy mistake to make. They're both pretty grim towns.

[PotterLog]

It's an easy mistake to make. They're both pretty grim towns.

One's a city actually. Clue's in the name.

[Craig_H]

One's a city actually. Clue's in the name.

Yeah but the name is 'Stoke City Football Club' - so that throws the whole thing into mass confusion.

[PotterLog]

Yeah but the name is 'Stoke City Football Club' - so that throws the whole thing into mass confusion.

Alright mate, you've made your point.

[Craig_H]

i dont wish your team any ill feeling, i just cant stand watching the football they churn out. Nothing personal. And you're clearly doing very well.

[Assassin]

Potterlog

You never came back on inbreeding in the area.

How much of an issue is it?

[PotterLog]

Potterlog

You never came back on inbreeding in the area.

How much of an issue is it?

I used to quite fancy my cousin when I was a teenager. Probably woulda.

[Kenneth]

[Craig_H]