Stoke City Football Club (The Potters)

Stoke City Football Club is a football club based in Stoke-on-Trent, England. Stoke are the second oldest club in the Football League. It was founded in 1863, placing them after Notts County (1862) and before Nottingham Forest (1865), Sheffield Wednesday (1867) and Chesterfield (1867). The club was promoted to the Premier League, the top flight of English football, on 4 May 2008, having been outside the top division for 23 years.

The club's nickname is The Potters (after the pottery industry in Stoke-on-Trent). The club is currently owned by Kidsgrove Road Limited, a subsidiary of Bet365, with the club's chairman Peter Coates. It was owned by Stoke Holding, from 1999 to 2006, which was in turn owned by a consortium of Icelandic businessmen. Coates completed his takeover on May 22 2006.

Stoke play their home fixtures at the Britannia Stadium. It's capacity is 28,000 all-seater. The stadium was opened in 1997. Before the Britania Stadium was opened Stoke had played at the Victoria Ground, which had been their home ground since 1878.

Stoke City managers - past and present

• Tony Pulis (June 2006 - )
• Johan Boskamp (June 2005 - May 2006)
• Tony Pulis (Nov 2002 - June 2005
• Dave Kevan (October 2002) Caretaker Manager
• Steve Cotterill (May 2002 - October 2002)
• Gudjon Thordarson (November 1999 - May 2002)
• Gary Megson (July 1999 - November 1999)
• Brian Little (June 1998 - June 1999)
• Alan Durban (April 1998 - June 1998) Caretaker Manager
• Chris Kamara (Jan 1998 - April 1998)
• Chic Bates (July 1997 - Jan 1998)
• Lou Macari (October 1994 - July 1997)
• Asa Hartford (Sept 1994) Caretaker Manager
• Joe Jordan (Nov 1993 - Sep 1994)
• Lou Macari (May 1991 - Oct 1993)
• Graham Paddon (Feb 1991 - May 1991) Caretaker Manager
• Alan Ball (Nov 1989 - Feb 1991)
• Mick Mills (May 1985 - November 1989)
• Tony Lacey (April 1985) - Caretaker
• Bill Asprey (Dec 1983 - April 1985)
• Richie Barker (June 1981 - Dec 1983)
• Alan Durban (Feb 1978 - June 1981)
• Alan A'Court (Jan 1978) - Caretaker
• George Eastham (Feb 1977 - Jan 1978)
• Tony Waddington (June 1960 - March 1977)
• Frank Taylor (June 1952 - June 1960)
• Bob McGrory (June 1935 - May 1952)
• Tom Mather (Oct 1923 - June 1935)
• John Rutherford (March 1923 - April 1923)
• Arthur Shallcross (Feb 1919 - March 1923)
• Joe Schofield (April 1915 - Feb 1919)
• Peter Hodge (June 1914 - April 1915)
• Alfred Barker (May 1908 - June 1914)
• Horace Austerberry (Sept 1897 - March 1908)
• William Rowley (May 1895 - Sept 1897)
• Arthur Reeves (Jan 1892 - May 1895)
• Joseph Bradshaw (Aug 1890 - Jan 1892)
• Harry Lockett (April 1884 - Aug 1890)
• Walter Cox (Jun 1883 - April 1884)
• Thomas Slaney (August 1874 - June 1883)

Club mascot

The Potters have 2 club mascots called Pottermus , and Pottermiss (a female version of Pottermus). Pottermus was created when Stoke City moved to the Britannia Stadium in the 1997-98 season, while Pottermiss was created in the 2002-03 season. Occasionally, Pottermus, also known as Hippo rides a motorcycle around the pitch in a leather jacket, he was the first club mascot to hold a motorcycle licence and has also won the mascots' grand national on two occasions. He famously removed the head of Nuneaton Borough's mascot, a bear, at one match and also likes to use his wrestling skills on any visiting mascots.

American Club Partnership

In January 2008 the Austin Aztex , who will be joining the United Soccer Leagues in 2009, and Stoke City FC announced a team partnership and will share training information and players, with Austin acting as a potential player resource for Stoke. The Potters hope the relationship will unearth untapped American talents as Texas is considered to be one of the hotbeds for American football talent. Stoke City FC also looks to build an American fan base by sending young players to get playing time and selling Stoke City merchandise in Austin.

Club honours

Football League Championship

• Champions 1932-33, 1962-63
• Runners-up 2007-08

Football League 1

• Champions 1992-93
• Play-off winners 2001-02

Third Division (North) (Equivalent level to Football League 1)

• Champions 1926-27

League Cup

• Winners 1971-72
• Runners-up 1963-64

Football League Trophy

• Winners 1991-92, 1999-2000

Watney Cup

• Winners 1973

Isle of Man Trophy

• Winners 1988, 1992, 1993

Records

Attendance records:

• 51,130 ( Victoria Ground ) v Arsenal 29 March 1937
• Estimated 52,000 at the Centenary Game against Real Madrid 1963
• 28,218 (Britannia Stadium) v Everton 5 January 2002

Record results:

• Record league victory: 10-3 v West Bromwich Albion (1937)
• Record league defeat: 0-10 v Preston North End (1889)

Current squad