Tag Archive for ‘Stoke City’ at AndrewPointon.Com

Tag Archive for 'Stoke City'

Normal service has resumed… for now

Published

on 24 May, 2009

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Today is my fifth full day in Jacksonville after arriving on Tuesday night. Amazingly this is the first day I have actually been down to the beach to partake in my “usual” morning bike ride, in fact the first time to the beach for any reason. The sun is out, the sky has patches of blue, and the temperature is up. Nothing surprising about that you might think, but for the last few days we have suffered heavy showers for the majority of the day. I for one have been getting sick off it. Yesterday was Tina’s day off from her main job so we had almost a full day to do something before she did a couple of hours at her second job. But the weather was so dismal it ended up being a day of wandering around stores, and I won’t bore you with that, the only excitement being the discovery of a $8 DVD player at the Goodwill Thrift Store. Needless to say it turned out to be knackered, and a quick piece of internet research convinced me while the likely new part was only $1.59, the act of soldering it back in place was neither my forte nor worth it! So back it went to the store for a refund.

Any road I digress. The weather has been the main talking point around here and you can see that the usual laid back attitude has been affected, a grumpiness more at home on the wet Leeds side streets being evident amongst the locals. They are used to tropical storms, they are used to flash heavy showers that last an hour or so, but several days on the trot is unusual and unwelcome. The local newspaper, The Beaches Leader weekend edition reported that between last Monday and midday Thursday a total of 9.58 inches of rainfall fell at the Beaches area, Wednesday’s storms accounting for 3 inches alone. The rain was also combined with heavy wind gusts up to 53 mph, the average around 44 mph. The wind was enough to force the closure of Jacksonville Beach Pier after boarding broke away. Meanwhile the drainage system has struggled to cope with the deluge, and there has been flooding in some streets, the rain also setting of alarm systems of some of the nearby buildings, the block of condominiums across the road from us particularly annoying. The newspaper also reported that the pier wooden struts showed that around two feet of sand had been blown or washed away during the storms.

But today was thankfully different. I woke to sunshine and hastily set out on the bike to enjoy the beach and test the new rear tyre. (I’d been out briefly two days earlier and pumped the tyres at a local gas station. Imagine my surprise several hours later when there was a loud explosion in the lounge, the brief smell of burning, a startled yelp from the cats, and I found the rear tyre had actually blown up! There was a lengthy gash with some strange green seepage trickling out. Unnerving. So my shopping purchases had included a new tyre, inner tube, and foot pump).

Anyway the tide was coming in so there was little beach to actually ride along so I switched back to the road after a few blocks. Even at just after 8am the sun is very strong, so it was a short trip to avoid getting burnt. The forecast is for more heavy showers today during the afternoon, so hopefully I can get out beforehand to avoid them, but for the time being I’m listening to Stoke City getting a football lesson at Arsenal as half time approaches. The idiot BBC Stoke commentator John Acres opined at kick off that Stoke “could get something from this”, fancying a draw. It’s currently Arsenal 4 Stoke City 1. I ask you.

Reflections on 2008

Published

Andrew

on 1 January, 2009

in Life stories

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It’s a few minutes into 2009 and I sit on my sofa back from a New Year’s Eve party I attended almost out of a sense of compliance because to be honest I don’t particularly enjoy New Year celebrations. However 2008 was such a remarkable year personally that I feel it deserves some moments of reflection. It was a year of many highs, a few lows, but it was never dull, and provided some very special memories.

The year 2008 actually started in a sad way. After spending a wonderful couple of weeks around Christmas with Tina over from the USA, 1st January 2008 was the day I had to take her back to Manchester Airport for her flight home. We didn’t know when we would next see each other, although it was likely to be late March or April when my Annual Leave entitlement was replenished. December had marked the flourishing of our relationship to something stronger than just “friends with benefits”. On the way back from the airport I tried to cheer myself up with a trip on the East Lancashire Railway, but the drizzly day, and the feeling of missing someone special beside me prevented a real upturn in spirits. The house seemed empty, I felt like a part of me was missing, and the year was off to a bad start.

Yet there were plenty of highs too. I lost almost a stone in weight, getting myself fitter and leaner for when I next saw Tina, and making myself feel more positive about my appearance. I started being mentored by our Head of Department in February and the first session alone went a long way to raising my confidence and increasing my positivity. In early March I obtained a worldwide recognised qualification in software testing, and later that month the wait was finally over - I was heading to Florida to see Tina. Those 17 days opened my eyes and I went from showing general disdain for all things American to contemplating a whole new lifestyle for myself over there. Tina and I did some touring around, some highlights being the Ocala National Forest area with Juniper Springs, the JFK Space Center, and walking in the Apalachicola National Forest.

I enjoyed myself so much that I returned home and immediately booked to go back in June. In the meantime I went to Coniston in the Lake District and was taught how to drive a 7.5 inch gauge steam locomotive for the first time, something I’d continue to do regularly for the rest of the year. Furthermore I had a fantastic trip to Brussels in April, meeting fellow Stoke City message board users who have since become friends, and with them experienced the quite surreal moment of being introduced former Stoke manager Johan Boskamp. A week later I was in Scotland walking in the Cairngorm mountains when news trickled through that Stoke City had won promotion to the top flight of English football for the first time in 23 years.

May was finished off by a trip down to the South West walking in Exmoor and Dartmoor with my friend Jen, and taking in two preserved steam railways during the Bank Holiday period, while the final Saturday of the month presented a beautiful day in the Lake District walking up 4 peaks around Buttermere. Then came another trip to Florida in early June. Another Stoke message board name became a face as Tina and I met Calvin and his wife Margaret for the first time, and another friendship began, while again there were road trips to see parts of Florida neither of us had seen before. I also met a new addition to the family - Hadley the kitten - and Tina’s youngest son. The trip was enough to make me decide I wanted to spend much longer in Florida, so plans were made to rent out my house, ask for a sabbatical at work, and spend several months with Tina to see how the relationship developed.

This is where the year took a bit of a nose dive. A new boiler and double-glazed windows were needed to get the house up to scratch to rent it out, and I hoped this work might be done by August and October was suggested as a best case scenario for my arrival in Florida. However delays with projects at work, the complexities of arranging finance and the availability of the contractors meant that the house improvements were finally completed at the end of October! I still had decorating and minor DIY work to finish too. I was not in Tina’s good books. The excitement of meeting Johan Boskamp again when he brought his team FCV Dender to a friendly game at Leeds Utd, plus Stoke City starting their first ever season in the Premiership punctuated the downturn. But when it became obvious that Tony Pulis was going to deliver his usual brand of negative football, it took the shine of things. The obstacles in the way of an extended stay in America seemed to becoming more difficult to overcome, leading to a growing malaise and a growing waistline as I put back on the weight I had previously lost. Still I did turn some of my energy to positive things like discovering my political activism again, joining the Green Party and attending an anti-war demonstration in Manchester. Overall the tail end of the year was bleak, and I was angry with myself for not achieving what I had set out to do. Self doubt had returned.

Yet the year ended on a positive note. Tina secretly arranged a wonderful gift for my birthday in November - a ticket to see Leonard Cohen live at the M.E.N Arena - and I also decided to spend Christmas in Florida, luckily managing to obtain a cheap fare. How can anyone complain about a year that saw three trips to Florida?! The final visit in many ways was the best of the three. There may have been no road trips but there was plenty of quality time with Tina and two of her boys, seeing Calvin and Margaret again, and spending time with Tina’s family. It reinvigorated my desire to spend some serious time over there, and strengthened my belief in our relationship at a point where I was beginning to wonder if it could actually work.

The year 2008 has been memorable. I have been exceptionally lucky to experience what I have. Only a perfectionist like me would pick fault with it. Despite the achievements and experiences I still feel a certain disappointment about not being able to see though all my plans and not completing what I intended. This coming year has a lot to live up to, but if I do manage to achieve those dreams then 2009 will be equally memorable. Now it’s time to strap myself in and enjoy the ride however choppy.

“Are you Tottenham in disguise?”

Published

Andrew

on 3 November, 2008

in Football

. 0 Comments

“Are you Tottenham in disguise?” sang the Stoke fans to the visiting Arsenal fans. Cruel. But the scoreboard above says it all. A most unlikely scoreline, Arsenal’s millionaires and artistic expressive talents defeated by determined effort and a more direct approach. A report to follow soon, but for now here’s some photos of the event. Click them and they grow…

Fuller waits at the back post to flick in Delap’s rocket throw-in

Who would have thought the one on the left would overcome the one on the right? Not me!

The architect of Arsenal’s downfall. Delap strikes fear into Premiership defences

Blunderland

Published

Andrew

on 30 October, 2008

in Football

. 0 Comments

Ok so turning up five minutes before a match might not be the best idea but there were mitigating circumstances. Firstly my Sunderland supporting colleagues and I had to travel down from Leeds after work on a busy motorway network. Moreover the opportunity to get a feed at my parents’ house was too good to miss, especially the cake.

So I found myself in a long queue at the ticket collection point with five minutes before kick off. Tempers were fraying as the Ticket Office employed its own unique style of ineptitude. The queue descended into farce as the match started, people shouting out their names before even reaching the window, and the law of the jungle took hold. I’d printed out my details to make it easier, or so I thought. My surname in big letters at the top was clearly not prominent enough. In any case a bloke next to me shouted louder so the assistant scurried off to find his tickets arriving back to me with a blank expression even when I explained she had my piece of paper still behind the glass. Thankfully I checked the envelope before I departed the window as it contained only my Arsenal and Hull tickets and not one for the match that night. I was amused to see that any Sunderland fans arriving to claim tickets did not receive the usual printed version, but a slip of paper with their name on, more akin to a school chitty. “Take this to turnstile 47 and show it to them there duck”, said the assistant. I wondered if it excused the recipient from games lesson.

I finally found my seat 15 minutes into the match, so I feel I cannot provide an adequate match report. However the offering was so poor there’s little to report in any case. It was not one for the purists and no great loss if you’d remained at home and followed it on Teletext. Indeed I missed plenty more of the game as a creature that appeared half human half Ewok kept blocking my view as she and her offspring leapt up at the slightest hint of excitement. Needless to say the excitement was actually minimal. Apart from one decent move resulting in Fuller hitting the post after Tonge slipped in a delightful reverse pass, Stoke largely employed the Delap missile as their main creative outlet. Sunderland, who showed little appetite to perform, largely coped with this approach until Fuller darted in to head home a Delap throw on 76 minutes. Kenwyne Jones forced a good save from Sorensen late on but there was no way back for the under par visitors.
FT Stoke City 1 Sunderland 0

It was a vital three points that pulled Stoke out of the relegation zone but it was far from pretty, and not just the football. Mrs Ewok’s partner was revealed towards the end of the game minus his shirt, a portly youth settled several rows behind us proudly displaying his naked belly. As I said, far from pretty. Indeed after the long delay on the M6 returning to the Leeds and the arrival well after midnight it was hardly worth the effort! At least I had bragging rights in the car, although there was little to brag about!

Slick Chelsea give Stoke the blues

Published

Andrew

on 29 September, 2008

in Football

. 7 Comments

On the face of it a two-nil defeat to Chelsea might not seem a bad result, certainly no disgrace, or an embarrassment. But this was a very comfortable win for Chelsea achieved in second gear with the bare minimum of effort. There was a sense that if Stoke had somehow put the ball in the net, the Blues would have stepped up a gear, brushed the impudent newcomers aside and notched a few more themselves. The visitors were superior in every department, as one might expect, but the disappointing aspect is that Stoke’s cause was not helped by the team selection and the one dimensional approach of the manager.

Since the first couple of matches of the season I have opined that Stoke’s reliance on the Rory Delap throw, and the tactic of pressuring of opponents down the channels to obtain throw-ins was both limited and worrying. The lack of real creativity, pace, and the ability to supply other quality deliveries into the opponent’s penalty area leaves Stoke rather short of goal scoring opportunities. This was not addressed on transfer deadline day either. The only threat has come from the Delap exocet or the flash of brilliance from Fuller. It was therefore rather troubling to find that Delap was ruled out by a hamstring injury, and Fuller was on the bench. Dave Kitson and Mamady Sidibe were to start up front, while striker Richard Cresswell was asked to deputise in left midfield. This arrangement worked in the Championship, but it is highly questionable that Stoke will get away with this approach in the Premiership.

The atmosphere was magnificent again as the teams took to the pitch, the Stoke fans providing their part of the bargain when it came to making the Britannia Stadium an intimidating pace to visit. But as the game got under way the Stoke team seemed to give their visitors too much respect and Chelsea were soon comfortably into their stride. Michael Ballack was involved twice early on, sending a dipping shot from thirty yards that Thomas Sorensen tipped over, and the German international forced a Sorensen into a smart save with a header from the resulting corner. Stoke were in more trouble on 13 minutes after Seyi Olofinjana lost out in a midfield tussle allowing Frank Lampard the opportunity to send in a sublime chip through for the unmarked Didier Drogba. The striker controlled the ball beautifully and seemed certain to score, but his attempted prod to Sorensen’s left was blocked by the keeper’s outstretched leg. Chelsea maintained possession with ease during the first half, patiently building with sharp passing and movement, probing Stoke for weaknesses and a potential opening. It had all the characteristics of a training game for the visitors, with Stoke offering little in the way of a threat.

Indeed behind me in the stands Stoke fans were getting impatient with the efforts of Dave Kitson, questioning his work rate and desire. Up to press this season Kitson has been one of one Stoke’s most hard working players, unfortunately the system utilised by the manager had seen him out of position and contributing more in midfield and defence than in front of goal. Against Chelsea he was up front but deprived of anything resembling service, other than hopeful balls forward for him to chase or battle in vain against a strong top quality rearguard. There were signs that he was beginning to get disillusioned with his lot, not surprising to be fair, and until Stoke find a way of supplying quality balls into the box, they will not get the most from their £5.5m striker. Kitson did earn a corner on 34 minutes which Sidibe eventually got a head to at the near post, but his tame effort from a tight angle would not squeeze past Petr Cech in the Chelsea goal. Stoke were given a lesson in finishing moments later when Chelsea swept up the field with a string of intricate passes to open up Stoke’s defences down the home side’s left. Lampard played a delightful ball over the defence and Jose Bosingwa had kept pace with the attack to chest down the pass and fire home from an angle with Griffin helplessly getting the final touch. It was a deserved lead and was comfortably taken into half time with Stoke offering little other than eager chasing as Chelsea seemed to have plenty of time on the ball as they continued to move it around at will.

HT Stoke City 0 Chelsea 1 and Pulis left the field rightly scratching his head

The half time break saw Stoke and Chelsea legend Alan Hudson draw the lottery tickets, and Stoke also needed to pull something special out of the hat if they were to turn the game around. However the game was almost put beyond them in the 47th minute. A Lampard shot was steered wide by a Stoke foot and from the resulting corner the immense Abdoulaye Faye collected the ball safely and advanced seemingly untroubled out of the box. Unfortunately his sloppy pass was picked off by Florent Malouda and he fired in a shot from the edge of the area that Sorensen did well to tip on to the bar. Kitson was substituted on 53 minutes and replaced by Ricardo Fuller. Clearly this introduction sparked Stoke into life, giving them fresh impetus and more of threat. Stoke’s tempo had been increased and Chelsea started to look less comfortable and knew they were now in a battle. But for all of Stoke’s extra belief and the encouragement from the passionate crowd, the only real moment of note they produced was a powerful header from Leon Cort at a corner which Mikel nodded clear on the line. Fuller curled a shot high over the bar on 69 minutes, and while Stoke were enjoying a period of dominance the cutting edge was lacking, and they ultimately paid as Chelsea killed off the game with a second goal.

There appeared little menace on 75 minutes when Bosingwa swung in a routine ball from the right wing, but Cort slipped while attempting to chest down to Faye, who also slipped for good measure, teeing up the waiting substitute Nicolas Anelka to finish hard and low into the far corner from about 12 yards. This ended any Stoke hope, and the play swung back to a confident Chelsea. An Anelka run eventually set up Ballack for a shot just wide on 79 minutes, then an unmarked Lampard should have done better than softly shoot into Sorensen’s arms from 12 yards on 83 minutes while Stoke’s defence was dozing during another good move. Michael Tonge (who replaced a disappointing Liam Lawrence on 64 minutes) managed a shot from 20 yards in the last minute of normal time, but it flew well over the Chelsea bar.

The final whistle went to end what was in the main a comfortable victory for Chelsea who were in total control apart from a spell in the second half when Fuller’s introduction lifted Stoke and injected much need confidence and pace. However I got the impression that Chelsea could have easily stepped up a level if needed should Stoke have grabbed a goal. Typical spirit and hard work from Stoke, but an impotent as an attacking force without Delap and Fuller on the pitch. Stoke need to find alternative ways of creating scoring opportunities if their stay in the top flight is to last longer than this season.

FT Stoke City 0 Chelsea 2 – and Pulis has a bit of thinking to do.

The evening was spent in the company of Stoke fanzine message board legends at a curry house in Dresden. The post mortem of the game was carried out over a decent feed and with plenty of gallows humour.

More Photos

Window of missed opportunity? Part 2

Published

Andrew

on 8 September, 2008

in Football

. 2 Comments

Since the end of last season Stoke have added 10 new faces to the squad, the majority with Premiership experience or lower Premiership quality. Doesn’t sound too bad. Indeed they might allow Stoke to make a bit of a fight of it. It is steady if not spectacular building by manager Tony Pulis. But while £20 million pounds spent sounds a lot, especially for Stoke, the Transfer Deadline passed without any real exciting additions, and critically the key areas of weakness in the side were not fully addressed, something which may prove critical in the months ahead. My pre-deadline shopping list would have included the following as minimum: a dedicated left-back, a dedicated left-midfielder, preferably a winger, a creative central midfielder, and at least one more striker. The actual purchases were another central defender who can play left-back if pushed, and two midfielders, one of which is able to play on the left, and neither really proven at this level. From what I’ve seen so far, for all the spirit and effort shown by the Stoke side, and indeed an increasingly inclination to pass the ball around more, the overall approach is still fairly limited. The main tactic is to chase balls down the flanks and put the opposition under pressure deep in their own half forcing them to concede either corners, or more typically throw-ins. Rory Delap will then hurl in one of his monster throws, and Stoke try to capitalise on the confusion in the penalty box. The introduction of creative or wide midfielders might offer other attacking outlets, so players of this nature were an absolute must, but whether the ones that arrived are of the suitable standard remains to be seen. A huge concern is the inability to add to the forward line seeing as an injury to or suspension of Fuller and Kitson leaves Stoke fielding Championship standard strikers that can be best described as “honest”.

The final word must go to the departure of another “honest” striker, Jon “The Beast” Parkin who Stoke sold to Preston North End on deadline day. Parkin split fans’ opinion down the middle into two clear camps. He was either detested as an unprofessional waster whose lack of fitness was an absolute disgrace, while to others he was a characterful cult hero serenaded with the chant “Beast, Beast, Beast”. Parkin could have had great appeal, even hero status, forgiven all his indiscretions if he’d scored more often. A professional footballer he may be, the Beast’s appearance was more in keeping with the watching faithful. He was almost of comic book story proportions, real Roy of the Rovers stuff. Picture if you will Melchester Rovers needing a win to avoid relegation in the last match of the season, the manager and his assistant frantically trying to conjure up a goal from a desperately dire display. The clock is ticking and with 5 minutes to go the scores are tied at 0-0. A big lad is needed up front, but the star forward is out injured and the substitutes bench has been decimated by a stomach bug. They look round and spot the giant Parkin in the crowd, unshaven, half cut, and enthusiastically tucking into a pie, gravy stains down the front of his replica shirt. “Here laddie we need you”, shouts the assistant, “Come over here and get these on”, hurling him a pair of boots. Parkin straddles the advertising hoarding with one last mouthful of pastry, squeezes into the boots and a borrowed pair of shorts, then takes to the pitch as the crowd roars on one of their own. His first touch is to barge past the opposition’s strapping centre halves, and get his considerable weight behind a deep cross into the box to meet it first time with a thunderous volley which rockets past the hapless keeper and bulges the back of the net. The stadium goes berserk, Melchester Rovers are safe from relegation, and Parkin staggers off the pitch exhausted but the unlikely hero.

Pure fantasy, but I’m sure there’s large parts of the Stoke crowd who would have forgiven, nay revelled in a hero who rolled up to the ground 15 minutes prior to kick off, nourished by a pre-match meal of pub pie and chips washed down with three pints of Marston’s Pedigree, before belting home a couple of wonder goals to help his team to victory. Frankly they’d have loved it. No doubt Parkin’s behaviour was never that unprofessional, but then again given his appearance few would be surprised if that was his match day routine. Personally I thought it shame he never showed his true talents, whether it be through lack of fitness, or either the reluctance of the manager to pick him, or use Parkin in the wrong system. When used as an impact player coming on late in the game, his deft touches and intelligent reading of the play often gave Stoke a different dimension, fresh impetus, and a more skilful attacking edge. Sadly he lacked the fitness to maintain that drive for a full 90 minutes, which was no doubt his undoing, and the reason he was not considered part of Stoke’s Premiership plans. Farewell Beast, you had your moments, you could have claimed hero status but ultimately you wasted your chance. Good luck at your new club, and as tradition dictates you are sure to score against us when Stoke next play your new team!

Window of missed opportunity?

Published

Andrew

on 2 September, 2008

in Football

. 0 Comments

While most of the national media have been frothing over the drama of Dimitar Berbatov moving from Tottenham to Manchester United and neighbours Manchester City’s astonishing swoop for Robinho from Real Madrid, over in the Potteries Stoke City were involved in their own transfer deadline day maelstrom. Could Tony Pulis bring in the faces that might help the Potters avoid relegation from the Premiership after only one season?

From 7pm my monitoring of the situation was constant. Sky Sports News remained on the television, while the laptop in the lounge kept tabs on the Stoke City official site, Oatcake fanzine messageboard, BBC Sport Football Transfer Live Text, and Sky Sports Deadline Clock Watch simultaneously. The tension mounted as midnight approached, the sums Stoke were allegedly offering are still hard to grasp. Stoke fans are used to no news deadline days, or aged journey men arriving either for free or “nominal fees”, in otherwise a few grand and a dozen oatcakes. But this year Stoke had a dedicated Sky reporter outside the Britannia Stadium, and after the Manchester clubs must have received the most interest as bids of £5 million and then £6 million for Cardiff’s midfielder Joe Ledley flew from the Potters’ fax machine.

Yet as I now turn in for the night it seems a bit of an anti-climax, possibly a disappointment. The latest news at 01:15 is:

- Cardiff City turned down a £6m bid for Ledley refusing Stoke permission to talk to the player
- Wigan Athletic also were unwilling to sell striker Henri Camara after Stoke showed late interest
- Defender Danny Higginbotham rejoined Stoke from Sunderland for a fee believed to be around £2.5m
- Midfielder Tom Soares arrived at 8:30pm and was signed from Crystal Palace just in time before midnight for £1.25m
- Another late move saw midfielder Michael Tonge bought from Sheffield Utd for £2m
- Jon “The Beast” Parkin left Stoke to join Preston North End permanently after an initial loan

Stoke have added to their squad, but will it be enough? More analysis and comment after a much needed sleep.

Good, Bad, and Ugly at Boro for Stoke

Published

Andrew

on 31 August, 2008

in Football and Life stories

. 11 Comments

A few evenings ago Sergio Leone’s epic western The Good, The Bad and the Ugly got another airing on television and having shamefully never seen it before I sat through it gripped by the drama, tension, and suspense created by the supreme performances of the cast. Unlike that film today’s match at Middlesbrough will not be hailed as a classic. Indeed it may have lacked real drama, or at times real quality, but it contained real grit, personal and collective battles all over the park, brought tense and heart-stopping moments to the watching thousands, and had a few twists along the way. In short it at times it was good, bad and ugly. Sadly it was also ultimately fruitless for Stoke.

Life has a habit of occasionally throwing up some strange coincidences, and the more spiritually minded of folk might actually see them as fate or a meaningful sign. Today as Leeds Stokie Paddy and I travelled along the A168 towards Teesside I had such a moment. Pulling into a Little Chef services for the obligatory toilet stop, BBC Radio 2 were playing XTC’s 1979 hit Making plans for Nigel. I grinned as I sauntered past a coach load of boisterous large Stokies stationed outside taking a smoke break, adorned with red and white stripes, tatoos and expressions you wouldn’t mess with. Having relieved my aching bladder I pulled open the toilets door to be face to face with BBC Radio Stoke’s stalwart matchday commentator Nigel Johnson! Somewhat taken aback I could not contain myself, flashing the City legend a huge beaming smile and bursting out with “It’s the main man himself, Nigel Johnson!” Nigel instantly returned the smile, patted me on the shoulder and replied “Alright mate?” If he hadn’t looked in such a hurry to acquaint himself with the porcelain, and I’d have had more composure, I might have engaged him in conversation about Stoke’s prospects. But I was too gobsmacked and hurried back to the car to tell Paddy. I hadn’t made any plans for Nigel but there he was. Surely a good sign?

Middlesbrough navigation turned out to be a breeze. The Zetland long stay car park near the railway station offering all day parking for £1 was easy to find, if a little strange to encounter a huge mountain of sand on the approach, not the sort of thing I was expecting from the town centre if I’m entirely honest. But Middlesbrough is in transition. Parts are to be frank a dump, unattractive with the clear signs of declining industry. Yet parts are vibrant and forward looking, promoting itself with a marketing campaign - Love Middlesbrough, cool place, warm people. The town centre was about 5 minutes stroll away and to pass the time until kick off we escaped the shopping hoardes and visited MIMA (Insitute of Modern Art) for a bit of culture. Having witnessed Eric Bainbridge’s apparent obession with fur and old MFI wardrobes in his exhibition Forward thinking 1978-2008, Paddy and I tucked into suitably artistic sandwiches in the Insitute’s cafe. Humous and sundried tomato in Middlesbrough? Astonishing.

I can’t recall ever wandering across a railway level crossing on my way to a football match before, but our route to the Riverside Stadium past an industrial estate ticked that eventuality off the list. Having collected our tickets we met with a Boro supporting former colleague of mine for pre-match pleasantries and predictions next to the old Ayresome Park gates which form the entrance to the Riverside’s reception area. It was then time to blend in with the home support in the East Stand and turn our attention to the main event.

The first 35 minutes were good for Stoke City. Tony Pulis stuck with the side that beat Aston Villa 3-2, and maybe unsurprisingly after that win the visitors started off brightly and confidently, something that is becoming a pleasing habit. There was no sense of awe and Stoke’s no nonsense approach and hard work clearly shook Middlesbrough forcing them into rushed and wasteful play, the repeated loss of possession producing groans from the home supporters. The Potters made use of freekicks, corners, and Delap’s long throws in the early exchanges to put the home side under pressure without being truly threatening. Griffin’s long punt into the box caused confusion when the Middlesbrough keeper flapped at it, but the ball would not fall kindly and was cleared before Delap closed in. At the other end Middlesbrough exposed Stoke’s defensive frailties on 11 minutes when Alves got between Griffin and Cort to head a cross from O’Neil narrowly wide. Stoke almost contrived to give away a calamitous goal on 20 minutes when a Sorensen clearance barely left the penalty area and fell to a surprised Abdoulaye Faye who lost possession putting Leon Cort in a real mess. Cort slipped allowing the ball to run to Alves who also tumbled with a clear chance on goal, but his team mate Shawky did manage to fire in a shot, luckily straight at Sorensen who gratefully gathered. Stoke still pressed and Fuller sent a couple of efforts wide, a Lawrence freekick was scrambled wide by Turnbull in the home goal and Delap had a shot blocked after Olofinjana had mopped up a loose ball.

However an ugly moment altered the course of the game on 35 minutes. Amdy Faye’s attempted tackle on Shawky just outside the Stoke box was intended to be simply hard and I’m sure was free of malice, but two feet came of the ground and connected with the player’s ankle. It left referee Mike Dean little choice and the red card was rapidly pulled from his back pocket and displayed to the distraught Faye. The Stoke midfielder hung around for few moments to offer his hand of apology to Shawky before trudging dejectedly off for an early bath. It became a double whammy seconds later as Alves curled home a beautiful goal from the resulting freekick, Sorensen helplessly rooted to the spot and left looking on in almost admiration. The ground errupted, the tension melted away, and Stoke could only rue a minute of madness undoing their previous good work. There was still time for nerves though when Fuller went on an incredible run, zigzagging his way into the box from the right wing, nutmegging Pogatetz in the process, before stumbling over and hoping for more than Mike Dean’s eventual disinterest in the challenge.

HT Middlesbrough 1 Stoke City 0, and I was sure the old fella to my left was also a Stoke fan who’d sneaked into the home stand

One could fear the worst for ten men Stoke in the second half, as Middlesbrough would have the extra space to use their pace and skill to get behind the defence to produce a hatful of goals. As it turned out that’s what should have happened but by a combination of luck, gritty defending, poor finishing, and good saves it didn’t occur. Downing had an early shot deflected, then sent a powerful effort just wide of the post. On 57 minutes Tuncay latched on to a pull back but looped it over when he seemed certain to score. Sorensen had to beat away a Downing shot and make another save in the resulting melee on 63 minutes. Moments later Stoke conceded a dubious penalty when Olofinjana was judged to have pushed over Alves who went over very easily. Downing stepped up to put the contest beyond Stoke with a second goal, but incredibly thumped a poor effort against the bar with Sorensen slumped on the ground. It was a huge let off for Stoke and they were amazingly still in the game.

Sorensen’s goal was living a charmed life under almost constant pressure by now, and Aliadiere left the defence in his wake down the right to cut the ball back for Tuncay who would have surely scored, but his effort was deflected just wide by the lunge of Cort. After all their misses it was possible to believe that it wasn’t going to be Middlesbrough’s day and Stoke might pop up with an unlikely or lucky goal to snaffle something they scarely deserved. I’d barely finished offering this opinion to Paddy (who had been thinking the same thing it transpired), when Stoke did exactly that and scored completely against the run of play on 71 minutes. Substitute Wilkinson drove forward into the Middlesbrough half, passed it to Lawrence on the right wing, and he scampered forward until in line with the penalty spot before whipping over a cross to the back post. From where we sat Kitson appeared to arrive with stumbled kung fu kick to messily force the ball into the net from inside the six yard box. However having seen it from another angle the ginger striker’s presence was enough to pester debutant defender Hoyte enough to bump it into his own net. Whoever got the final touch it sent the two thousand strong Stoke contingent behind the goal absolutely beserk, flinging themselves about the stand in wild celebration. I managed a stiffled punch by my leg and looked on wishing I could be in one of the best “mentals” I’d seen since ooooh last week’s winner against Aston Villa

Stunned Middlesbrough pressed again as Tuncay got in a couple of shots, and Alves forced a wonderful diving save from Sorensen before he made way for Mido on 76 minutes as manager Gareth Southgate looked for the win that really should have been a foregone conclusion. Stoke were putting in great defensive effort at this stage to hold back the onslaught and hang on for a precious and unlikely point. I was just thinking that four points from a possible nine wasn’t a bad start to the season when disaster struck and the home side did get a deserved winner on 85 minutes, although bad luck and a bad mistake played a key role. Wilkinson did well to dispossess Downing on the edge of the box but as he advanced he showed the inexperience of youth, swiftly losing it again allowing Middlesbrough another stab. The cross from the left fell to Digard who hit a poor shot but Wilkinson was coming back after tracking Downing to the corner, resulting in Tuncay being played onside when the skewed ball fell kindly to his feet. Tuncay controlled it well and calmly planted the ball into the net from about 12 yards out. It was hard on Stoke but no more than the home side deserved after dominating the second half and creating a plethora of chances. Stoke did manage a corner a couple of minutes later which got the away fans excited one last time, but it came to nothing and there was nothing left in the way of escape acts as the home side ran down the clock fairly comfortably. Stoke City’s good stuff like the first half domination and second half determination were undone by an ugly challenge which ultimately ended in a bad result, a defeat.

FT Middlesbrough 2 Stoke City 1, and the fella to my left was indeed a Stoke fan, over from York visiting the ground with two Boro colleagues. I let on we were Stoke too, shook his hand and wished him a safe journey home.

To be fair this wasn’t as bad a result as it might have been. The second half with only ten men allowed the home side to create a large number of decent chances and they might have won by a landslide. The Stoke support were magnificent throughout again, loud and proud, outsinging the home fans for much of the game, with several fine renditions of Delilah. They were rewarded with a scruffy goal which might have merited a point for sheer stubborn resistance and the refusal to give up hope. We can take a lot of heart from this display even if Stoke took no points. Stoke’s play can be ugly at times, but if they can iron out the bad mistakes, augment what they have with a few more quality signings, this might end up being a good season after all.

Nigel Johnson might not have proved to be a lucky omen but it’s amusing that the man featured on the front of the matchday programme actually scored an own goal in Stoke’s favour! A debut he’ll want to forget, as I will want to forget the post match chips which were simply wretched. Almost white, soggy, and largely under-cooked they proved no consolation after the defeat and were not worth the walk back into town after the game. Next time I’ll stick to the humous and sundried tomatoes.

Low cloud base has a silver lining

Published

Andrew

on 29 August, 2008

in Football and Life stories

. 0 Comments

A planned few days away walking with the lads in Wales over the Bank Holiday were dealt a blow by an unfavourable weather forecast. With cloud coverage set at 100% and the cloud base down to as low as 90 metres on some of our intended peaks, it seemed pointless embarking on traipses that would entail walking through mist right from the car park to the summits. So I stayed at home and started on a much needed “declutter” of the house. Bags of old clothes were washed, ironed and then duly dispatched to Oxfam, old computer equipment went to the recyclers, and mounds of paperwork were sorted away or shredded. (There was time to break off to watch Farsley Celtic beat Blyth Spartans 3-0 in a game that could have seen double that tally for the home side).

The task of tidying up chez moi was in the main arduous and as a dull as a Tony Pulis 0-0 draw. However it did unearth some treasures from the past. First up is Stoke City fanzine Oatcake issue 95 from 12th March 1994 against Nottingham Forest. What makes this issue more significant than the rest of my collection is that it contains my first “published” article, a piece I wrote about a trip to watch Newcastle United with a Geordie friend. Naturally there was a Stoke City link, in this case ex manager, the late Alan Ball. It is reproduced here (left) complete with the Oatcake’s dubious lack of editing. In fact I think they even added some typos! Click on the image for a full sized version. Little did I know back then that it would take so long for Stoke City and Newcastle Utd to meet again in the top flight of English football.

Another treat was finding a small album I put together to commemorate the final league match at the old Victoria Ground when Stoke beat West Bromwich Albion two goals to one on Sunday 4th May 1997. Here are a few snaps from that game including a much younger pair of Leeds Stokies, Paddy and myself stood on the Boothen End after the final whistle. I miss the Victoria Ground despite not witnessing its greatest years. I think the photo of the goal celebration captures the turbulent passion and energy of the place, the drama helped in this case by the looming dark clouds, like a storm brewing and waiting to burst forth. Good to see Pink Panther making an appearance too.

I will have to put my new scanner to good use and scan the rest of the album. One day it will no doubt be classed as a study in social history rather than the photos of a daft lad from Stoke, or a welcome break from a weekend of clutter busting.

Villa vanquished by surprising Stoke

Published

Andrew

on 24 August, 2008

in Football and Life stories

. 5 Comments

Stoke City defied the experts today and if I’m honest totally astonished me too by obtaining a result against Aston Villa that I scarcely believed possible. Having witnessed the defensive frailties at Bolton I feared the worst, unhappily telling colleagues all week that we’d get a footballing lesson from Villa, and that their forward line would run amok against our slow and suspect rearguard. I figured a defeat by at least two clear goals was on the cards and I had genuine fears of four goals flying in at the wrong end. But Stoke produced a memorable display to match the occasion of their first ever Premiership home match in front of a passionate crowd that was given as 27,500.

Joined by fellow Leeds Stokies Dave and Paddy, the day started well with an uneventful journey followed by home-made soup and North Staffs Oatcakes at my parents’ house in the garden no less. Had Summer arrived?! A planned pre-match pint with some of the Stokies that I’d visited Belgium with sadly didn’t happen, so it was into the ground to soak up the atmosphere rather than beer. We took up position in the South Stand which has been split to allow home fans to sit in what was once entirely the away end. This now meant I had been in every stand in the ground and it was impressive to look out on the Boothen End and the rest of the massive home support from this vantage point high in the South Stand corner.

Stoke manager Tony Pulis had made changes to the side that started at Bolton. Liam Lawrence and Ricardo Fuller both started to give us that extra creative and attacking threat we missed at the Reebok for most of the game. There were debuts for the two Fayes, Amdy replacing Glen Whelan in central midfield alongside Seyi Olofinjana, and Abdoulaye Faye replaced Ryan Shawcross in defence. Carl Dickinson started at Left Back while Richard Cresswell was replaced on the left by Lawrence. On paper it was a stronger side than on the opening day but would it be enough to cancel out Villa’s pace and skill?

Stoke started very brightly, roared on by a noisy home crowd. Most of the first 45 minutes was played in the Aston Villa half, the visitors unsettled by the Potters’ direct and physical play, and in my view were playing well below their capabilities. Rory Delap’s long throw-in routine was utilised regularly to unnerve Villa’s defence, although in the main they had the measure of it and dealt with most of the efforts fairly comfortably. Stoke were industrious and dominated possession without looking really dangerous. At the other end Villa’s chances were limited as Stoke controlled the first half, never giving the away side the chance to settle and get into their stride. They did appear to have a decent claim for a penalty when a rare foray into Stoke’s box saw Olofinjana lean on Agbonlahor and force him over. Referee Mark Halsey was unsighted, peering through a group of players, and he failed to point to the spot. However a few seconds later with 30 minutes on the clock he was awarding a penalty at the other end for Stoke! Delap appeared to be chopped by Villa captain Laursen after some neat work in the box as he attempted to pull the ball back into the danger area. Lawrence stepped up and coolly smote the ball hard and low into the corner just beyond the dive of Friedel who guessed the right way. It was Stoke’s first ever Premiership goal and the place when berserk with incredible scenes of jubilation. With the benefit of a slow motion replay after the game it looked like Delap made a meal of the slightest of clips, but from the stands in real time it looked a certain penalty. Fuller may have added an unlikely second goal just before half-time when he headed a Delap missile just inches wide. The Potters left the pitch to a huge ovation while without a doubt below par Villa trooped off to a half-time rollocking.

HT Stoke City 1 Aston Villa 0, and I decided against another dreadful Britannia cup of tea.

Predictably Aston Villa improved greatly in the second half. Their passing was more incisive, their approach more urgent, and soon Stoke were finding themselves pressed back, dropping deeper in a bid to quell the reinvigorated Villa. The away side’s midfield became more influential as they passed their around Stoke, and used their wide players more effectively than in the first half. There was a sense of inevitability when on 63 minutes John Carew equalised for the visitors. Good approach play culminated in a fine final move, Carew playing the ball into Young who beautifully back-heeled a return-pass allowing the striker to fire across Thomas Sorensen, the ball arrowing into the far corner. At this point Stoke fans would be forgiven for fearing the worst and wondering how many it might become if heads dropped. It was a deserved equaliser and in a quick spell after the goal Villa might have added another as they looked threatening every time they came forward. Gareth Barry was inches away from connecting with Young’s cross to give the visitors the lead. Villa were now dominating the game and their passing and movement had Stoke in forced retreat.

So it was against the run of play when Fuller put Stoke into the lead on 80 minutes. Olofinjana mopped up in midfield, played a ball forward to Lawrence who then slipped in a fine pass for Fuller to chase. A sublime flick on the turn unlocked the defence and the Jamaican powered away from his marker to be able to drill the ball into the far corner from a tight angle. It was something out of the blue from nothing made by the individual skill of Fuller, and it marked Stoke’s best piece of football in the game. The atmosphere had intensified again as the home support sensed an unlikely victory was now possible. But as the deafening strains of “Delilah” rang round the ground, a silly free-kick was given away in midfield just two minutes later and while the delivery was poor, the napping Stoke defence allowed Laursen to squeeze home from close range. The goal strangled the “Delilah” mid-flow and once again the harsh lesson at Bolton of mistakes being punished at this level had been unheeded.

By now I think the majority of Stoke fans would have settled for a point to remove the risk of conceding a late Villa winner. However in a final piece of drama it was Stoke who stole all three points. Mamady Sidibe, who had replaced Kitson on 76 minutes, sent the home fans wild when deep into injury time he got his head to a Delap throw-in hurled from the left. The big striker didn’t seem to know much about it as he had his back to goal in a crowd of players and merely thrust back his head. It was enough to send the ball into the net and the Stokies in the stands daft on delirium. It was the last action of the game, the perfect time to score, and the Britannia Stadium rocked like Stoke City had won the cup never mind a game.

FT Stoke City 3 Aston Villa 2, and I needed sweet tea for the shock!

Overall it was a very good display from Stoke City with lots of positives. A totally unexpected result and scoreline to be fair. It was a deserved win despite Villa bossing much of the second half and playing the better football during that time. However Stoke played the ball on the ground far more in this game, a few frustrating hopeful punts into the channels littered a game that saw more passing football than Stoke are usually credited with. There were impressive debuts for Faye and Faye, particularly Abdoulaye with his “thou shall not pass” dominance of whoever bore down on him, mixed with an ability to bring the ball out of defence. He also seemed to bring the best out of Cort, while Amdy Faye linked up well with Olofinjana, who also showed some good touches and much promise. The whole team worked hard for each other and showed great character to look for a winner. With Lawrence and Fuller in the side we look more threatening and the wonderful individual skill of Fuller fashioned a goal when I was beginning to question Stoke’s attacking threat and worried about having another goal in the side. When the ball was played on the ground Stoke looked better for it, showing they can pass the ball if they want to, the holding on to possession assisting the first half dominance over Villa. Some minor negatives are the tendency to rely heavily on Delap’s monster throws (about 10 throws produced a couple of clear chances, one leading to a goal), the use of hopeful punts into the channels to no one, and a few occasions of giving the ball away through sloppy passes or being out-muscled. We still sit too deep at times, and the defence is still not as tight as it should be. But it would be churlish to criticise that overall performance after such a great result. It was a huge improvement on last week and Villa are a better side than Bolton. There was encouragement for the future, and much cheer for the next week! Plenty to build on, and it instils hope for the season. With displays like that a trip to the Britannia might not be the pushover and easy three points that opponents might think. Well done Stoke!

Before heading back to Leeds we bumped into Oatcake Fanzine legend Old Stokie, the delight of the win producing a hearty hug from the City stalwart. There was even praise for Pulis from one of his biggest critics. As Old Stokie sauntered off to find his lift home, we made our way towards a celebratory bag of chips in Smithpool Road before the Padmobile made its way back north to Leeds. What a day, what a shock, what a result, what a fine bag of chips too. Hoarse but happy.

AndrewPointon.Com