Season 2001-2002

02/04
A 2-0 victory at home to Swindon, and a defeat for Bristol City sees Stoke nearly guarenteed of a play off spot. but wher will we finish and who will we play. It's third V's sixth and fourth V's fifth at the moment it would be Brentford V's Cardiff and Stoke V's Huddersfield. But with 3 matches left anything can happen.

01/04
A visit to London to see Stoke play Brentford turned into a fruitless venture again for me as Stoke lost by 1 goal to nil. That's no win in four visits this season ( a jinx or what?). We showed little heart or guts against a poor Brentford side.

17/03
Stoke record a 1-0 victory against Peterbrourgh on Saturday and now look likely to grab a playoff spot. Cardiff are the only team outside the top 6 who look as if they could upset the apple cart. Stoke now have 6 games left so 3 wins could be enough to enter the playoff lottery for a fourth year running.

11/03
Another away defeat this weekend. The Potters were beaten by an 83rd minute goal in Wycombe on Saturday, to edge them further away from second place and automactic promotion. Our away form has just not been good enough this season and the lottery of the playoff's looks to be Stoke only chance of promotion unless we pick up points away from the Britinnia. As I am travelling to London on Saturday March 30th to see us play Brenford, hopefully Stoke can take 3 points from the luck I will bring them.

07/03
After victory in midweek against Colchester and Deon Burton's brace the Potters face another Away journey to play Wycombe Wanderers on Saturday. With all players now back to full fitness the only worry w have is the suspension to Sergei Shtaniuk which will rule him out of 4 matches. We have still not given up on automactic promotion.

02/03
A super win on friday night against Brighton has lifted the spirits of players, directors and fans. Stoke played live on ITV Sport, and stuffed the visitors to the Brit 3-1 with Irish man Clive Clarke scoring the 3rd goal. Clive is far from a regular on the scoresheet, but has been playing really well this season and picked up the man of the match award after the game. The biggest disappointment though was that now where in the South East come we tune into ITV Sport so we had to listen to the match via the internet and Nigel Johnson's strange commentary on BBC Radio Stoke. The Potters now just 2 points behind Brighton who are in second place so automatic promotion is back on the cards. With only 9 games left in the season, we must win at least 6 games to grab second spot.

24/02
Two signings in midweek, could not help the recent shortage of goals as Stoke went down to Reading 1-0 on saturday. The Potters are now looking over their shoulders as Cardiff and Tranmere close in to push Stoke out of play off's. 2 wins are vital in the coming week if Stoke are to stay ahead of rivals. Time is running out for Gudjon, yet again.

20/02
The failure to score against Notts County who are currently second last in the table, County have conceeded 57 goals in 33 games, but Stoke still could not hit the back of the net. Gudjon must now be on his last legs as stated in last weekends Sunday People. This weekend Stoke travel to Reading to play the table toppers and a Potters win would be an almighty surprise. stoke are now in trouble of faliing out of the top six unless they start to score goals.

12/02
Sunday's home defeat to local rivals Port fail has left The Potters in a serious situation, we have to start winning gmes again soon because teams behind us are now catching up quickly. Reading are now coasting at the top and will gain one automatic spot, Brighton with Zamora's goals are going to last the pace, Brenford have gone through their sticky patch, Bristol City will slip away, Huddersfield are coming into form at the right time and Lou has done it before, Tranmere are closing up and we can't rule out Wycombe or Cardiff either. That's 8 teams looking for the top 6 places. It would be a nightmare for us to go into the playoff's again because Gudjon would play defensive in both legs, but it would be a disaster to finish 7th come April.

05/02
Gudjon has just cancelled all days off for the Stoke players. He said he needs more time on the training ground "to go back to basis as we defended like kids and attacked like schoolboys". After spending 3 days in Stoke I feel taht Gudjon should do the exact opposite and give the players a week off to enjoy themselves. Sometimes training too often can have adverse effects. Give the playrs a break Gudjon we are playing matches in midweek and at weekends the players need to rest their bodies.

02/02
After a lucky victory in midweek against Peterborough when Goodfellow scored in injury time, Stoke City when down badly to struggling Bournemouth in the Fitnes First Stadium. We had just climbed to second spot but this defeat see us sink down a few places. The next 2 games are vital if we are going to continue our push for automatic promotion. Cambridge and Port Vale are next up for the mighty Potters.

22/01
Disaster in Cardiff tonight as Stoke City are beaten by the bluebirds. This defeat now moves Stoke down to 4th place and with Brighton and Reading recording good wins a gap is starting to form at the top. It is now vital that Stoke gain 7 points in the next three games against Wigan (home) Peterbough and Bournmouth (away).

21/01
We travelled to the Britinnia Stadium on Saturday last to see Stoke city get their promotion push back on track with victory over high flying QPR. Disappointment was in store for us as QPR completed a smash and grab win as Gavin Peacock scored the winner in the 81st minute. This win leaves Stoke City in third place but needing to find a goalscorer if they are to challenge for an automatic promotion place otherwise its the dreaded playoff's again, when our manager will be too negitive to see us win a two legged semi-final.

18/09
On Saturday afternoon we ran out victorious against Reading in the Brittannia, after the sale of Peter Thorne in midweek things didn't look to bright for the season, but the team pulled out all the stops to beat fellow promotion favourties. but tonight saw us fall back down to earth as Brighton scored in the ninety miunte to deny us a valuable point.

09/09
After having a week off due to international maches, Stoke could only manage a draw at home to Huddersfield Town. This leaves us with a lot to do in the coming month to lift us up the table as we currently lie in a lowly 14th place.

01/09
Its not often that I get a chance to see two Stoke city players in the Waterford Regional Sports Centre, but it was with great pleasure that I met James O'Connor and Clive Clarke before the Ireland V Holland Under 21 Match on friday night. the two looked disapointed not to be in the team but felt they would get a run at some stage. However Manager Don Givens failed to bring on either in the game, which left me upset as I sat wearing my Stoke jersey in the main stand.

27/08
Stoke City had put themselves into a good challenging position in the league with two 2-0 wins away from home and with Tramere arriving in the Britannia midweek hopes were high of victory and an early position in the top three to show their intent for the season. But in tipical Stoke style we lost to a team who had a bad start to the season and were struggling to score goals. If we hope to gain promotion this year we must win matches like this. Opposition teams love coming to Stoke when they are on a bad run, as the Potters always help teams lift their moraql by by letting them win.

19/08
After the disappointment of last week opening day defeat to QPR, Stoke grabbed their first three points of the season beating Northampton 2 nil in the Britannia Stadium. Thorne and Cooke scored the goals which should kick start our season. Irish man James O'Connor who handed in a transfer request in pre season and was not brought to Austria in August started both games in the centre of midfield, while Clive Clarke was dropped this week from his left back position.

03/06
Stoke City started last season with 3 very proimising Irish players. Graham Kavanagh (a full international), James O'Connor (U21 international) and Clive Clarke (U21 international). This season after afall over with the manager Kav has joined Cardiff City, Jamesie is on the transfer list by his own request while Clive is the only one happy to play for the Potteries next year as Tony Dirogo has retired, and Clive will play left wing back. Our Icelandic manager has taken a dislike to us Irish which is a pity for all the Irish based fans.