Stoke City F.C. facts for kids
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| Full name | Stoke City Football Club | |||
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| Nickname(s) | The Potters | |||
| Founded | 1863 1868 (first recorded match) as Stoke Ramblers F.C. |
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| Ground | bet365 Stadium | |||
| Capacity | 30,089 | |||
| Owner | Stoke City Holdings Limited | |||
| Chairman | John Coates | |||
| Head coach | Narcís Pèlach | |||
| League | Championship | |||
| 2018–19 | Championship, 16th of 24 | |||
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Stoke City Football Club is a professional soccer team. They are based in Stoke-on-Trent, England. The team plays in the Championship, which is the second highest league in English football.
The club started as Stoke Ramblers in 1863. They changed their name to Stoke in 1878. In 1925, they became Stoke City after Stoke-on-Trent became a city. Their home stadium is the bet365 Stadium, which holds over 30,000 fans. Before 1997, they played at the Victoria Ground since 1878.
Stoke City's nickname is "The Potters." This comes from the pottery industry in Stoke-on-Trent. Their home uniform is a red-and-white striped shirt, white shorts, and white socks. Their main rivals are West Bromwich Albion and Wolverhampton Wanderers. Their local rivals are Port Vale, and their games are called the Potteries derby.
Stoke was one of the first twelve teams to form the Football League in 1888. They won the League Cup in 1972, beating Chelsea 2–1. They also reached the FA Cup final in 2011, but lost to Manchester City. Stoke played in the Premier League for ten years, from 2008 to 2018.
Contents
Club History: From Early Days to Today
Starting Out: The Early Years (1863–1919)
Stoke Ramblers Football Club began in 1868. It was started by Henry Almond, who loved playing soccer. The club's first recorded game was in October 1868. They played at the Victoria Cricket Club ground, then moved to Sweetings Field in 1875.
In 1870, the club became Stoke Football Club. They started wearing their famous red-and-white striped uniform. In 1885, the club became professional. Stoke was one of the twelve founding teams of the Football League in 1888. They struggled at first and were not re-elected in 1890. However, they won the Football Alliance title and rejoined the League.
Stoke spent 15 seasons in the First Division. They reached the FA Cup semi-final in 1899. In 1907, they were relegated and faced money problems. The club went bankrupt in 1908. They played in non-league football until 1915. After World War I, Stoke rejoined the League in 1919.
The Victoria Ground and Stanley Matthews (1919–1937)
In 1919, Stoke City bought the Victoria Ground. They built a new stand, increasing the stadium's capacity to 50,000. In 1925, Stoke-on-Trent became a city. This led the club to change its name to Stoke City F.C.
The 1930s saw the arrival of Stanley Matthews, one of the club's most famous players. Matthews was an apprentice at the club. He made his first appearance in March 1932 at age 17. By the end of the 1930s, he was an England international. He was known as one of the best players of his time.
Stoke was promoted from the Second Division in 1933, winning the championship. By 1934, over 23,000 fans watched games on average. This helped the club's manager, Tom Mather, buy new players. Stoke became one of the top teams in England. In 1937, they won a league game 10–3 against West Bromwich Albion. Their record league crowd was 51,373 against Arsenal in April 1937. Freddie Steele scored 33 league goals in the 1936–37 season, which is still a club record.
Post-War Challenges and Decline (1937–1960)
After World War II, a sad event happened on March 9, 1946. 33 fans died and 520 were hurt during a game against Bolton Wanderers. This is known as the Burnden Park disaster.
In the 1946–47 season, Stoke almost won the First Division title. They needed to win their last game, but lost 2–1 to Sheffield United. The title went to Liverpool instead. Stanley Matthews left the club to join Blackpool at age 32.
Stoke was relegated from the First Division in 1953. Manager Bob McGrory resigned after 17 years. Frank Taylor took over, hoping to get the team promoted. But after seven seasons in the Second Division without promotion, Taylor was fired.
The Tony Waddington Era (1960–1977)
Tony Waddington became manager in June 1960. He brought back Stanley Matthews, who was 46 years old. Matthews' return helped Stoke get promoted in 1963 as champions. In their first season back in the top league, Stoke reached the League Cup final but lost to Leicester City.
Waddington signed experienced players like Dennis Viollet and Jackie Mudie. Matthews was given a special award (a knighthood) in 1965 for his services to football. He played his last game for the club in February 1965, just after his 50th birthday. Gordon Banks, England's World Cup-winning goalkeeper, joined Stoke in 1967. He was considered the best goalkeeper in the world.
Stoke won their first major trophy on March 4, 1972. They beat Chelsea 2–1 in the League Cup final at Wembley. Goals were scored by Terry Conroy and George Eastham. To reach the final, Stoke played 11 games, including four tough matches against West Ham United in the semi-final. Stoke also reached the FA Cup semi-finals in 1971 and 1972, losing to Arsenal both times. They played in the UEFA Cup in 1972 and 1974.
In January 1976, a storm damaged the roof of a stadium stand. The repair cost nearly £250,000, causing financial problems for the club. Key players were sold to pay for repairs. Stoke was relegated in 1977. Waddington left the club in March 1977 after 17 years as manager.
Changes in Management (1977–1997)
After Waddington, several managers took charge. Alan Durban helped Stoke get promoted to the First Division in 1979. He left in 1981. The 1984–85 season was very bad, with Stoke finishing with only 17 points and three wins.
Mick Mills became player-manager in 1985. He couldn't get the team promoted and was fired in 1989. His replacement, Alan Ball Jr., saw Stoke relegated to the third tier of English football in 1990. This was Stoke's lowest league position ever.
Lou Macari became manager in May 1991. He led the team to win the Football League Trophy in 1992, beating Stockport County 1–0 at Wembley. The next season, 1992–93, Stoke was promoted from the third tier. Macari left for Celtic in 1993, but returned in 1994. Stoke finished fourth in 1996 but lost in the play-off semi-final. Macari left again in 1997 after the last game at the Victoria Ground.
New Stadium and Premier League Years (1997–2018)
In 1997, Stoke moved to their new home, the Britannia Stadium. It cost £14.7 million. Stoke struggled in their first season there and were relegated to the third tier. Many managers came and went during this period.
In 1999, an Icelandic group called Stoke Holding bought 66% of the club. They appointed Guðjón Þórðarson, Stoke's first foreign manager. He helped Stoke win the Football League Trophy in 2000, beating Bristol City 2–1 at Wembley. Guðjón also led Stoke to promotion in 2002 after winning the play-off final against Brentford. However, he was fired just five days later.
Tony Pulis became manager in October 2002. He helped Stoke avoid relegation. Pulis was fired in 2005 but returned in 2006 after Peter Coates took over the club. Pulis led Stoke to automatic promotion to the Premier League at the end of the 2007–08 season.
Stoke's first Premier League season (2008–09) saw them turn the Britannia Stadium into a "fortress." They finished 12th, staying in the top league. In 2011, Stoke reached the FA Cup final for the first time, but lost 1–0 to Manchester City. Reaching the final meant Stoke qualified for the Europa League. They did well, getting past several teams before losing to Spanish giants Valencia.
Pulis left the club in 2013. Mark Hughes took over and led Stoke to three ninth-place finishes in the Premier League. However, the team's performance declined. In January 2018, Hughes was sacked. Paul Lambert replaced him, but couldn't stop the club from being relegated to the Championship after 10 years in the Premier League.
Back in the Championship (2018–Present)
After relegation, Gary Rowett became manager. Despite spending a lot of money on players, results were poor, and he was sacked in January 2019. Nathan Jones took over, but he was also sacked in November 2019.
Michael O'Neill became manager and helped the team avoid relegation. The 2020–21 season was played without fans due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Stoke continued to finish in mid-table. O'Neill was dismissed in August 2022. Alex Neil replaced him, but also couldn't improve the team's position. Steven Schumacher took over in December 2023 but was sacked in September 2024. Narcís Pèlach was announced as the new head coach on September 18, 2024.
Stadium: The Home of The Potters
Stoke City's first playing fields are not fully known. They moved to Sweetings Field in 1875, where about 200-250 fans would pay a penny to watch. In 1878, Stoke moved to the Victoria Ground.
The first game at the Victoria Ground was on March 28, 1878. Stoke won 1–0 against Talke Rangers. The ground was originally oval-shaped for athletics. Major changes began in the 1920s, and by 1935, the stadium could hold 50,000 people. A record crowd of 51,380 watched a game against Arsenal in 1937.
Floodlights were added in 1956. In 1976, a storm blew off part of the roof. Stoke had to play a home game at Vale Park while repairs were made. By 1995, Stoke planned to make the Victoria Ground all-seater, but decided to move instead.
In 1997, Stoke left the Victoria Ground after 119 years. They moved to the modern Britannia Stadium, which cost £14.7 million. The stadium's name changed to the bet365 Stadium in June 2016. It was expanded to hold over 30,000 fans in 2017.
Stoke City Supporters
Stoke City has many fans in Stoke-on-Trent and around the world. There are fan clubs in London, Scandinavia, Russia, Canada, the United States, and Australia. When Stoke was in the Premier League, the stadium was often full.
In the past, Stoke City had problems with hooliganism. However, the club has worked to improve fan behavior. Now, Stoke City fans are known for being loud, friendly, and passionate. Famous people like Sugar Ray Leonard and Diego Maradona have visited the stadium. The club even offered free bus travel to away games in 2013–14 and 2014–15.
"Delilah" has been the fans' anthem since the 1970s. Stoke's official club anthem is "We'll be with you." This song was recorded by the Stoke players before the 1972 League Cup final.
Rivalries
Stoke's main local rivals are Port Vale. They are also based in Stoke-on-Trent. Because the two clubs have often been in different leagues, they haven't played each other very often. The last league match was in 2002. Stoke has won 19 games, and Port Vale has won 15.
Stoke also has rivalries with other Midlands clubs. These include Derby County, West Bromwich Albion, and Wolverhampton Wanderers. A rivalry with Cardiff City started in 2002 during the Second Division play-offs.
Kit and Crest
Kit
Stoke's traditional uniform is red and white striped shirts with white shorts and socks. They used different colors in their early days, but settled on red and white stripes in 1883. For a short time (1891-1908), they couldn't use red and white stripes because another team, Sunderland, had them. So Stoke wore plain maroon and other colors. Since rejoining the League in 1919, they have always used red and white stripes, except for two seasons in the mid-1980s when they wore pin-striped shirts.
Crest
Stoke's first club crest was a fancy "S" used in 1882. In the 1950s, Stoke started using the shield from the Stoke-on-Trent coat-of-arms. A new, simpler crest was introduced in 1977. It included a Stafford knot and a pottery kiln, showing local traditions. Red and white stripes were also added.
This crest was used until 1992, when the club went back to using the full Stoke-on-Trent coat-of-arms. In 2001, they changed to the current crest, which includes their nickname "The Potters." For their 150th anniversary in 2012–13, they used a special version with the club's Latin motto: "Vis Unita Fortior" ("United Strength is Stronger").
Club Records
Here are some of Stoke City's impressive records:
- Most Games Played: Eric Skeels – 592 games (league and cup).
- Most Goals Scored: John Ritchie – 176 goals (league and cup).
- Most Expensive Player Bought: Giannelli Imbula from Porto: £18.3 million (2016).
- Most Expensive Player Sold: Marko Arnautović to West Ham United: £20 million (2017).
- Biggest Win Ever: 26–0 vs. Mow Cop (1877).
- Biggest League Win: 10–3 vs. West Bromwich Albion (1937).
- Biggest League Loss: 0–10 vs. Preston North End (1889).
- Biggest Premier League Win: 6–1 vs. Liverpool (2015).
- Biggest Premier League Loss: 0–7 vs. Chelsea (2010).
- Record Attendance at Victoria Ground: 51,130 vs. Arsenal (1937).
- Record Attendance at bet365 Stadium: 30,022 vs. Everton (2018).
European Games History
Stoke City has played in European competitions a few times:
| Season | Competition | Round | Opponent | Home | Away | Aggregate |
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| 1972–73 | UEFA Cup | First round |  1. FC Kaiserslautern |
3–1 | 0–4 | 3–5 |
| 1974–75 | First round |  Ajax |
1–1 | 0–0 | 1–1 (A) | |
| 2011–12 | UEFA Europa League | Third qualifying round |  Hajduk Split |
1–0 | 1–0 | 2–0 |
| Play–off round |  Thun |
4–1 | 1–0 | 5–1 | ||
| Group E |  Beşiktaş |
2–1 | 1–3 | 2nd | ||
 Dynamo Kyiv |
1–1 | 1–1 | ||||
 Maccabi Tel Aviv |
3–0 | 2–1 | ||||
| Round of 32 |  Valencia |
0–1 | 0–1 | 0–2 |
Current Players
First-team squad
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Players on Loan
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Club Management
The club's leaders and coaches:
- Board of Directors & Club Management
- Chairman: John Coates
- Vice-chairman & managing director: Richard Smith
- Director: Peter Coates
- Chief operating officer: Simon King
- Sporting director: Jonathan Walters
- First Team Management
- Head coach: Narcís Pèlach
- First-team coach: Alex Morris & Dean Whitehead
- Goalkeeper coach: Darren Behcet & Paul Clements
- Performance analyst: Harrison Glew
- Kit manager: Max Shapland
- Academy Staff
- Academy director: Gareth Owen
- Stoke City Under-21s manager: Ryan Shawcross
- Stoke City Under-21s assistant manager: Liam Lawrence
- Stoke City Under-18s manager: David Hibbert
Club Achievements
Stoke City has won several trophies:
League Titles
- Second Division / Championship (Level 2)
- Champions: 1932–33, 1962–63
- Runners-up: 1921–22, 2007–08
- Third Division North / Second Division (Level 3)
- Champions: 1926–27, 1992–93
- Play-off winners: 2002
- Football Alliance
- Champions: 1890–91
Cup Wins
- FA Cup
- Runners-up: 2010–11
- League Cup
- Winners: 1971–72
- Runners-up: 1963–64
- Football League Trophy
- Winners: 1991–92, 1999–2000
- Watney Cup
- Winners: 1973
Other Trophies
- Staffordshire Senior Cup
- Winners (19 times): 1877–78, 1878–79, 1903–04, 1913–14, 1920–21, 1929–30, 1933–34, 1938–39, 1947–48, 1964–65, 1968–69, 1970–71, 1974–75, 1975–76, 1981–82, 1992–93, 1994–95, 1998–99, 2016–17
- Birmingham Senior Cup
- Winners: 1901, 1914
Images for kids
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Stoke City's current club crest.
See also
In Spanish: Stoke City Football Club para niños
