Stoke City vs LFC, League Division One, Weds 29 Nov, 8pm in your British time

[Sir Tokyo Sexwale]

f***ing Clay Heads, let's win this since all of our rivals have winnable games too

 

It's nice & close, well, it's close it's not nice, so getting home after will be piss easy - will Klopp start Lallana or pick the team with an eye on Brighton this coming Sat? 

 

At least we seem to have options now

[Case]

The Victoria Ground is a dump. And Terry Conroy and John Tudor are s***e

[Cobs]

Thought this was gonna be on telly

 

Last time we played Stoke at theirs on this date we snoyted them 8-0

[McBain]

Can's available. Lovren might be

 

As per Jurgen in his PC

[Sir Tokyo Sexwale]

Can's available. Lovren might be

 

As per Jurgen in his PC

 

gr.....eat

[Gunga Din]

suppose we are about to find out quite literally who can do it on a cold wet Wednsday night in Stoke

[Will]

Double Agents

           

In advance of our first meeting of the season, YNWA looks at the careers of some of those players have represented both Stoke City and the mighty reds over the years.

           

Current double agents

Midfielder Joe Allen signed from Swansea City for £15m in August 2012, still a Welsh record sale, following his former boss Brendan Rodgers. He notched seven times in 132 reds games before being sold to Stoke City for £13m in July 2016, for whom he has now struck eight times in 52 outings.

           

Right-back Glen Johnson was released by the reds last June, signing on for Stoke a month later. He had signed from Portsmouth for £17.5m in June 2009, and struck nine times in 200 games for the reds, helping us to claim the League Cup and reach the FA Cup Final in 2012. He has so far played 58 times for the Potters, without yet finding the back of the net.

           

Peter Crouch left White Hart Lane the Britannia Stadium for £10m on transfer deadline day in August 2011, and has so far bagged 58 goals in 212 outings and being voted their Player of the Year for 2011/12. He arrived at Anfield for £7m in July 2005 after a successful season with Southampton, when he had bagged sixteen goals in 33 games as the Saints were relegated. He struck 42 times in 134 reds games, despite not notching in his first nineteen outings, helping us to claim the FA Cup and FA Community Shield, but was sold to Portsmouth for a fee of up to £11m in July 2008.

           

Charlie Adam signed from Blackpool for an initial £6.75m in August 2011. He notched twice in 35 outings, helping us to claim the Carling Cup, but was sold to Stoke for a reported £4m in August 2012. So far, he has so far netted twenty goals in 153 games.

           

Recent double agents

Michael Owen joined the Potters in September 2012 after his contract with Manchester United had expired. He only scored once in nine outings, all bar one of which were from off the bench. He struck 158 times in 297 reds games, and moved on to Real Madrid in August 2004 for £8m, having helped us to claim the UEFA Cup, FA Cup, UEFA Super Cup, League Cup and FA Charity Shield. Oussama Assaidi was spending a second season on loan with the Potters, before moving on permanently to Al Ahli in Dubai last January. He signed from Dutch side SC Heerenveen for £2.4m in August 2012, failing to score in twelve reds games. He notched five times in 36 Stoke outings in total.

           

Winger Victor Moses signed from Chelsea on loan in September 2013, scoring on his reds bow at Swansea City, but only once more in 22 outings in total. He joined the Potters from the Blues in August 2014, netting four times in 23 games during his season there. Jermaine Pennant moved to the Britannia Stadium on loan from Real Zaragoza in August 2010 before signing on permanently for an initial £1.725m the following January. He appeared 88 times for the Potters, scoring four goals before his contract was terminated in January 2014. He arrived at Anfield in July 2006 for £6.7m after Birmingham City were relegated, and hit the target just three times in 81 reds games, helping us to reach the Champions League Final in his first season, moving to Spain in July 2009 after a five-month loan spell with Portsmouth.

           

Dominic Matteo notched twice in 155 reds games in defence before leaving for Leeds United in a £4m deal in August 2000. He joined Stoke City on a free transfer from Blackburn Rovers in January 2007, and struck once in 25 outings for the Potters, often operating as a midfielder. Patrik Berger netted 35 goals in 196 reds games after his £3.25m capture from Borussia Dortmund following a successful Euro ‘96 with the Czech Republic. However, he was later dogged by persistent knee trouble, and allowed to join Premiership new-boys Portsmouth on a free transfer in June 2003. He later moved to Stoke City on loan from Aston Villa in November 2006 and played seven times in the Potteries, returning to re-join the first-team picture at Villa Park.

           

Frode Kippe joined City on loan in December 1999. He played twenty times in four months at the Britannia Stadium, and returned the following October for a further loan spell, this time making 24 appearances across the rest of the season as the Potters narrowly missed out on promotion to the First Division. He had made just two first-team appearances while at Anfield, both from off the bench in the Worthington Cup, leaving Anfield to return to his native Norway to sign for Lillestrøm on a free transfer in February 2002. Liverpool-born forward Mike Sheron joined Stoke from Norwich City in October 1995 in a swap deal for Keith Scott, bagging 39 goals in 77 games before moving to Queens Park Rangers in July 1997 for £2.5m. He coached the Under-13’s at the Academy between July 2011 and August 2013.

           

Defender Stephen Wright made 21 reds appearances, netting once before moving to Sunderland for £3m in August 2002. He joined Stoke on loan from there five years later, playing seventeen times as they made a belated return to the top flight, moving on to Coventry City in August 2008. Young reserves forward John Miles left for Stoke City on a free transfer in April 2002 having failed to make our first team. He only made one senior appearance for the Potters before moving on to Crewe Alexandra in August 2002.

           

Salif Diao signed from Sedan for £4.7m in August 2002. He made 61 reds appearances, scoring three times, and moved to Stoke City in January 2007 after a successful loan spell there, having already been sent out to both Birmingham City and Portsmouth on a temporary basis. He played 106 times, scoring just once. Kevin Keen joined Stoke from Wolverhampton Wanderers for £300,000 in October 1994. He struck twelve times in 201 outings before moving to Macclesfield Town on a free transfer in September 2000. He joined as one of Kenny Dalglish’s First Team Coaches in July 2011, moving on the following June to join Steve Clarke at West Bromwich Albion.

           

Between the sticks

Bruce Grobbelaar moved to the Victoria Ground on loan in March 1993. He played four games for the Potters, who were on their way to the Second Division title, before briefly returning to our first team at the expense of David James. He played 628 times for the reds since his £250,000 capture from Vancouver Whitecaps in March 1981, helping us to six League titles, one European Cup, three FA Cups, three League Cups and three FA Charity Shields before joining Southampton on a free transfer in August 1994.

           

Tommy Younger arrived from Hibernian in June 1956 for £9,000 and made 127 reds appearances, as well as winning 24 caps for Scotland. He returned north of the border after three years at Anfield to join Falkirk. He came back to England in 1960 to play ten times for Stoke, and also spent time as Assistant Manager at the Victoria Ground after retiring from playing.

           

Scot Ken Campbell signed from Cambuslang Rovers in May 1911 and took over from Sam Hardy in the reds goal, playing 142 times including the 1914 FA Cup Final, before being replaced after the war by the great Elisha Scott. He left for Partick Thistle in April 1920, then joining New Brighton as an amateur and opening a sports shop in nearby Wallasey, before signing for Stoke in March 1923. Mark Prudhoe left Darlington for £210,000 to join the Potters in June 1993. He played 101 times before moving to Bradford City for £70,000 in August 1997. He had joined the reds on loan from Stoke in November 1994, sitting on our bench on eight occasions.

           

Anfield flops

England international midfielder Paul Stewart was one of Graeme Souness’s failed buys, arriving from Tottenham Hotspur for £2.3m in July 1992, making 42 uninspiring appearances before joining Sunderland for free after four seasons at Anfield, netting just three times. He signed for Stoke City on a free transfer from the Mackems in July 1997, going on to notch three goals in 24 outings as they were relegated to the Second Division before retiring the following summer.

           

Mark Walters signed from Rangers for a £1.25m fee in August 1991, going on to score nineteen times in 124 reds appearances. He had been a big success in Scotland, but could not reproduce that at Anfield, and eventually moved to Southampton in January 1996, after a loan spell in the Potteries at the end of the 1993/94 season in which he netted twice in nine games. His most famous of 124 games in a red shirt came when he inspired a UEFA Cup comeback against Auxerre in 1991. He also scored the crucial second goal in our defeat of Manchester United that handed the title to Leeds United earlier the following year.

           

Also up front

Northern Irish forward Sammy Smyth bagged twenty goals in 44 reds games after signing from Stoke City for £12,000 in December 1952, for whom he had struck seventeen times in forty League outings. Left-winger Alan A’Court scored 63 times in 381 reds games, helping us to the Second Division title in 1962, and representing England at the 1958 World Cup in his time at Anfield. He later became Assistant Manager at Stoke under George Eastham in 1969, eventually taking over the reins in January 1978 for a month as caretaker when Eastham departed.

           

Howard Gayle, the first black player to represent Liverpool in modern times, made only five first-team appearances before moving on to Birmingham City in January 1983. He joined Stoke from Sunderland, and struck twice in six League appearances during 1986/87 before joining Blackburn Rovers. Forward Colin Russell only ever tasted half an hour of first-team action for the reds, coming on for Gayle in a home League defeat to Sunderland in May 1981. He bagged two goals in eleven League appearances for Stoke while on loan from Huddersfield Town in 1983/84, whom he had joined from the reds in September 1982.

           

Dick Johnson joined the reds in January 1920, and struck thirty times in 82 outings, helping us to the League title in 1923 before leaving for Stoke in February 1925. Joseph Brough signed from Port Vale in August 1910 and struck three times in eleven senior outings before joining Stoke in January 1912. Dick Allman signed from Stoke in July 1908, but only made one senior appearance before moving to Wrexham in September 1909.

           

Between the wars

Hanley-born forward Harold Taylor joined the reds from Stoke City in July 1932. He only made 72 appearances in his four years at Anfield, netting just six times. Left-back Jack Tennant arrived at Anfield from Torquay United in May 1933. He went on to appear 42 times for the reds without notching before joining Bolton Wanderers in January 1936. He had spells with Stoke either side of his time at Anfield. Albert Whitehurst signed from Rochdale in May 1928, netting twice in eight games before signing for Bradford City the following February. He had previously been with Stoke.

           

Other double agents

Centre-half Alex Raisbeck signed from Stoke City for £350 in May 1898. He netted nineteen times in 341 games in eleven years, becoming our first skipper to lift the League title in 1901. He won a further championship medal five years later, as well as a Second Division title. Left half-back Jim Bradley signed for the reds from Stoke in September 1905 after the club had resigned from the League, having played 199 League games for the Potters. He notched eight times in 186 reds games, helping us to claim the League title in his debut season.

           

Left-back Alec Lindsay netted eighteen times in 248 reds games, helping us to the League and UEFA Cup in 1973, and FA Cup and FA Charity Shield the following year, before leaving for Stoke City in September 1977. He bagged three goals in twenty League outings before crossing the Atlantic to sign for Oakland Stompers. Left-half Willie Stevenson missed just nine League games in his first four seasons, making a total of 241 appearances and scoring eighteen times, helping us to two League titles and our first FA Cup triumph in 1965. He moved on to Stoke City in December 1967 for whom he bagged five goals in 95 League games before signing for Tranmere Rovers in 1973.

           

Full-back Tom Robertson had two spells with Stoke, before moving to Anfield from the Victoria Ground in April 1900. He helped the reds to our first League title in his first campaign, failing to score in 47 games before moving into amateur football with Southampton in May 1902. Keeper Carl Muggleton signed on loan from Leicester City in 1990 but never even made the first-team bench. He also spent time on loan with the Potters, playing six times and then returning permanently in the summer of 1994 for a fee of £150,000. He played 149 games in this second spell, being released in the summer of 2001, moving on to Cheltenham Town. Bob Glassey signed from Horden Colliery Welfare in March 1934 and netted four goals in nine outings before moving to Stoke City in November 1936, where he struggled to hold down a regular place. Welsh international half-back George Latham joined the reds as an amateur in December 1902, signing on professionally the following year. He played nineteen reds games without scoring. He joined Stoke from Southport Central in 1910, playing eight League games.

[Hassony]

Thought this was gonna be on telly

 

Last time we played Stoke at theirs on this date we snoyted them 8-0

I'd be content with seven

[Jarg Armani]

Can's available. Lovren might be

 

As per Jurgen in his PC

Fkin lovren mate. He is almost entirely made of flowers.

[Case]

So is Emre Pan(sy)

[Will]

Down Memory Lane

 

YNWA looks back at recent memorable League meetings at Stoke City as we visit them for the 63rd time in the League on Wednesday, with all bar eight of these coming in the top flight. So far, we have won just fifteen, drawn twenty and lost 27, with only three League victories at the Britannia Stadium, although this includes our last two visits.

           

Most recently

Centre-forward Christian Benteke, right-back Nathaniel Clyne, forward Roberto Firmino, defender Joe Gomez and midfielder James Milner all made their reds bows as a late Philippe Coutinho strike earned us a 1-0 victory in the opening game of the season in August 2015. Substitutes Coutinho and Roberto Firmino netted as we won 2-1 in the rebranded bet365 Stadium in April 2017, after Jon Walters had struck the most recent of his seven goals past us on the stroke of half time.

           

We were humbled 6-1 in the final game of last season in May 2015. Mame Biram Diouf bagged a brace before Jon Walters grabbed his fifth goal past us. Ex-red Charlie Adam and Steven N’Zonzi then put the home side five up at the break. Steven Gerrard netted his 186th and last goal in his 710th and final reds game, but ex-red Peter Crouch then added his fourth goal against the reds. This was our biggest defeat since April 1963.

           

We triumphed 5-3 in January 2014, our first League win at their new stadium. Ryan Shawcross diverted an Aly Cissokho shot into his own net before Luis Suárez doubled our lead after half an hour. However, ex-reds Peter Crouch and Charlie Adam levelled the scores before the break. Steven Gerrard converted a penalty with Suárez adding his second before Jon Walters struck for the Potters. Daniel Sturridge came off the bench to complete the scoring late on.

           

Recent disappointments

We lost 3-1 on Boxing Day in 2012, with Joe Cole coming off the bench to make his 42nd and final reds appearance. Steven Gerrard opened the scoring from the spot, but Jon Walters and Kenwyne Jones put the home side ahead before a quarter of an hour had elapsed. Walters added his second after the break. Craig Bellamy played the first game of his second reds spell as we lost 1-0 in September 2011, with Jon Walters scoring from the spot after Jamie Carragher was penalised. Ex-red Peter Crouch made his Potters bow.

           

We lost 2-0 in November 2010 as Ricardo Fuller and Kenwyne Jones struck, with Lucas shown a second yellow card in stoppage time. We were held to a 1-1 draw ten months earlier, with Sotirios Kyrgiakos giving us the lead with his first reds goal. Maxi Rodríguez made his reds bow, while this was the first time since shirt numbers were introduced that we played a first-class match when no player was wearing any of the numbers from one to eleven. Robert Huth grabbed a last-minute equaliser after we had been denied a strong penalty claim for a challenge on Lucas, with there still being time for Dirk Kuyt to head against a post.

           

Little Bamber’s bow

University graduate Brian Hall made his reds bow in a goalless fixture in April 1969. He went on to make 224 reds appearances, before spending more than two decades on the staff.

           

A start and an end

Inside-right Sammy Smyth made his reds bow in January 1953 as we lost 3-1. Kevin Baron scored our consolation, while outside-left Ken Brierley was playing his 61st and last reds game. Harry Oscroft struck the first two of his six goals against the reds, more than any other Stoke player, with Don Whiston also on target.

           

More reds debutants

Inside-forward John ‘Sailor’ Hunter scored on his reds bow as we lost 3-2 in a season opener in September 1899, with skipper Alex Raisbeck also on target and fellow forward Peter Kyle also making his reds bow. Billy Maxwell bagged a brace, with Jack Kennedy also scoring. Winger John Morrissey debuted in our 2-1 Second Division win in September 1957, with Louis Bimpson and Tony Rowley grabbing the goals, and Geoff Twentyman putting through his own net.

           

John Easdale made his reds bow as we lost 2-1 on Christmas Day 1946, with Albert Stubbins netting late after Freddie Steele had bagged a brace as we went on to clinch the first post-war title, with Stoke one of our main rivals right up to the wire. Forward John Carlin played his first reds game as we lost 1-0 in January 1903.

           

We kicked off our season with a 2-2 draw in September 1897, with inside-forward William Walker scoring on his reds bow and Frank Becton also on the scoresheet, while Billy Maxwell scored the first of his six strikes past us, with Tom Hill also netting for the home side. Forward Dan Cunliffe and right-winger Bobby Marshall also debuted. Inside-left Davy Hannah and half-back John McLean both debuted in our 3-1 defeat back in November 1894, with Neil Kerr grabbing our consolation in what was our first ever visit to the Potters in all competitions. This was the eighth defeat of our opening thirteen top-flight fixtures that campaign as we went on to finish bottom. Teddy Sandland bagged a brace, with Joe Schofield also scoring for the Potters.

           

Short-lived reds

We left the Victoria Ground with a share of the spoils in September 1933, with Harold Taylor netting as we drew 1-1 with Stoke City, the first time we had visited them under that name. Forward Jack ‘Nipper’ Roberts made his only senior reds outing in this game as Harry Davies netted the last of his four goals past us. Jimmy Harrower was on the scoresheet as we held the Potters to a Second Division draw in October 1959. Forward Reginald Blore made his only senior reds appearance in this game.

           

Also bidding farewell

Inside-forward Alan Banks made his eighth and final reds appearance in our 3-1 defeat in May 1961, when Alan A’Court grabbed our consolation in a game originally postponed from Christmas. Tony Bentley struck twice, with Johnny King bagging the last of his five goals against the reds. This was our final game of a season in which we finished third in the Second Division.

           

Milestone games

Forward Jack Balmer played his 300th reds game in our 3-2 victory in February 1951 as we came back from two goals down, both scored by Les Johnston. Cyril Done, Bill Jones and Billy Liddell struck our goals in what was our 2,000th first-class fixture. Winger Tommy Robertson made his hundredth consecutive reds appearance in September 1901, as we lost 1-0. Full-back Archie Goldie played his hundredth reds game as we lost 2-1 in October 1898, with Jack Cox on target.

           

Rare defeat

We lost 2-0 at the Victoria Ground in April 1984, one of just four League defeats we suffered as we clinched a treble of League titles that season, with Ian Painter and ex-red Colin Russell scoring.

           

More thumpings

Our biggest ever League win at the Victoria Ground was a 5-1 success in March 1982, a game postponed from the previous December. Five different scorers bagged our goals, with Terry McDermott, Kenny Dalglish, Graeme Souness, Sammy Lee and Ronnie Whelan all on target, and ex-Manchester United star Sammy McIlroy netting for the Potters. Our biggest ever defeat to Stoke came back in February 1897 when George Allan equalised before half time, though we went on to suffer a 6-1 thumping in terrible conditions, with the home side also having a goal disallowed late on. Joe Schofield and Jimmy Hill bagged a brace each, with Alan Maxwell and Jim Hingerty also on the scoresheet.

           

Changing name

Our last visit to the Potteries before they changed their name from the simpler Stoke was in April 1923, when we held them to a goalless draw.

           

Highest placing

We lost 2-1 in our final game of the season in May 1936 as Stoke City secured their joint highest ever League placing, finishing fourth in the top flight. Fred Howe netted for the reds with centre-half Tom ‘Tiny’ Bradshaw putting through his own net and Jim Westland also on target for the home side.

           

Disallowed

Tommy Smith was on target in the last minute as we drew in January 1974. Kevin Keegan had had a goal disallowed when the ball struck the arm of the grounded Alec Lindsay on the way into the net. Geoff Hurst scored for the Potters, the last of nine times he netted against us during his career.

           

Missed

Geoff Twentyman and Tony Rowley were on target as we lost 3-2 in a Second Division meeting in December 1955, with Twentyman also missing a spot-kick. Andy Graver struck one of his five goals against us, with Frank Bowyer bagging the last of his four past us and Tim Coleman also on the scoresheet.

[RP]

It's really fckin cold here (in Stoke) already.

 

Really cold.

[sutty]

It's really fckin cold here (in Stoke) already.

 

Really cold.

It's not a f***ing picnic in London TBH

[Hightown Phil]

It's not a f***ing picnic in London TBH

 

We should have found a wifi hotspot and watched this outside with Mulled Wine and big coats. 

[RP]

It's not a f***ing picnic in London TBH

 

 

 

At least there are things to do in London that take your mind of it. In Stoke, well there's just the constant thought that you're in Stoke. And that isn't warming in any way whatsoever.

[sutty]

At least there are things to do in London that take your mind of it. In Stoke, well there's just the constant thought that you're in Stoke. And that isn't warming in any way whatsoever.

Break into the holiday inn hotel through the laundry room. Drink wine in there. 

We should have found a wifi hotspot and watched this outside with Mulled Wine and big coats. 

 

hmmm.... mulled wine. 

 

Apparently on this day 2 years ago I nailed 2 bottles of mulled wine in an hour. Don't remember it though. 

[Hightown Phil]

Break into the holiday inn hotel through the laundry room. Drink wine in there. 

 

hmmm.... mulled wine. 

 

Apparently on this day 2 years ago I nailed 2 bottles of mulled wine in an hour. Don't remember it though. 

 

Going to make you recreate this in 3 days time then.

[DecidedByPoll]

The Victoria Ground is a dump. And Terry Conroy and John Tudor are s****

I know Terry Conroy’s daughter.

[Hightown Phil]

Big Solanke chat.

[Sir Tokyo Sexwale]

He's gonna score 4 tonight

[Cunny]

Need a stream.

Are there any decent, reliable paid streaming sites out there?

[Murphman]

It's really fckin cold here (in Stoke) already.

 

Really cold.

 

I've got a stinker of a cold and was due to play golf, it's f*cking freezing in Dorset, really barstard freezing. So I figured I'd feel just as sh*t staying in bed so braved the elements and played golf Now I'm miles worse and may well die from pneumonia,

Edited November 29, 2017 by Murphman

[Sir Tokyo Sexwale]

Need a stream.

Are there any decent, reliable paid streaming sites out there?

 

I just look up reddit/soccerstreams

 

Always find something of quality

[Hus]

I just look up reddit/soccerstreams

 

Always find something of quality

 

Yep, I find the Navix one is generally very reliable*

 

 

*Yep it will most likely be absolute rubbish now

[Case]

I know Terry Conroy’s daughter.

Terry was alright actually. Used to watch him in the mid / late seventies at Landsdowne Rd. Against the likes of a young Platini and Van Der Moer (?).

 

To my knowledge I've never watched his daughter.

Edited November 29, 2017 by Case