Do it for my dad and granddad…
To borrow from Pottermouth’s battle cry ‘Do it for my dad and granddad‘. Why? Well back in 1974 they took me, a mere six year old along to my first ever Stoke game – myself and my dad are not sure who we played but I seem to think it was Wrexham. Sadly my granddad passed away back in 1995 but I know he would have loved to see Stoke back in the top flight.
I remember my dad taking me along in the 70’s along with my school pal Andrew Cawthorne (now a Reuters reporter) to see Stoke at the old Victoria Ground in the Butler Street Paddock. My dad always got the rough deal as each dad was supposed to take turns in taking the two children along to the games but somehow he seemed to end up taking us each time!
Along the way I have witnessed the lows…seeing us lose to Blyth Spartans in the FA Cup, relegated from Division Two (now the Championship) and the worst manager I have seen at Stoke Kris Kamara. But then there have been the highs…seeing us win two Autoglass Trophies at Wembley, beating Brentford in the play-offs at the Millennium stadium in Cardiff and watching players like Alan Hudson, Sammy McIllroy, Mark Stein, John Ritchie (RIP), Peter Shilton, ‘Big’ Brendan O’Callaghan, Jimmy Greenoff, Liam Lawrence, Ricardo Fuller, Mike Sheron, Sir Geoff Hurst (thanks Brian – see comments) and Dennis Smith to name but a few all play in Stoke’s colours. But I have never been as nervous or excited as I am feeling now! I have spoken to Arsenal and Liverpool fans at my workplace (sadly no fellow Stoke fans here in Staines!) and they just don’t get these promotion nerves. They compare it to cup finals but it is not at all like a cup final as they don’t have to wait 23 years to possibly experience top flight football.
Tomorrow Stoke play Colchester Utd and for the latter it is their last ever game in their current ground Layer Road, so it will be an emotional day for their fans. So the Stoke players need to go out and make sure they get the win we need as Colchester’s players will be fired up to ensure they go out in style. Stoke fans will also be closely watching Hull City’s game against Palace because if Hull draw or lose and Stoke win we are up! Most importantly though Stoke need to focus and to get a win no matter what and not worry about other results.
But whatever happens I will be eternally grateful to my dad and granddad for taking me to see the only decent team in the Potteries and not that other ‘team’ Port Vale.
Be loyal, be proud, be Stoke.
April 25, 2008 at 2:40 pm
Jason, you did not mention the great Geoff Hurst, who played alongside Alan Hudson. It will be a sad day to leave Layer Road, a ground that holds some great memories – 3-2 giant-killing of Don Revie’s mighty Leeds Utd in the 5th round of the FA cup in 1971, but the new ground at Cuckoo Farm looks fantastic – pity wwe won’t see any Championship football there next season. But good luck Stoke.
June 16, 2009 at 12:36 pm
I was a great fan of “Big” Brendan O’Callaghan. Saw him play for Ireland and should have won more caps. The classic near post flick-on from corners led to so many goals for Stoke – a bit like Rory Delaps throw-ins aat the moment.