Caledonia Dreaming or Ian38018 Sporting Travels: Stoke City

Tuesday, 29 March 2011

Stoke City - The Britannia Stadium

18^th November 2001

Stoke City 2-0 Lewes

I have always thought it would be fun thing to do: to choose at random an English non-league club who had made it through to the first round of the FA Cup, and to go and watch their tie. I would then follow whoever won this tie in the next round and so on, until the final.

Indeed, I believe some folks have indulged this peculiar behaviour regularly. But I can only assume such folks do not have the (totally welcome) encumbrance of a young family with all the obligations that entails.

The main entrance to Stoke City's Britannia Stadium.

Another external view of the ground.

"Dad, who are those other two men?"

So this trip to the Britannia Stadium to watch Stoke City entertain Lewes of the Ryman League Division Two, was my token gesture to the aforementioned. Although ostensibly a first round tie, to get this far Lewes had already played nine qualifying matches (including a couple of replays) against such mysterious names as Hassocks FC and Mangotsfield.

In fact, Lewes had actually been drawn at home in the tie, but had chosen to take the match away from their wonderfully named Dripping Pan ground, presumably in the hope of making a few more bob.

A shock result certainly never really looked on the cards and, indeed Stoke strolled past their part-time opponents, who included a decorator, a police officer and an art dealer in their side. The home side’s goals were scored by Peter HANDYSIDE in the 17^th minute, and by Brynjar GUNNARSON 12 minutes after the break.

Still, the few hundred souls who made the long trip up from East Sussex made the most of the occasion, and I for one felt privileged to have spent 90 minutes in their company sharing their club’s Big Day.

The Lewes FC players take their bow.

Panorama of The Britannia Stadium, Stoke.

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Stoke City 2-4 Brighton & Hove Albion.

6th January 2024

It took two late-ish goals from JOAO PEDRO to see off Stoke City this afternoon. Although, in all fairness, Brighton never really looked in much trouble in this FA Cup third round tie - even during that lengthy period in the first-half where they trailed to Van HECKE's 16th minute own goal. For Stoke just looked to utterly toothless up front.

Mind you, dropping top scorers André Vidigal and Ryan Mmaee to the bench, and replacing them with Wesley who had failed to score in any of his twenty outings since joining the club, hardly helped.

A Brazilian International, Wesley is as un-Brazilian looking a footballer as one could imagine. Tall and solidly built he resembles Les Ferdinand, but without any of the latter's redeeming features. He just looked slow, with a poor first touch and cumbersome in the air. And yet, the Stoke fans around me seemed to love him. Perhaps he is one of those 110% effort chaps, that certain sections of any club's support appreciate.

One home player most definitely not appreciated it seemed was Jamaican Daniel Johnson, who was given a hard time all match by a guy in the row behind me. "I hate 'im", he snarled at one point, as the unfortunate Johnson sent another wayward pass forward straight to a Brighton defender. I did like home midfielder Bae Jun-ho who caused the visiting defence a few anxious moments, but in reality, few of the Stoke lads shone this afternoon.

For the visitors Billy Gilmour put in a fine box-to-box display, and Joao Pedro looked at times different class. And Pervis ESTUPINAN's goal to bring his side level just before the break was as sweet a strike as I have witnessed for some time.

Thus did Brighton progress to a fourth round tie with Sheffield United, leaving Stoke to concentrate on ensuring they are not involved in the Championship relegation scrap come April/May.