Stoke City FC's Greatest Moments
Stoke City Football Club was founded in 1863 and is one of the oldest professional football clubs in the world. As the club approaches its 158th anniversary, there have been many great moments during its long history. This article looks at some of the greatest moments of the club.
Promotion to the Premier League
One of the biggest moments in the history of the club was the promotion to the Premier League in 2008. After 23 years in the second tier, Stoke City secured promotion to the top flight of English football with a 1-0 victory over Nottingham Forest at the Britannia Stadium. The victory meant that Stoke had the distinction of being the first club in the history of English football to have been promoted to the Premier League after having been relegated from the top flight.
The promotion was a huge moment for the club and its fans, with the players, staff and supporters celebrating in the streets of Stoke-on-Trent. The club also went on to enjoy great success in the Premier League, finishing in the top half of the table in four of their first five seasons.
Beating Manchester United in the League Cup Final
In 2011, Stoke City took on Manchester United in the League Cup Final at Wembley Stadium. The Potters had already caused an upset in the semi-finals, beating Liverpool on penalties, but few expected them to beat the Red Devils in the final.
However, Stoke produced a fantastic performance, with Ryan Shawcross scoring the only goal of the game to secure a 1-0 win for the Potters. It was a momentous victory for the club, as they became the first team from the second tier of English football to win a major trophy since 1982. The victory also meant that Stoke had won their first major honour since the 1972 League Cup win.
Signing Swan from Manchester City
In 2012, Stoke City made one of the most audacious signings in their history when they signed winger Xherdan Shaqiri from Manchester City for a fee of £12 million. The Swiss international had been linked with a move to a number of top European clubs, but Stoke managed to beat them all to his signature.
The signing of Shaqiri was a huge moment for the club, as they had managed to sign one of the most exciting young talents in European football. Shaqiri went on to become a key player for Stoke, helping them to reach the semi-finals of the Europa League in 2016 and also scoring a memorable hat-trick against Hull City in the Premier League.
The Britannia Stadium
In 1997, Stoke City moved into their new home, the Britannia Stadium. The stadium was built on the site of the old Victoria Ground, which had been the club’s home since 1878.
The move to the Britannia Stadium was a huge moment for the club, as it meant that they had a new state-of-the-art stadium to call home. It was also a huge moment for the city of Stoke-on-Trent, as the stadium helped to regenerate the local area.
The Britannia Stadium has since become an iconic part of Stoke City’s history, with the club playing their home games there for the past 23 years.
Beating Chelsea in the FA Cup
In 2011, Stoke City beat Chelsea in the FA Cup, a result which will forever be remembered by the club’s fans. The Potters had already caused an upset in the fourth round of the competition by beating Manchester City, and they continued their good form against the Blues.
Stoke produced a fantastic performance at Stamford Bridge, with Jon Walters scoring the only goal of the game to secure a 1-0 win. It was a huge moment for the club, as they had beaten one of the biggest teams in England and reached the semi-finals of the FA Cup for the first time since 1972.
Reaching the Europa League
In 2011, Stoke City reached the Europa League for the first time in their history. The Potters had finished in the top half of the Premier League in the previous season, and their good form was rewarded with a place in Europe’s second-tier competition.
Reaching the Europa League was a huge moment for the club, as it meant that they had achieved something that no other team in the city of Stoke-on-Trent had done before. The Potters went on to enjoy a successful run in the competition, reaching the semi-finals before being knocked out by Spanish side Valencia.
Conclusion
Stoke City Football Club has a long and proud history, and there have been many great moments over the years. The club’s promotion to the Premier League in 2008 was a huge moment, while they also enjoyed success in the League Cup and FA Cup. The signing of Xherdan Shaqiri was a huge moment for the club, while the move to the Britannia Stadium was a huge milestone in the history of the club. Finally, reaching the Europa League in 2011 was a great moment for the club and its fans.