Stoke City Football Club

Stoke City were founded in 1863, making them one of the two oldest football clubs in the world (alongside Notts County). They were founding members of the Football League in 1888, establishing the club's place at the very heart of organised football. The club's early decades were spent in and around the top two divisions, building a loyal following in the industrial heartland of Staffordshire.

The greatest figure in Stoke's history is Sir Stanley Matthews, the "Wizard of the Dribble," who played for the club in two spells spanning from 1932 to 1965. Matthews, widely regarded as one of the greatest players in football history, made his final appearance for Stoke at the age of 50 - a record that will surely never be broken. The club won the League Cup in 1972, beating Chelsea 2-1 over two legs, for their only major trophy. The Victoria Ground, their home from 1878, became one of the most atmospheric and intimidating grounds in English football.

Tony Pulis led Stoke to the Premier League in 2008, ending a 23-year absence from the top flight. Pulis built a team in his own image: physically powerful, defensively organised, and weaponising Rory Delap's extraordinary long throws as an attacking tool that terrorised opponents. The Britannia Stadium (now bet365 Stadium) became a fortress, and the phrase "cold, wet Tuesday night in Stoke" became shorthand for the toughest test in English football.

The 2011 FA Cup run was the high point. Stoke beat numerous Premier League sides on their way to the final at Wembley, where they lost 1-0 to Manchester City. The Europa League campaign that followed gave Stoke their first taste of European football. Mark Hughes replaced Pulis in 2013 and overhauled the squad, signing creative players like Bojan Krkic and Xherdan Shaqiri. The football improved but the results eventually declined, and Stoke were relegated in 2018 after ten consecutive seasons in the Premier League.