After two successive cup games, Liverpool return to league action this Saturday with a home fixture against Stoke City. The Reds have already met Tony Pulis` men on two occasions this season, suffering a contentious 1-0 defeat at the Britannia in September before gaining a degree of revenge a month later with a 2-1 victory in the Carling Cup.

Dalglish’s side have been far too inconsistent at home this season. While they are unbeaten in 10 league matches at Anfield, they have drawn four of them. However, since the return of Steven Gerrard, Liverpool’s frail look since Suarez’s absence, not to forget Lucas’, who was outstanding for the Reds, has suddenly disappeared. Gerrard has led from the front since his return, and after seizing an important advantage in their attempt to reach Wembley for the first time since 1996, Liverpool will be hoping to continue their impressive recent run of form.

A clash with Tony Pulis’ Stoke is the first of three very winnable games for Liverpool, with meetings against Bolton and Wolves to follow. Liverpool will host Tottenham and travel to Old Trafford for a clash with Manchester United after those first outings. Stoke have been on a rise of their own however, and are not to be underestimated. Recent progress in the FA Cup following a 1-3 away victory against League Two side Gillingham and entering the round of 32 in the Europa League is indeed worth the praise. Also, with the Potters being the current incumbents of the eighth spot in the League, it is safe to say that all is well at the Britannia. But, Anfield is a very hard place for them to go on Saturday and Matthew Etherington and Jonathan Walters, who have both laid on five assists this campaign, will need to produce their best if Stoke are to come away with anything.

Liverpool will be brimming with confidence after recent results and I expect them to come away with a comfortable three points. The Reds will be without Lucas and Suarez, with Spearing ‘touch and go’ according to Dalglish. Henderson will be the player to watch this weekend after his impressive, energy-sapping performance vs Manchester City, and along with Downing, Adam and Bellamy will provide a strong source of pace and creativity behind Gerrard, who could start just behind Carroll. Former Red Peter Crouch will lead the attack for Stoke and will be trying to score his first goal against them in his ninth attempt.

Stoke have scored just eight goals away from home so far this season. Only Fulham have a worse record having netted just six times on their travels. Equally worrying for the Potters is the fact that Liverpool have conceded just eight times at home in the league, a statistic bettered only by Arsenal and Manchester City.

Here is what the Premier League clubs are wishing for in 2012:

Arsenal: Gunner fans are wishing that scoring machine Robin van Persie continues his torrid streak.

Aston Villa: That Alex McLeish has a method to his “managerial tactic” madness.

Blackburn: Steve Kean is renting and not buying.

Bolton: Club officials are wishing the F.A. will bring in two more clubs into the Premier League in hopes that Bolton won’t be relegated.

Chelsea: Andre Villas-Boas decides on the correct starting eleven for his club so that they can make another run at the title.

Everton: That Landon Donovan can breathe some fresh air into the Toffees offensive attack.

Fulham: Hopefully Martin Jol can unite his squad to make another run at a Europa spot next season.

Liverpool: Luis Suarez starts to be known for his play and not for his antics.

Manchester City: That the club continues their blistering pace.

Manchester United: Alex Ferguson uses his genius to figure out the midfield problems.

Newcastle: Demba Ba decides to stay with the club through the January transfer window.

Norwich City: That the club can continue their steady pace and enjoy a second season in the first division.

QPR: The Rangers magically figure out how to score more goals at Loftus Road.

Stoke City: To make sure that an away trip to Britannia Stadium remains a difficult test for opposing clubs.

Sunderland:  That the likes of Sebastian Larsson and Nicklas Bendtner give the Black Cats an offensive identity.

Swansea City: The Super Swans wish that Michel Vorm continues his ridiculous form at goalie.

Tottenham: That the Spurs finish in the top four and qualify for next year’s Champions League.

West Brom: The Baggies wish that Shane Long and Chris Brunt can continue to inspire their teammates in hopes of finishing in the top half of the table.

Wigan: That Victor Moses keeps playing with flair and goalie Ali Al Habsi remains one of the best keepers in the league.

Wolverhampton: Wolves wish that Bolton, Blackburn, and Wigan remain below them in the Premier League table.

Note: Readers can follow Matt on Twitter @thehackreport

‘WHO ARE YA?’ is a new weekly feature on EPL Talk that profiles players who have been capped for England and fallen from grace and players who never really reached their full potential, with the help of some anecdotes .Feel free to give some feedback on the article and your memories of the player. If you’ve got any ideas for players for me to do in the future just mention them in the comments box.

This player won his one and only England cap in 2002 but never lived up to his full potential.

So this week we take a look at Michael Ricketts.

Background: Ricketts started his club career at Walsall in 1996 and stayed there 4 years until 2000 scoring 15 times for the club.

In the summer of 2000 he was snapped up by Sam Allardyce at Bolton Wanderers, then in Division One (Championship), for a nominal fee of £400,000. He played a huge part in getting the Trotters promoted into the Premier League scoring 24 goals leading to promotion via the Play-Offs with a win over Preston in the Final.

He took the Premier League by storm with 15 goals from August to January including a memorable winner against Manchester United at Old Trafford.  Due to this great run of form and England’s manager being the ever experimental Sven Goran-Eriksson he received a call up for England’s friendly against the Netherlands in February 2002. At the time Sam Allardyce likened him to Ruud Van Nistelrooy but unfortunately he had little impact on the game playing only 45 minutes. After this game though Ricketts was unable to score again in the same season for Bolton.

Where it all went wrong: In the January transfer window of 2003 Middlesbrough splashed out £3.5 million on the 6 foot 3 inch striker.  Leaving Bolton with a record of 37 goals in 98 games Middlesbrough just wasn’t the right club for Ricketts with the striker failing to recapture his form, hitting the back of the net just 3 times.  At the North-East club he developed a reputation of being a big timer and the striker said this to The Sun earlier this year in reflection of his move to Boro:

“People can say what they want but I didn’t feel like that. I just wanted a new challenge. I was disappointed when a possible move to Spurs fell through but Middlesbrough came in and was still a big opportunity for me — like Andy’s is at Liverpool.

“I suppose I was the hottest young striker around at the time but Boro had a completely different style to the way Bolton played.

“I was used to being one of the main men but at Boro they didn’t play through me.

“Then I got injured the following pre-season, did my Achilles and was out for three months. Any player will tell you how hard it is to catch up after that. I got quite depressed.

June 2004 saw a move to Championship Leeds on a free transfer for the striker. Yet again though Ricketts did not impress scoring only once for them in the League Cup against Swindon. The two years he spent at Leeds included loan spells with Stoke, Cardiff and Burnley in which he only mustered 7 goals.

Southend brought in the striker in 2006 with Ricketts playing only twice for the Essex side. At the end of the season he was released for being overweight.

Subsequent spells short term spells at Preston and Oldham were ultimately fruitless with again Ricketts’ fitness and weight hampering his chances.  After a loan spell at Walsall he returned to the Bescot Stadium permanently with a move in July 2008. Ricketts didn’t do badly for the Saddlers averaging a goal every 3 games.

August 14 2009 saw a move to Ricketts’ 11th club, Tranmere Rovers. As per usual his time there did not go as planned with the striker scoring only once and having his contract terminated on the 21 January 2010.

Earlier this year Ricketts was in the news again. Not for a move to another club but due to his charge of common assault on his girlfriend that resulted in a 12 month community order and a £200 fine.

Ricketts was seen as the next big English striker in 2002 after an impressive 15 goals in the 2001-2002 season. Since that England appearance though Ricketts never found his form again and has become a Football League journeyman famed for his weight problems. However Ricketts doesn’t think the England cap was the turning point in his career with him saying this to the Sun:

“People say England was the start of the decline but I don’t agree. I was proud to play for my country and will always be grateful for it.”

Editor’s note: This is the first article for EPL Talk written by former professional footballer Mark Burke. Mark played for several clubs in England, most notably Aston Villa and Wolverhampton Wanderers. Plus he played overseas in the Dutch Eredivisie, J2 League and has the distinction of being the first English footballer ever to play in Romania.  

The great thing about football, the thing that makes it so popular, is it’s simplicity. There’s a piece of grass, a few lines to guide you, a ball; now get on with it.

No rules on how you have to play, what style you must adopt, a few little points on etiquette, which we usually ignore anyway, as long as you stay within those few simple rules then you are fine.

Much like a mother who sends her children out to play, as long as they come home safely, they haven’t broke the law or hurt themselves or anybody else then it’s up to them how they play.

Which is why I find the debate that continually rages around Stoke City and the way they play so fascinating and entertaining.

“They are a disgrace,” “They don’t play ‘football’,” etc etc.

I am the biggest football ‘purist’ you could meet. I could talk your ears off about how I think game should be played, why it should be played that way and how to play it that way.

But, I will also say there is NO ‘right’ way to play football.

I will defend anybody’s right to play however they like, even if I question it myself and would not want to play or coach a team to play like that. It’s up to that team, those players and most importantly, their manager, how they interpret the rules they are given.

I don’t agree with what you say but I defend to the death your right to say it.

A football manager has to be honest with one person and one person only – himself.

He is the one who must live with the criticism if things go wrong, so any manager will tell you it’s best to do it your own way, according to your own beliefs and then if it fails to can rest your head at night in peace with the knowledge you did all you can.

Better than trying to live up to somebody elses ideals and expectations and failing, then they can expect sleepless nights visited by the ghosts of games past detailing their failings in lucid nightmarish detail.

He must ask himself what are his football beliefs, what is his vision of the game and then set out a plan to implement to his players and staff as to how they are going to achieve it.

This is what Tony Pulis has done and what a great job he has done. People may say he is doing what he can with the ‘material’ he has but I think he would impart the same vision to a different set of players and why not? It’s totally up to him.

Football clubs were set up to perform a social function, as centres of communities, a place where all could meet and be entertained.

For football fans being entertained usually means winning more than you lose.

Nowhere is this more obvious than at Stoke, a one club town where the feeling is always stronger. Stoke City and those fans are having the time of their lives.

I say long may it continue and to any fans taking the moral football high ground remember football is a question of interpretation and he who interprets, understands and implements his own vision best has a good chance of success.

As Tony Pulis might say “I have nothing to declare but my honesty.”

The draws for the next round of the Champions League and Europa League have been made, and there are some very tasty matches that have been picked out of the hat. Both English clubs in the Champions League face Italian opposition. Arsenal will play AC Milan, while Chelsea face Napoli.

In the Europa League, Manchester United will battle Ajax of Amsterdam, while Manchester City faces Porto, and Stoke will take on Valencia.

None of the English teams face easy opposition, by any means. But traditionally Premier League sides have done very well against Italian opposition. I’m especially interested to see if Chelsea can do what Manchester City couldn’t — which is to beat Napoli.

Arsenal, meanwhile, faces a stern test against AC Milan. If the Gunners can get past Milan and into the next round of the Champions League, they would have to be seen as a strong contender to reach the UEFA Champions League Final.

In the last 16 of the UEFA Champions League, the draw is as follows (English teams in bold):

• Lyon v APOEL,
• Napoli v Chelsea,
• AC Milan v Arsenal,
• Basel v Bayern Munich,
• Bayer Leverkusen v Barcelona,
• CSKA Moscow v Real Madrid,
• Zenit St Petersburg v Benfica,
• Marseille v Inter Milan.

The first legs will be played on February 14, 15, 21 and 22 while the returns will take place on March 6, 7, 13 and 14.

The draw for the final 32 of the Europa League is as follows:

• Porto v Manchester City,
• Ajax v Manchester United,
• Lokomotiv Moscow v Athletic,
• Salzburg v Metalist,
• Stoke v Valencia,
• Rubin v Olympiacos,
• AZ Alkmaar v Anderlecht,
• Lazio v Atletico Madrid,
• Steaua v Twente,
• Plzen v Schalke,
• Wisla v Standard Liege,
• Braga v Besiktas,
• Udinese v PAOK,
• Trabzonspor v PSV,
• Hannover v Club Brugge,
• Legia v Sporting.

If Manchester United beat Ajax, they will play the winner of Lokomotiv Moscow or Athletic in the round of 16. If Manchester City beats Porto, they’ll play the winner of Legia v Sporting. Last, but not least, if Stoke beats Valencia, they’ll face either Trabzonspor or PSV in the next round.

The round of 32 matches in the Europa League will be played February 16 and 23.

Glamour is not a word that will be used to describe Bolton’s clash with Stoke on Sunday but nevertheless it is still an incredibly important to both sides and could well be significant to how they fare this season. Based on league standings, which admittedly is something you never base a prediction on in the Premier League, you would expect a win for Stoke but Bolton are desperate for a win and their first home points of the season but Stoke also have to try and resolve their problem of losing league games after they have played, normally very well, in the Europa League on a Thursday night.

Bolton, much like Stoke are always said to have been a long ball team. However with Owen Coyle, who was at one point tipped for the Arsenal manager berth earlier on in the season, have been trying to play more expansive football but with the long term injuries to Stuart Holden and Chung-Yong Lee it has been harder for Bolton to play well through the midfield.  With front man Kevin Davies, an England international lest we forget, they do sometimes want to knock it long with the majority of midfield creativity coming through the impetuous Martin Petrov.

Coyle is actually under serious pressure and I believe if Bolton don’t get anything out of this game then he could no longer be in a job on Monday morning. This is controversial I know but not much focus has been on Coyle with the majority of pressure being on Steve Kean instead. And this could be the time that the Bolton board decide enough is enough with no Premier League managers being sacked so far this season (and moving into an international break of two weeks). The Trotters are pointless at home this season and even though they have played Manchester United, Chelsea and Manchester City, this is not good enough after nearly three months of the season so a win or at least a draw is desperately needed.

It is well documented that the downturn in Bolton’s form has really been caused by their FA Cup semi-final loss to Stoke and as that game was significant in both Bolton and Stoke’s seasons so is this game.  If Bolton lose this game, which is one that they do have a great chance of winning, then they could find it hard to recover and could inevitably lose their manager but a win could give them the lift and momentum they need to recapture the form of some parts of last season, where relegation was never a real possibility.

Despite looking strong in mid-table, this game is vital for Stoke too in proving their credentials of being able to find the right mix between playing in the Europa League and the Premier League. They have lost all three of their previous games on a Sunday after their Europa League games to Sunderland, Swansea and Arsenal. This game is vital for them and Tony Pulis to show that this season the Europa League, which they are doing well in and is clearly of high importance to them, is not going to have too much of a detrimental effect on their league form.

Another reason that makes for an interesting game is Stoke’s style of play and which Stoke turn up. Everyone know about Stoke and their throw-ins but as someone pointed out in a previous post about Stoke, “Will someone not say Stoke are a physical side in an article,” and I do agree to an extent that Stoke aren’t always a very physical side.

They are a physically big side, but who isn’t with Huth, Shawcross and Crouch et al in your team. The thing with Stoke is though, that they only play with a physical style when they feel they can use it and sometimes bully teams into submission. As we saw against Newcastle on Monday night, the long throws and goalmouth scrambles didn’t really work for Stoke, apart from the awarding of the penalty of course. Also against Israeli outfit Maccabi Tel Aviv on Thursday Stoke did play well with slick passing moves and width provided by wingers Jermaine Pennant and Matthew Etherington with full back Shotton also looking rather good, with an useful long throw-in to boot. However Stoke did use their classic mode of long throw followed by goal against Tel Aviv in the reverse fixture at the Britannia Stadium as the Maccabi defence could just not handle the power of Crouch and Jerome up front.

It will probably be hard for Stoke against Bolton to use their physicality as the Bolton centre backs Cahill and Wheater, as well as tough tackling left back Robinson, are all physically strong and good in the air meaning it could be up to Etherington and Pennant on the wings to create chances as the Bolton backline doesn’t exactly ooze pace. The fact that like Bolton, Stoke do lack a cutting edge in the centre of midfield with the Delap and Whelan really being the weak link in the team, means that this game is not going to be won in the centre of midfield which is an area where lots of games in the EPL are won. If Stoke can sort this area out then they will probably not find it as difficult to manage playing at home and in Europe.

So even though this game may not appeal to the masses, or even to the neutral, it is an absolutely huge game for both sides involved and is likely to be a major point in both the winner’s and loser’s season.

Photo by Kenwyne Jones

What a storming start to the season Stoke City has had. The club sits in seventh place in the Premier League, having had probably the most testing start of all the teams. Tony Pulis’ men have quietly managed to grab five points from Manchester United, Chelsea and Liverpool. And despite one slip up at The Stadium of Light, is a leading example to others coming up from The Championship to follow, especially given their success in the top tier over the last three seasons.

One of the most fascinating aspects of this beautiful game is how different styles work for different teams. Stoke doesn’t play football in the way Barcelona or Manchester United do, but the club plays with a sense of togetherness and intelligence, thriving off certain aspects, such as Rory Delap’s throw-ins, and this allows them to take on the very best. Stoke is moving from strength to strength and Sir Alex Ferguson should be very happy with his point at The Britannia Stadium.

Stoke City is often compared as brutish, aggressive, clumsy, old-fashioned and even morally objectionable. But this is ridiculous. The club simply doesn’t play football that can be worshipped, but that is no concern to Tony Pulis. Stoke has the motivation and desire, and it is these two factors that have propelled them into the top-half of the table and the side looks set to stay there. Pulis has a purpose in the game and injects this into his club. He is a master at tactical organisation, as we have seen from the performances against the country’s heavyweights. Stoke is often at the end of a lot of criticism from pundits and football fans who do not respect their style of play. But why play in a way which the club is not suited to?

Stoke has continued to progress, reaching the FA Cup final last season and as a result winning a place in the Europa League. So far, the side has been magnificent in Europe and by spending £20 million on transfer deadline day last month, bringing in England striker Peter Crouch among others, who knows how far the side could go? This scenario was improbable at best not so long ago, but Stoke has proved that it is very possible for a less fashionable club to break into the elite. The manager’s system is praised by all and City’s supporters are impressive. They never get on their players’ back and the sense of togetherness that I was talking about earlier is noticeable amongst the fans as well. A cauldron of noise and sheer enthusiasm is evident at all games; They’re a classic example of the crowd being a 12th man on the pitch.

The ambition that the club possesses is brilliant. Stoke is rapidly becoming a side that can beat anyone at home, and their next task is to become dangerous away from home and with Tony Pulis in charge, that is not far off. Stoke is improving all the time, in all areas, on and off the pitch. The club deserves a huge amount of credit and it’ll be interesting watching them continue this season. The Premier League has always needed clubs to break through into the established teams, and we may just have our first.

William McGregor, founding father of the Football League in 1888

The focus for a long time was on the “big four” of Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United. Tottenham and Manchester City made enough inroads to turn that into the “Sky Six” temporarily. To be honest, most of the noise generated by the media, which drives the fans is about a handful of clubs. If it weren’t for the negativity about Arsenal, you’d be likely to think there are really just two teams in the league this year: United and City.

Fans eagerly allow this media bias to help form their opinions about other clubs, often calling them “small.” That’s not to say there aren’t smaller or bigger clubs in the Premier League currently. Based on grounds or history, obviously Wigan or Swansea are smaller than United or Arsenal. But they aren’t that small. And it doesn’t mean they are without history and accomplishment. In fact of the Sky Six, do you know how many are founding members of the Football League? None. But that was in 1888, so obviously those clubs no longer matter. Nope! Seven of the 12 founding members are in the top flight today and Derby Co. and Burnley have been back in recent seasons.

For the record, the 12 that started all of this are Accrington (the only one to fold), Aston Villa, Blackburn Rovers, Bolton Wanderers, Burnley, Derby County, Everton, Notts County, Preston North End, Stoke, West Bromwich Albion and Wolverhampton Wanderers.

That means that seven clubs in the EPL already have a deeper story than the media would have you believe. The next time somebody calls Blackburn or West Brom a small club, it would be wise to remind them that they won their first F.A. Cups in 1884 and 1888 respectively, before Chelsea, Newcastle and Liverpool even existed. And if somebody asks “Who is Stoke City,” then the answer is Notts County’s only contemporary.

This isn’t an indictment of the Sky Six, Big Four or the City/Chelsea petro-era. This is a plea to respect all clubs because in the league there is only one club that was born post WWI (Wigan Athletic) and only a few that have no major silverware. This is a list of all 20 EPL clubs and their honours by year of birth:

1863
Stoke City (as Stoke Ramblers or Stoke FC until 1928) are the second oldest football team in the world. They do not have as many honours as most clubs but they did come in second in the First Division in 1947 and made the final of the F.A. Cup last year. But mostly, they have been around much longer than your club.

1874
Aston Villa have won the First division seven times, the F.A. Cup seven times and a European Championship in 1982. They have played at Villa Park since 1897 and were once considered the most successful side in England bar none.

Bolton Wanderers (as Christ Church FC until 1877) have won four F.A. Cups and were an early power of English football. While they seemed to have fallen from grace in the 1960′s, they returned to the league in 2000 and have have been a mid-table staple since. They were the first team to win the F.A. Cup at Wembley.

1875
Blackburn Rovers have won three top flight titles and six F.A. Cups. They still hold the longest undefeated F.A. Cup run at 24 and had Jack Walker to thank for their last title.

1877
Wolverhampton Wanderers (St. Luke’s until 1879) have won three First Division titles and four F.A. Cups.  They have played at Molineux since 1889 and the name Stan Cullis should be in every fan’s knowledge base.

1878
Everton (St. Domingo’s until 1879) has only been relegated twice since joining the league at the beginning. They have won nine First Division titles, five F.A. Cups and a Cup Winners Cup. Everton’s current financial crisis goes back to Heysel and the loss of brand recognition that the incident cost them due to the European ban.

West Bromich Albion have won one First Division title and have been runners up twice. They have won five F.A. Cups as well. The 1953-54 side that nearly won the double was once named the “Team of the Century” by the media. Their nickname of the Baggies was once a derogatory slur used against them.

Manchester United (Newton Heath until 1902) started life as an awful club. After a change of ownership and name in 1902, they have gone on to win 19 league titles, 11 F.A. Cups, a Cup Winners Cup and three European Cups. In fact, with each new owner United has grown bigger and won more, but United fans seem to long for the days of solid second division obscurity. Makes you almost hope they achieve it.

1879
Fulham lack honours but they are the oldest London club. Their current period in the top flight is by far their best. They were runners up in the 1975 F.A. Cup and 2010 Europa League. They were denied a piece of the legend of the 1966 World Cup due to a car accident that stymied the career of Johnny Haynes, who had captained the Three Lions 22 times.

Sunderland have won six First Division titles and two F.A. Cups. A massive financial scandal in 1957 involving over-payments of players led to them being relegated for the first time a year later.

1880
Manchester City (as St. Mark’s or Ardwick until 1894) were a founding member of the Second Division. They have won the First Division twice and the F.A. Cup five times. Like Arsenal’s WM and Tottenham’s Push and Run, they have a tactical plan to their name, called the Revie plan. And they won the Cup Winners Cup in 1970. But since they have so much money, we need to remind them that they were in the third tier of English football in 1999 :p

1882
Queens Park Rangers formed when two clubs known as St Jude’s and Christchurch Rangers merged. They were a lower tier club until 1967, when they won a League Cup, got promoted twice in succession and came second in the league in 1976. They lost a F.A. Cup final in 1981 and have been a yo-yo club since. They were also the richest club in the world for a short while.

The Modern Era of Football starts with the formation of Tottenham Hotspur (originally Hotspur FC) in 1882 on the Hackney Marshes. They are the only non-league side to win the F.A. Cup (in 1901) and have won it an additional seven times. They were the first side to win the double in 1961 to add to their title in 1951. Any mention of the number of titles since 1961 will not be authorized in the comment section They have also won four League Cups and two UEFA Cups.

1886
Arsenal (originally Woolwich Arsenal) were formed in South London. They have taken up temporary residence in North London since 1913. They were the first southern club in the league and have been managed by two men who changed the English game for the good in Arsene Wenger and Herbert Chapman. They have won 13 league titles, ten F.A. Cups and a Cup Winners Cup.

1892
Newcastle United were formed from the merger of Newcastle East End and West End and have played at St. James Park since then. They have won four First Division titles, six F.A. Cups and the 1969 Fairs Cup. They have the dramas of Kevin Keegan and Mike Ashley to draw upon in the recent past and the near double in 1905 to draw upon in the distant.

Liverpool split off from Everton over a grounds issue with a board member. They were promoted in 1894 and have won 18 titles, seven F.A. Cups, three UEFA Cups, and five European Championships. The names Heysel and Hillsborough have given this club more drama than any club needs.

1902
Norwich City were founded in 1902 as well. Unfortunately it took them 70 years to get to the First Division. But still have two League Cups and have been in the top flight a number of times. So “Let’s Be ‘Avin Ya.”

1905
Chelsea have won four titles, six F.A. Cups, four League Cups and a Cup Winners Cup. They have a strong link to the hooliganism era and were robbed of entry to the first European Championship by the league.

The last two are the two with the least history and honours, but we must respect that the work done to make these clubs has been done in staunchly rugby towns.

1912
Before this year, Swansea City have played two seasons in the top flight. They hold the record for the fastest rise from the Fourth Division to the First jointly with Wimbledon. They both did it in four years but the Swans did it first. Their reserve team has won the Welsh league 12 times. The Gaffer told me that they are the only team Pele feared, but I think that might be a lie.

1932
Wigan Athletic were the fourth attempt to raise a club in Wigan. They didn’t make the league until 1978 but in 1995 Dave Whelan took over and they made it to the First Division in 2005 and lost to United in the League Cup final in 2006. They also have two Johnson Paint trophies.

So as you can plainly see, no team is small. No team lacks history or drama or even honours. There are bigger clubs and smaller clubs, but that is always relative to the era. So let’s try to respect all other clubs rather than using derogatory terms based on their attendance, their traveling support, their last trophy or their current financial malaise. And remember, the lower divisions are littered with great teams such as West Ham, Leeds United, Nottingham Forest and Derby County to name but a few. Your team could end up there with a bad season, and then you might be called small too.

Jonathan Woodgate was released from Tottenham Hotspur in June 2011 and found himself looking at an end to his athletic career. Upon his departure from White Hart Lane he had only played in four games in about two years. His downfall was an injury he sustained in Tottenham’s thrashing of Wigan 9-1 on November 22, 2009. With no contract in hand from Tottenham, Jonathan Woodgate needed to look elsewhere for a new club to call home. Stoke City boss Tony Pulis was willing to roll the dice and take a gamble with the injury plagued center back. Since then Jonathan Woodgate has made a surprising and brilliant return to English football and is a celebration to those who face adversity in their lives.

Woodgate arrived at Stoke in early July and begin training with the team immediately. Pulis admitted he would enter Woodgate into the team slowly to avoid any possible injury scares. In reality Spurs let go one of the best defenders in the league. I know the arguments people will make in releasing him from the club.  The obvious are the injury problems and his age. However, individuals can and do make recoveries. I give credit to Stoke for taking a risk and so far it’s been an excellent beginning for him at Stoke City. Stoke did exercise caution with a one year contract based on a pay-as-you play deal with a possible review of the contract if he stays fit.

Woodgate started off the pre-season playing sixty two minutes against Aldershot Town. He later went on to play a full length match against Hajduk Split in the early stages of Europa League qualifying round and what I witnessed of the match he provided a solid performance. On the opening day of the new season Woodgate played his first full league match against Chelsea, the first one since November 22, 2009. The Stoke defense provided a stellar performance and held Chelsea to a 0-0 draw. Woodgate did a marvelous job in containing and shutting down the Chelsea offense and denying any scoring opportunity for Fernando Torres and others. In the match against Norwich I thought his game was bit off with Norwich players being able to push past him in a few instances. Considering his absence from playing regularly, I would still commend him on his performance nevertheless. I did see improvement in the game against West Brom, which marked his 300th league appearance. To date Woodgate has participated in five matches total since leaving Tottenham in June. In my view this demonstrates a positive and uplifting start for the center back and hopefully more good things to come in the season.

I find it exciting to see any athlete be able to make a complete turnaround and go back to do what they love doing. He could have easily called it a day and walked away. I am glad he decided not to give up. For anyone who knows me, Jonathan Woodgate has always been one of my favorite English football players and I enjoy watching him play the game. I admire his commitment to ignore individuals calling him deadwood or over-the-hill. He has maintained his ability to stay focused and continue with the training. Being a professional athlete isn’t easy. You find yourself under the microscope all the time; Every action or mistake is analyzed by pundits to couch potatoes. Yes they are paid a lot of money, and certainly fans should expect a strong commitment from the players. But professional athletes aren’t machines and they can’t win or perform at their best all the time. Players will have bad days and will get injured, that is life. But you still have pundits, fans, and armchair quarterbacks offering their two cents on how things should be done or if the person is washed-up or not. If a quick turnaround is provided, all is forgiven. Sadly this has become a hallmark of our instant success or instant gratification society.

Woodgate’s return to top flight football is an amazing saga for a man who decided not give up and who overcame obstacles placed in his path. His accomplishment should be celebrated because this can be such an unforgiving business. Stoke are well known for playing tough aggressive football. I have even heard some individuals suggest they play rugby and not football. However, I believe Woodgate will bring class to Stoke City and an experienced style of play that will fit very nicely with them. Tony Pulis and Ryan Shotton both believe Woodgate could make a return to the England national team. Two years ago, who would have even thought to consider such a comment let alone make a public statement about such an idea.

According to Kevin Affleck of The National newspaper, Harry Redknapp was reported to have stated that not offering Woodgate a new contract during the summer was the hardest decision of his career. I am not sure if that was his hardest decision of his managing career but I think it was a poor decision. I think Levy had more to do with it than Harry but that is just my opinion based on Levy’s business practices. I am not sure what the risk would have been to give him what Stoke offered; if he didn’t play there would be no pay. Considering Tottenham’s central defense is in need of strengthening, this error may come back to haunt Tottenham very soon when the club faces Stoke in a few weeks and other clubs as well.

Photo by Kenwyne Jones

Now that the English Premier League season has begun, I have became interested in the movement around Stoke City, the club who often seem to be facing tough odds against top teams in the Premier League.

I am not a Stoke City supporter but reading all the transfer deals that have been taking place, Stoke has caught my attention. Tony Pulis, the Stoke City manager, has been busy in attempting to strengthen his side with new arrivals and doing it on the cheap. I have been impressed by Stoke in their attempt to strengthen their squad. Unfortunately this is something I am not seeing at Spurs, I am sad to say. I am not going to make any bold comments about a league title win or anything close to that but they Stoke could make things interesting and perhaps create some surprises along the way. Isn’t that what most neutrals want?

Granted Stoke isn’t a Manchester United, Man City or a Chelsea but they do have some talented individuals in their squad. From what I have witnessed I think Matthew Etherington, Ryan Shawcross, Robert Huth and Kenwyne Jones are just a few of the quality players. Plus, Stoke can be a very stubborn team to beat in addition to their ability to pull off surprise upsets for a middle tier team. They were able to advance to the FA Cup final last season and played a tough and hard match against Manchester City and doing so booked their place in the Europa League. Although not Champions League football, Stoke will be able to showcase their talent to some of the top sides in Europe this season.

An impressing signing so far is former Tottenham defender Jonathan Woodgate. The injury plagued player has made a surprising turnaround and has had a positive pre-season. I know some will say Woodgate is over the hill or too risky. I will admit I am a huge Woodgate fan. But if Woodgate stays fit I think Stoke may have gotten the best deal out of the summer transfer market. You can’t beat a free transfer and Spurs might end up kicking themselves in the end. From what I saw of his performance against Hajduk Split in the Europa League play offs, I was very impressed considering his long absence from playing. Stoke has also brought in Matthew Upson on a free transfer from West Ham. Again another player that some may consider his best days being over, but a fresh start with a new club could be just what Upson needs. Certainly Pulis is attempting to strengthen up the defense with already established defenders Huff and Shawcross practically in the center. Stoke now have a strong defense that can push their players even harder to improve their playing ability.

Currently Stoke are in talks with Tottenham in the hopes of securing Peter Crouch and Wilson Palacios. I have really never been a fan of Palacios. I will say he is an aggressive football player and I do like that, but I think he needs to improve his overall playing ability. A new club could provide that for him. I do like Crouch. Although I will admit I have been disappointed in his performances last season at least in league games and think he can do a lot better. Crouch could be a good addition for Stoke.  Stoke has made it clear they are in need of improving their front. His European record has been impressive for Spurs and European teams did have trouble containing him. Since Stoke are in the Europa League that could provide them with a great asset. His height is a great advantage on the field and just like Palacios a new team could turn his fortunes around. Furthermore, Pulis has been in discussion with Joey Barton’s agents about a possible move to Stoke from Newcastle. I have written a story advocating that Barton moves to Spurs. I certainly would welcome him to Tottenham but hopes of that happening seems to be fading each day. I understand all the baggage concerning Barton but I consider him a great player and I really think he could provide dynamics to their midfield. It appears the midfield is an area that Pulis wants to strengthen and Palacios and Barton could provide that for him. I think before the transfer window ends we will see a few more additions to the club if history is any indicator.

As I said stated before I don’t expect any super miracles of finishing first or in the top four or anything like that but I think this year Stoke might give us all an interesting surprise. Stoke had a fairly positive pre-season, a good home result against Chelsea and their Europa League competition is off to a successful start. They also could be one of the clubs to embrace the Europa League with a good squad to select players from and if they can make the long haul they just might see themselves in the final. There is always the League and FA Cup and we could see a repeat of last season’s FA final.

Stoke plays hard, aggressive and can be a difficult side to be beat. I might be overreaching here but I think we can look forward to some good football being played and maybe a piece of silverware along the way.

I would be very interested in hearing what anyone has to say — especially Stoke City supporters.