“I think the only little bit I found was when I started playing right wing over Jermaine. You’ve got Jermaine Pennant, who you’ve watched for years, a wonder kid, and I’m playing in front of him. None of us could understand that. “I was sat there and, I don’t think we had this proper conversation but thinking, ‘How am I here in front of you playing right wing? This should not be happening! ’ “But it didn’t matter who you were, as long as you were willing to do what (Pulis) asked, you were in his team.
But he eventually got the chance to play at the highest level – and has a Europa League goal on his CV thanks to the winner at Hajduk Split. He said: “I’ve had many happy times in my career. Stoke is the one that really stands out because you had stuff that you probably only dream of doing. I grew up not really dreaming of playing in the Premier League, even if you want to aspire to that.
Shotton still baffled by Pulis decision over PennantRyan Shotton admits even he was surprised when Tony Pulis threw him into Stoke City's Premier League team on the right wing ahead of Jermaine Pennant. Pennant was inspirational after he joined Stoke from Zaragoza, helping reach the 2011 FA Cup final, but he gradually fell out of favour in his second season as Pulis tried to balance a Premier League campaign with Europa League adventure. The former Liverpool and Arsenal man was fined for breaking club rules and Pulis doubled down on discipline by leaving him on the sidelines despite not having an out-and-out replacement. READ MORE: Alex Neil sends clear 'no excuses' message to his Stoke City players READ MORE: Jermaine Pennant explains why he fell out with Tony Pulis Instead, the manager turned to youth graduate centre-half Shotton, who had also filled in as an emergency striker.
You’d go, ‘What am I doing?! ’ “Ok, I was a striker when I signed for Stoke at 10 years old but then I turned 14 and went to Everton away, we were lacking centre-halves so I turned defender and never played striker again. I didn’t think of it, the team needed a defender. I wasn’t on a prolific scoring streak and thinking that I needed to stay up front so I was open to the idea. A 14 year old lad just wants to play football. ” Shotton moved on after the arrival of Mark Hughes and would later play under Pulis again for Middlesbrough. He had spells at Derby County and Birmingham but the highlight would always be playing for his hometown club at a special time. “Back when I was with the team and Pulis was here, he was ruthless in how he’d set up and if it was on a cold, wet Tuesday night against a team we knew we could intimidate, he would make sure he’d have everybody ready to do that, ” he said when asked about the reputation that has given the new podcast its name.
“Back then I don’t think there were many teams who coped with it very well. If you were to come up against a horrible Stoke team on a cold, wet Tuesday night you’d have to mentally prepare yourself and be ready for an absolute battle. ” A Cold Wet Tuesday Night is available now on BBC Sounds, with a new episode to be released every Tuesday. What are your memories of that time? Have your say in the comments section READ NEXT Four moments which Stoke City must hope show turning of tide Stoke City in desperate need of being shaped as a side and club Stoke City boss picks out change in Liam Delap's game after two goals in two games Stoke City hero Jon Walters appointed technical director of two clubs Latest Stoke City news and transfer gossip Story SavedYou can find this story in My Bookmarks.
“The end of my first professional year, having just turned 18, Stoke were promoted out of the middle of nowhere. You’re then mixing with Premier League players. The times we played in Europe, they were unbelievable. Walking out to stadiums and Stoke fans everywhere. “I think Stoke fans will agree that year was the best we’ll ever have as a football club for our generation. ” Shotton, now manager at Hanley Town, added: “I hadn’t really played much up until then. The FA Cup run was when I really started, made my debut. It was a bizarre way of how I got into the team (as emergency striker) and Pulis chucking me in and out.
Bristol City vs Stoke City LIVE: Latest Championship updatesA general view of Ashton Gate (The FA via Getty Images)Follow live coverage as Bristol City face Stoke City in the Championship today. English football's second tier is one of the most-watched leagues in Europe with a relentless fixture schedule and the prize of a place in the Premier League on offer combining to make it one of the most dramatic and exciting competitions in world football.
Cameron Jerome smashes in an equaliser against Southampton But Matthew Upson got Stoke back in it just after the hour mark before the hosts survived Steven Nzonzi’s 71st-minute dismissal to equalise through Jerome’s wonder-strike. Jerome said: “It was a fantastic game and in the second half we came fighting back. We were a little bit disappointed to be 3-1 down at half-time. Southampton fully deserved their lead, but I thought the manner in which we conceded our goals was so sloppy and the gaffer will be disappointed with that – and the boys at the back will be as well. “But we had great team spirit and we fought back and fought hard, even with 10 men.
“Tony would say that to him. He saw Ryan doing a job for him at that moment so whether it was Jermaine Pennant, Gary Lineker, Beckham or any superstar, Ryan was doing the job for him. Tony was all about getting the job done. He didn’t care about the personnel. ” Tony Pulis trusted Ryan Shotton in the Stoke City squad. (Image: Sentinel) Shotton was always thought of highly as he came through the ranks at Stoke but, with successful loans at Altrincham, Tranmere and Barnsley, the task of breaking into the team had become that much harder after the club won promotion.
How to watch the EFL over Christmas and New Year There will also be a further five EFL matches available live on Sky
City v Reading - Friday, 30 December, 7.45pm; Stoke City v
I was kind of angry with him and that’s why I smashed it so hard, ” he said at the time. “I knew it had a chance. I thought it was going to go straight in, but when it hit the bar I thought it was going to come out. Luckily the spin took it back in. ” Stoke were 16 unbeaten at home at the time and fresh from beating Liverpool 3-1 on Boxing Day. However it had looked like they would lose that record, trailing 3-1 at the break after some uncharacteristically sloppy defending without suspended defenders Ryan Shawcross and Geoff Cameron.
Goalkeeper and midfielder Stoke City transfer priorities in pivotal January This could be the deal or big gamble that makes or breaks Stoke's season.
Will a Premier League team come calling for Harry Souttar and how
How to watch the EFL over Christmas and New YearThe festive period continues with matches to stream and watch on TV in the Sky Bet Championship, Sky Bet League One and Sky Bet League Two up until 2 January. Thirteen Championship matches are available to stream in the UK – including 10 across 29 and 30 December. And every game in League One and League Two can be streamed in the UK. Access your Club's streaming service here. There will also be a further five EFL matches available live on Sky Sports, while any Championship game that is available for UK streaming can also be watched on the Sky Sports Red Button. ITV will bring you its regular EFL highlights programmes across the festive period. Here is your guide for how to watch the EFL up until 2 January. 29 and 30 December Championship The following games can be streamed worldwide, including in the UK. Access your Club's streaming service here.
Burnley were relegated from the top tier in 2022 but return refreshed and hopeful of making it back and equally Watford no doubt enjoyed their time in the Premier League too and are also keen to return. Norwich know what it takes to earn promotion from the Championship and will again be one of the favourites to do it again with one of the best squads in the division. It isn't all about the battle for promotion, either, with Wigan, Rotherham and play-off winners Sunderland hoping their ascensions from League One aren't short-lived as they battle to avoid the drop at the bottom. We will bring you all the action and updates from today's game in the live blog below:1671299315Bristol City vs Stoke City1671299136Bristol City vs Stoke City1671296304Bristol City vs Stoke CityMatch ends, Bristol City 1, Stoke City 2.
Anger at Peter Crouch inspired Cameron Jerome's great Stoke City goalCameron Jerome can’t have hit many strikes sweeter or harder than when he caught the ball in the 90th minute against Southampton on this day 10 years ago. The groundsmen are on alert to put an extra few pegs in the nets when Jerome returned to the bet365 Stadium with Luton earlier this season as they remembered one of the best goals at this ground since it opened 25 years ago.
Stoke were losing 3-2 when Jerome ran onto a knock down from Peter Crouch and sent the ball hurtling in off the bar from 30 yards out. Some game and some equaliser from the forward, who was hopping mad when he hit it. READ MORE: Stoke City boss reveals what he wants to add to squad READ MORE: Shotton still baffled by Pulis decision over Pennant “There had been one before that Pete could have laid off to me.
Port Vale boss Darrell Clarke explains Dave Worrall absence The 32-year-old wide player didn't feature in the 1-0 win at home to
Morecambe on Boxing Day or this evening's 2-0 defeat at
Man United sell-out underlines Burnley togetherness instilled by Vincent Kompany And with another maximum following at Stoke on December 30th, and they
were loud and we'll need the same support against Birmingham
Sander Berge and James McAtee inflict 2-1 loss on Blackpool as the Blades draw level with Burnley ... with leaders Burnley to keep up the pressure in the title race draw
level on 50 points with Burnley who visit Stoke on Friday
And Shotton has been recalling the experience in the first episode of BBC Radio Stoke’s new Stoke City podcast: A Cold Wet Tuesday Night, hosted by Clive Clarke and Lucas Yeomans. “The only position I didn’t play for Pulis was centre-half! My actual position, ” he said. He added: “We knew there were enough games in the season that everyone was going to enjoy themselves so there was no bitterness about someone playing over someone else or this and that.
I was his fifth defender really. ” Clarke, the former Stoke captain and Shotton’s agent, could understand Pulis’s thinking. He said: “This is where I’ll always defend Tony. Jermaine, and I’d say it to his face and have done, he’s a super talent but sometimes he just walked into the team, he stopped training correctly and this, that and the other.
Bristol City vs Stoke City LIVE: Championship result, final score and reaction Burnley were relegated from the top tier in 2022 but return refreshed and
hopeful of making it back and equally Watford no doubt enjoyed
Championship on TV: Three Yorkshire clubs set for LIVE How can I watch? Matches can be viewed live on Sky Sports Football through
the red button, on the Sky Sports app or through Sky Go. Every
Stoke City v Burnley: How to watch on TV, live stream Burnley are back on the road as they continue their busy Championship
schedule against Alex Neil's Stoke
The crowd here was amazing again. They were right behind the boys. ” Jerome had joined Stoke a year previously, scoring on his debut in the Europa League at Dynamo Kyev. He scored against Maccabi Tel Aviv too and ended up with 12 goals over his full two seasons in the first team squad. He went on to join Crystal Palace on loan and then Norwich, winding his way to Luton via Derby, Goztepe and MK Dons.
Stoke City injury news vs Burnley as Alex Neil hopes to welcome back player Alex Neil hopes to have at least one of Josh Laurent or Dwight Gayle back
fit when Stoke City host Burnley under the bet365 Stadium