View source for Stoke City F.C.

{{Short description|Association football club in Stoke-on-Trent, England}}
{{Redirect|Stoke City|the city itself|Stoke-on-Trent|the women's club|Stoke City F.C. Women}}
{{Use British English|date=January 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2020}}
{{Infobox football club
| clubname = Stoke City
| image = Stoke City FC crest 2001.svg
| image_size = 175px
| fullname = Stoke City Football Club
| nickname = The Potters
| founded = {{nowrap|{{Start date and age|df=yes|1863}} <ref name="1863-1888"/><ref name="Landmarks"/><ref>{{cite web |title=Stoke City |url=https://www.efl.com/clubs-and-competitions/sky-bet-championship/clubs/stoke-city/ |website=English Football League |access-date=9 September 2022}}</ref> <br /> {{Start date and age|df=yes|1868}} (first recorded match){{efn|name=1868?|According to Stoke City's official website – and badge – the club were formed in 1863 but they admit that "little evidence still exists of any official matches taking place". The first recorded match played by Stoke Ramblers was in October 1868 against EW May's XV.<ref name="1863-1888"/><ref name="Landmarks">{{cite web |title=Landmarks |url=https://www.stokecityfc.com/club/history/landmarks |website=Stoke City |access-date=9 May 2019}}</ref><ref name="Matthews"/>}}<ref>{{cite web |title=The Crest Dissected: Stoke City |url=https://www.thefootballhistoryboys.com/2019/08/the-crest-dissected-stoke-city.html |website=The Football History Boys |date=23 August 2019 |access-date=19 January 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Stoke City Football Club: History Of The Club Formation |url=https://historyofsoccer.info/stoke-football-club |website=History of Soccer |date=14 December 2021 |access-date=19 January 2023}}</ref><br />as Stoke Ramblers F.C.}}
| ground = [[bet365 Stadium]]
| capacity = 30,089<ref name="Premier League">{{cite web|title=bet365 Stadium|url=https://www.premierleague.com/clubs/42/Stoke-City/stadium|website=Premier League|access-date=13 August 2017}}</ref>
| owner = Stoke City Holdings Limited
| chrtitle = 
| chairman = [[John Coates (businessman)|John Coates]]
| mgrtitle = 
| manager = [[Mark Robins]]
| league = {{English football updater|StokeCty}}
| season = {{English football updater|StokeCty2}}
| position = {{English football updater|StokeCty3}}
| current = 2025–26 Stoke City F.C. season
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| website     = {{URL|https://stokecityfc.com}}
}}

'''Stoke City Football Club''' is a professional [[association football]] club based in [[Stoke-on-Trent]], [[Staffordshire]], England. The team competes in the {{English football updater|StokeCty}}, the second level of the [[English football league system]].

Founded as Stoke Ramblers in 1863, the club changed its name to Stoke in 1878 and then to Stoke City in 1925 after Stoke-on-Trent was granted [[City status in the United Kingdom|city status]]. Stoke's home ground is the 30,089 capacity [[bet365 Stadium]]. Before it was opened in 1997, the club was based at the [[Victoria Ground]], which was their home ground since 1878. The club's nickname is The Potters, after the [[Staffordshire Potteries|pottery industry in Stoke-on-Trent]], and their traditional home kit is a red-and-white vertically striped shirt, white shorts and stockings. Their traditional rivals are Midlands clubs [[West Bromwich Albion F.C.|West Bromwich Albion]] and [[Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C.|Wolverhampton Wanderers]], whilst their local rivals are [[Port Vale F.C.|Port Vale]] with whom they contest the [[Potteries derby]].

Stoke were one of the twelve founding members of the [[English Football League|Football League]] in [[1888–89 Football League|1888]]. They failed [[Re-election (Football League)|re-election]] in 1890, but were re-admitted after winning the [[1890–91 Stoke F.C. season|1890–91]] [[Football Alliance]] title. The club were relegated from the [[Football League First Division|First Division]] in 1907 and entered liquidation the following year. Though the club was saved, they were not re-elected until 1915, and instead spent the intervening years in the [[West Midlands (Regional) League|Birmingham & District League]] and [[Southern Football League|Southern League]]. Promoted from the [[Football League Second Division|Second Division]] in [[1921–22 Football League|1921–22]], the club were relegated twice in four years by 1926. Stoke won the [[Football League Third Division North|Third Division North]] in [[1926–27 Stoke City F.C. season|1926–27]] and then the Second Division title in [[1932–33 Football League|1932–33]]. They remained in the top-flight for twenty years and then spent a decade in the Second Division, before winning promotion as champions in [[1962–63 Football League|1962–63]].

Under the stewardship of [[Tony Waddington]], Stoke won the [[EFL Cup|League Cup]] in [[1972 Football League Cup final|1972]] with a 2–1 victory over [[Chelsea F.C.|Chelsea]]. Stoke had also been beaten finalists in [[1964 Football League Cup final|1964]]. The club spent fourteen years in the top-flight, and would secure promotion in [[1978–79 Football League|1978–79]] after being relegated two years earlier. Stoke remained in the top-flight from 1979 to 1985, though were relegated to the [[Football League Third Division|Third Division]] in 1990. Having won the [[EFL Trophy|Football League Trophy]] in [[1992 Associate Members' Cup final|1992]], they were promoted as champions in [[1992–93 Football League|1992–93]]. Relegation in 1998 allowed the club to win another Football League Trophy title in [[2000 Football League Trophy final|2000]], before promotion was secured with victory in the [[2002 Football League Second Division play-off final|2002 play-off final]]. Manager [[Tony Pulis]] took Stoke into the [[Premier League]] at the end of the [[2007–08 Football League Championship|2007–08 campaign]]. They played in the [[FA Cup final|final]] of the [[FA Cup]] in [[2011 FA Cup final|2011]], finishing runners-up to [[Manchester City F.C.|Manchester City]], which saw the club qualify for [[Stoke City F.C. in European football|European football]]. Ten years of Premier League football culminated in relegation to the EFL Championship in 2018.

==History==
{{Main|History of Stoke City F.C.}}
{{See also|List of Stoke City F.C. seasons|Stoke City F.C. league record by opponent}}

===Formation and the early years (1863–1919)===
[[File:Stoke City FC League Performance.svg|thumb|500px|Graph showing Stoke City F.C.'s progress through the English football league system 1888 to the present]]
Although there are reports of the game being played in Stoke in 1863 and the club gives this as its official date of formation,<ref name=1863-1888>{{cite web |title=1863–1888 In the Beginning |url=https://www.stokecityfc.com/other/in-the-beginning-1863-1888/|website=Stoke City |access-date=7 May 2019 |quote=The story goes that in 1863, former pupils of the Charterhouse School formed a Football Club whilst working as apprentices at the North Staffordshire Railway in Stoke. Little evidence still exists of any official matches taking place, even though at that time some form of soccer may have already existed in the area as the headmaster of Stoke St Peter's School, J. Thomas, was an active sportsman and secretary of the local Victoria Athletic Club. Five years following the Club's official formation, a report in The Field magazine of September 1868, it was stated a new Association Football Club had been registered in Stoke-on-Trent ...and its founder member was ex-Charterhouse School pupil Henry Almond. Evidence proves that Almond had played for the Club during the five years prior to 1868. In terms of official records, though, the first game played by Almond's team, known as Stoke Ramblers and consisting largely of railway employees, was in October 1868. The historic match, against an EW May XV, ended in a 1–1 draw and was played at the Victoria Cricket Club ground, near to Lonsdale Street and Church Street. Almond, the skipper, scored the first-ever goal by a Stoke player, although he was soon to leave the Club and the area to pursue his career as a civil engineer.}}</ref><ref name="Matthews"/><ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RcfKAQAAQBAJ&pg=PA34 |title=The Victorian Football Miscellany |first=Paul |last=Brown |publisher=Superelastic |date=29 May 2013|isbn=9780956227058 }}</ref><ref>{{cite book |title=World Soccer Yearbook: The Complete Guide to the Game |first=David |last=Goldblatt |publisher=Dorling Kindersley |date=2002}}</ref> the Stoke Ramblers club was formed in 1868 by [[Henry Almond]], who had been a student at Charterhouse school where a dribbling form of the game was popular.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Cooke |first1=Martyn |title=Myths and truths in the history of sport: exploring the origins of Stoke City Football Club |url=https://www.playingpasts.co.uk/articles/archival-research/myths-and-truths-in-the-history-of-sport-exploring-the-origins-of-stoke-city-football-club/ |website=Playing Pasts |access-date=18 December 2022}}</ref>  Almond arrived in the region to become an apprentice with the North Staffordshire Railway Company and, wishing to continue playing the game that he had enjoyed whilst at school, established the first formal association football club in the region.<ref name="Matthews"/> The club's first documented match was in October 1868, against a scratch team brought together for the occasion by E.W May. Harry Almond captained the Stoke Ramblers team and also scored the club's first goal.<ref name="Matthews"/> The club's first recorded away match was at Congleton, a rugby club that were convinced to play a one-off fixture under association rules, in December 1868.<ref>{{cite news |title=Football Match |work=Birmingham Daily Post |date=11 December 1868 |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000033/18681211/087/0003}}</ref> From the 1860s, the club played at the Victoria Cricket Club ground; however they switched to a nearby ground at Sweetings Field in 1875 to cope with rising attendances.<ref name="1863-1888"/>

[[File:Stoke city fc 1877-78.jpg|left|250px|thumb|The Stoke team of 1877–78]]
In 1870, after two seasons as the Ramblers, the club dropped the suffix from its title and became known as Stoke Football Club.<ref>{{cite news |date=15 October 1870 |title=Stoke Football Club |pages=5 |work=Staffordshire Sentinel and Commercial & General Advertiser |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000345/18701015/019/0005 |access-date=17 May 2022}}</ref> It became closely aligned with Stoke Victoria Cricket Club, sharing facilities and some administrative responsibilities.<ref name="1863-1888"/> The club played at the Athletic Club ground, which soon became known as the [[Victoria Ground]].<ref name="Matthews"/> It was around this time that the club adopted their traditional red-and-white striped kit. In August 1885, the club turned professional.<ref name="1863-1888"/>

Stoke were one of the twelve founding members of [[English Football League|the Football League]] when it was introduced in 1888.<ref name="Matthews"/> The club struggled in their first two seasons, [[1888–89 Stoke F.C. season|1888–89]] and [[1889–90 Stoke F.C. season|1889–90]], finishing bottom on both occasions.<ref name="1888-1900">{{cite web|url=http://www.stokecityfc.com/page/History/0,,10310~401114,00.html |title=1888–1900 Election Fever |work=Stoke City Official Website |access-date=13 May 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120314083445/http://www.stokecityfc.com/page/History/0,,10310~401114,00.html |archive-date=14 March 2012 }}</ref> In 1890 Stoke failed to be [[Re-election (Football League)|re-elected]], the first club to do so,<ref>{{cite book |last1=Coleman |first1=Michael |title=Legendary Leagues |date=2001 |publisher=Scholastic Children's Books |location=London |page=29}}</ref> and joined the [[Football Alliance]], which they won, and thus were re-elected to the Football League. Stoke spent the next 15 seasons in the First Division and reached the FA Cup semi-final in the [[1898–99 Stoke F.C. season|1898–99 season]] before being relegated in 1907 with severe financial problems. Stoke went bankrupt at the end of the [[1907–08 Stoke F.C. season|1907–08]] season and entered non-league football, playing in the [[West Midlands (Regional) League|Birmingham & District League]] and [[Southern Football League|Southern League]] until 1915, when the First World War meant the Football League was suspended for four years. However, at the League's Annual General Meeting of that year, Stoke was re-elected to the [[Football League Second Division|Second Division]] at the expense of [[Glossop North End A.F.C.|Glossop]]. During the wartime period, Stoke entered the [[Lancashire League (football)#Lancashire League (1939 to date)|Lancashire Primary and Secondary leagues]].<ref name="1910-1920">{{cite web|url=http://www.stokecityfc.com/page/History/0,,10310~401134,00.html |title=1910–1920 Rebirth |work=Stoke City Official Website |access-date=13 May 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120314083520/http://www.stokecityfc.com/page/History/0,,10310~401134,00.html |archive-date=14 March 2012 }}</ref> When football recommenced in August 1919, Stoke was back in the league.

===Victoria Ground and Stanley Matthews (1919–1937)===
The club became owners of the [[Victoria Ground]] in 1919. This was followed by the construction of the Butler Street stand, which increased the overall capacity of the ground to 50,000.<ref name="1920-1930">{{cite web|url=http://www.stokecityfc.com/page/History/0,,10310~401148,00.html |title=1920–1930 The Fall And Rise |work=Stoke City Official Website |access-date=13 May 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120314083547/http://www.stokecityfc.com/page/History/0,,10310~401148,00.html |archive-date=14 March 2012 }}</ref> In 1925, Stoke-on-Trent was granted [[City status in the United Kingdom|city status]] and this led the club to change its name to '''Stoke City F.C.'''<ref name="oatcake">{{cite news|url=http://www.oatcake.co.uk/default.asp?sid=944&p=2&stid=7961133|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051024065731/http://www.oatcake.co.uk/default.asp?sid=944&p=2&stid=7961133|title=SCFC History|work=oatcake.co.uk|archive-date=24 October 2005| author=The Oatcake|date=19 July 2000|access-date=8 April 2009|author-link=The Oatcake}}</ref>

The 1930s saw the debut of club's most celebrated player, [[Stanley Matthews]]. Matthews, who grew up in [[Hanley, Staffordshire|Hanley]], was an apprentice at the club and made his first appearance in March 1932,<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sport/football/654300.stm |title=The first gentleman of soccer |work=BBC News |publisher=British Broadcasting Corporation |date=23 February 2000 |access-date=29 June 2007}}</ref> against [[Bury F.C.|Bury]], at the age of 17.<ref name="1930-1940">{{cite web|url=http://www.stokecityfc.com/page/History/0,,10310~401166,00.html |title=1930–1940 Stan's The Man |work=Stoke City Official Website |access-date=13 May 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120206154756/http://www.stokecityfc.com/page/History/0,,10310~401166,00.html |archive-date=6 February 2012 }}</ref> By end of the decade, Matthews had established himself as an [[England national football team|England international]] and as one of the best footballers of his generation. Stoke achieved promotion from the Second Division in [[1932–33 Stoke City F.C. season|1932–33]] – as champions – however Matthews only featured in fifteen games in this season. He did however score his first goal for the club in a 3–1 win against local rivals [[Port Vale F.C.|Port Vale]].<ref name="1930-1940"/>

By 1934, the club's average attendance had risen to over 23,000, which in turn allowed the club to give the manager [[Tom Mather]] increased transfer funds. The club was now considered one of the top teams in the country. It was in this period that the club recorded its record league win, a 10–3 win over [[West Bromwich Albion F.C.|West Bromwich Albion]] in February 1937. In April of that year, the club achieved its record league crowd – 51,373 against [[Arsenal F.C.|Arsenal]]. [[Freddie Steele (footballer)|Freddie Steele]]'s 33 league goals in the [[1936–37 Stoke City F.C. season|1936–37 season]] remains a club record.<ref name="1930-1940"/>

===Title challenge and league decline (1937–1960)===
Following the resumption of the [[FA Cup]] after [[World War II]], tragedy struck on 9 March 1946, as 33 fans died and 520 were injured during a 6th round tie away against [[Bolton Wanderers F.C.|Bolton Wanderers]]. This came known as the [[Burnden Park disaster]].<ref name="1940s">{{cite web|url=http://www.stokecityfc.com/page/History/0,,10310~401174,00.html |title=1940–1950 So Near, So Far |work=Stoke City Official Website |access-date=13 May 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120314083615/http://www.stokecityfc.com/page/History/0,,10310~401174,00.html |archive-date=14 March 2012 }}</ref> In [[1946–47 Stoke City F.C. season|1946–47]], Stoke mounted a serious title challenge. The club needed a win in their final game of the season to win the First Division title. However, a 2–1 defeat to [[Sheffield United F.C.|Sheffield United]] meant the title went to [[Liverpool F.C.|Liverpool]] instead. Stanley Matthews left with 3 games remaining of the 1946–47 season, opting to join [[Blackpool F.C.|Blackpool]] at the age of 32.<ref name="1940s"/>

Stoke were relegated from the [[Football League First Division|First Division]] in [[1952–53 Stoke City F.C. season|1952–53]]; during the season [[Bob McGrory]] resigned as the club's manager after 17 years in the role.<ref name="1950s">{{cite web|url=http://www.stokecityfc.com/page/History/0,,10310~401576,00.html |title=1950–1960 A Foreign Affair |work=Stoke City Official Website |access-date=13 May 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120314083623/http://www.stokecityfc.com/page/History/0,,10310~401576,00.html |archive-date=14 March 2012 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.soccerbase.com/managers/manager.sd?manager_id=215 |title=Bob McGrory's managerial career |work=Soccerbase |publisher=Centurycomm Limited |access-date=12 July 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071001202631/http://www.soccerbase.com/managers2.sd?managerid=215 |archive-date=1 October 2007 |url-status=live}}</ref> Former [[Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C.|Wolverhampton Wanderers]] defender [[Frank Taylor (footballer, born 1916)|Frank Taylor]] took over at the club looking to gain promotion back to the First Division. However, after seven seasons in the [[Football League Second Division|Second Division]] without promotion, Taylor was sacked. Taylor was shocked at being fired and vowed never to be associated with football again.<ref name="Matthews"/>

===Tony Waddington years (1960–1977)===
[[Tony Waddington]] was appointed as the club's manager in June 1960.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.soccerbase.com/managers/manager.sd?manager_id=1251 |title=Tony Waddington's managerial career |work=Soccerbase |publisher=Centurycomm Limited |access-date=12 July 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071001005319/http://www.soccerbase.com/managers2.sd?managerid=1251 |archive-date=1 October 2007 |url-status=live}}</ref> He joined the club in 1952 as a coach, before being promoted to assistant manager in 1957. Waddington pulled off a significant coup by enticing Stanley Matthews – then 46 years old – back to the club, 14 years after he had departed.<ref name="1960s">{{cite web|url=http://www.stokecityfc.com/page/History/0,,10310~401587,00.html |title=1960–1970 Waddo You Believe It (Part One) |work=Stoke City Official Website |access-date=13 May 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120218234855/http://www.stokecityfc.com/page/History/0,,10310~401587,00.html |archive-date=18 February 2012 }}</ref> The return of Matthews helped Stoke to an improved eighth position in [[1961–62 Stoke City F.C. season|1961–62]]. Promotion was achieved in the [[1962–63 Stoke City F.C. season|following season]], with Stoke finishing as champions.<ref name="1960s"/> In their first season back in the top flight, [[1963–64 Stoke City F.C. season|1963–64]], the team celebrated its centenary<ref>{{cite news |title=Stoke F.C. Centenary 1863-1963 |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0004951/19630426/014/0014 |url-access=subscription |via=[[British Newspaper Archive]] |access-date=28 October 2024 |work=[[The Sentinel (Staffordshire)|The Staffordshire Weekly Sentinel]] |date=26 April 1963 |location=[[Stoke-upon-Trent]] |pages=13-18}}</ref> and Waddington guided Stoke to a mid-table finish. Stoke reached the [[1964 Football League Cup final]], which they lost 4–3 to [[Leicester City F.C.|Leicester City]] over two legs.<ref name="1960s"/>

Waddington counted on experience; [[Dennis Viollet]], [[Jackie Mudie]], [[Roy Vernon]], [[Maurice Setters]] and [[Jimmy McIlroy]] were all players signed in the latter stages of their careers. Matthews was awarded a [[Order of the British Empire|knighthood]] for services to football in the 1965 New Year's Honours list. This was followed by his final appearance for the club against [[Fulham F.C.|Fulham]] in February 1965, shortly after his 50th birthday. [[Gordon Banks]], [[England national football team|England]]'s [[1966 FIFA World Cup|1966 World Cup]]-winning [[Goalkeeper (association football)|goalkeeper]], joined in 1967 for [[pound sterling|£]]52,000 from Leicester.<ref name="1960s"/> Regarded as the best goalkeeper in the world,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ifhof.com/hof/banks.asp |title=Gordon Banks |work=International Footballer Hall of Fame |publisher=IFOF West LLC |access-date=2 July 2007}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.planetworldcup.com/LEGENDS/banks.html |title=Gordon Banks (England) |work=Planet World Cup |publisher=Jan Alsos |access-date=2 July 2007}}</ref> Banks proved to be a shrewd signing for Waddington as he helped the club maintain stability in the First Division.<ref name="1960s"/> During the close season of 1967, Stoke City played in the one-off [[United Soccer Association]] which imported clubs from Europe and South America. Stoke played as the [[Cleveland Stokers]] and finished as runner-up of the Eastern Division.<ref name="The Year in American Soccer - 1967">{{cite web |url=http://www.sover.net/~spectrum/year/1967.html |title=The Year in American Soccer – 1967 |work=USA Soccer History Archives |first=Steve |last=Holroyd |author2=Litterer, Dave |access-date=8 November 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081102062256/http://www.sover.net/~spectrum/year/1967.html |archive-date=2 November 2008 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

The club won its first major trophy on [[1972 Football League Cup final|4 March 1972 in the League Cup final]] against [[Chelsea F.C.|Chelsea]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.napit.co.uk/viewus/infobank/football/leaguecup.php |title=The English League Cup |work=Napit.co.uk |access-date=12 July 2007}}</ref> Stoke won 2–1 in front of a crowd of 97,852 at [[Wembley Stadium (1923)|Wembley]] with goals from [[Terry Conroy]] and [[George Eastham]].<ref name="1970s">{{cite web|url=http://www.stokecityfc.com/page/History/0,,10310~401596,00.html |title=1970–1980 Waddo You Believe It (Part Two) |work=Stoke City Official Website |access-date=13 May 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110807060312/http://www.stokecityfc.com/page/History/0,,10310~401596,00.html |archive-date=7 August 2011 }}</ref> Preceding this victory, Stoke had progressed through 11 games in order to reach the final. This included four games with [[West Ham United F.C.|West Ham United]] in the [[Single-elimination tournament|semi-final]]; the [[two-legged tie]] was [[Replay (sports)|replayed]] twice. Stoke fared well in the [[FA Cup]]; the club progressed to the semi-final stage in both the [[1970–71 Stoke City F.C. season|1970–71]] and [[1971–72 Stoke City F.C. season|1971–72]] seasons. However, on both occasions Stoke lost to [[Arsenal F.C.|Arsenal]] in a replay.<ref name="1970s"/> Stoke also competed in the [[UEFA Europa League|UEFA Cup]] in 1972 and 1974 losing at the first attempt to [[1. FC Kaiserslautern]] and [[AFC Ajax|Ajax]] respectively.<ref name="1970s"/>

In January 1976, the roof of the Butler Street Stand was blown off in a storm.<ref name="Red Stripe">{{cite web |url=http://www.redstripe.com/history.htm |title=The History of Stoke City Football Club |work=Red Stripe |access-date=29 June 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070717092836/http://www.redstripe.com/history.htm |archive-date=17 July 2007}}</ref> The repair bill of nearly £250,000 put the club in financial trouble; key players such as [[Alan Hudson]], [[Mike Pejic]] and [[Jimmy Greenhoff]] were sold to cover the repairs. With the team depleted, Stoke were relegated in the [[1976–77 Stoke City F.C. season|1976–77 season]]. Waddington, after a spell of 17 years in charge, left the club after a 1–0 home defeat to Leicester in March 1977.<ref name="1970s"/>

===Managerial roundabout (1977–1997)===
Waddington's replacement, [[George Eastham]], left in January 1978 after only ten months in charge, and was replaced by [[Alan Durban]] from [[Shrewsbury Town F.C.|Shrewsbury Town]]. Durban achieved promotion to the First Division in the [[1978–79 Stoke City F.C. season|1978–79 season]],<ref name="1970s"/> but after consolidating the club's position in the First Division, he left to manage [[Sunderland A.F.C.|Sunderland]] in 1981.<ref name="1980s">{{cite web|url=http://www.stokecityfc.com/page/History/0,,10310~401601,00.html |title=1980–1990 Five Managers, Five Chairmen |work=Stoke City Official Website |access-date=13 May 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120314083655/http://www.stokecityfc.com/page/History/0,,10310~401601,00.html |archive-date=14 March 2012 }}</ref> [[Richie Barker (footballer, born 1939)|Richie Barker]] was appointed for the [[1981–82 Stoke City F.C. season|1981–82 season]], but was sacked in December 1983 and was replaced by [[Bill Asprey]]. Asprey decided to bring back veteran [[Alan Hudson]], and the decision paid off as an improved second half of the season saw Stoke avoid relegation on the final day of the [[1983–84 Stoke City F.C. season|1983–84 season]].<ref name="1980s"/>

The [[1984–85 Stoke City F.C. season|1984–85 season]] proved to be disastrous. Stoke finished the season with only 17 points, with just three wins all season. [[Mick Mills]] was appointed [[Player-coach|player-manager]] for the [[1985–86 Stoke City F.C. season|1985–86 season]],<ref name="1980s"/> but was unable to sustain a challenge for promotion in his four seasons as manager and was sacked in November 1989. His successor, [[Alan Ball Jr.]], became the club's fifth manager in ten years.<ref name="1980s"/> Ball struggled in his first season in charge, [[1989–90 Stoke City F.C. season|1989–90]], and Stoke were relegated to the third tier of English football after finishing bottom of the Second Division. Ball kept his job for the start of the following season, [[1990–91 Stoke City F.C. season|1990–91]], but departed during February 1991, in an indifferent season that saw Stoke finish 14th in the [[Football League Third Division|Third Division]], Stoke's lowest league position.<ref name="1990's">{{cite web|url=http://www.stokecityfc.com/page/History/0,,10310~401610,00.html |work=Stoke City Official Website |access-date=13 May 2013 |title=1990–2000 Two Relegations, A Promotion & A Takeover |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120314083736/http://www.stokecityfc.com/page/History/0,,10310~401610,00.html |archive-date=14 March 2012 }}</ref>

Ball's successor, [[Lou Macari]], was appointed in May 1991, prior to the start of the [[1991–92 Stoke City F.C. season|1991–92 season]]. He clinched silverware for the club; the [[1992 Associate Members' Cup final|1992 Football League Trophy]] was won with a 1–0 victory against [[Stockport County F.C.|Stockport County]] at Wembley, with [[Mark Stein (footballer)|Mark Stein]] scoring the only goal of the match. The following season, [[1992–93 Stoke City F.C. season|1992–93]], promotion was achieved from the third tier. Macari left for his boyhood club [[Celtic F.C.|Celtic]] in October 1993 to be replaced by [[Joe Jordan (footballer)|Joe Jordan]]; Stein also departed, in a club record £1.5&nbsp;million move to Chelsea.<ref name="1990's"/> Jordan's tenure in charge was short, leaving the club less than a year after joining, and Stoke opted to re-appoint Lou Macari only 12 months after he had left. Stoke finished fourth in [[1995–96 Stoke City F.C. season|1995–96]] but were defeated in the play-off semi-final by Leicester City. Macari left the club at the end of the following season. His last match in charge was the final league game at the [[Victoria Ground]].<ref name="1990's"/> [[Mike Sheron]], who was signed two years previously from [[Norwich City F.C.|Norwich City]], was sold for a club record fee of £2.5&nbsp;million in 1997.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ex-canaries.co.uk/players/sheron.htm|title=Mike Sheron|publisher=ex-canaries.co.uk|access-date=2 July 2007}}</ref>

===Britannia Stadium and the Icelandic takeover (1997–2008)===
[[1997–98 Stoke City F.C. season|1997–98]] saw Stoke move to its new ground, the [[bet365 Stadium|Britannia Stadium]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.stadiumguide.com/britanniastadium.htm |title=Britannia Stadium |work=The Stadium Guide |access-date=1 July 2007}}</ref> after 119 years at the Victoria Ground. [[Chic Bates]], Macari's assistant, was appointed manager for the club's first season in the new ground. He did not last long though, and was replaced by [[Chris Kamara]] in January 1998. Kamara could not improve the club's fortunes either, and he too left in April. [[Alan Durban]], previously Stoke's manager two decades earlier, took charge for the remainder of season. Despite his best efforts, Durban was unable to keep the club up, as defeat against [[Manchester City F.C.|Manchester City]] on the final day of the season consigned Stoke to relegation to the third tier.<ref name="1990's"/>

[[Brian Little (footballer)|Brian Little]], formerly manager of [[Aston Villa F.C.|Aston Villa]],<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sport/59792.stm |title=Little resigns from Villa |work=BBC Sport |publisher=British Broadcasting Corporation |date=24 February 1998 |access-date=2 July 2007}}</ref> took charge for the [[1998–99 Stoke City F.C. season|1998–99 season]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.soccerbase.com/managers/manager.sd?manager_id=252 |title=Brian Little's managerial career |work=Soccerbase |access-date=12 July 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071001043929/http://www.soccerbase.com/managers2.sd?managerid=252 |archive-date=1 October 2007 |url-status=live}}</ref> Despite an impressive start, the team's form tailed off dramatically in the latter stages of the season, which led to Little leaving the club at the end of the season. His successor, [[Gary Megson]], was only in the job for four months. Megson was forced to depart following a takeover by [[Stoke Holding]], an [[Icelanders|Iceland]]ic consortium, who purchased a 66% share in Stoke City F.C. for £6.6&nbsp;million.<ref name="Red Stripe"/> Stoke became the first Icelandic-owned football club outside of Iceland. They appointed the club's first foreign manager, [[Guðjón Þórðarson]], who helped Stoke win the [[Football League Trophy]] in the [[1999–2000 Stoke City F.C. season|1999–2000 season]], with a [[2000 Football League Trophy final|2–1 win]] over [[Bristol City F.C.|Bristol City]] in front of a crowd of 85,057 at Wembley.<ref name="oatcake"/><ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/s/stoke_city/791104.stm |title=Wembley glory for Stoke City |work=BBC Sport |publisher=British Broadcasting Corporation |date=29 June 2000 |access-date=1 July 2007}}</ref>

Guðjón achieved promotion at the third time of asking in [[2001–02 Stoke City F.C. season|2001–02]] after previous play-off defeats against [[Gillingham F.C.|Gillingham]] and [[Walsall F.C.|Walsall]].<ref name="2000s">{{cite web|url=http://www.stokecityfc.com/page/History/0,,10310~401616,00.html |title=2000–2009 The Decade of Success |work=Stoke City Official Website |access-date=13 May 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120314083810/http://www.stokecityfc.com/page/History/0,,10310~401616,00.html |archive-date=14 March 2012 }}</ref> [[Cardiff City F.C.|Cardiff City]] were defeated in the semi-final before a [[2002 Football League Second Division play-off final|2–0 win]] against [[Brentford F.C.|Brentford]] at the [[Millennium Stadium]] secured promotion. Despite achieving the goal of promotion, Guðjón was sacked by [[Gunnar Gíslason (businessman)|Gunnar Gíslason]] just five days later.<ref name="2000s"/><ref>{{cite news|title=Stoke sack Thordarson|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/s/stoke_city/1987271.stm|website=BBC Sport|access-date=3 March 2017|date=16 May 2002}}</ref>

[[Steve Cotterill]] was drafted in as Guðjón's replacement prior to the start of the [[2002–03 Stoke City F.C. season|2002–03 season]],<ref name="2000s"/> but resigned in October 2002 after only four months in charge. [[Tony Pulis]] was appointed as Stoke's new manager shortly after.<ref name="oatcake"/><ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/s/stoke_city/2385193.stm |title=Pulis gets Stoke job |work=BBC Sport |publisher=British Broadcasting Corporation |date=1 November 2002 |access-date=10 July 2007}}</ref> Pulis steered Stoke clear of relegation,<ref name="2000s"/> with a 1–0 win over [[Reading F.C.|Reading]] on the final day of the season keeping the club in the division.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/eng_div_1/2967967.stm |title=Akinbiyi keeps Stoke up |work=BBC Sport |publisher=British Broadcasting Corporation |date=4 May 2003 |access-date=12 June 2007}}</ref> However, Pulis was sacked at the end of the [[2004–05 Stoke City F.C. season|2004–05 season]], following disagreement between himself and the club's owners.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/s/stoke_city/4630755.stm |title=Manager Pulis is sacked by Stoke |work=BBC Sport |publisher=British Broadcasting Corporation |date=28 June 2005 |access-date=1 July 2007}}</ref>

Dutch manager [[Johan Boskamp]] was named as Pulis' successor on 29 June 2005, only one day after Pulis was sacked.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/s/stoke_city/4633511.stm |title=Boskamp named as new Stoke boss |work=BBC Sport |publisher=British Broadcasting Corporation |date=29 June 2005 |access-date=12 June 2007}}</ref> Boskamp brought in a number of new players from Europe, but his side was inconsistent and only a mid-table finish was achieved.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://soccernet.espn.go.com/tables?league=eng.2&season=2005&column=none&order=false&cc=5739 |title=English League Championship Table – 2005/06 |work=ESPN |publisher=Disney Corporation |access-date=1 July 2007 |archive-date=9 February 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080209000905/http://soccernet.espn.go.com/tables?league=eng.2&season=2005&column=none&order=false&cc=5739 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Boskamp left at the end of the [[2005–06 Stoke City F.C. season|2005–06 season]] amidst a takeover bid by former chairman [[Peter Coates]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/s/stoke_city/4960852.stm |title=Boskamp confirms exit from Stoke |work=BBC Sport |publisher=British Broadcasting Corporation |access-date=1 July 2007 |date=30 April 2006}}</ref> On 23 May 2006, Coates completed his takeover of Stoke City, marking the end of Gunnar Gíslason's chairmanship of the club.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/s/stoke_city/5007780.stm |title=Coates takes over as Stoke owner |work=BBC Sport |publisher=British Broadcasting Corporation |date=23 May 2006 |access-date=1 July 2007}}</ref> Coates chose former manager Tony Pulis as Boskamp's successor in June 2006.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/s/stoke_city/5075140.stm |title=Pulis confirmed as Stoke manager |work=BBC Sport |publisher=British Broadcasting Corporation |access-date=1 July 2007 |date=14 June 2006}}</ref> Pulis took Stoke close to a play-off place, but an eventual eighth-place finish was achieved in the [[2006–07 Stoke City F.C. season|2006–07 season]].<ref>{{cite web|title=English League Championship 2006–2007|url=http://www.statto.com/football/stats/england/league-championship/2006-2007|website=Statto.com|access-date=6 May 2016|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120508002507/http://www.statto.com/football/stats/england/league-championship/2006-2007|archive-date=8 May 2012}}</ref>

===Ten years in the Premier League (2008–2018)===
[[Image:Stoke City are promoted to the Premier League, 2008.jpg|thumb|right|Stoke City fans celebrate following promotion to the [[Premier League]], 4 May 2008.]]

Stoke won automatic promotion to the [[Premier League]] on the final day of the [[2007–08 Stoke City F.C. season|2007–08 season]], finishing in second place in the [[EFL Championship|Championship]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Stoke 0–0 Leicester|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/eng_div_1/7368631.stm|date=4 May 2008|website=BBC Sport|access-date=7 March 2017}}</ref> A 3–1 defeat to [[Bolton Wanderers F.C.|Bolton Wanderers]] on the opening day of the [[2008–09 Stoke City F.C. season|2008–09 season]] saw Stoke written off by many media outlets as relegation certainties.<ref>{{cite news|title=Bolton 3–1 Stoke |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/7551165.stm|publisher=BBC Sport | date = 16 August 2008| access-date =6 September 2008| first=Owen| last=Phillips}}</ref> Stoke managed to turn the Britannia Stadium into a "fortress", making it difficult for teams to pick up points there. In their first home match, Stoke defeated Aston Villa 3–2,<ref>{{cite news|title=Stoke 3–2 Aston Villa |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/eng_prem/7565062.stm|publisher=BBC Sport | date = 23 August 2008| access-date =6 September 2008| first=John| last=May}}</ref> and wins also came against [[Tottenham Hotspur F.C.|Tottenham Hotspur]],<ref>{{cite news|title=Stoke 2–1 Tottenham |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/eng_prem/7665101.stm|publisher=BBC Sport | date = 19 October 2008| access-date =24 October 2008| first=Ian| last=Hughes}}</ref> Arsenal,<ref>{{cite news|title=Stoke 2–1 Arsenal|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/eng_prem/7684755.stm|publisher=BBC Sport | date = 1 November 2008| access-date =18 May 2009| first=Ian| last=Hughes}}</ref> Sunderland<ref>{{cite news|title=Stoke 1–0 Sunderland|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/eng_prem/7684596.stm|publisher=BBC Sport | date = 31 October 2008| access-date =18 May 2009| first=Aimee| last=Lewis}}</ref> and [[West Bromwich Albion F.C.|West Bromwich Albion]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Stoke 1–0 West Brom|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/eng_prem/7727245.stm|publisher=BBC Sport | date = 22 November 2008| access-date =18 May 2009| first=Owen| last=Phillips}}</ref> After a 2–1 win at [[Hull City A.F.C.|Hull City]],<ref>{{cite news|title=Hull City 1–2 Stoke|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/eng_prem/8023052.stm|publisher=BBC Sport | date = 9 May 2009| access-date =18 May 2009}}</ref> Stoke confirmed their place in the [[2008–09 Premier League|Premier League]] as the ''Potters'' finished 12th in their return to the top flight, with a total of 45 points.<ref>{{cite news|title=Stoke 2–0 Wigan|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/eng_prem/8038286.stm|publisher=BBC Sport | date = 16 May 2009| access-date =18 May 2009}}</ref> Stoke finished the following [[2009–10 Stoke City F.C. season|2009–10 season]] in a respectable 11th place, with 47 points. Stoke also made it to the quarter-finals of the FA Cup for the first time since 1972, defeating [[York City F.C.|York City]], Arsenal and Manchester City before losing out to eventual winners Chelsea.

Stoke reached the [[FA Cup final]] for the first time in 2011, beating Cardiff City, [[Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C.|Wolverhampton Wanderers]], [[Brighton & Hove Albion F.C.|Brighton & Hove Albion]], [[West Ham United F.C.|West Ham United]] and a famous 5–0 win against Bolton, the largest post-war FA Cup semi-final victory.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thisisstaffordshire.co.uk/city/stokecitynews/Stoke-City-long-wait-finally-PottersStoke-City-long-wait-finally-Potters/article-3326278-detail/article.html|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130505075602/http://www.thisisstaffordshire.co.uk/city/stokecitynews/Stoke-City-long-wait-finally-PottersStoke-City-long-wait-finally-Potters/article-3326278-detail/article.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=5 May 2013|title=The long wait is finally over for Potters|access-date=14 March 2011|publisher=thisisstaffordshire.co.uk}}</ref> However, they lost the [[2011 FA Cup final|final 1–0]] to Manchester City.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/13346941|title=Man City 1 – 0 Stoke|access-date=14 May 2011|publisher=BBC Sport |date=14 May 2011}}</ref> By reaching the final, Stoke qualified for the [[2011–12 UEFA Europa League]].<ref>{{cite news|title=City Boosted By Europa League Spot |url=http://www.stokecityfc.com/page/NewsDetail/0,,10310~2357635,00.html |work=stokecityfc.com |publisher=Stoke City FC |date=11 May 2011 |access-date=11 May 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110616061537/http://www.stokecityfc.com/page/NewsDetail/0,,10310~2357635,00.html |archive-date=16 June 2011 }}</ref> In the [[UEFA Europa League|Europa League]], Stoke advanced past [[HNK Hajduk Split|Hajduk Split]], [[FC Thun|Thun]] and a tough group containing [[Beşiktaş J.K.|Beşiktaş]], [[FC Dynamo Kyiv|Dynamo Kyiv]] and [[Maccabi Tel Aviv F.C.|Maccabi Tel Aviv]] which Stoke managed to progress through finishing in second position. City's reward was a tie against Spanish giants [[Valencia CF|Valencia]] and despite putting up a spirited second leg performance, Stoke went out 2–0 on aggregate. In the Premier League, Stoke made the high-profile signing of [[Peter Crouch]] as they finished in a mid-table position for a fourth time. The [[2012–13 Stoke City F.C. season|2012–13 season]] saw Stoke make little progress, and Pulis left the club by mutual consent on 21 May 2013.<ref>{{cite news|title=Tony Pulis leaves Stoke City after seven years in charge|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/22614097|newspaper=BBC Sport|access-date=22 May 2013|date=21 May 2013}}</ref>

Pulis was replaced by fellow Welshman [[Mark Hughes]], who signed a three-year contract on 30 May 2013.<ref>{{cite web|title=Mark Hughes: Stoke City appoint former QPR manager|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/22686204|work=BBC Sport|access-date=30 May 2013|date=30 May 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Three-year deal for Mark Hughes as new Stoke City era begins|url=http://www.stokesentinel.co.uk/year-deal-mark-hughes-new-stoke-city-era-begins/story-19131617-detail/story.html#axzz2Ufc641kI|work=The Sentinel|access-date=30 May 2013|date=30 May 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130614202924/http://www.stokesentinel.co.uk/year-deal-Mark-Hughes-new-Stoke-City-era-begins/story-19131617-detail/story.html#axzz2Ufc641kI|archive-date=14 June 2013}}</ref> Hughes led Stoke to a ninth-place finish in [[2013–14 Stoke City F.C. season|2013–14]], their highest position in the Premier League and best finish since [[1974–75 Stoke City F.C. season|1974–75]].<ref>{{cite news|title=West Brom 1–2 Stoke|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/27273391|work=BBC Sport|access-date=23 May 2014}}</ref> The [[2014–15 Stoke City F.C. season|2014–15 season]] saw Stoke again finish in ninth position this time, with 54 points.<ref>{{cite news|title=Stoke 6–1 Liverpool|work=BBC Sport |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/32770765|access-date=19 July 2015}}</ref> Despite breaking their transfer record twice on [[Xherdan Shaqiri]] and then [[Giannelli Imbula]], in [[2015–16 Stoke City F.C. season|2015–16]], Stoke did not make any progress and finished in ninth position for a third season running.<ref>{{cite news|title=Stoke 2–1 West Ham|work=BBC Sport |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/36240338|access-date=1 June 2016}}</ref> Stoke declined in [[2016–17 Stoke City F.C. season|2016–17]], finishing in 13th position.<ref>{{cite news|title=Southampton 0–1 Stoke|work=BBC Sport |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/39912023|access-date=22 May 2017}}</ref> In January 2018, Hughes was sacked after a poor run left the club in the relegation zone.<ref>{{cite news |url = https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/42332958|title=Mark Hughes: Stoke City sack manager after poor run |work=BBC Sport|date=6 January 2018}}</ref> He was replaced by [[Paul Lambert]],<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/42689053 |title=Paul Lambert appointed Stoke manager|date=16 January 2018 |work=BBC Sport }}</ref> who could not prevent the club ending their 10-year spell in the Premier League.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Henson|first1=Mike|title=Stoke City 1–2 Crystal Palace|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/43931931|access-date=5 May 2018|publisher=BBC Sport|date=5 May 2018}}</ref>

===Return to the Championship (2018–present)===
Following their relegation to the Championship, Lambert was replaced with former Derby County boss [[Gary Rowett]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Gary Rowett: Stoke City name Derby County boss as their new manager|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/44219110|access-date=22 May 2018|date=22 May 2018}}</ref> Despite spending nearly £50 million on players in the summer transfer window, results and performances were poor and Rowett was subsequently sacked on 8 January 2019 with the team 14th in the table.<ref>{{cite news |title=Gary Rowett: Stoke City manager sacked after less than eight months |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/46794337 |access-date=8 January 2019|date=8 January 2019 }}</ref> He was replaced with Luton Town boss [[Nathan Jones (Welsh footballer)|Nathan Jones]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.stokecityfc.com/news/jones-named-new-manager |title=Jones named new manager |first=Fraser |last=Nicholson |publisher=Stoke City F.C. |date=9 January 2019 |access-date=9 January 2019}}</ref> Stoke went on to end an uneventful [[2018–19 Stoke City F.C. season|2018–19]] season in 16th place with a record number of draws (22).<ref>{{cite web |title=Revealed: Stoke City have drawn more games than anyone else in world football |url=https://www.stokesentinel.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/stoke-city-record-draws-world-2807387 |website=Stoke Sentinel |access-date=5 May 2019|date=28 April 2019 }}</ref>

After achieving just two wins in the opening 14 games of the following season, Jones was sacked on 1 November 2019 with the team in the relegation zone.<ref>{{Cite news | url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/49428903 |title = Nathan Jones: Stoke City sack manager with Potters second bottom of the Championship|work = BBC Sport|date = November 2019}}</ref> Northern Ireland boss [[Michael O'Neill (footballer)|Michael O'Neill]] was confirmed as his replacement a week later.<ref>{{cite news |title=Michael O'Neill: Stoke City appoint Northern Ireland boss as new manager |work=BBC Sport |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/50338483 |access-date=8 November 2019}}</ref> Results improved under O'Neill and the team managed to avoid relegation, finishing in 15th.<ref>{{cite news |title=Nottingham Forest 1–4 Stoke City |work=BBC Sport |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/53412704 |access-date=26 July 2020}}</ref> Due to the [[COVID-19 pandemic]] the entire [[2020–21 Stoke City F.C. season|2020–21]] campaign was played without supporters present as Stoke again finished in mid-table.<ref>{{cite news |title=AFC Bournemouth 0–2 Stoke City |work=BBC Sport |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/56953367 |access-date=2 March 2022}}</ref> The following campaign started brightly with the team challenging for the playoffs, though a poor finish to the season saw them finish in 14th.<ref>{{cite news |title=Michael O'Neill: Stoke City boss says it's a testing time for under-pressure Potters |work=BBC Sport |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/60650874 |access-date=1 June 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Stoke City 1–1 Coventry City |work=BBC Sport |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/61280945 |access-date=1 June 2022}}</ref> A slow start to the [[2022–23 Stoke City F.C. season|2022–23 season]] marked the end for O'Neill's time in charge and he was dismissed in August 2022, with Sunderland boss [[Alex Neil (footballer)|Alex Neil]] replacing him.<ref>{{cite news |title=Michael O'Neill: Stoke City sack manager after poor start to the season |work=BBC Sport |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/62673517 |access-date=29 August 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Alex Neil: Sunderland boss leaves to become Stoke City's new manager |work=BBC Sport |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/62700286 |access-date=29 August 2022}}</ref> Neil was unable to end Stoke's mid-table positioning and was replaced by [[Plymouth Argyle F.C.|Plymouth Argyle]]'s [[Steven Schumacher]] in December 2023, who lasted less than a year in charge before also being sacked in September 2024.<ref>{{cite news |title=Steven Schumacher: Stoke City name Plymouth Argyle boss as head coach |work=BBC Sport |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/67753445 |access-date=19 December 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Schumacher departs Potters |url=https://www.stokecityfc.com/news/2024/september/16/schumacher-departs-potters/ |website=Stoke City |date=16 September 2024 |access-date=16 September 2024}}</ref> [[Narcís Pèlach]] was announced as Stoke's new manager on 18 September 2024,<ref>{{cite news |title=Stoke appoint Norwich's Pelach as new Potters boss |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/c4g5xynq2p0o |access-date=18 September 2024 |work=BBC Sport |date=18 September 2024}}</ref> but was sacked in December 2024; [[Mark Robins]] was appointed as manager on 1 January 2025.<ref>{{cite news |title=Stoke appoint ex-Coventry boss Robins as manager |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/cx2ndg3944xo |access-date=1 January 2025 |work=BBC Sport |date=1 January 2025}}</ref>

==Stadium==
{{Main|Victoria Ground|bet365 Stadium}}
[[File:Stoke City FC V Arsenal 09.jpg|thumb|250px|right|Stoke moved to the all-seater ground now known as the [[bet365 Stadium]] in 1997.]]
It is not clear where Stoke's original playing fields were located. Their first pitch was certainly in the site of a present burial ground in Lonsdale Street, although there is evidence that they also played on land near to the Copeland Arms public house on Campbell Road.<ref name="Matthews">{{cite book|last=Matthews|first=Tony|title=The Encyclopaedia of Stoke City Football Club 1868–1994|year=1994|publisher=Lion Press|isbn=0-9524151-0-0}}</ref> In 1875, they moved to Sweetings Field, which was owned by the mayor of Stoke, Alderman Sweeting.<ref name="Matthews"/> It is estimated that as many as 200–250 spectators were attending home matches at Sweetings Field, paying one penny for admission. Stoke were to stay at Sweetings Field until a merger with the Stoke Victoria Cricket Club in March 1878, when Stoke moved to the [[Victoria Ground]].<ref name="Matthews"/>

The first match to be played at the Victoria Ground was the inaugural [[Staffordshire Senior Cup|Staffordshire Cup]] final against [[Talke]] Rangers on 28 March 1878,<ref>{{cite news |title=The Challenge Cup of North Staffordshire |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000346/18780325/019/0004 |url-access=subscription |via=[[British Newspaper Archive]] |access-date=28 October 2024 |work=[[The Sentinel (Staffordshire)|The Staffordshire Daily Sentinel]] |issue=1,513 |date=25 March 1878 |location=[[Stoke-upon-Trent]] |page=4}}</ref> Stoke won 1–0 in front of 2,500 fans<ref name="Matthews"/> with the goal scored by William Boddington at about the 80th minute.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Smith |first1=Peter |title=Stoke City's origin story as historian claims Nottingham Forest are older |url=https://www.stokesentinel.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/stoke-city-nottingham-forest-1863-2104401 |access-date=28 October 2024 |work=[[The Sentinel (Staffordshire)|The Sentinel]] |date=10 Apr 2019 |location=[[Stoke-upon-Trent]]}}</ref> The ground was originally an oval shape to cater for athletics, and this shape was retained for the next 30 years. Major development work began in the 1920s, and by 1930 the ground had lost its original shape.<ref name="Matthews"/> By 1935, the ground capacity was up to 50,000. A record crowd of 51,380 packed into the Ground on 29 March 1937 to watch a league match against Arsenal.<ref name="Matthews"/>

Floodlights were installed in 1956 and another new main stand was built. Over the weekend of the 3/4 in January 1976, gale-force winds blew the roof off the Butler Street Stand.<ref name="Matthews"/> Stoke played a home League match against [[Middlesbrough F.C.|Middlesbrough]] at [[Vale Park]] whilst repair work was on-going.<ref name="Matthews"/> The Stoke End Stand was improved in 1979 and through the 1980s more improvements were made. By 1995, Stoke drew up plans to make the ground an all seater stadium, to comply with the [[Taylor Report]]. However, the club decided it would be better to leave the Victoria Ground and re-locate to a new site.<ref name="Matthews"/>

In 1997, Stoke left the Victoria Ground after 119 years, and moved to the modern 28,384 all seater [[Bet365 Stadium|Britannia Stadium]] at a cost of £14.7&nbsp;million. Stoke struggled at first to adjust to their new surroundings and were relegated to the third tier in the first season at the new ground. In 2002, a record 28,218 attended an FA Cup match against [[Everton F.C.|Everton]]. With Stoke gaining promotion to the Premier League in 2008, attendances increased. However, the capacity was reduced to 27,500 due to segregation.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.merseysidepotters.com/BritanniaStadium.htm|title= The Britannia Stadium |access-date=30 October 2010 |publisher=merseysidepotters.com}}</ref> The name of the ground was changed to the bet365 Stadium in June 2016.<ref>{{cite web|title=Home of Stoke City Now Known As bet365 Stadium |url=http://www.stokecityfc.com/news/article/stoke-city-bet365-stadium-name-change-3131259.aspx |website=Stoke City F.C. |access-date=1 June 2016 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160601145948/http://www.stokecityfc.com/news/article/stoke-city-bet365-stadium-name-change-3131259.aspx |archive-date=1 June 2016 }}</ref> Work began on expanding the stadium to over 30,000 in February 2017 and was concluded in the summer of 2017.<ref>{{cite web|title=Redevelopment to boost access at Stoke City|url=https://www.premierleague.com/news/318133|website=Premier League|access-date=28 January 2017}}</ref>

==Supporters==
[[File:2011FACupFinalAbideWithMe.JPG|thumb|250px|right|Stoke fans at the [[2011 FA Cup final]]]]
{{See also|The Oatcake|Naughty Forty}}

While much of the support that the club enjoys is from the local [[Stoke-on-Trent]] area, there are a number of exile fan clubs, notably in London and stretching from Scandinavia to countries farther afield such as Russia, Canada, the United States and Australia.<ref>{{cite web|title=Stoke City Supporters Clubs|url=http://www.stokecityfc.com/fans/supportersbranches/|work=Stoke City F.C.|access-date=29 February 2012}}</ref> A capacity crowd regularly turned out to see them in the Premier League.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.stokecityfc.com/page/NewsDetail/0,,10310~2061433,00.html |title=Record Breaking Attendances |access-date=3 January 2011 |publisher=stokecityfc.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100531214439/http://www.stokecityfc.com/page/NewsDetail/0,,10310~2061433,00.html |archive-date=31 May 2010 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Stoke have had problems with [[football hooliganism]] in the 1970s through the early 2000s, due to the actions of the [[Naughty Forty|"Naughty Forty" firm]] which associated itself with the club and was formed by supporter Mark Chester.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/hooligans/1962084.stm |work=BBC News | title=Running with the 'Naughty Forty' | date=2 May 2002 | access-date=1 April 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/static/in_depth/programmes/2002/hooligans/diary/stoke_city.stm|title=Hooligan Troublespots|access-date=7 February 2011 |publisher=BBC News }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=More 'thugs' banned from Cardiff City |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/2181420.stm|work=BBC |publisher=BBC |date=11 October 2009 |access-date=11 October 2009 }}</ref> Chester reformed himself and now works as a youth inclusion promoter.<ref>{{cite web|title=Reformed Naughty Forty hooligan tells his tale|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/stoke/content/articles/2008/05/07/naughty_fourty_book_feature.shtml|work=BBC News|access-date=29 February 2012}}</ref> In 2003, the [[BBC]] described Stoke City as having "one of the most active and organised football hooligan firms in England". In response to these criticisms, the club introduced an Away Travel ID scheme.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/s/stoke_city/2682885.stm |title=ID scheme 'big success' |work=BBC Sport |publisher=British Broadcasting Corporation |date=22 January 2003 |access-date=18 January 2008}}</ref> It was subsequently suspended in 2008 as a result of improved behaviour and an enhanced reputation.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/s/stoke_city/7688985.stm |title=Stoke axe ID cards for away fans |work=BBC Sport |publisher=British Broadcasting Corporation |date=24 October 2008 |access-date=25 October 2008}}</ref> More recently, Stoke City's fans and stadium have been perceived as loud, friendly, passionate and modern,<ref name="thisisstaffordshire.co.uk">{{cite web |url =http://www.thisisstaffordshire.co.uk/news/Stoke-City-Fanatical-supporters-backing-City-hilt/article-527127-detail/article.html|title=Fanatical supporters backing City to hilt|access-date=7 February 2011 |publisher=thisisstaffordshire.co.uk}}</ref> welcoming as guests [[Sugar Ray Leonard]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://origin-www.stokecityfc.com//page/NewsDetail/0,,10310~1407379,00.html|title=Sugar Ray's Surprise Visit|access-date=31 January 2011|publisher=stokecityfc.com|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160112231003/http://origin-www.stokecityfc.com//page/NewsDetail/0,,10310~1407379,00.html|archive-date=12 January 2016}}</ref> and [[Diego Maradona]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/eng_prem/7808360.stm|title=Stoke 0–0 Liverpool |access-date=31 January 2011 |publisher=BBC Sport |first=Phil |last=McNulty |date=10 January 2009}}</ref> There is in the media now "genuine admiration for the volume and volatility of the club's loyal support".<ref name="thisisstaffordshire.co.uk"/> Stoke announced that they would offer supporters free bus travel to every Premier League away game in the 2013–14 and 2014–15 seasons.<ref>{{cite news|title=Stoke City fans offered free travel for away games|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/23376497|newspaper=BBC Sport|access-date=20 July 2013|date=19 July 2013}}</ref>

In November 2008, a group of Stoke fans was forced by the [[Greater Manchester Police]] to leave [[Manchester]] before a league match against [[Manchester United F.C.|Manchester United]].<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/henryporter/2008/nov/24/civilliberties | work=The Guardian | location=London | title=The phantom fan menace | first=Henry | last=Porter | date=24 November 2008 | access-date=1 April 2010}}</ref> The human rights group [[Liberty (pressure group)|Liberty]] took up their case,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.politics.co.uk/news/legal-and-constitutional/liberty-fight-football-fans-rights-$1255571.htm|title=Liberty fight for football fans' rights|access-date=7 February 2011 |publisher=politics.co.uk}}</ref> and the Greater Manchester police eventually apologised for their actions and the fans received compensation.<ref>{{cite news |title=Police apologise to Stoke City fans |url=http://www.thisisstaffordshire.co.uk/pick/Police-apologise-Stoke-City-fans/article-613444-detail/article.html|work=Sentinel |publisher=Sentinel |date=14 January 2009 |access-date=11 October 2009 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.thisisstaffordshire.co.uk/news/Stoke-fans-given-163-185k-police/article-2350136-detail/article.html|title=Stoke City fans receive £185,000 after police bar them from Man Utd game|access-date=7 February 2011 |publisher=thisisstaffordshire.co.uk}}</ref>

Supporters of the club have adopted "[[Delilah (Tom Jones song)|Delilah]]" as their anthem since the 1970s, when a supporter was heard singing it in a local pub. Some of the song's lyrics have been adapted for the terraces, but most remain the same.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-stoke-staffordshire-13291654|title=Stoke City fans back Tom Jones's Delilah to top charts|access-date=25 May 2011|publisher=BBC|date=5 May 2011}}</ref> Stoke's official club anthem is "We'll be with you", which was recorded by the Stoke players prior to the [[1972 Football League Cup final]].<ref name="Matthews" />

Between 2008 and 2011, local fan "Pottermouth" contributed a series of raps to [[BBC Radio Stoke]] about Stoke's [[2007-08 Stoke City F.C. season|promotion]], their battle to [[2008-09 Stoke City F.C. season|stay in the Premier League]], and the [[2011 FA Cup final]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Pottermouth – the story |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/stoke/content/articles/2008/04/23/pottermouth_feature.shtml |website=BBC Radio Stoke |access-date=8 June 2021}}</ref>

==Rivalries==
{{See also|Potteries derby}}

Stoke's local rivals are [[Port Vale F.C.|Port Vale]], based in the [[Burslem]] area of Stoke-on-Trent. As the two clubs have regularly been in different divisions, there have only been 46 league matches between the two sides, with the last match being in 2002.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.footballderbies.com/honours/index.php?id=31|title=Stoke City v Port Vale|access-date=7 February 2011 |publisher=footballderbies.com}}</ref> Regardless of the lack of matches, the [[Potteries derby]] is often a tight and close game of football with few goals being scored. Stoke have won 19 matches while Vale have won 15.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.stokecityfc.com/page/Records/0,,10310~1342814,00.html |title=Potteries Derby Records |access-date=7 February 2011 |publisher=stokecityfc.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110716100645/http://www.stokecityfc.com/page/Records/0,,10310~1342814,00.html |archive-date=16 July 2011 }}</ref>

Due to the rarity of this fixture, Stoke have more established rivalries with Midlands clubs [[Derby County F.C.|Derby County]], [[West Bromwich Albion F.C.|West Bromwich Albion]] and [[Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C.|Wolverhampton Wanderers]].<ref name="Matthews"/><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.thisisstaffordshire.co.uk/news/Stoke-City-ugly-truth-finally-dawn-Baggies/article-2920266-detail/article.html|title=Stoke City: When will the ugly truth finally dawn on Baggies? |access-date=7 February 2011 |publisher=thisisstaffordshire.co.uk}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Heaven |first1=Frank|title=Unexpected Rivalries 4: Stoke City and West Bromwich Albion |url=https://thetwounfortunates.com/unexpected-rivalries-4-stoke-city-and-west-bromwich-albion/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130121161506/http://thetwounfortunates.com/unexpected-rivalries-4-stoke-city-and-west-bromwich-albion/ |url-status=usurped |archive-date=21 January 2013 |website=The Two Unfortunates |access-date=7 May 2020}}</ref> A rivalry with Welsh side [[Cardiff City F.C.|Cardiff City]] was formed in the [[2001–02 Stoke City F.C. season|2001–02 season]] where the sides played each other in the Second Division play-offs.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Doolan |first1=Rob |title=Unexpected Rivalries 7: Stoke City And Cardiff City |url=https://thetwounfortunates.com/unexpected-rivalries-7-stoke-city-and-cardiff-city/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131204235303/http://thetwounfortunates.com/unexpected-rivalries-7-stoke-city-and-cardiff-city/ |url-status=usurped |archive-date=4 December 2013 |website=The Two Unfortunates |access-date=7 May 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Rivalries set to resume in Cardiff |url=https://www.espn.co.uk/football/blog/name/93/post/1844243/headline |website=ESPN |date=17 April 2014 |access-date=7 May 2020}}</ref>

==Kit and crest==

===Kit===
{{Commons|Stoke City F.C. kits}}
Stoke's traditional kit is red and white striped shirts with white shorts and socks.<ref name="Matthews"/> Their first strip was [[Navy blue|navy]] and [[Cardinal (color)|cardinal]] hoops with white [[Knickerbockers (clothing)|knickerbockers]] and hooped stockings.<ref name="Matthews"/> This changed to black and blue hoops before the club settled on red and white stripes in 1883.<ref name="Matthews"/> However, in 1891 [[the Football League]] decided that only one club could use one style of strip ''per'' season and [[Sunderland A.F.C.|Sunderland]] were allowed to take red and white stripes. So between 1891 and 1908 Stoke used a variety of kits with plain [[Maroon (color)|maroon]] being the most common.<ref name="Matthews"/> In 1908, Stoke lost their League status and were able to finally revert to red and white and when they re-joined the league in 1919 the rule was scrapped.<ref name="Matthews"/> Since then, Stoke have forever used red and white striped shirts, with the only time when they diverted from this was for two seasons in the mid-1980s, which saw them wear a pin-striped shirt.

===Crest===
[[File:Coat of arms of Stoke-on-Trent, United Kingdom.png|thumb|right|175px|Stoke-on-Trent coat of arms, used as club crest from the 1950s to 1977, and from 1992 to 2001]]
[[File:Stoke City FC crest 2026.svg|thumb|175px|Crest to be used from the 2026-27 season]]
Stoke's first club crest was a stylised "S" which was used by players in 1882 who would stitch the crest on to their shirts; however, this practice soon faded away.<ref name="Matthews"/> In the 1950s Stoke began using the shield from the Stoke-on-Trent coat-of-arms which was used infrequently until 1977.<ref name="Matthews"/> A new and simpler club crest was introduced a [[Stafford knot]] and pottery kiln represented local tradition while red and white stripes were also added.<ref name="Matthews"/> This lasted until 1992 when the club decided to use the entire Stoke-on-Trent coat-of-arms which included the club's name at the top of the crest.<ref name="Matthews"/> They changed their crest in 2001 to the current version which includes their nickname "The Potters". For the [[2012–13 Stoke City F.C. season|2012–13 season]], they used a special version to mark the club's 150th anniversary which included the club's Latin motto "''Vis Unita Fortior''" ("United Strength is Stronger"). In August 2025, Stoke unveiled a new crest to be used from the 2026–27 season based on the created used from 1977 to 1992, featuring a [[Bottle oven|bottle kiln]], [[Stafford knot|Staffordshire knot]], foundation year and red and white stripes.<ref>{{cite web |title=New Stoke City Club Crest Confirmed |url=https://www.stokecityfc.com/news/2025/august/15/new-stoke-city-football-club-crest-confirmed/ |website=Stoke City |access-date=16 August 2025}}</ref>

===Sponsorship===
{|
|valign="top" width="0%"|
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"
|-
!Period
!Sportswear
!Sponsor
|-
|1974–1975
|[[Admiral Sportswear|Admiral]]
|rowspan=2|''None''
|-
|1975–1980
|rowspan=3|[[Umbro]]
|-
|1981–1985
|[[Ricoh]]
|-
|1985–1986
|''None''
|-
|1986–1987
|[[Hi-Tec]]
|rowspan=3|Cristal Tiles
|-
|1987–1989
|[[Admiral Sportswear|Admiral]]
|-
|1989–1990
|Scoreline
|-
|}
|valign="top" width="0%"|
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"
!Period
!Sportswear
!Sponsor
|-
|1990–1991
|rowspan=2|Matchwinner
|Fradley Homes
|-
|1991–1993
|[[Ansells Brewery|Ansells]]
|-
|1993–1995
|rowspan=4|[[Asics]]
|[[Carling Black Label|Carling]]
|-
|1995–1996
|Broxap
|-
|1996–1997
|[[Asics]]
|-
|1997–2001
|rowspan=2|[[Britannia Building Society|Britannia]]
|-
|2001–2003
|[[Le Coq Sportif]]
|-
|}
|valign="top" width="0%"|
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"
|-
!Period
!Sportswear
!Sponsor
|-
|2003–2007
|[[Puma (brand)|Puma]]
|rowspan=3|Britannia
|-
|2007–2010
|[[Le Coq Sportif]]
|-
|2010–2012
|rowspan=2|[[Adidas]]
|-
|2012–2014
|rowspan=4|[[bet365]]
|-
|2014–2015
|[[Warrior Sports|Warrior]]
|-
|2015–2016
|[[New Balance]]
|-
|2016–{{0|0000}}
|[[Macron (sportswear)|Macron]]
|-
|}
|}

==Records==
{{main|List of Stoke City F.C. records and statistics}}
Record appearances:
* [[Eric Skeels]] – 592 appearances (league and cup)
* [[John McCue (footballer)|John McCue]] – 675 appearances (including war-time games)

Record goalscorers:
* [[John Ritchie (footballer, born 1941)|John Ritchie]] – 176 goals (league and cup goals)
* [[Freddie Steele (footballer)|Freddie Steele]] – 140 goals (league goals)

Record signing:
* [[Giannelli Imbula]] signed from [[FC Porto|Porto]]: £18.3&nbsp;million (1 February 2016)<ref>{{cite news|title=Transfer deadline day: Stoke City sign Giannelli Imbula from Porto|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/35466315|access-date=1 February 2016|date=February 2016}}</ref>

Record sale:
* [[Marko Arnautović]] sold to [[West Ham United F.C.|West Ham United]]: £20&nbsp;million (22 July 2017)<ref>{{cite news|title=Marko Arnautovic: West Ham sign Stoke City and Austria forward for £20m|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/40648924|access-date=29 July 2017|date=22 July 2017}}</ref>

Record results:
* Record win: 26–0 v. Mow Cop (1877)
* Record [[English Football League|League]] victory: 10–3 v. [[West Bromwich Albion F.C.|West Bromwich Albion]] (4 February 1937)
* Record [[English Football League|League]] defeat: 0–10 v. [[Preston North End F.C.|Preston North End]] (14 September 1889)
* Record [[Premier League]] win: 6–1 v. [[Liverpool F.C.|Liverpool]] (24 May 2015)<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/32770765|title=Stoke 6 – 1 Liverpool|access-date=24 May 2015|publisher=BBC Sport |date=24 May 2015}}</ref>
* Record [[Premier League]] defeat: 0–7 v. [[Chelsea F.C.|Chelsea]] (25 April 2010)<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/eng_prem/8632297.stm|title=Chelsea 7 – 0 Stoke|access-date=18 May 2011|publisher=BBC Sport |date=25 April 2010}}</ref>
* Record [[FA Cup]] victory: 11–0 v. [[Stourbridge F.C.|Stourbridge]] (26 September 1914)
* Record [[FA Cup]] defeat: 0–8 v. [[Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C.|Wolverhampton Wanderers]] (22 February 1890)
* Record [[EFL Cup|League Cup]] victory: 6–1 v. [[Rotherham United F.C.|Rotherham United]] (29 August 2023)<ref>{{cite news |title=Stoke City 6–1 Rotherham United |work=BBC Sport |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/66577630 |access-date=31 August 2023}}</ref>
* Record [[EFL Cup|League Cup]] defeat: 0–8 v. [[Liverpool F.C.|Liverpool]] (29 November 2000)

Attendance records:
* 51,130 at the [[Victoria Ground]] v. [[Arsenal F.C.|Arsenal]] (29 March 1937)
* 30,022 at the [[bet365 Stadium]] v. [[Everton F.C.|Everton]] (17 March 2018)<ref>{{cite news|title=Stoke 1–2 Everton|work=BBC Sport |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/43353975}}</ref>

===European record===
{{main|Stoke City F.C. in European football}}

{|class="wikitable"
|-
! Season
! Competition
! Round
! Opponent
! Home
! Away
! Aggregate
|-
| [[1972–73 UEFA Cup|1972–73]]
| rowspan="2"| [[UEFA Cup]]
| First round
| {{flagicon|GER}} [[1. FC Kaiserslautern]]
| align="center"| 3–1
| align="center"| 0–4
| align="center"| 3–5
|-
| [[1974–75 UEFA Cup|1974–75]]
| First round
| {{flagicon|NED}} [[AFC Ajax|Ajax]]
| align="center"| 1–1
| align="center"| 0–0
| align="center"| 1–1 ([[Away goals rule|A]])
|-
| rowspan="6"| [[2011–12 UEFA Europa League|2011–12]]
| rowspan="6"| [[UEFA Europa League]]
| [[2011–12 UEFA Europa League#Third qualifying round|Third qualifying round]]
| {{flagicon|CRO}} [[HNK Hajduk Split|Hajduk Split]]
| align="center"| 1–0
| align="center"| 1–0
| align="center"| 2–0
|-
| [[2011–12 UEFA Europa League#Play-off round|Play–off round]]
| {{flagicon|SUI}} [[FC Thun|Thun]]
| align="center"| 4–1
| align="center"| 1–0
| align="center"| 5–1
|-
| rowspan="3"| [[2011–12 UEFA Europa League#Group E|Group E]]
| {{flagicon|TUR}} [[Beşiktaş JK|Beşiktaş]]
| align="center"| 2–1
| align="center"| 1–3
| align="center" rowspan="3"| '''2nd'''
|-
| {{flagicon|UKR}} [[FC Dynamo Kyiv|Dynamo Kyiv]]
| align="center"| 1–1
| align="center"| 1–1
|-
| {{flagicon|ISR}} [[Maccabi Tel Aviv FC|Maccabi Tel Aviv]]
| align="center"| 3–0
| align="center"| 2–1
|-
| [[2011–12 UEFA Europa League#Knockout phase|Round of 32]]
| {{flagicon|ESP}} [[Valencia CF|Valencia]]
| align="center"| 0–1
| align="center"| 0–1
| align="center"| 0–2
|-
|}

==Players==
===First-team squad===
{{updated|1 September 2025}}<ref>{{cite web|title=Teams: First-team |url=http://www.stokecityfc.com/teams/first-team |publisher=Stoke City F.C. |access-date=24 August 2018}}</ref>

{{fs start}}
{{fs player|no=1|nat=SWE|pos=GK|name=[[Viktor Johansson]]}}
{{fs player|no=3|nat=ENG|pos=DF|name=[[Aaron Cresswell]]}}
{{fs player|no=4|nat=ENG|pos=MF|name=[[Ben Pearson (footballer)|Ben Pearson]]}}
{{fs player|no=7|nat=WAL|pos=MF|name=[[Sorba Thomas]]}}
{{fs player|no=8|nat=ENG|pos=MF|name=[[Lewis Baker (footballer)|Lewis Baker]]}}
{{fs player|no=9|nat=ENG|pos=FW|name=[[Divin Mubama]]|other=on loan from [[Manchester City F.C.|Manchester City]]}}
{{fs player|no=10|nat=KOR|pos=MF|name=[[Bae Jun-ho]]}}
{{fs player|no=11|nat=SVK|pos=FW|name=[[Róbert Boženík]]}}
{{fs player|no=12|nat=JPN|pos=MF|name=[[Tatsuki Seko]]}}
{{fs player|no=13|nat=IRL|pos=GK|name=[[Jack Bonham]]}}
{{fs player|no=14|nat=NIR|pos=MF|name=[[Jamie Donley]]|other=on loan from [[Tottenham Hotspur F.C.|Tottenham Hotspur]]}}
{{fs player|no=15|nat=FRA|pos=MF|name=[[Steven Nzonzi]]}}
{{fs player|no=16|nat=ENG|pos=DF|name=[[Ben Wilmot]]}}
{{fs player|no=17|nat=FRA|pos=DF|name=[[Eric Bocat]]}}
{{fs player|no=18|nat=IRL|pos=MF|name=[[Bosun Lawal]]}}
{{fs mid}}
{{fs player|no=19|nat=SVK|pos=MF|name=[[Tomáš Rigo]]}}
{{fs player|no=20|nat=ENG|pos=FW|name=[[Sam Gallagher (footballer, born 1995)|Sam Gallagher]]}}
{{fs player|no=22|nat=CMR|pos=DF|name=[[Junior Tchamadeu]]}}
{{fs player|no=23|nat=ENG|pos=DF|name=[[Ben Gibson]]|other=[[Captain (association football)|captain]]}}
{{fs player|no=26|nat=ENG|pos=DF|name=[[Ashley Phillips]]|other=on loan from [[Tottenham Hotspur F.C.|Tottenham Hotspur]]}}
{{fs player|no=29|nat=FRA|pos=FW|name=[[Lamine Cissé]]}}
{{fs player|no=34|nat=ENG|pos=GK|name=[[Frank Fielding]]}}
{{fs player|no=40|nat=UKR|pos=DF|name=[[Maksym Talovierov]]}}
{{fs player|no=41|nat=ENG|pos=DF|name=[[Jaden Dixon]]}}
{{fs player|no=42|nat=NED|pos=FW|name=[[Million Manhoef]]}}
{{fs player|no=46|nat=ENG|pos=MF|name=[[Will Smith (footballer, born 2005)|Will Smith]]}}
{{fs player|no=56|nat=ENG|pos=MF|name=[[Favour Fawunmi]]}}
{{fs player|no=57|nat=ENG|pos=DF|name=[[Jaden Mears]]}}
{{fs player|no=58|nat=ENG|pos=DF|name=[[Chinonso Chibueze]]}}
{{fs player|no=—|nat=ANG|pos=FW|name=[[André Vidigal]]}}
{{fs end}}

====Out on loan====
{{fs start}}
{{fs player|no=21|nat=SRB|pos=MF|name=[[Nikola Jojić]]|other=on loan at [[NK Radomlje]]}}
{{fs player|no=35|nat=ENG|pos=FW|name=[[Nathan Lowe]]|other=on loan at [[Stockport County F.C.|Stockport County]]}}
{{fs mid}}
{{fs player|no=37|nat=ENG|pos=FW|name=[[Emre Tezgel]]|other=on loan at [[Crewe Alexandra F.C.|Crewe Alexandra]]}}
{{fs player|no=45|nat=ENG|pos=GK|name=[[Tommy Simkin]]|other=on loan at [[Leyton Orient F.C.|Leyton Orient]]}}
{{fs end}}

===Under-21s and Academy===
{{main|Stoke City F.C. Under-21s and Academy}}

===Former players===
''For details of former players, see [[List of Stoke City F.C. players]], [[List of Stoke City F.C. players (25–99 appearances)]], [[List of Stoke City F.C. players (1–24 appearances)]] and [[:Category:Stoke City F.C. players]].''

===Player records===
''For player records, including player awards, see [[List of Stoke City F.C. records and statistics]].''

===Stoke City Women===
{{main|Stoke City F.C. Women}}

===Player of the Year===
{{main|Stoke City F.C. Player of the Year}}

==Club management==
{{Updated|15 November 2025}}:<ref>{{cite web|title=Club Directory|url=https://www.stokecityfc.com/club/directory|website=Stoke City}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Position
!Name
|-
! colspan="2" |Board & Directors
|-
|Chair
|[[John Coates (businessman)|John Coates]]
|-
|Vice Chair
|Richard Smith
|-
|Director
|[[Peter Coates]]
|-
! colspan="2" |Club Management
|-
|Managing Director
|Richard Smith
|-
|Chief Operating Officer
|Simon King
|-
|Sporting Director
|[[Jonathan Walters]]
|-
|Head of Recruitment
|Ian Torrance<ref>{{cite web |title=Potters appoint Torrance as Head of Recruitment |url=https://www.stokecityfc.com/news/2025/march/24/potters-appoint-torrance-as-head-of-recruitment/ |website=Stoke City |access-date=15 November 2025}}</ref>
|-
|Head of Safety Operations
|Clare Buckley
|-
|Head of Supporter Experience
|Anthony Emmerson
|-
|Head of Partnerships
|Steven Forrest
|-
|Head of Finance
|David Heath
|-
|Head of Marketing & Communications
|Thomas Holdcroft
|-
|Head of Football Administration
|Chris Laird
|-
|Head of Retail and Ticketing
|Nathan Le-Moine
|-
|Director of Community Engagement
|Laura Nicholls
|-
|Head of Safeguarding and EDI
|Paul Richards
|-
|Head of Facilities
|Nick Robinson
|-
|Head of Venue
|Craig Simmonds
|-
|Grounds Manager
|Andy Jackson
|-
! colspan="2" |First Team Management
|-
|Manager
|[[Mark Robins]]
|-
|Assistant Manager
|[[Paul Nevin]]
|-
|Assistant Manager
|[[James Rowberry]]
|-
|First Team Coach
|[[Ryan Shawcross]]
|-
|Goalkeeper Coach
|Darren Behcet
|-
|Head of Performance
|Joel Dawson
|-
|Kit Manager
|Max Shapland
|-
! colspan="2" |Academy Management
|-
|Academy Technical Director
|[[Gareth Owen (footballer, born 1982)|Gareth Owen]] 
|-
|Academy Manager
|[[Sam Stockley]]
|-
|Head of Academy Recruitment
|Andrew Frost
|-
|Head of Academy Education
|Greg Briggs
|-
|Head of Academy Medical
|Jordan Beech
|-
|Head of Academy Sports Science
|Ben Cope
|-
|Academy Safeguarding Lead
|Wayne Taylor
|-
|Under-21 Lead Coach
|[[David Hibbert]]
|-
|Under-21 Assistant Lead Coach
|[[Liam Lawrence]]
|-
|Under-18 Lead Coach
|[[Dean Marney (footballer)|Dean Marney]]
|-
|}

===Managerial history===
{{main|List of Stoke City F.C. managers}}

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Dates
! Name
! Notes
|-
| August 1874 – June 1883
| {{flagicon|ENG}} [[Thomas Slaney]]
|
|-
| June 1883 – April 1884
| {{flagicon|ENG}} [[Walter Cox (footballer, born 1849)|Walter Cox]]
|
|-
| April 1884 – August 1890
| {{flagicon|ENG}} [[Harry Lockett]]
|
|-
| August 1890 – January 1892
| {{flagicon|ENG}} [[Joseph Bradshaw (footballer)|Joseph Bradshaw]]
|
|-
| January 1892 – May 1895
| {{flagicon|ENG}} [[Arthur Reeves]]
|
|-
| May 1895 – September 1897
| {{flagicon|ENG}} [[Bill Rowley]]
|
|-
| September 1897 – March 1908
| {{flagicon|ENG}} [[Horace Austerberry]]
|
|-
| May 1908 – June 1914
| {{flagicon|ENG}} [[Alfred Barker]]
|
|-
| June 1914 – April 1915
| {{flagicon|SCO}} [[Peter Hodge]]
| First manager not from England
|-
| April 1915 – Feb 1919
| {{flagicon|ENG}} [[Joe Schofield]]
|
|-
| February 1919 – March 1923
| {{flagicon|ENG}} [[Arthur Shallcross]]
|
|-
| March 1923 – April 1923
| {{flagicon|ENG}} [[Jock Rutherford|John Rutherford]]
|
|-
| October 1923 – June 1935
| {{flagicon|ENG}} [[Tom Mather]]
|
|-
| June 1935 – May 1952
| {{flagicon|SCO}} [[Bob McGrory]]
|
|-
| June 1952 – June 1960
| {{flagicon|ENG}} [[Frank Taylor (footballer, born 1916)|Frank Taylor]]
|
|-
| June 1960 – March 1977
| {{flagicon|ENG}} [[Tony Waddington]]
| Most honours won as manager
|-
| February 1977 – January 1978
| {{flagicon|ENG}} [[George Eastham]]
|
|-
| January 1978 – February 1978
| {{flagicon|ENG}} [[Alan A'Court]]
| Caretaker manager
|-
| February 1978 – June 1981
| {{flagicon|WAL}} [[Alan Durban]]
|
|-
| June 1981 – December 1983
| {{flagicon|ENG}} [[Richie Barker (footballer, born 1939)|Richie Barker]]
|
|-
| December 1983 – April 1985
| {{flagicon|ENG}} [[Bill Asprey]]
|
|-
| April 1985 – May 1985
| {{flagicon|ENG}} [[Tony Lacey]]
| Caretaker manager
|-
| May 1985 – November 1989
| {{flagicon|ENG}} [[Mick Mills]]
|
|-
| November 1989 – February 1991
| {{flagicon|ENG}} [[Alan Ball Jr.|Alan Ball]]
|
|-
| February 1991 – May 1991
| {{flagicon|ENG}} [[Graham Paddon]]
| Caretaker manager
|-
| May 1991 – October 1993
| {{flagicon|SCO}} [[Lou Macari]]
|
|-
| November 1993 – September 1994
| {{flagicon|SCO}} [[Joe Jordan (footballer)|Joe Jordan]]
|
|-
| September 1994
| {{flagicon|SCO}} [[Asa Hartford]]
| Caretaker manager
|-
| October 1994 – July 1997
| {{flagicon|SCO}} [[Lou Macari]]
|
|-
| July 1997 – January 1998
| {{flagicon|ENG}} [[Chic Bates]]
|
|-
| January 1998 – April 1998
| {{flagicon|ENG}} [[Chris Kamara]]
|
|-
| April 1998 – June 1998
| {{flagicon|WAL}} [[Alan Durban]]
| Caretaker manager
|-
| June 1998 – June 1999
| {{flagicon|ENG}} [[Brian Little (footballer)|Brian Little]]
|
|-
| July 1999 – November 1999
| {{flagicon|ENG}} [[Gary Megson]]
|
|-
| November 1999 – May 2002
| {{flagicon|ISL}} [[Guðjón Þórðarson]]
| First manager from outside the United Kingdom
|-
| May 2002 – October 2002
| {{flagicon|ENG}} [[Steve Cotterill]]
|
|-
| October 2002 – November 2002
| {{flagicon|SCO}} [[Dave Kevan]]
| Caretaker manager
|-
| November 2002 – June 2005
| {{flagicon|WAL}} [[Tony Pulis]]
|
|-
| June 2005 – May 2006
| {{flagicon|NED}} [[Johan Boskamp]]
|
|-
| June 2006 – May 2013
| {{flagicon|WAL}} [[Tony Pulis]]
| First manager to reach the FA Cup final with Stoke
|-
| May 2013 – January 2018
| {{flagicon|WAL}} [[Mark Hughes]]
|
|-
| January 2018
| {{flagicon|WAL}} [[Eddie Niedzwiecki]]
| Caretaker manager
|-
| January 2018 – May 2018
| {{flagicon|SCO}} [[Paul Lambert]]
|
|-
| May 2018 – January 2019
| {{flagicon|ENG}} [[Gary Rowett]]
|
|-
| January 2019 – November 2019
| {{flagicon|WAL}} [[Nathan Jones (Welsh footballer)|Nathan Jones]]
|
|-
| November 2019 
| {{flagicon|IRL}} [[Rory Delap]]
| Caretaker manager
|-
| November 2019 – August 2022 
| {{flagicon|NIR}} [[Michael O'Neill (footballer)|Michael O'Neill]]
| 
|-
| August 2022
| {{flagicon|ENG}} [[Dean Holden]]
| Caretaker manager
|-
| August 2022 – December 2023
| {{flagicon|SCO}} [[Alex Neil (footballer)|Alex Neil]]
| 
|-
| December 2023
| {{flagicon|SCO}} [[Paul Gallagher (footballer)|Paul Gallagher]]
| Caretaker manager
|-
| December 2023 – September 2024
| {{flagicon|ENG}} [[Steven Schumacher]]
|
|-
| September 2024 
| {{flagicon|ENG}} [[Alex Morris (footballer)|Alex Morris]] & [[Ryan Shawcross]]
| Caretaker managers
|-
| September 2024 – December 2024 
| {{flagicon|SPA}} [[Narcís Pèlach]]
|-
| December 2024  –  January 2025
| {{flagicon|ENG}} [[Ryan Shawcross]]
| Caretaker manager
|-
| January 2025 –  
| {{flagicon|ENG}} [[Mark Robins]]
| 
|-
|}

==Honours==
Stoke City's honours include the following:<ref>{{cite web|title=Club Honours |url=https://www.stokecityfc.com/club/history/honours |access-date=2 March 2022 }}</ref>

'''League'''
*[[Football League Second Division|Second Division]] / [[EFL Championship|Championship]] (level 2)
**Champions: [[1932–33 Football League Second Division|1932–33]], [[1962–63 Football League Second Division|1962–63]]
**Runners-up: [[1921–22 Football League Second Division|1921–22]], [[2007–08 Football League Championship|2007–08]]
**Promoted: [[1978–79 Football League Second Division|1978–79]]
*[[Football League Third Division North|Third Division North]] / [[Football League Second Division|Second Division]] (level 3)
**Champions: [[1926–27 Football League Third Division North|1926–27]], [[1992–93 Football League Second Division|1992–93]]
**Play-off winners: [[2002 Football League Second Division play-off final|2002]]
*[[Football Alliance]]
**Champions: [[1890–91 Stoke F.C. season|1890–91]]
*[[West Midlands (Regional) League|Birmingham & District League]]
**Champions: [[1910–11 Stoke F.C. season|1910–11]]
*[[Southern Football League|Southern League Division Two]]
**Champions: [[1909–10 Southern Football League|1909–10]], [[1914–15 Southern Football League|1914–15]]
**Runners-up: [[1910–11 Southern Football League|1910–11]]

'''Cup'''
[[File:League Cup at Old Trafford.jpg|thumb|right|Stoke won the [[EFL Cup|League Cup]] in [[1972 Football League Cup final|1972]], their first major trophy.]]
*[[FA Cup]]
**Runners-up: [[2010–11 FA Cup|2010–11]]
*[[EFL Cup|League Cup]] 
**Winners: [[1971–72 Football League Cup|1971–72]]
**Runners-up: [[1963–64 Football League Cup|1963–64]]
*[[EFL Trophy|Football League Trophy]]
**Winners: [[1991–92 Football League Trophy|1991–92]], [[1999–2000 Football League Trophy|1999–2000]]
*[[Watney Cup]]
**Winners: [[Watney Cup#List of finals|1973]]

'''Minor'''
*[[Staffordshire Senior Cup]]
**Winners (19): 1877–78, 1878–79, 1903–04, 1913–14, 1920–21, 1929–30, 1933–34, 1938–39, 1947–48, 1964–65, 1968–69, 1970–71, 1974–75, 1975–76, 1981–82, 1992–93, 1994–95, 1998–99, 2016–17
**Runners-up: 1882–83, 1885–86, 1890–91, 1895–96, 1896–97, 1900–01, 1901–02, 1902–03, 1923–24, 1925–26, 1934–35, 1951–52, 1971–72, 1973–74, 1980–81, 2002–03, 2005–06, 2010–11
*[[Birmingham Senior Cup]]
**Winners: 1901, 1914
**Runners-up: 1910, 1915, 1920, 1921
*Isle of Man Trophy
**Winners: [[1987–88 Stoke City F.C. season#Isle of Man Trophy|1987]], [[1991–92 Stoke City F.C. season#Isle of Man Trophy|1991]], [[1992–93 Stoke City F.C. season#Isle of Man Trophy|1992]]
**Runners-up: [[1985–86 Stoke City F.C. season#Isle of Man Trophy|1985]]

==References==
===Notes===
{{notelist}}

===Citations===
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* {{Official website|https://www.stokecityfc.com/}}
* {{BBC football info|stoke-city}}
* [http://www.skysports.com/football/teams/stokecity/ Stoke City] at [[Sky Sports]]
* [http://www.premierleague.com/clubs/42/Stoke-City/overview Stoke City] at [[Premier League]]

{{Stoke City F.C.}}
{{Stoke City F.C. seasons}}
{{Original Football League clubs}}
{{EFL Championship}}
{{Premier League}}
{{Stoke-on-Trent}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Stoke City F.C.| ]]
[[Category:1868 establishments in England]]
[[Category:Association football clubs established in 1863]]
[[Category:Sport in Stoke-on-Trent]]
[[Category:Football clubs in Staffordshire]]
[[Category:Football clubs in England]]
[[Category:The Football League founder members]]
[[Category:English Football League clubs]]
[[Category:Southern Football League clubs]]
[[Category:Premier League clubs]]
[[Category:EFL Cup winners]]
[[Category:EFL Trophy winners]]
[[Category:United Soccer Association imported teams]]