Stoke City: Andy Wilkinson urges fans to keep the faith
STOKE stalwart Andy Wilkinson has urged fans who are still in two minds about renewing their season tickets to keep faith with the manager and his players.
Attempts to match last year's sale of around 22,000 season tickets have been hampered by a run of one win in 10 games – and fans only have until next Wednesday to renew at the cheapest prices.
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Andy Wilkinson is calling on Stoke City fans to keep the faith.
Wilkinson, who made his 150th league appearance for the club on Sunday, said: "If the fans sign up and we know they are going to be there next season, it will push us on for the rest of this season."
He acknowledged the present frustration among supporters, observing: "It's understandable, but if we can get a win on Saturday against West Brom we can push on and get a good finish to the season.
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"We need to stick together, work together and get the fortress back at the Britannia. The fans are a massive part of that."
Wilkinson admitted the dressing room will have to lift itself after being left in a sombre mood by Newcastle's injury-time winner on Sunday.
"There's no worse feeling, especially in the last minute, and we were all devastated."
Wilkinson acknowledged that manager Tony Pulis could be in the firing line with disgruntled fans, but insisted the players had to shoulder their share of blame for recent results.
"We are the ones who are on the pitch. He cannot play for us, so we are the ones who have to take responsibility."
Pulis is hoping Stoke's chances against West Brom will be enhanced if Matthew Etherington can shake off his recent back problem and declare himself available.
STOKE'S under-21 team were beaten by a late penalty in going down 1-0 against Reading in their latest league outing.
9 Comments
by smithee
Wednesday, March 13 2013, 3:26PM
“"have been hampered by a run of one win in 10 games" Christ Spinks, do you believe this?? our problems go back 50 games to December 2011. Stop being an apologist for the club and try reporting on the actual reasons and concerns of the fans!”
by Pottersruleok
Wednesday, March 13 2013, 2:07PM
“Wilko is an employee of Stoke City after all and he is basically stumping for folks to buy a season ticket as any employee of any other business would do to get people to buy their product too! However, if your favorite pie shop or favorite pub or favorite clothes shop started selling lower quality products, would you keep buying them ? If they sent some fella out into the high street handing out coupons to come to their shop or pub etc, would you be willing to go back even though the last few pies were bad, the beer was flat or your last suits or jumpers wore out for the umpteenth time would you keep shopping ? We would all welcome seeing a sign in the window that said "under new management" because it usually spells change and improvement and we would be willing to go back in again!”
by LiamOSullivan
Wednesday, March 13 2013, 1:32PM
“When we played decent football earlier this season - not on a Barca level by any means - but the results weren't forthcoming as we mostly drew, even more fans than now did get very impatient. Although some fans are still unhappy even when we win.”
by FrankK
Wednesday, March 13 2013, 12:58PM
“Did Pulis watch Barcelona demolish a useful Milan side last night? No sitting back on leads, using attack as best form of defence.
Any chance of our lot working on passing football in training to vary tactics in future. Or are you going to dribble the same feeble rubbish to fans about "our fans would get bored watching that type of football" (a reference to Swansea last year)?
We'll survive. But God help us next season unless we can vary our tactics.”
by bexhillpotter
Wednesday, March 13 2013, 12:25PM
“Oh ye of little faith, get down to Vale Park as you are no longer true supporters!”
by stokieme
Wednesday, March 13 2013, 12:09PM
“Sorry, but after being a season ticket holder for the last 12 years, I will not be renewing.
I can no longer sit through the boring rubbish that Pulis serves up as football,apart from the Lierpool games, the football tactics (I use that term rather sarcastically) that Pulis plays bore me to tears. This season I have even started to take my Ipod, and sit and listen to music or play Angry Birds because the football on display has been dire. Even top teams get dragged down to our level, so I will be saving my money this year.”
by LiamOSullivan
Wednesday, March 13 2013, 11:00AM
“If those are the limits of your criteria, stholder, then you really have no cause for complaints. Because you got good home performances against Citeh and Liverpool ... and a few in between which werent half bad. All the more reason to support the team when we are performing rather less well.”
by STHolder
Wednesday, March 13 2013, 9:57AM
“This season's renewal is a real test of faith because we know now that despite the money the club spends, despite the quality of player we bring in, we will be served up the same old Pulis-ball as ever. Obviously we'll renew as its in our blood and its a life sentance but it would be nice to get something back on the pitch than 1 or 2 good home performances during a season of grind.”
by baystokie
Wednesday, March 13 2013, 9:56AM
“'Push on' - what an absolutely useless phrase - what exactly does it mean - better performances? better players? progress from the kick and rush of the past two seasons?
The club trot out the phrase when they can't answer qjuestions about the above.”