Stoke City: Cash available for right players, reveals Coates

Chairman Peter Coates revealed at last night's club AGM that Stoke's team spirit will not be compromised when Tony Pulis looks to strengthen in the January transfer window. Michael Baggaley reports.

STOKE City chairman Peter Coates is backing manager Tony Pulis to sign the right characters in January to ensure the club's impressive team spirit will not be wrecked.

POSITIVE OUTLOOK: Stoke City chairman Peter Coates, flanked by the club's director of football John Rudge (left) and vice-chairman Keith Humphreys, addresses shareholders during last night's AGM. Photo: MARK SCOTT

Coates met shareholders at the club's Annual General Meeting last night and confirmed money would be made available to Pulis to strengthen the squad when the transfer window opens in a fortnight.

Coates believes attracting players to Stoke will be easier now the club have shown they won't be whipping boys in the Premier League.

He said: "I think one of the difficulties all promoted clubs have when they move from the Championship is the perception they will just come down again.

"Because I'm interested in statistics, I can tell you that 50 per cent of them have gone down over the Premier League's existence."

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