Stoke City: At least Stoke won battle off the pitch

by Simon Lowe

IT WAS bound to happen at some stage, so there's no need to dwell on Saturday's hammering.

Perhaps the biggest testament to the way City have approached this season is that it has only been in the fourth game against the big four that we have taken a walloping. Won one, drawn one and lost two isn't a bad record against football's mega-rich elite.

But, without question, the incredible vocal support which the travelling Stokies gave to the team throughout the game, and especially at the final whistle, proved we at least won the battle off the pitch – even if, on it, City were slightly lucky to come second.

Perhaps the most important thing in terms of footballing matters to come out of Old Trafford was Ricardo Fuller's yellow card, which means West Brom will not have to face their tormentor of recent seasons next weekend.

It's not a disaster, but Albion will no doubt be buoyed by their good fortune at benefiting on this occasion. Mind you, they need every bit of luck they can get at the moment.

With a third of the season gone, we can get some kind of sense of how the campaign is panning out. Stoke are right in with a chance of beating the drop, but the vital thing is how the team will react to the drubbing at Old Trafford.

Tony Pulis will have to get heads up for vital back-to-back home games against the other two promoted sides.

Everyone had assumed there would be a mini-league of five or six clubs battling against relegation, but the way it's panning out so far means that pretty much any club below sixth position is only two defeats away from sinking back into the dogfight. Equally, as Stoke and Bolton have recently proved, two wins can haul you up into mid-table.

It's a topsy-turvy league all right, which makes taking four or six points from games against Albion and Hull by the end of the month a vital target. Not that either hold any particular fears for this Stoke side.

This week we've said farewell to one of the most enduring characters in Stoke City's history. Terry Conroy, a Republic of Ireland international winger known to thousands for his auburn sideburns and silky skills in the great Stoke side of the 1970s, has become synonymous with Stoke's hospitality set-up. Ever the genial host, with a twinkle in his eye and a succession of one-liners to entertain guests.

My (recurring) favourite was to guess in which war-torn city he'd secured an 'exclusive timeshare' as a prize in the half-time raffle – Beirut, Kabul or Baghdad!

TC has become an adopted Potter, if ever there was one, but he has now taken up the call of his country as he will be working with young Irish players who are based over in the UK. After almost 10 years hosting on match-days at the Brit, Conroy will be greatly missed around the place for his ready wit and welcoming smile. We wish him all the best in his future career and trust he won't become a stranger.

If ever you feel the need to smile just seek out your copy of the 1972 League Cup final video and wind it on to the end, past the goal he scored early on, Osgood's equaliser, Eastham's winner and Banksy's saves, to the best-remembered Wembley in-bath sing-a-long celebration of all time.

Conroy singing 'We'll Be With You', backed by the massed ranks of Messrs Smith, Marsh, Pejic and Bloor is the kind of thing to inspire the class of 2008 to even greater things.