stoke fan here !

[LWJ]

That was ex-Ajax legend Peter Hoekstra! I was there, it was cold. Wind always gets around your nipples at the Brittania!

Was the first of 3 consecutive 3-0 losses under Coppell around xmas time 2003. Diabolical performances. One of Hoekstra's goals was an absolute belter from near the touchline

Was also at this game, would of been 9 at the time, can remember being freezing as well!

[melonhead]

hey all stoke fan here so please dont shoot me im just trying to get some friendly advice for our trip to your place. are there any good/nice pubs around or near the ground ? no- stay in town

anywhere you woud recommend to go without getting in any trouble with your fans :p?

anywhere- i believe the scorpians are off that day
this will be my first visit to your ground so i want make it a good day to remember. also whilst im here it would be nice to get some of your predictions for the game ?

reckon the buzz of opening day in the prem will see us home 2-1 winners
.

[Focher]

^^^^ good pic not seen for a while

[StokeFan]

Hiya guys, Stoke fan here!

I was just wondering what you thought about having stoke as your first game back in the premier league. What do you think of your chances of beating us too? Obviously you are at home and stoke are not as good away from home. So what do you think?

[Big Foot]

Think you need to do one

[floyd__streete]

So what do you think?

Dunno really.

[Alexander Litvinenko]

Hiya guys, Stoke fan here!

I was just wondering what you thought about having stoke as your first game back in the premier league. What do you think of your chances of beating us too? Obviously you are at home and stoke are not as good away from home. So what do you think?

I think that we had to play Stoke at some time in the season and that it was a 1 in 19 chance we'd play them first - and a 50/50 chance we'd be at home.

As to the result, a home win. Or maybe a draw. But then again it might be an away win. I plan to go to the game to find out which.

[StokeFan]

Nobs, haha

[Alan Partridge]

I reckon the ball will touch the floor on 4 occasions.

[windermere_royal]

Hiya guys, Stoke fan here!

I was just wondering what you thought about having stoke as your first game back in the premier league. What do you think of your chances of beating us too? Obviously you are at home and stoke are not as good away from home. So what do you think?

I would have taken Stoke at home before the fixtures because it gives us a better chance of a winning start than playing one of the PL giants, we have strengthened our side but we don`t` really know how we will perform till we get going, my own personal view is that we will get off to a good start with a narrow victory .

[Green]

Hiya guys, Stoke fan here!

I was just wondering what you thought about having stoke as your first game back in the premier league. What do you think of your chances of beating us too? Obviously you are at home and stoke are not as good away from home. So what do you think?

Frankly it's probably as disappointing an opening fixture for us as it is for you.

I mean, it's not exactly a glamour tie is it?

[leww_rfc]

2-37 in terms of fouls

[LoyalRoyal22]

Hiya guys, Stoke fan here!

I was just wondering what you thought about having stoke as your first game back in the premier league. What do you think of your chances of beating us too? Obviously you are at home and stoke are not as good away from home. So what do you think?

I think Stoke City play hoofball and are boring to watch. 1-0 Reading

[LongThrowSpecialist]

Hiya guys, Stoke fan here!

I was just wondering what you thought about having stoke as your first game back in the premier league. What do you think of your chances of beating us too? Obviously you are at home and stoke are not as good away from home. So what do you think?

Frankly it's probably as disappointing an opening fixture for us as it is for you.

I mean, it's not exactly a glamour tie is it?

We are not much for glamour ties any more, the novelty has worn off. Home games against big clubs are OK, we have won a few of them.

I guarantee we will take more to your place, than to Man Utd. Essentially this game is probably the best first away game we could hope for, a chance of points.

That said, none of us rest much hope on away games, the hope was drained out of us after Bolton away last year (bottom of the league, hadn't won a single game that far into the season, it's alright Stoke City Football Charity rolls into town.)

[Royal Biscuitman]

I don't know much about Reading, their style of play or how good they are

We're pretty much the same as we've always been over the many years our two sides played together.

[reading_fan]

As someone who lives in Brum and was brought up in Shropshire, I would have said "the North" started on the Staffs/Cheshire border, so a little bit north of Stoke.

I've always enjoyed our clashes with Stoke over the years - in fact my first away game was a trip to the Victoria Ground for an opening day 1-1 draw there. Two similarly matched clubs in terms of stature (Stoke's with the bigger history obviously), throughout that run of about 17 years in the same divisions, generally a few goals in the games, don't remember many 0-0s (unlike Walsall or Watford!), plus it was always fun to hear the Britannia go from a cocophony of noise with "Delilah" in full whack to being able to hear a pin drop when we were winning (I know we're the same).

It is one of the those games though to look at as a top flight fixture, it seems a bit weird. I've been watching us since 1990 so games against the likes of Stoke, Swansea or Wigan were some of the more traditional Div 3/Div 2/League One matches as I was growing up and getting in to football. But equally, it's good for the league that some of the unfashionable clubs are now mixing it more regularly with the big boys, so fair play to Stoke for the way they've grown into their top flight status - it's always good to see them giving the big boys a bloody nose.

Hopefully a 2-1 win for us to get us on the board before two tough away games.

[phil in cornwall]

Always thought the north started when you cross the line between Bristol and London. It does if you live where I do.

[Green]

Always thought the north started when you cross the line between Bristol and London. It does if you live where I do.

Quite, never mind Stoke on Trent I'm thinking Stoke Newington.

[Stuboo]

It's probably a good first game for both teams, with each fancying they can win. We play a little bit of hoof ball too, particularly out of defence. We'll see.

[Extended-Phenotype]

Hiya guys, Stoke fan here!

Never heard those two words together before. The phrasing rouses the same uncomfortable feelings as combining the words “dog” and “porn” ,or “Scandinavian” and “friend”.

Or “don’t worry, your surgeon is the same guy who performed gender reassignment surgery on” and “George Osbourne”.