stoke fan here !

[Extended-Phenotype]

The best trick is to travel in a straight line up the country, asking for jobs and £5 scag. When the heroin is easier to get, you're in The North.

[Green]

Had a similar deb8 at work a few months back and found this:

http://sasi.group.shef.ac.uk/maps/nsdivide/index.html

Quite an interesting study but some odd conclusions with a diagonal line leaving places as north as Lincoln in the 'south' while Hereford is classed as 'north'. They justify using nice coloured diagrams on a range of indicators, but nothing completely solid.


*No Snowballo

Thanks for sharing I quite like that. Seems to go too far South at the western edge but the general idea of a diagonal line I think is a good one - I suppose as much as anything it's distance from London as a North/South divide that really divides the country socio economically.

[PieEater]

Perhaps our Stoke friends could tell us if Northerners have similar conversations about where the South starts, and what the consensus is.

I'm going to stick my neck out and say Banbury, although they may plump for Gaydon.

Warwick is Midlands.

[genome]

I judge by travelling down the M1, and when conversation becomes intelligible, you're in the South.

[Ian Herring]

Mate of mine from Leeds is adamant that people from Rotherham and Sheffield are from the 'north Midlands'.

Or 'Brummies' as he sometimes calls them.

The plot thickens.

Personally I think Nettlebed is a good border marker.

[potterby]

Hi,

Another Stoke fan here. I've been to Reading a few times, 91 and 92 to Elm Park and Madejski in 02. The last time was on a coach which from memory parked up a bank behind the away turnstiles.

I'm coming by train this time. Hoping to grab a few jars in town, ideally not in a pub rammed with Stoke fans. Cab to the ground perhaps. What happens after about getting back. Are there buses on for away fans to the station, or perhaps we're walked back by the Police?

Regarding Hoekstra. From memory he had two games at the Brit where he single handidly took you apart. We unfortunately didn't see enough of him. The hatrick game is to this day the best ever performance I've seen by a Stoke player in 35 years watching us. Just pipping other performances by Mark Chamberlain and Ricardo Fuller.

Cheers. And good luck, after the 18th of course...

[jimstaaa]

Hi,

Another Stoke fan here. I've been to Reading a few times, 91 and 92 to Elm Park and Madejski in 02. The last time was on a coach which from memory parked up a bank behind the away turnstiles.

I'm coming by train this time. Hoping to grab a few jars in town, ideally not in a pub rammed with Stoke fans. Cab to the ground perhaps. What happens after about getting back. Are there buses on for away fans to the station, or perhaps we're walked back by the Police?

Regarding Hoekstra. From memory he had two games at the Brit where he single handidly took you apart. We unfortunately didn't see enough of him. The hatrick game is to this day the best ever performance I've seen by a Stoke player in 35 years watching us. Just pipping other performances by Mark Chamberlain and Ricardo Fuller.

Cheers. And good luck, after the 18th of course...

Sorry but its unlikely you will be allowed in any other pub in Reading apart from the away pub next to the station.
The buses are mixed, never any real trouble between fans.

[Green]

Don't see why not unless you're wearing a stoke shirt.

[pea]

Yeah just don't wear Stoke colours

[who are ya?]

And avoid the Frog and Pickle at all costs!

[Pepe the Horseman]

Gaydon.

lol

[genome]

And avoid the Frog and Pickle at all costs!

If Pogrebnyak scores 20+ goals next season and we qualify for Europe, and loads of fans jump on the bandwagon, should we change that to The Pog and Fickle?

[potterby]

Thanks for the replies. Won't be wearing colours, never do to be fair.

Mixed buses back to the station sounds a bit adventurous? Whilst major trouble Stoke has pretty much dissapeared these days, we still put on buses for away fans only, and also send away fans on train to the Uni bar. I guess it helps to ensure that things go smoothly.

Forgot that you'd signed Pogrebnyak. I think it was his debut for Fulham at the Cottage where he hammered us, getting a goal after only 16 mins of the game. Great, got that to look forward to then.

[handbags_harris]

Should try the Bradford Arms mate, Reading's best pub, highly recommended.

[floyd__streete]

Mixed buses back to the station sounds a bit adventurous? Whilst major trouble Stoke has pretty much dissapeared these days, we still put on buses for away fans only, and also send away fans on train to the Uni bar. I guess it helps to ensure that things go smoothly.

Why is it adventurous? We're all human beings, not apes. Sing shout abuse each other and be uncivilised in the ground, get on with your journeys home afterwards. If people can't behave after the game then that's just a tad embarassing really.

You will get your own designated pub, next to the station. The Three Guineas, loads of real ale on tap. Interesting that you wouldn't want to socialise with your fellow Stoke supporters before the game.....having experienced your lot before, neither would I.

[pea]

Yeah, would be very very surprised if theres any problems with fans, especially not on the buses. Usually a really good atmosphere on there win, lose or draw from my experience (although I didnt take it at all last season mind you )

The worst you'll get is Big Foot throwing a paper cup at someone.

[The Cap]

Remember playing Stoke during the early days of the Mad Stad. That was certainly a different experience back in the times of the Engineers' Arms in Whitley.

We ended up leaving the 'rub a dub' and walking down the road with five geezers from Stoke, only to be met on the way by a group of roughly a hundred Stoke scallies (foot soldiers to the uninitiated). Fortune has it that the blokes walking with us were obviously in the position of being generals (firm talk and all that), as the looks we got from the group were brushed aside by our Stoke travelling comrades.

Similarly, after the game, when we returned to the pub car park to collect the 'jam jar', there waiting for the doors to open were the great unwashed from up North. Would we make the transport before getting a few swipes? Of course we would, as striding behind us came the generals. Job done. Now, as the Dyer Boy would say 'That was a touch' .

[Ian Royal]

Yeah, would be very very surprised if theres any problems with fans, especially not on the buses. Usually a really good atmosphere on there win, lose or draw from my experience (although I didnt take it at all last season mind you )

The worst you'll get is Big Foot throwing a paper cup at someone.

On the rare occasion I've got the bus, to or from, I've had some fairly good chats with oppo fans about the game. My experience is that people just smile knowingly about anyone being boisterous or noisey, having done it themselves plenty of times.

[1863]

Good morning,

I come as a Stoke fan in peace. Firstly, welcome back to the Premiership. It'll be my first time travelling to the Madejski Stadium since 04 and looking forward to locking horns in the big league. How do you guys think you'll fair this season? Would avoiding relegation be seen as the best you could hope for, or are you setting your sights and aspirations higher? What are your expectations for our match on the 18th and what do you think the outcome will be? Also are Reading looking to strengthen their squad at all? Will changes be subtle or will there be an overhaul?

I'd also like to extend an invitation to our forum, although it's lesser known, it's a much friendlier and in my opinion has a much better quality posts / posters ratio. You're welcome to join as we look forward to get more interaction with away fans. I don't own the forum so have no reason to advertise or recruit new members, just welcome new posters to engage in civil footballing conversation.

http://eighteensixtythree.proboards.com/index.cgi

All the best in your campaign, for the exception of when we play.

[Wimb]

Welcome!

PM sent!