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Post by OnionBag on May 21, 2013 21:50:40 GMT
Thanks for everything you've done for the club Tony. I've been going for 20+ years and can honestly say before your second appointment I'd have sworn that if I'd been going 200 years I'd never see us in the top flight.
The time is probably right for a change, however we'll never truly know. If entertain more it could have happened under you, likewise if we end up getting relegated. However you deserve nothing but the gratitude and respect of all Stoke fans.
So thanks and hopefully at some point you can get the send off you deserve.
Oh and PC make it a good appointment, don't ruin his hard work and the dedication he's given to us.
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Post by Peters Pipe on May 21, 2013 21:50:50 GMT
There will be a lot of clubs queuing up for TP because he is a proven winner. I am genuinely, not sarcastically, waiting to see who, if anyone, is kicking the doors of TPs Sandbanks home down to get him.
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Post by Deleted on May 21, 2013 21:51:23 GMT
Tony Who?
£100m and overachieving.
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Post by foxysgloves on May 21, 2013 22:01:10 GMT
Genuinely surprised at the lack of class from some posters.
He's gone. It's what most of us wanted. It's hopefully the right call.
Do we really need the petty digs and slurs?
I've said it already and I'll say it again. Thanks Tone.
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Post by PotterLog on May 21, 2013 22:01:23 GMT
Thanks for everything Tone.
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Post by stokie1 on May 21, 2013 22:05:22 GMT
Peter Pipe. I guarantee there will be plenty of interest!
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Post by Trouserdog on May 21, 2013 22:20:04 GMT
As the legacy of Morrissey & Marr has proven, it's better to go out on top.
Tony Pulis has had me tearing my hair out at times. After he had left Ricardo Fuller on the bench and lost 1-2 at home to Crystal palace at the end of the promotion season, I actually punched my car radio as he was being interviewed. But, he took us up...which I never thought he would do.
I didn't have much faith in us staying up that first season either, but he'd earned the right to have a full crack at it and the man exceeded all our expectations. By and large I was converted then.He still did unfathomable things at times, and I've lost count of the number of rants I've had on here about strikers on the wing and centre-backs at full-back, but the good points certainly outweighed the bad. When he took us to Wembley during that glorious run at the end of 2011, there was no-one that I would rather have seen leading us. He had proven me wrong and i was delighted that he had.
It all started to unravel a bit when he blew his transfer budget at the start of 2011/12 and it's been slowly and gradually downhill ever since. As the club has made more progress off the pitch than ever before, and a long-term vision became apparent, Tony started to be left behind. He wasn't the future any more, he didn't even look like the present- the matchday experience became a chore and he looked like a man who had run out of ideas.
However, this was how it had to end. He dragged us to safety and can leave with his head held high, knowing that he's done it his way and, for the most part, he's done it very well.
As a confirmed PHW, and one who has been quite vocal in the need for change, I am so glad that things didn't get ugly and we can part on fairly good terms. TP may have his flaws as a manager but I always quite liked him as a person- at least how he came across on TV- and I do have a lot of respect for him and what he's achieved here.
Well done Tony, I'm glad that you'll now be remembered fondly.
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stick7
Lads'n'Dads
Posts: 61
Member is Online
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Post by stick7 on May 21, 2013 22:32:18 GMT
Thanks so much Tony for all of your hard work and commitment you have given to our beloved club.I've been watching Stoke for 30+ years and in the darker days never thought I would see the day we would play again in the top flight and certainly never thought we would reach an F.A cup final in my lifetime and not forgetting Stoke in Europe.Such fantastic memories we will never forget.You will always be a Stoke Legend in my eyes.Best of luck Tony for the future.
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Post by prudhoe1981 on May 21, 2013 22:39:16 GMT
Thanks for all the great memories TP. The capped one will forever be a Stoke legend in my view.
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Post by thesandbankskid on May 21, 2013 22:41:41 GMT
Thanks Tony & good luck. That is quite an achievement getting us to the point of being an established Premiership Club from the depths of the Championship Sometimes change & fresh ideas are what is needed, it's just the way football is.
As far as TP is concerned it is his mission accomplished.
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Post by AlJolson on May 21, 2013 22:41:42 GMT
Charlton fans got fed up with Curbishley and mid table mediocrity and look what happened to them. A change doesn't necessarily mean all good. I bet I'm in a minority here but I think Steve McLaren could do a job here despite failing recently at Forest - no money as promised? I think he did a great job while as back up to Fergie and did reasonably well at Boro. Winning the Dutch title with FC Twente was an achievement under the noses of Ajax. The England job was probably thrust upon him too early in his career and I know he struggled in Germany. Language problems? And he has just walked from FC Twente after being up at the top and then going on a barren run. He seems to be one of the few managers who packs it in when he realises its not working out. There aren't many like that nowadays as all they have to do is wait for the sacking and the 2 million pay off.
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Post by Marc01 on May 21, 2013 22:41:41 GMT
Thank you Tony Pulis.
You were meant for Stoke City and we were lucky to have you.
Forever appreciative of the great times, fantastic memories, sporting heroes and committed teams you delivered.
I suspect that your immediate and future successors will not have the same connection to the club as you did and we will never be the same defensively. Top 4 defensive record in Europe half way through the season.....it won't happen again will it! No doubt we will never have the top 4 offensive record in Europe..... whoever is the boss.
Those grown men celebrating your departure like stupid children are a total embarrassment to Stoke City Football Club and themselves.
Best wishes
ST holder since 86
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Post by oatcakesteve on May 21, 2013 22:43:32 GMT
Genuinely surprised at the lack of class from some posters. He's gone. It's what most of us wanted. It's hopefully the right call. Do we really need the petty digs and slurs? I've said it already and I'll say it again. Thanks Tone. Agreed,he deserves respect for what he's done here.
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moortownpotter
Youth Player
Hope is a gun, that you load everyday. As the chamber is spun, you bite down on the steel and pray.
Posts: 365
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Post by moortownpotter on May 21, 2013 22:52:34 GMT
The relief I felt vs Reading...
The joy when you signed your new contract...
The sadness I felt after the binary season saw your exit...
The puzzled feeling on your return...
The disappointment I felt vs QPR...
The tears of joy vs Leicester...
The ecstasy when Lawrence scored at Hull...
THE semi final and final, just after losing my Dad...
For all that you've done, Tony, you will always be welcome in my home and my city.
But the time was right, for better or worse, the time was right.
Good luck and God bless.
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Post by chamberlain on May 21, 2013 23:08:06 GMT
Thanks Tony for all your work ,after watching us struggle in league 1 never did i think we would ever make the top table again.I think it is the right time to go with your head held high just a pity you never got the goodbye your achievements deserved at the Spurs game.
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Post by Deleted on May 21, 2013 23:25:47 GMT
I'm grateful for what pulis has done for us. I will not lower myself to criticise him now he has left. I wanted him to go, and it is sad but it had to happen. Good Luck Tony, you are a stoke legend and always will be. If our paths cross again you deserve a standing ovation. THANK YOU.
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Post by scfcbiancorossi on May 22, 2013 0:14:10 GMT
Thankyou Tony Pulis.
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Post by Fenparkpotter on May 22, 2013 0:15:54 GMT
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Post by mark71 on May 22, 2013 0:31:26 GMT
Thanks for everything Tony.
Some fantastic memories over the last 7 years. It's a shame it had to end like this, it didn't have too.
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Post by StokieBoy31 on May 22, 2013 0:35:17 GMT
Thanks for everything Tone! We'll never forget how far you've brought us.
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Post by madnellie on May 22, 2013 1:48:11 GMT
The relief I felt vs Reading... The joy when you signed your new contract... The sadness I felt after the binary season saw your exit... The puzzled feeling on your return... The disappointment I felt vs QPR... The tears of joy vs Leicester... The ecstasy when Lawrence scored at Hull... THE semi final and final, just after losing my Dad... For all that you've done, Tony, you will always be welcome in my home and my city. But the time was right, for better or worse, the time was right. Good luck and God bless. Top post, agree 100 percent.
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Post by whereami on May 22, 2013 1:58:36 GMT
Genuinely surprised at the lack of class from some posters. He's gone. It's what most of us wanted. It's hopefully the right call. Do we really need the petty digs and slurs? I've said it already and I'll say it again. Thanks Tone. I could try and make a list of reasons why, but I suppose its not really the time or the place. Cheers Tony, have a good un.
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sifta
Youth Player
Posts: 449
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Post by sifta on May 22, 2013 2:13:33 GMT
My first ever game at the Vic was a boxing day game v Liverpool with the likes of Keegan and Toshack vs Smith and Shilton.
At the time I thought this was how it was always going to be. Little did I know how much this type of match was a privilege rather than a right.
Under TP I've started to believe that something I never thought I would see again is normality!
Thanks TP for giving me back something I thought I'd lost forever.
Good luck in everything you do from now on.
And thanks again!!
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Post by stokemanusa on May 22, 2013 4:37:43 GMT
Great time coming up under tone! Amazing wins and days had will miss "GOOOOO ON SON!"
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Post by Claus_SCFC on May 22, 2013 4:54:03 GMT
*this very much posted in the face of lots of rumour, but they tend to be true if so widespread Dear Tony I would like to thank you for your time at Stoke City FC, and the journey you have taken me on for the past 6-7 years For many, the prospect of Stoke City ever playing again in the top flight was mere fantasy after so long away, but you got us there with a miracle effort in 2007-8 (backed by the chairman it must be said), and by hook or by crook kept us there with some fantastic memories in that first season. The Villa game and Mamas winner will stay with me forever After that we have been a safe mid table club, 2 Wembley appearances (the first of which was OUR final to be honest), and one of my finest and proudest moments as a Stoke fan, and even losing the final allowed the red and white army there to FINALLY sing Abide With Me and represent the area, alas the injury ravaged team couldnt get over the line I saw my team take on some of Europes glamour clubs (in competitive football!), something else I never thought I would see unless the Anglo Italian cup came back! Its not gone so well since, despite keeping us there, and the winds of change are around - you go with my full thanks and gratitude for what you achieved here, and I wish you well whatever you decide to do next. Hopefully Stoke on Trent will always have a place for you Simon. Amen to that! Tony Pulis - forever a Stoke City Legend
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Post by johnsmithsupper on May 22, 2013 4:54:18 GMT
The relief I felt vs Reading... The joy when you signed your new contract... The sadness I felt after the binary season saw your exit... The puzzled feeling on your return... The disappointment I felt vs QPR... The tears of joy vs Leicester... The ecstasy when Lawrence scored at Hull... THE semi final and final, just after losing my Dad... For all that you've done, Tony, you will always be welcome in my home and my city. But the time was right, for better or worse, the time was right. Good luck and God bless. I adopt all that for identical reasons virtually and add the mental against avfc at the first home game in the prem.
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Post by Deleted on May 22, 2013 5:41:28 GMT
The relief I felt vs Reading... The joy when you signed your new contract... The sadness I felt after the binary season saw your exit... The puzzled feeling on your return... The disappointment I felt vs QPR... The tears of joy vs Leicester... The ecstasy when Lawrence scored at Hull... THE semi final and final, just after losing my Dad... For all that you've done, Tony, you will always be welcome in my home and my city. But the time was right, for better or worse, the time was right. Good luck and God bless. I adopt all that for identical reasons virtually and add the mental against avfc at the first home game in the prem. but you still called him 'the despicable one' on this board. Hypocritical scum
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Post by potterpaul on May 22, 2013 6:00:51 GMT
Tony you can benefit from this decision as much as Stoke City can. I hope the fans will get to show their appreciation properly in the near future. There's a national team crying out for your talents. Thanks and good luck
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Post by johnsmithsupper on May 22, 2013 7:55:53 GMT
I adopt all that for identical reasons virtually and add the mental against avfc at the first home game in the prem. but you still called him 'the despicable one' on this board. Hypocritical scum I was wrong to call him that, but that doesnt escape the fact as i have consistently said that he has achieved great things, i also think its time to move on too. I dont see anything hypocritical in that at all.
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Post by carruthers1on1 on May 22, 2013 9:45:24 GMT
Thanks Tony for all the memories. To see my beloved Stoke City compete against England's top clubs in the league, rather than the cup(s), was something I never thought would happen. The days of trips to Bury and Chesterfield and the like seem a lifetime away.
I loved being hated by the rest of the country, (We're Stoke City we'll play how we want!) seeing opposition fans desperately waving their arms in the hope of warding off another Rory throw, and seeing opposition players wilt under the pressure of the Brit atmosphere (it finally, unbelievably feels like home). But all good things come to an end. Good luck TP and thanks again.
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