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Post by dwr17477 on May 4, 2014 22:04:53 GMT
Six Seven seasons in to the promised land and, hopefully, all going to plan. What would be your favourite season? Your worst? This is my order:
1.) 2008/09 - Has to be my personal favourite. No one gave us a chance yet we had the great siege mentality which carried us through easily in the end.
2=.) 2010/11 - FA Cup Final, 5 - 0 semi final victory and some decent football.
2=.) 2013/14 - I have enjoyed this season so much and yesterday's performance summed up how far we have come - disposing of a poor side convincingly. So many great memories - beating Chelsea, Manure and Arsenal being the highlights. And playing some cracking football.
4.) 2009/10 - Good second season stability and an FA Cup run thrown in.
5.) 2011/12 - Ok, so we were playing in Europe but although it was another great experience, I hated the Sunday games and maybe things started going a bit stale.
6.) 2012/13 - Our 150 anniversary celebrations were overshadowed by poor performances after Christmas - I will always be more than grateful to TP for what he did for Stoke City in getting back to top flight football(I firmly believe others would have failed) but things had to be shaken up for us to move on.
Of course,this is all relative - thinking back to the old third tier days leaves me in cold sweats - we are on a different level currently and I am grateful to all, past and present, over these last few seasons who have made all those seriously bad times worth going through to be where we are now.
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Post by sheikhmomo on May 4, 2014 22:07:47 GMT
Six seasons in to the promised land and, hopefully, all going to plan. What would be your favourite season? Your worst? This is my order: 1.) 2008/09 - Has to be my personal favourite. No one gave us a chance yet we had the great siege mentality which carried us through easily in the end. 2=.) 2010/11 - FA Cup Final, 5 - 0 semi final victory and some decent football. 2=.) 2013/14 - I have enjoyed this season so much and yesterday's performance summed up how far we have come - disposing of a poor side convincingly. So many great memories - beating Chelsea, Manure and Arsenal being the highlights. And playing some cracking football. 4.) 2009/10 - Good second season stability and an FA Cup run thrown in. 5.) 2011/12 - Ok, so we were playing in Europe but although it was another great experience, I hated the Sunday games and maybe things started going a bit stale. 6.) 2012/13 - Our 150 anniversary celebrations were overshadowed by poor performances after Christmas - I will always be more than grateful to TP for what he did for Stoke City in getting back to top flight football(I firmly believe others would have failed) but things had to be shaken up for us to move on. Of course,this is all relative - thinking back to the old third tier days leaves me in cold sweats - we are on a different level currently and I am grateful to all, past and present, over these last few seasons who have made all those seriously bad times worth going through to be where we are now. I agree with your ranking there. Possibly 5 ahead of 4. |
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Post by Olgrligm on May 4, 2014 22:15:55 GMT
I think that's probably about right, maybe the Cup Final season as the best one? Then again, the Cup Final season was one where we were just phenomenal on the pitch and made history - something that Hughes could well top next season if he keeps up the standard he's set this season - whereas that first season was unique for a lot of reasons.
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Post by SamB_SCFC on May 4, 2014 23:28:48 GMT
I think I'll agree with that order. The first season was fantastic with the us against the world mentality, Paddy Power paying up on our relegation after one game etc and we just rose to every challenge and proved that Stoke City could survive as a modern day Premier League club. It was so important that we didn't throw away all the hard work of the promotion and made the most of the opportunity we were presented with and we did just that. There were so many magic moments too, beating Villa in the last minute to get our season going, the Man City home win with 10 men with an electric atmosphere, beating Arsenal, the mental at Hull when we secured our survival etc.
Worst season was definitely last season where it all went stale and we needed a change. 2011/12 was the most disappointing where we failed to build on the momentum of the cup final season, wasted the extra money we had to spend and generally wasted a golden opportunity to really push the club forward when our stock was high. We're faced with a similar opportunity this summer (although probably with considerably less money to spend) so let's hope we make a better fist of it this time.
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Post by M on May 4, 2014 23:39:34 GMT
Six seasons in to the promised land and, hopefully, all going to plan. What would be your favourite season? Your worst? This is my order: 1.) 2008/09 - Has to be my personal favourite. No one gave us a chance yet we had the great siege mentality which carried us through easily in the end. 2=.) 2010/11 - FA Cup Final, 5 - 0 semi final victory and some decent football. 2=.) 2013/14 - I have enjoyed this season so much and yesterday's performance summed up how far we have come - disposing of a poor side convincingly. So many great memories - beating Chelsea, Manure and Arsenal being the highlights. And playing some cracking football. 4.) 2009/10 - Good second season stability and an FA Cup run thrown in. 5.) 2011/12 - Ok, so we were playing in Europe but although it was another great experience, I hated the Sunday games and maybe things started going a bit stale. 6.) 2012/13 - Our 150 anniversary celebrations were overshadowed by poor performances after Christmas - I will always be more than grateful to TP for what he did for Stoke City in getting back to top flight football(I firmly believe others would have failed) but things had to be shaken up for us to move on. Of course,this is all relative - thinking back to the old third tier days leaves me in cold sweats - we are on a different level currently and I am grateful to all, past and present, over these last few seasons who have made all those seriously bad times worth going through to be where we are now. I agree with your ranking there. Possibly 5 ahead of 4. This for me. |
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Post by estrangedsonoffaye on May 4, 2014 23:51:15 GMT
1. 08/09- It will forever be my favourite season as we showed the world that we weren't he to make up the numbers, gave a few teams a bloody nose and announced ourselves onto the scene with combative football and generated some of the best atmospheres I've ever been in, a giant 4Q to all the doubters.
2. 10/11- The season where we all believed Pulis had cracked it and we were sure to evolve and develop into a more expansive side. Coupled with our first FA Cup final and drubbing Bolton 5-0 in the semi, it comes very close to number 1.
3. 13/14- We were all worried, we were all nervous, we were all thrilled. Upon the appointment of Hughes I have to day I was disappointed, it seemed like such a conservative choice but how wrong I was, his team has gone on to produce the best technical football I've seen us play and has seen us defeat the big boys on multiple occasions. 3 home defeats all season in the League is as good as anything under Tony too.
4. 11/12- The European circus rolled into town, and we rose to meet it, turned in some great performances and did very well to make it to the last 32. The experience was ruined to a certain degree by THAT team selection in Valencia. The cracks were beginning to show.
5. 09/10- Can't really say anything bad about this season, in comparison to those above, it was just a bit bland, no one expected us to go down because of the past year and we were all happy with what we got. Plus points for dicking Arsenal in the cup though.
6. 12/13- The cracks that had begun to show a year earlier were now pretty much fully developed, good performances up to Christmas were completely ruined by cowardly performances in the latter half and we were in serious trouble before beating QPR and Norwich. Turgid football, ineffective players and a dour season. Despite it, I won't have a bad word said about Tony, as all the seasons listed on here are ultimately down to him and our worst season in the Premier League is better than any season in the leagues below.
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Post by lawrieleslie on May 5, 2014 8:10:17 GMT
The 11/12 European Campaign was always going to be undermined by EUFA and the rediculous process of the Champions League failures being allowed into the Europa Cup in its final knock out stages. Totally unbelievable and akin to FA Allowing teams knocked out of the FA Cup from. 3rd round onwards to be allowed to compete in Johnsons Paint Trophy final rounds. Since the inception of this stupid rule, has a team ever won the Europa Cup having entered it from the groups stages?
Back to topic think OP's order is about right.
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Post by Deleted on May 5, 2014 8:48:27 GMT
The 11/12 European Campaign was always going to be undermined by EUFA and the rediculous process of the Champions League failures being allowed into the Europa Cup in its final knock out stages. Totally unbelievable and akin to FA Allowing teams knocked out of the FA Cup from. 3rd round onwards to be allowed to compete in Johnsons Paint Trophy final rounds. Since the inception of this stupid rule, has a team ever won the Europa Cup having entered it from the groups stages? Back to topic think OP's order is about right. I also think that season was blighted by a really poor second half of the Prem campaign. After the European adventure finished, it was just a very slow lumbering stroll towards summer and freshening things up. Took the shine of the first half of the season |
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Post by Deleted on May 5, 2014 9:02:19 GMT
11/12 just never really got going for me. We just never looked anywhere near the level we'd reached at the end of the previous season.
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Post by roylandstoke on May 5, 2014 9:17:06 GMT
The OP has got it spot on as far as I'm concerned.
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Post by OldStokie on May 5, 2014 9:25:23 GMT
1. 08/09- It will forever be my favourite season as we showed the world that we weren't he to make up the numbers, gave a few teams a bloody nose and announced ourselves onto the scene with combative football and generated some of the best atmospheres I've ever been in, a giant 4Q to all the doubters. 2. 10/11- The season where we all believed Pulis had cracked it and we were sure to evolve and develop into a more expansive side. Coupled with our first FA Cup final and drubbing Bolton 5-0 in the semi, it comes very close to number 1. 3. 13/14- We were all worried, we were all nervous, we were all thrilled. Upon the appointment of Hughes I have to day I was disappointed, it seemed like such a conservative choice but how wrong I was, his team has gone on to produce the best technical football I've seen us play and has seen us defeat the big boys on multiple occasions. 3 home defeats all season in the League is as good as anything under Tony too. 4. 11/12- The European circus rolled into town, and we rose to meet it, turned in some great performances and did very well to make it to the last 32. The experience was ruined to a certain degree by THAT team selection in Valencia. The cracks were beginning to show. 5. 09/10- Can't really say anything bad about this season, in comparison to those above, it was just a bit bland, no one expected us to go down because of the past year and we were all happy with what we got. Plus points for dicking Arsenal in the cup though. 6. 12/13- The cracks that had begun to show a year earlier were now pretty much fully developed, good performances up to Christmas were completely ruined by cowardly performances in the latter half and we were in serious trouble before beating QPR and Norwich. Turgid football, ineffective players and a dour season. Despite it, I won't have a bad word said about Tony, as all the seasons listed on here are ultimately down to him and our worst season in the Premier League is better than any season in the leagues below. This for me (apart from I'd got lots of bad words for Pulis during the 12/13 season  ), and for the same reasons. (It's great when you can save yourself a load of typing when somebody has done the work for you.) Thanks, estrangedsonoffaye  OS. |
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Post by estrangedsonoffaye on May 5, 2014 10:03:16 GMT
1. 08/09- It will forever be my favourite season as we showed the world that we weren't he to make up the numbers, gave a few teams a bloody nose and announced ourselves onto the scene with combative football and generated some of the best atmospheres I've ever been in, a giant 4Q to all the doubters. 2. 10/11- The season where we all believed Pulis had cracked it and we were sure to evolve and develop into a more expansive side. Coupled with our first FA Cup final and drubbing Bolton 5-0 in the semi, it comes very close to number 1. 3. 13/14- We were all worried, we were all nervous, we were all thrilled. Upon the appointment of Hughes I have to day I was disappointed, it seemed like such a conservative choice but how wrong I was, his team has gone on to produce the best technical football I've seen us play and has seen us defeat the big boys on multiple occasions. 3 home defeats all season in the League is as good as anything under Tony too. 4. 11/12- The European circus rolled into town, and we rose to meet it, turned in some great performances and did very well to make it to the last 32. The experience was ruined to a certain degree by THAT team selection in Valencia. The cracks were beginning to show. 5. 09/10- Can't really say anything bad about this season, in comparison to those above, it was just a bit bland, no one expected us to go down because of the past year and we were all happy with what we got. Plus points for dicking Arsenal in the cup though. 6. 12/13- The cracks that had begun to show a year earlier were now pretty much fully developed, good performances up to Christmas were completely ruined by cowardly performances in the latter half and we were in serious trouble before beating QPR and Norwich. Turgid football, ineffective players and a dour season. Despite it, I won't have a bad word said about Tony, as all the seasons listed on here are ultimately down to him and our worst season in the Premier League is better than any season in the leagues below. This for me (apart from I'd got lots of bad words for Pulis during the 12/13 season ), and for the same reasons. (It's great when you can save yourself a load of typing when somebody has done the work for you.) Thanks, estrangedsonoffaye OS. No worries mate!  |
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Post by wearepremierleague on May 5, 2014 10:30:17 GMT
For football this season has been by a mile the best. For atmosphere the first season will take it. The FA cup final season I remember we were piss poor untill in the league untill we beat west ham in the quarters, we lost to them 3-0 the week before.
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Post by wearepremierleague on May 5, 2014 10:30:38 GMT
12/13 season was shite
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Post by feynmann2 on May 5, 2014 10:31:28 GMT
1. 08/09- It will forever be my favourite season as we showed the world that we weren't he to make up the numbers, gave a few teams a bloody nose and announced ourselves onto the scene with combative football and generated some of the best atmospheres I've ever been in, a giant 4Q to all the doubters. 2. 10/11- The season where we all believed Pulis had cracked it and we were sure to evolve and develop into a more expansive side. Coupled with our first FA Cup final and drubbing Bolton 5-0 in the semi, it comes very close to number 1. 3. 13/14- We were all worried, we were all nervous, we were all thrilled. Upon the appointment of Hughes I have to day I was disappointed, it seemed like such a conservative choice but how wrong I was, his team has gone on to produce the best technical football I've seen us play and has seen us defeat the big boys on multiple occasions. 3 home defeats all season in the League is as good as anything under Tony too. 4. 11/12- The European circus rolled into town, and we rose to meet it, turned in some great performances and did very well to make it to the last 32. The experience was ruined to a certain degree by THAT team selection in Valencia. The cracks were beginning to show. 5. 09/10- Can't really say anything bad about this season, in comparison to those above, it was just a bit bland, no one expected us to go down because of the past year and we were all happy with what we got. Plus points for dicking Arsenal in the cup though. 6. 12/13- The cracks that had begun to show a year earlier were now pretty much fully developed, good performances up to Christmas were completely ruined by cowardly performances in the latter half and we were in serious trouble before beating QPR and Norwich. Turgid football, ineffective players and a dour season. Despite it, I won't have a bad word said about Tony, as all the seasons listed on here are ultimately down to him and our worst season in the Premier League is better than any season in the leagues below. I think for me, given it remains a unique feat in our history, the cup final season just pips our first season back. So swap 1&2 and I think this is spot on. Who'd a thunk, when we were about to kick off against Man U in the bottom three, that this season would turn out to be the best of our 'ordinary' years |
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Post by Deleted on May 5, 2014 12:56:28 GMT
For football this season has been by a mile the best. For atmosphere the first season will take it. The FA cup final season I remember we were piss poor untill in the league untill we beat west ham in the quarters, we lost to them 3-0 the week before. We were up and down in the first half of that season but had some good results and performances, like beating Liverpool and thrashing West Brom away. We had a shocking winter and then a brilliant spring. Parallels to this season in some ways. |
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Post by chinesedave on May 5, 2014 13:02:39 GMT
Never went v Bolton at Wembley so my favourite was the 10 man win v Man Citeh.
Beattie...what an header that was!
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Post by mermaidsal on May 5, 2014 13:13:06 GMT
I have the first year in the Prem, the Cup Final season and second half of this season too close to call - and for once, the season I'm looking forward to most is 14/15 |
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Post by estrangedsonoffaye on May 5, 2014 15:56:14 GMT
The 11/12 European Campaign was always going to be undermined by EUFA and the rediculous process of the Champions League failures being allowed into the Europa Cup in its final knock out stages. Totally unbelievable and akin to FA Allowing teams knocked out of the FA Cup from. 3rd round onwards to be allowed to compete in Johnsons Paint Trophy final rounds. Since the inception of this stupid rule, has a team ever won the Europa Cup having entered it from the groups stages? Back to topic think OP's order is about right. It's been in place from 1996 and there's been 11 winners who didn't play in the Champions League. It's a bullshit thing however I do agree. |
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Post by interestedobserver on May 5, 2014 18:16:26 GMT
I think that's probably about right, maybe the Cup Final season as the best one? Then again, the Cup Final season was one where we were just phenomenal on the pitch and made history - something that Hughes could well top next season if he keeps up the standard he's set this season - whereas that first season was unique for a lot of reasons. And long may it stay unique unless we need it to not be unique. |
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Post by borat on May 5, 2014 21:22:22 GMT
Agree with the OP but for football or entertainment this season has been the best by a mile.
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Post by Deleted on May 6, 2014 7:47:50 GMT
2nd half of this season is up there with the best but the first half was very poor. If we can make the right signings in the summer next season should be the best yet.
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Post by davejohnno1 on May 6, 2014 11:51:32 GMT
2nd half of this season is up there with the best but the first half was very poor. If we can make the right signings in the summer next season should be the best yet. I disagree that the first half of the season was poor. It was only poor if you didn't really understand what was unfolding before your very eyes. I was concerned by the continued presence of Walters and Crouch in our forward line and felt that their lack of pace, mobility and goals would always potentially ruin otherwise good performances and at times that was the case, but save for the odd game (4 actually), I think we have played well throughout what could have been a very difficult campaign. In terms of football alone, this is our best Premiership season by some distance. The FA Cup season, as exciting as it was at the end, was, for the most part, utter shit in league terms and I doubt you could find a single person who walked out of the ground following back to back defeats against Fulham and West Ham who wasn't totally convinced that the team we had would be relegated. It was worse than awful but that glorious period consigned all that to being a distant memory. In terms of sheer enjoyment and unbridled passion, then the first season would probably just pip this season but you will never re-create that and I would imagine every single Stokie in attendance that season, would put our first premier league campaign as amongst their favourites. For me, I would go, 2008/09, 2013/14, 2010/11 as the top 3. The Europa league season, Europa League trips aside, was utterly dreadful and last season was even worse. |
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Post by foster on May 6, 2014 11:57:38 GMT
Prem Seasons - 1,2,6,3,5 and 4 - in that order.
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Post by johnsmithsupper on May 6, 2014 12:29:27 GMT
Agree with the OP but for football or entertainment this season has been the best by a mile. Sums up my feelings perfectly, i salute you sir |
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Post by dirtygary69 on May 6, 2014 12:35:28 GMT
1st first, 2nd third, 3rd sixth, 4th fourth, 5th second, 6th fifth.
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Post by mtrstudent on May 6, 2014 12:43:06 GMT
I'm a geek, so I looked up some goal stats. In the FA final season we scored 46 goals and had a -2 goal difference. That's the best of all Tone's seasons, every other time we scored in the 30s and had a worse goal diff than -11. Right now we're on 43 scored and -8. So when we put 6 past WBA it'll be our best season.
But that misses how amazing the first year was, or the FA run. I think I agree with you although maybe I'd swap 4 and 5.
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Post by dwr17477 on Jun 8, 2015 22:18:33 GMT
Just bringing this back to the top and updating:
I think I'd put the 2014/15 season in second spot now as we have come on so far - the players, the way we play, the away wins, Bojan, N'Zonzi, Diouf, etc, Stoke City 3 - 0 Tottenham, Stoke City 6 - 1 Liverpool...I could go on.
I guess there is the downside - the FA Cup loss but really, with the injuries, 14/15 has to be up there.
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Post by upthefud on Jun 8, 2015 23:24:07 GMT
I'd still go 08/09 followed by 10/11 but only just. This flies in at 3 and say had we reached Wembley it had the potential to fly to number one.
08/09 Survival and bloodied noses all round. Best atmosphere
10/11 Memorable performances, Cup final and the most optimistic I've ever felt at the end of a season apart from now
14/15 Best football, top draw players, the future is so bright
09/10 Started to consolidate our position, staying up again was key.
13/14 Fantastic second half of the season but I'll openly admit I was in the very concerned camp given the first half of the season. Good performances against the big boys and no points, shit performances against the weak teams at home costing us valuable points. It's easy to forget that we were in the drop zone momentarily in the new year. As I say though, fantastic end to season which had me eating some wonderful tasting humble pie.
11/12 A damp squib given the optimism around the club and I was on tour so couldn't get to any European games.
12/13 Drab football, time for a change. There was genuine cause for concern as we started to drop like a stone.
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), and for the same reasons. (It's great when you can save yourself a load of typing when somebody has done the work for you.) Thanks, estrangedsonoffaye 
