So there is a new PR person then!!

[markscfc72]

STOKE CITY: STEVE STARTS SPREADING THE WORD
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09:00 - 26 January 2008



Martin Spinks talks to newly-appointed City PR man Steve Buxton

Regular worshippers at the Brit will recognise his voice, if not his name and face, as he works the crowd when the teams first appear by bellowing down his microphone "Please welcome Preston North End... and the mighty, mighty Potterrrrrrrs."

At which point, you swear, his head will explode into a million fragments at any moment.



But his head and his voice have survived long enough for Steve Buxton to now extend his long-running matchday duties into a full-time job aimed at improving the club's image and PR in the wider world.

The 33-year-old Stokie began work this week in the newly-created role of head of media and PR which, as the title suggests, means he will become responsible for the message coming out of the Britannia Stadium.

He arrives with his heart in the right place after a lifetime supporting the club, while his ingenuity was evident from the age of 11 when he sold programmes at the Victoria Ground to earn free entry to matches.

He then joined the club on a more established footing shortly after the move to the Britannia Stadium in 1997 when he contacted Stoke with a complaint.

"I came in originally as the club's DJ," he recalls, "after complaining about the music just after the stadium opened.

"Then I became stadium announcer and I have since had involvement with many projects over the years, from Sir Stanley Matthews's funeral and the players' party after playing at Wembley, to last week's beam-back for the FA Cup replay at Newcastle.

"I'm a Stoke fan and I think that's important because it means the job ahead of me is a labour of love and hopefully I can relate to supporters as well."

He certainly brings the kind of local knowledge and feel, complemented by the necessary enthusiasm, to improve an area of the club often accused of being painfully neglected.

And he couldn't have handpicked a better time to move into the club full-time as the feel-good factor has rarely been better, while he now has five or six months to impose himself before the demands (hopefully) of running a club in the Premier League.

"I'm here to oversee the media department and its content, whether it be the matchday programme or the website," he says.

"From the PR perspective, it's a new role at this club. It's something people have perhaps had dealings with, but this is the first time someone has been dedicated specifically to the role.

"We want to improve communications with supporters and get out the message about how ambitious this club is now.

"I must admit, it's something I'm really looking forward to getting my teeth into.

"Nothing will happen overnight, though, and I will need the help and feedback of supporters to make this an even better environment for everyone.

"As for myself, I'm passionate and committed to the club, and I believe I have good experience for the role."

That previous experience, he says, has seen him spend the last five years as a self-employed consultant for events and the media industry.

His work has taken him to the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, while his services were hired ahead of the opening of Arsenal's Emirates Stadium last year.

But he adds: "I've always wanted to be involved here full-time and I can't wait now I'm here."

[knowingeye]

Good move not before time and a positive step in right direction. I hope that he's up to the job, hits the ground running and has the necessary knowledge of press and media. Not easy, but good luck to Steve.

[Deleted]

Other than having the ability to shout loudly into a microphone and being a Stoke fan, does this guy have any actual experience in PR for this kind of role?

EDIT That'll teach me not to read the whole article before commenting!!

[5ManBack4]

Good luck to him i say,always have a chuckle to me sen when he welcomes the away team and then the MIGHTY,MIGHTY, POTTERS!!.

[northstokie]

Hmm, stadium announcer and organiser of the staff christmas do does not fill me with confidence as to his skills as head of PR...

[5ManBack4]

I think its great we're promoting people from within the club and who is an actual fan so will want to make the club succeed.unlike say we got a guy from another football club who couldn't give a shit about stoke city and to him is just another job stick on his cv.

[Deleted]

if the 'improvements' seen in recent weeks are down to him then I'm really encouraged...

Only concern is good PR and a profesional face/presentation of the club in my view isn't the same as the matchday annoucements which I regard as embarrassing 'hype'.

The tone and style of matchday announcements might be attractive to some and what sponsors and younger fans want, or indeed expect .

But as an old scrote who's followed this fine old club to the end of the earth it's not my idea of how a matchday experience should be...much prefer a calm , and above all professional tone ,leaving any whipping up of the fans to the fans themselves.

[northstokie]

Wheresalif - I agree in principle, but I'm sure there are plenty of proven PR Managers out there who are Stoke fans - basically it says we are strengthening our PR and doing so on the cheap...