Advantages:
Icelandic Money backing, Further money backing from new board member Phil Rawlins, Cash to spend on players, Up and coming Youth setup and players
Disadvantages:
Like all clubs at this level you lose money in the second division
Review rated by 7 Ciao members on average: very helpful
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This season is the third consecutive year that Stoke City are having to endure at Second Division level since their disasterous relegation back in May 1998, but looking back maybe Relegation was a blessing in disguise for the Potters....
When Stoke City Football Club fell out of the back door of Division 1 three seasons ago the club were in chao's and many predicted on the brink to oblivion. With huge debts, no transfer funds, lack of ambition and a board under pressure The Potters looked like doing another 'Blackpool' and find themeselves stuck in the bottom half of the football league pyramid, unable and constantly struggling to regain their past glories.
The First season at Division 2 level started well enough. New manager Brian Little strung a run of 7 straight wins together that saw Stoke top the table during the opening months, however a disasterous run of form and lack of quality players saw Stoke found out as being a poor outfit at Christmas as they fell appart and endured a terrible second half of the season that saw them slump down to mid table, Brian Little left and again the club were in search for a new manager.
Come the New season and November time and an event was to happen that would completly change the direction of Stoke City Football club and inject some much needed confidence back in to both the players and the long suffering Supporters. An Icelandic Takeover bought controlling intrest in the club and upon arrival began to pay off the existing club debts. £250,000 was made availible to develop much needed new training facilities, £1 million + was immediatly made availible for new players and experienced ex Icelandic International manager Gudjon Thordarson was installed as new First Team Boss at the Britannia Stadium.
More than a Year on and following an AWS Victory at Wembley in front of a full house capacity crowd for the Potters along with a string of quality new signings and further backing from new found Stoke supporting Millionaire Phil Rawlins (worth £250,000) who has since joined the New board and finally life is starting to look rosy again for Stoke City FC.
The current Squad is by no means the best in Division 2 at the moment, but the current squad and club as a whole are light years ahead of the setup before the Icelanders arrived at the Britannia Stadium and slowly the feel good factor and expectation are beginning to return after 20 years of degeneration in the Potteries.
Stoke only have themselves to blame for getting in to such a mess over the last several years, events that saw them slip from a top Division 1 side to mid table Division 2 during the club's darkest years. Now thankfully the club are starting to readdress the balance and finally fans are starting to understand what the word optimism means again...
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