The 2007–08 season was Stoke City's 101st in the Football League, and the 41st in the second tier.
After last season's narrow miss on a play-off, the objective was to gain an automatic promotion position. But after a poor summer transfer wise supporters wondered what the ambition of the club was. New signings were unknown youngster Ryan Shawcross signed on loan from Manchester United and veteran forward Richard Cresswell, which hardly set the pulses racing but a 1–0 win on the opening match of the season at Cardiff City set the tone for a season to remember. Stoke didn't really perform well in the opening few months and by the middle of November they were in mid-table, but several key loan signings saw Stoke embark on a twelve match unbeaten run.
This pushed Stoke into the top two and after a narrow defeat at Charlton Athletic Stoke won five in a row. However Stoke then hit a poor run of form winning one in their next eight matches. Wins over Coventry City, Bristol City and Colchester United saw Stoke within one point of gaining a promotion, which they would achieve after drawing 0–0 with Leicester City to gain a return to the top flight of English football after a 23-year absence.
Season review
League The feeling around the club had improved after last season's success in finishing 8th. The supporters were hoping that the management would bring new quality players as well as making last season's successful loan players moves permanent. But the club were left frustrated as most decided to seek employment elsewhere and by the time the start of the season had come around Stoke had only added Richard Cresswell, Jon Parkin and Ryan Shawcross to their squad. Stoke's first match of the season saw them travel to notoriously hostile Ninian Park to take on Cardiff City. Debutante Ryan Shawcross made a perfect start to his Stoke career scoring the winning goal in a 1–0 win which saw Steve Simonsen save a last minute penalty. A good win against promotion favourites Charlton Athletic followed but a 3–2 defeat at Southampton brought Stoke their first defeat of the season. Three draws against Wolverhampton Wanderers, Hull City and Barnsley failed to get the supporters excited and during the next match against Plymouth Argyle with Stoke 2–1 down, some fans started venting their frustrations at manager Tony Pulis but Stoke went on to win 3–2.
Stoke began to struggle, with poor home defeats to Sheffield Wednesday and then Coventry City prompted Pulis to enter the loan market again and he brought in Leon Cort and Danny Pugh. This enabled Stoke to field a more settled side and they began to display the form they showed from last season and they went twelve matches unbeaten from 24 November 2007 to 19 January 2008. During that run Stoke gained some impressive victories including a 3–0 at Sheffield United and a Ricardo Fuller hat trick against promotion rivals West Bromwich Albion. In the January transfer window Stoke completed the permanent signings of Cort, Pugh and Shawcross whilst former players Andy Griffin and Paul Gallagher made a return and John Eustace joined Watford with Glenn Whelan joining as a replacement.
Stoke's twelve match unbeaten run was ended with a 1–0 defeat away at Charlton Athletic. Stoke bounced back brilliantly beating Cardiff 2–1 and Wolverhampton Wanderers 4–2 away at Molineux. Then they beat both Southampton and Scunthorpe United 3–2 and made it five wins in a row with a 1–0 win over Ipswich Town to earn Pulis manager of the month award for February. But Stoke lost their form and managed just one win in their next eight matches until they won against Coventry City with three matches remaining. A Mamady Sidibé double helped Stoke beat promotion rivals Bristol City and ended their efforts to gain automatic promotion leaving just Stoke and Hull fighting for 2nd place with West Bromwich Albion looking to have sealed top spot. For the penultimate match of the season Stoke travelled to Colchester United who had already being relegated. However it was not an easy match as Colchester were playing their final match at Layer Road, Cresswell scored the only goal as Stoke almost secured promotion but for a late winner for Hull. This took the promotion race to the final match of the season against relegation threatened Leicester City. In a tense and cagey 90 minutes the scored remained goalless and Stoke took the point they needed to gain promotion to the Premier League and a return to the top flight of English football for 23 years.
FA Cup Stoke drew struggling Premier League side Newcastle United in the third round, the match ended in a goalless draw with Stoke creating the better chances. In the replay Newcastle had appointed Kevin Keegan as manager and he inspired the "Magpies" to a 4–1 victory.
League Cup For a fourth season in a row Stoke made a first round exit to League Two opposition this time to Rochdale, losing 4–2 on penalties after a 2–2 in normal and extra time.
Final league table
Results
Stoke's score comes first
Legend WinDrawLoss
Pre-season friendlies MatchDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorersReport115 July 2007Newcastle TownA5–11, 996Fuller 7', 25', Péricard 60', Lawrence 65', Garrett 80'Report220 July 2007Macclesfield TownA1–1Parkin 35'Report324 July 2007SV Bad AusseeA2–1Pulis 35', Péricard 37'Report427 July 2007Real MadridN0–2Report51 August 2007Aston VillaH0–27,503Report65 August 2007Tranmere RoversA1–2Higginbotham 77'Report
Football League Championship
MatchDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorersReport111 August 2007Cardiff CityA1–018,840Shawcross 27'Report218 August 2007Charlton AthleticH2–112,649Fuller 57', Parkin 78'Report325 August 2007SouthamptonA2–320,300Fuller 10', Parkin 82'Report41 September 2007Wolverhampton WanderersH0–017,135Report515 September 2007Hull CityA1–119,642Delap 44'Report618 September 2007BarnsleyH0–013,071Report722 September 2007Plymouth ArgyleH3–212,533Seip (o.g.) 10', Fuller 66', Lawrence 73'Report829 September 2007Leicester CityA1–123,654Fuller 15'Report93 October 2007West Bromwich AlbionA1–120,048Shawcross 27'Report106 October 2007Colchester UnitedH2–112,395Shawcross 8', Lawrence 73'Report1120 October 2007Sheffield WednesdayH2–414,019Fuller (2) 12', 41'Report1223 October 2007Crystal PalaceA3–114,237Cresswell (2) 49', 59', Shawcross 74'Report1327 October 2007Bristol CityA0–115,012Report143 November 2007Coventry CityH1–313,448Lawrence 72' (pen)Report156 November 2007Scunthorpe UnitedA3–25,521Cresswell 26', Hayes (o.g.) 88', Lawrence 90'Report1610 November 2007Sheffield UnitedH0–112,158Report1724 November 2007BurnleyA0–011,758Report1827 November 2007Queens Park RangersH3–111,147Cresswell 5', Lawrence 19', Cort 77'Report191 December 2007Norwich CityH2–119,258Cort 46', Cresswell 89'Report204 December 2007Sheffield UnitedA3–023,378Cresswell 2', Beattie (o.g.) 7', Shawcross 19'Report219 December 2007WatfordH0–015,516Report2215 December 2007BlackpoolA3–29,123Fuller (2) 37', 61', Cort 41'Report2322 December 2007West Bromwich AlbionH3–118,420Fuller (3) 5', 38', 66'Report2426 December 2007BarnsleyA3–312,398Lawrence (3) 31', 84', 90+8' (2 pen)Report2528 December 2007Plymouth ArgyleA2–213,692Cresswell 8', Shawcross 57'Report261 January 2008Hull CityH1–115,788Cort 33'Report2712 January 2008Ipswich TownA1–120,346Fuller 33'Report2819 January 2008Preston North EndH3–115,011Cort (2) 16', 72', Cresswell 28'Report2929 January 2008Charlton AthleticA0–122,108Report302 February 2008Cardiff CityH2–115,045Johnson (o.g.) 39', Fuller (pen) 57'Report319 February 2008Wolverhampton WanderersA4–225,373Delap 4', Lawrence 49', Cort 74', Fuller 90'Report3212 February 2008SouthamptonH3–219,481Powell (o.g.) 27', Shawcross 35', Sidibé 44'Report3315 February 2008Scunthorpe UnitedH3–220,979Lawrence (2) 53', 63', Cresswell 67'Report3423 February 2008Ipswich TownH1–023,563Lawrence 42'Report3526 February 2008Preston North EndA0–212,789Report362 March 2008Queens Park RangersA0–313,398Report378 March 2008BurnleyH1–118,432Lawrence 90' (pen)Report3811 March 2008Norwich CityA1–023,471Sidibé 58'Report3915 March 2008WatfordA0–018,388Report4022 March 2008BlackpoolH1–120,019Cort 47'Report4129 March 2008Sheffield WednesdayA1–121,857Cresswell 21'Report427 April 2008Crystal PalaceH1–215,756Whelan 85'Report4312 April 2008Coventry CityA2–120,249Lawrence 55', Fuller 79' (pen)Report4419 April 2008Bristol CityH2–124,475Sidibé (2) 14', 36'Report4526 April 2008Colchester UnitedA1–06,300Cresswell 45'Report464 May 2008Leicester CityH0–026,609Report
FA Cup
RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorersReportR36 January 2008Newcastle UnitedH0–022,861ReportR3 Replay16 January 2008Newcastle UnitedA1–435,108Lawrence 89'Report
League Cup
RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorersReportR114 August 2007RochdaleA2–2 (2–4 pens)2,369Shawcross 4', Cresswell 120'Report
Squad statistics
No.Pos.NameLeagueFA CupLeague CupTotalDisciplineAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals1GK Steve Simonsen35(1)0200037(1)0102DF Andy Griffin (c)1500000150113DF Marlon Broomes00000000004MF John Eustace 20(6)0201023(6)0405DF Leon Cort3382000358006DF Clint Hill 4(1)000004(1)0106MF Glenn Whelan13(1)1000013(1)1207MF Liam Lawrence40(1)14211043(1)151208FW Jon Parkin4(25)21(1)0106(26)2109FW Richard Cresswell42(1)11200(1)144(2)1210010FW Ricardo Fuller39(3)15200041(3)1510011FW Mamady Sidibé33(2)4101035(2)41012MF Peter Sweeney 0(5)0000(1)00(6)01012FW Shola Ameobi 3(3)000003(3)02014DF Danny Higginbotham 100010200014MF Danny Pugh27(3)0200029(3)05015FW Vincent Péricard2(3)00(1)0002(4)00016DF Dominic Matteo14000001402017DF Ryan Shawcross39(2)7201142(2)810018MF Salif Diao8(3)00(1)0008(4)01019DF Stephen Wright14(2)0001015(2)03019FW Paul Gallagher 2(5)000002(5)01020DF Ritchie De Laet000000000021DF Gabriel Zakuani11(8)0100012(8)01022DF Lewis Buxton0(4)000000(4)01023DF Jody Craddock 400000400024MF Rory Delap44210104627025GK Russell Hoult100010200126MF Anthony Pulis0(1)00(2)0101(3)00027MF Demar Phillips0(2)000000(2)00028DF Andy Wilkinson16(7)0100(1)017(8)03029FW Jay Bothroyd 1(3)000001(3)00030DF Ryan Shotton000000000031DF Carl Dickinson19(8)01(1)01021(9)03032DF Chris Riggott900000900033MF Stephen Pearson3(1)000003(1)00034FW Adam Rooney000000000035MF Robert Garrett000000000036GK Márton Fülöp 000000000036GK Carlo Nash10000001000037MF Matthew Hazley000000000039MF Nathaniel Wedderburn0000000000––Own goals–5–0–0–5––
Transfers
In DatePos.NameFromFee20 June 2007FW Jon Parkin Hull City£275,0003 August 2007FW Richard Cresswell Leeds UnitedUndisclosed17 August 2007DF Ritchie De Laet Royal Antwerp£100,00031 August 2007MF Demar Phillips WaterhouseUndisclosed10 December 2007MF Salif Diao LiverpoolFree3 January 2008MF Danny Pugh Preston North End£500,00010 January 2008DF Andy Griffin Derby County£300,00014 January 2008DF Leon Cort Crystal Palace£1.200,00018 January 2008DF Ryan Shawcross Manchester United£1.000,00030 January 2008MF Glenn Whelan Sheffield Wednesday£500,000
Loan in Date fromDate toPos.NameFrom3 August 200730 June 2008DF Stephen Wright Sunderland3 August 20071 January 2008DF Ryan Shawcross Manchester United17 August 200719 September 2007DF Jody Craddock Wolverhampton Wanderers31 August 200730 June 2008DF Gabriel Zakuani Fulham2 November 20071 January 2008MF Danny Pugh Preston North End2 November 20071 January 2008DF Leon Cort Crystal Palace31 January 200830 June 2008MF Paul Gallagher Blackburn Rovers22 February 200826 February 2008GK Márton Fülöp Sunderland29 February 200830 June 2008DF Chris Riggott Middlesbrough4 March 200830 June 2008GK Carlo Nash Wigan Athletic14 March 200830 June 2008FW Jay Bothroyd Wolverhampton Wanderers27 March 200830 June 2008FW Shola Ameobi Newcastle United28 March 200830 June 2008MF Stephen Pearson Derby County
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