A warm welcome for the gaffer

Gerry Taggart

Stoke have started well though and were top for a short while but dropped a couple of places last Saturday when they drew 0-0 with Nottingham Forest.

They have progressed well since winning promotion in 2002. They only just survived the first year but last season had a top half finish which has now been followed by this excellent start.

Manager Tony Pulis took over from Cotterill although current Burnley number two Dave Kevan acted as caretaker for four matches.

Pulis has changed the Stoke side considerably and there were a whole series of new signings both before and during the 2003/04 season. Since that season finished there have been just three more additions.

The first of them was Crewe’s experienced midfielder Dave Brammer. He was out of contract at Crewe and the former Port Vale player made the short journey to their local rivals in the summer. He’s been a regular in the Stoke side this season.

That’s not the case with goalkeeper Steve Simonsen who came in from Everton. He’s cover for Ed de Goey and only made his debut in the last week.

Just over a week ago they added Steve Guppy to the squad. Guppy has been at Leeds this season since being released by Leicester but he was unable to convince Kevin Blackwell that he was worth a contract. He has signed for Stoke initially for a month.

Although they went out of the Carling Cup to Oldham they have been beaten just once in the league all season, that defeat coming a couple of weeks ago at Deepdale when the home side, relieved at the departure of the Weary Whinger, turned in their best performance of the season to win 3-0.

Stoke followed that up with a 3-2 home win against Ipswich when former Claret Driss Diallo made big contributions to all three Stoke goals and then last Saturday was that goalless draw against winless Nottingham Forest.

Manager Tony Pulis admitted that tiredness had crept in after a busy schedule and that had an effect on the way they played against Forest.

Click HERE to see all Stoke’s results this season.

Whilst Burnley had the two hour epic against Wolves on Tuesday, Stoke had no game and Pulis said at the beginning of the week, “To be honest, I’m glad we don’t have another game this midweek. We can spend the whole week getting the players prepared for the next two fixtures.

Stoke will welcome back Ed de Goey in goal after his recent injury and John Halls is back after serving a one match suspension against Forest having been sent off in the win against Ipswich.

Tony Pulis will select from: Ed de Goey, Wayne Thomas, Clinton Hill, Gerry Taggart, Marcus Hall, Darel Russell, Dave Brammer, Karl Henry, Clive Clarke, Gifton Noel-Williams, Ade Akinbiyi, Steve Simonsen, John Halls, Steve Guppy, Carl Asaba, Lewis Neal, Chris Greenacre.

There will be changes in the Burnley side with both Danny Coyne and Frank Sinclair returning to the starting line up after being named on the bench in midweek. Coyne will come back in for Brian Jensen whilst Sinclair, who played for all but 28 minutes on Tuesday, could find himself partnering Michael Duff in the centre of defence should John McGreal be ruled out.

Incredibly, and despite the Clarets Mad offer of help, we still have no international clearance for Amadou Sanokho and so for the fifth match he will have to sit and watch as the football authorities appear to do very little.

The Clarets look as though they will have one new player in the squad in Portsmouth right back Richard Duffy who has signed on loan for a month. The 19-year-old could come in at right back if McGreal is out but I suspect he’ll start on the bench.

The suggestions are that McGreal won’t play and if that’s the case I expect Burnley to line up:

Danny Coyne, Micah Hyde, Frank Sinclair, Michael Duff, Mo Camara, Jean-Louis Valois, Richard Chaplow, Tony Grant, Graham Branch, Ian Moore, Robbie Blake. Subs from: Brian Jensen, Richard Duffy, Matt O’Neill, Joel Pilkington, Paul Scott, Ryan Townsend.

Stoke’s last visit to the Turf brought 2003 to an end in what was a very disappointing performance from the Clarets. The only goal came when Graham Branch let in Ade Akinbiyi and the striker made no mistake.

The teams were,

Burnley: Brian Jensen, Dean West, David May, Graham Branch, Mo Camara (Matt O’Neill 83), Paul Weller, Richard Chaplow, Tony Grant, Luke Chadwick (Jay McEveley 70), Robbie Blake, Ian Moore. Subs not used: Lee Roche, Mark McGregor, Joel Pilkington.

Stoke: Ed de Goey (Neil Cutler 51), John Halls, Wayne Thomas, Gerry Taggart (Kris Commons 24, Karl Henry 69), Clive Clarke, Darel Russell, John Eustace, Richard Johnson, Marcus Hall, Gifton Noel-Williams, Ade Akinbiyi. Subs not used: Chris Greenacre, Carl Asaba.