Sky Blues On The Road - Stoke City

They have won Division Two on three occasions and were promoted into the Championship in 2002. Stoke have won the League Cup in 1972, The Autoglass Trophy in 1992 and the Auto Windscreens Shield in 2000.

Their current manager is Tony Pullis who took over from Johan Boskamp in June.
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THEIR OFFICAL WEBSITE
www.stokecityfc.com
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RECENT FORM
City lost 1-0 at home to Birmingham City whilst Stoke let themselves down losing 2-1 at Leicester on Tuesday night.

This will be the 53rd game between the two sides. City have won on twenty two occasions with seven draws. The last league game between the two sides saw City win 1-0 at Stoke on April 22nd with an 84th minute winner from Dele Adebola. ______________________________________________________________
TEAM NEWS
Mikkel Bischoff,David McNamee and Stuart Giddings are out. Skipper Stephen Hughes has a broken nose, Dele Adebola has concussion. The defeat against Birmingham on Tuesday night also saw Richard Duffy sustain some heavy bruising, Robert Page take a knock to his ankle and Marcus Hall jarr his knee.

For Stoke,Danny Higginbottom is struggling but Sam Bangoura and Martin Petterson could make Pullis' squad. _________________________________________________________________
MATCH OFFICIALS
The currently appointed referee is C.Boyeson. His assistants are K D G Lawson and I K Scarr. The Fourth Official is S W Mathieson
_________________________________________________________________ MATCH DETAILS
Kick off is at 8pm. This match is on Sky. Tickets are priced at Adults £19; Junior U17/Senior 60+ £12; Under 11 £9. This game is pay on the gate.

CCFC Coach Adult season ticket holder £15; Concession season ticket holder/JSB £10,Disabled £13 Coaches will depart the Ricoh Arena at 4.30pm.

According to an article in FC Business, Stoke's Britannia Stadium is one of the safest in the country thanks to CCTV which tracks supporters in the City centre and all around the ground. __________________________________________________________________
WEATHER FORECAST
A cold clear night with kick off time temperatures only expected to be four degrees.
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HOW TO GET THERE

From North/South/West:
M6 to J15. Take the A500 to Stoke-on-Trent then the A50 to Derby/Uttoxeter (the Britannia Stadium is signposted and visible on the sky-line to the right). Once on the A50 drive past the stadium on the right to the first exit and come back down the westbound carriageway of the A50.

East:A50 all the way to Stoke-on-Trent. Stadium to the left.
Please note: on a matchday, access to the stadium from the A50 is strictly limited to coaches, permit holders and disabled supporters who have been allocated a parking space directly outside the stadium

By Bus
Matchday buses leave Hanley (stand 11), Newcastle (stand D) and Longton (stand 10) bus stations and Stoke (Glebe Street) ONE HOUR before kick-off, with connecting bus services from all over the area. A shuttle bus service continues between Stoke (Glebe Street) and the Britannia Stadium at 15 minute intervals up until 15 minutes before kick-off. Return buses depart immediately after the match from bus terminals behind the Sentinel Stand (East). Normal fares apply.

By Foot
Pedestrians can walk to the Britannia Stadium on a matchday from Stoke using existing footpaths along the bridge over the A500, which lead to the incinerator access road, to link up with the footway/cycleway (and the bridge over the canal and railway line) to the stadium. Pedestrians can also link up with the new footway from the towpath which runs along the Trent and Mersey canal. Supporters can walk from Heron Cross (Grove Road) and Hollybush (Highfield Drive) to the stadium, along a footway/cycleway, but pedestrians coming from Heron Cross should be aware that they must cross the A50 at Heron Cross using the footbridge as a 1.8m high fence prevents crossing the road any further down. There is NO PEDESTRIAN ACCESS along the busy A500 or A50 roads. Finally, pedestrians can walk to the stadium along Stanley Matthews Way running up from Trentham Road (A5035).

By Rail-
Nearest railway station: Stoke-on-Trent (01782) 411411. Transportation for away supporters arriving by train can be arranged with the local bus company PMT (01782) 747000. If required, this must be organised in advance by the visiting club. Supporters arriving by train can take a two-minute walk to Glebe Street in Stoke where buses run to the stadium at regular intervals

On matchdays, access to the Britannia Stadium from the A50 is strictly limited to vehicles with parking permits for car parks NORTH, WEST 1 and WEST 2 (Directors Box guests, private box holders, Vice Presidents Club members, sponsors, Waddington Suite guests, players, officials etc), visiting coaches and supporters who have been allocated a disabled parking space outside the ground (wheelchair season/matchday ticket holders).Supporters who are allowed access from the A50 should follow signs which indicate coach and disabled parking. Access to (and egress from) the SOUTH car park (1600 spaces for car park season ticket holders and matchday parking) is from the traffic signalised junction on Trentham Road (A5035). Please note:The access road which runs through the Trentham Lakes site (Stanley Matthews Way) is not a through road for motorists from the A50 to Trentham Road (or vice-versa) as it is gated and only open to vehicles on matchdays.

Matchday parking is available for supporters on the SOUTH car park, access from Trentham Road only (see directions below) at a charge of £4. These tickets must be bought in advance from either the club Ticket office or selected newsagents throughout the area. There is no payment on the gate. The South car park is open from 11am for an afternoon match and 4pm for a night match.

Directions: North/South/West:M6 junction 15, take the A500 Stoke-on-Trent then at the first exit, take the A34 to Stone and follow signs for Trentham. At the next roundabout, turn left onto Trentham Road (A5035) and carry on until you reach the traffic signalised junction which sits on the southern entrance to Stanley Matthews Way.

East: A50 to Stoke-on-Trent. Leave the A50 and turn into Trentham Road (A5035). Stay on Trentham Road until you reach the traffic signalised junction which sits on the southern entrance to Stanley Matthews Way. There is further car parking for 400 vehicles at Heron Cross (£1.50).

M6 to Junction 15, A500 towards Stoke, over the flyover. Filter into left lane when carriageway splits into three then, when it becomes four lanes, take the slip road signposted A50. Turn right at the roundabout for A50, passing the Britannia Stadium on your right. Take the first slip road left (Heron Cross, Fenton, Blurton). At roundabout turn left for Heron Cross. At traffic lights turn left signposted Stoke and after approx half a mile turn right into Heron Cross School and Bowling Club. To walk to the Stadium turn right out of the car park, cross the road and after 30 metres look for Britannia sign directing you over the footbridge. It is approximately a ten-minute walk to the stadium from this car park.

Please note:ANYONE PARKING ON DOUBLE YELLOW LINES, FOOTPATHS OR GRASS VERGES ANYWHERE NEAR THE STADIUM OR STOKE TOWN CENTRE ON MATCHDAYS CAN EXPECT A £50 FIXED PENALTY TICKET.