New Years Day preview

North Staffs Football kicks off the New Year with a full fixture list.

Stoke City look to bounce back from their 2-0 defeat to Fulham with another match at the Britannia against Everton.

Britannia Stadium

Tony Pulis has called for Jermaine Pennant to keep focused after signing a two-and-a-half-year deal from Spanish side Real Zaragoza.

David Moyes’s side are the visitors and boast just two wins away from Goodison Park, but the Toffees could prove hard to break down, having drawn six on their travels.

In League Two, Port Vale will have to put aside worries over Micky Adams departure as they travel to Yorkshire side Rotherham.

Rotherham would leapfrog Vale with a win, as Adams’s men look to bounce back from a second successive defeat to Gillingham on Boxing Day.

Burton Albion welcome play-off contenders Shrewsbury Town to the Pirelli Stadium. The Brewers have slipped down to 14^th and are in need of a win to boost their own play-off chances.

The Shrews are poor travellers for their league position and have notched just three wins.

In the Blue Square North, Stafford Rangers face a tough test at AFC Telford as Tim Flowers searches for his first league win at the helm.

Rangers sit 20^th and are desperate for a win to lift themselves out of the relegation spots, but having netted only twice on their travels so far this campaign the odds are certainly stacked against them.

In the Evo Stik Division One South, Kidsgrove Athletic and Leek Town battle out a North Staffordshire derby at the Seddon Stadium.

Grove will be hoping to push home advantage as they look to challenge for a top two finish this season, whilst Leek’s prerogative is merely survival. The Blues haven’t kicked a ball in anger since November 23.

Elsewhere, Newcastle Town travel to Market Drayton Town.

NSF predictions

Stoke City 1 Everton 1

Burton Albion 1 Shrewsbury 2

Rotherham 2 Port Vale 2

AFC Telford 3 Stafford Rangers 0

Kidsgrove Athletic 2 Leek Town 1

Market Drayton 1 Newcastle Town 3

Let North Staffs Football know your score predictions!

More postponements in big freeze

Burton Albion and Stafford Rangers have been forced to postpone today’s Boxing Day fixtures due to frozen pitches.

In the Evo Stik First Division South all fixtures have been called off for Leek Town, Newcastle Town and Kidsgrove Athletic, scheduled to be played tomorrow (December 27).

Harrison Park Pic: Hampton Productions

Only Stoke City‘s trip to Ewood Park to take on Blackburn Rovers will go ahead.

Weather permitting, Vale travel to Gillingham and Burton take on Stevenage at the Pirelli on December 28, Stafford Rangers have a home tie against Worcester and Stoke entertain Fulham at the Britannia Stadium.

Leek, Newcastle and Kidsgrove will have to wait until New Years Day before they next attempt to play.

Leek and Kidsgrove clash at the Seddon Stadium whilst Newcastle make the short trip to Market Drayton Town.

North Staffs Football brings you the news about games that have been called off as soon as we get it. Let us know your score predictions.

Festive period kicks off

With all of our side’s itching to play after postponements, the festive period kicks off with a Boxing Day feast.

Stoke City travel to managerless Blackburn Rovers in search of a win to leapfrog the Lancashire outfit.

In League Two, Port Vale have a home tie against strugglers Lincoln City and Burton Albion travel to an in-form Northampton side.

In the Blue Square North, Stafford Rangers have a home match against Telford AFC.

The Evo Stik First Division South will play their matches on December 27 where Leek Town host their match with Belper (34 days since they last kicked a ball) and Newcastle host a derby clash with Kidsgrove Athletic.

North Staffs Football will keep you informed of any postponements, but let us know your score predictions from our games.

Ryan Shawcross’s horrific Emirates trip

Stoke City captain Ryan Shawcross has described their trip to Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium and back as ‘horrendous’.

The team bus was stuck in heavy snow on the M1 after the midday postponement of the Potters clash with the Gunners.

Shawcross told the club’s website: “We certainly don’t want another journey like that, it was horrendous.

Ryan Shawcross

“The spirit remained high on the bus and I suppose in many respects it was a relief that we actually made it home.

“With so many cars and lorries getting stuck and being abandoned we were fortunate that we didn’t end up that way.”

The Potters will remain closer to home over the festive period, with four out of five home matches after they make the short trip to Blackburn Rovers on Boxing Day.

Stoke City set for Arsenal clash

Stoke City travel to the Emirates Stadium to face an Arsenal side looking to bounce back from defeat.

The Potters themselves will hope to avenge last weekend’s 1-0 defeat to Blackpool and second-placed Arsenal.

In last season’s clash, centre-back Ryan Shawcross saw red following a tackle on Aaron Ramsey, which resulted in the young forward breaking his leg.

Ryan Shawcross

But Tony Pulis has defended Shawcross and said the young defender will not let that impact on tomorrow’s match.

He added: “Ryan is a very honest lad and has done fantastic for this club.

“I don’t think he will approach the game in any other way, he is a competitive defender but an honest kid as well.

“I have seen the challenge over and over again and I am convinced along with 99 per cent of people that there was no malice in the tackle.

“He has no justification to go to the Emirates and be anything other than what he is – an honest competitor.”

Kick-off is 3.00pm.

Click below to see the challenge in last season’s match at the Britannia Stadium. Warning to viewers the video is graphic.

Blackpool boss hails work at Stoke City

Blackpool boss Ian Holloway believes Stoke City Football Club are only going to get ‘stronger and stronger’.

Speaking after his side’s 1-0 win over the Potters, Holloway said he hopes to emulate Tony Pulis’s success with his own newly-promoted club.

He told BBC Sport: “Stoke are a fantastic side, their fans and players are brilliant and Tony (Pulis) deserves a lot of credit.

Ian Holloway

“We knew Stoke would be a test and we just about passed it.

“There is a fantastic spirit at the club and we have got to try and emulate that.”

Dudley Campbell’s strike three minutes into the second-half separated the sides, but Holloway added that he hopes Blackpool can follow in similar footsteps as Stoke City have.

He said: “Stoke come up and are really enjoying it.

“They have good energy and it is massive for people in and around the community.

“Tony and the chairman have a good relationship and they are only going to get stronger and stronger.

“Stoke have stayed up two years now and we would love to live up to what Stoke have done.”

Holloway has been very vocal in recent weeks over squad rotations, Wayne Rooney and the Premier League bosses.

Click below to listen to one of his lively interviews:

Stoke City rue missed chances, says boss Tony Pulis

Stoke City boss Tony Pulis has said his side have paid the price for squandering too many chances.

The Potters lost 1-0 to Blackpool at the Britannia Stadium thanks to Dudley Campbell’s second-half goal.

Pulis conceded after the match that it was ‘one of those days’.

Tony Pulis

He told BBC Sport: “We created more chances today (December 11) than we have done in other Premier League matches.

“We had opportunities and won every header from the corners but didn’t hit the target.”

Both sides squandered early chances in a goalless first-half.

Matthew Etherington and Kenwyne Jones linked up well but the latter’s headed effort flew narrowly over the crossbar.

Blackpool found their feet in the game and came perilously close following Robert Huth’s slip.

The German’s mistake was picked up by Neil Eardley whose teasing cross was blocked by Andy Wilkinson, the rebound falling kindly to Campbell who lashed his volley wide.

Blackpool nearly broke the deadlock on the stroke of half-time but were denied by Asmir Begovic who pulled off a superb one-handed save to deny Campbell.

There were chances for both sides at the start of the second-half, but it was the visitors that made sure of their opportunity.

Britannia Stadium

Ricardo Fuller failed to take advantage of a clear run on goal, and Blackpool countered the attack. Charlie Adam whipped in a teasing ball from the left and found Campbell prowling in the six-yard box with a simple tap-in from close range.

Stoke piled the pressure on, and hit the woodwork three times through Fuller, Etherington and Rory Delap but the visitors somehow managed to hold out.

Pulis said Blackpool’s ‘game of lottery’ worked for them.

He added: “They took their chances and won the game.

“Fair play to them, they have thrown the dice and their playing a game of lottery at times because they play very open and it came up trumps today.

“The lads worked hard – but I didn’t think it was going to be our day and it turned out that way.”

The result leaves the Potters in 11th place with a trip to Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium to look forward to next week.

Did you go the game? Let North Staffs Football know your thoughts!

Stoke and Blackpool fans to give Sir Stanley Matthews minute’s silence

Stoke entertain newly-promoted Blackpool tomorrow (December 11) and one man will be at the forefront of both sets of fans minds at the Britannia Stadium, writes Matthew Appleby.

Sir Stanley Matthews notched up a massive 701 league appearance with both clubs spanning a 33-year period and there will be a minute’s silence prior to kick-off in remembrance of the winger.

Britannia Stadium

Blackpool lie three points behind Stoke in the Premier League table and will be hoping that they can draw level with the Potters in what could be their first top-flight match between the two sides since 1971.

Jermaine Pennant and Andy Wilkinson have both recovered from injuries after missing the 2-2 draw with Wigan, and Marc Wilson will also be available after serving his one-match ban.

Blackpool boss Ian Holloway will be without top scorer Marlon Harewood, who is still out with a hamstring injury but Alex Baptiste and Ludovic Sylvestre are pushing for starts for the Seasiders.

Tony Pulis’s men are unbeaten in their last five games and have a good record against the Lancashire outfit, remaining unbeaten in their last seven league encounters.

Matthew Etherington will pose a threat after scoring in each of his last three league games and the 29 year-old will become the first player for Stoke to score four matches in a row in Premier League history should he net on Saturday.

Blackpool’s star man Charlie Adam will be hoping to celebrate his birthday in style, after turning 25 this week, but a win for the Potters could keep the talk of European football next season going.

Stoke City chairman starts 20k Olympics fund

Stoke City chairman Peter Coates has pledged £20k to help local athletes acheive their Olympic dream.

And the club are urging athletes to apply for a share of the money providing they live or compete in North Staffordshire and represent Great Britain or a Home Country.

The fund has received the support of Stoke-on-Trent hockey ace Imran Sherwani, who won Gold at the Seoul 1998 Olympics.

Peter Coates

Sherwani will comprise part of the panel of judges that will decide which athletes are considered worthy of financial support, in order to help them gain selection for the 2012 London Games.

Coates said: “We consider it very important to support sporting talent in other fields who have the potential to bring further recognition to the area.

“We have seen as a club that sporting success can generate a feel good factor within North Staffordshire and we hope this funding will help others to acheive that too.

“There has been a big squeeze on funding due to cutbacks, so I am sure this money will make a massive difference to the needs of individuals and if there are local companies who want to support it they would be very welcome.”

Applications must be made by Friday 31st December and should be sent to the North Staffordshire 2012 Aspiring Athlete Fund, Stoke City Football Club, Britannia Stadium, Stanley Matthews Way, Stoke-on-Trent.

Let North Staffs Football know your thoughts about a particular athlete that should benefit from this scheme.

Stoke City boss urges fans not get carried away with European Cup hopes

Stoke City boss Tony Pulis has called for fans not to get carried away after their 2-2 draw with Wigan Athletic.

The Potters have been in superb form after wins over West Brom, Liverpool and Birmingham, a run which has lifted them from relegation worries upto only five points off an elusive European Cup spot.

And there are talks starting to circulate the ground that the Potters could find themselves in a European Cup place come the end of the season.

Pulis said: “People will always get carried away but we are bobbing along nicely at the moment.

“We have a good spirit in the team which has always been there but we have added a little bit more quality to it and we look more of a threat going forward.”

The Potters next match will be at the Britannia on Saturday (Dec 11) will be against Blackpool. Kick-off is 3.00pm

Can Stoke finish in a European Cup spot this year? Or are we building our hopes up? Let North Staffs Football know and leave a comment below.