Yahoo News Stoke City notebook with unguarded moment caught on tunnel cam and milestone hit
It is one thing talking about a spirit in the squad but it was a warm, revealing moment to actually see it when a camera caught an unguarded Ben Pearson in the tunnel after Stoke’s win over Plymouth.
Pearson was pretty much ruled out of the rest of the season when he limped out of a home game against Norwich in mid-March and it hasn’t been the year he will have dreamed about since joining from Bournemouth last summer.
But there was genuine delight on his face as he grabbed hold of Tyrese Campbell, Wouter Burger and Mehdi Leris after full-time on Saturday and told them: “Well done, well done my little boys!”
It was a raw moment caught by Stoke’s media team and a seven-second clip that summed up what was a big win heading towards the end of a long and difficult season.
Still, there was a comment that made us chuckle, asking: “Did Pearson get booked?”
Women win at the bet365
Stoke City Women came back from 1-0 down to beat West Brom 2-1 at the bet365 Stadium on Sunday. Goals from captain Roisin Kivel and Heidi Logan turned the game on its head and continue a push for a top five finish in the Northern Premier Division.
Head coach Marie Hourihan said: “We’ve really enjoyed the occasion as a team and it was a really good turnout too. It was a great crowd, the players definitely responded to that, especially after going behind early on in the first half.
“We would like to think that occasions such as this one don’t faze us anymore, this is the type of arena that we want to be playing in more often and, as a group, we have got to aspire to keep doing that.”
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Jordan Thompson 150-up
Congratulations to Jordan Thompson, who made his 150th appearance for Stoke this weekend. It’s coming up to four-and-a-half years since he joined from Blackpool for a pretty nominal fee.
He said in an interview for the club website: “I actually didn’t know until someone mentioned it. I’m very, very proud to get 150 appearances for this club.”
He added: “We know the talent is there, it’s just trying to get everything to click. I think we did the basics really well (against Plymouth) which we probably haven’t done enough through the season. We need to keep that going now in the final two games and try to get maximum points.
“We have to play on the front foot, get the ball to the wingers. I thought Junho was unbelievable, Milly on the other side and Tye kept stretching the game for and came and linked the play when he needed to. It’s trying to get our forward-thinking players on it and then the rest of us behind putting in a shift for the rest of the lads.”
Thompson also picked up his 13th league booking of the season in the Plymouth game and he’s just got to be careful not to do likewise in the final two. A total of 15 would see him banned for the first three matches of next season.
Possession counts at last
The Plymouth clash was only the third time this season that Stoke have won a game when they have had more than 50 per cent of possession (51 per cent). The other two were against Rotherham (home, 70 per cent, 4-1) and Rotherham (away, 59 per cent, 1-0). We should point out they did it in the League Cup too… against Rotherham (home, 66 per cent, 6-1).
They had had more of the ball in 16 other matches (seven draws, nine defeats).
Steven Schumacher mending relationship with Plymouth owner
Steven Schumacher has stayed good friends with Neil Dewsnip, currently Plymouth’s caretaker manager, but he admitted it has still been a bit raw with Plymouth owner Simon Hallett – until a chance meeting before the game.
The pair had not spoken since Schumacher left for Stoke in December but bumped into each other after arriving in the bet365 Stadium car park.
Schumacher took a bit of stick from a sell-out away end although it wasn’t really quite on the same scale as some previous similar incidents and none will likely get near the first few times Steve Cotterill went back up against Stoke.
“I think it's part of football,” said Schumacher. “For example, if I had been sacked at Argyle it probably wouldn't be as bad. Obviously, I made a decision that some fans don't agree with, which is fine. I understand it. I get it. People who are close to me, who are big Argyle fans - I have got a load of mates down there - will all understand as well. They were probably booing me too.
“Everybody understands and knows the affection I have got for Argyle and that will never change. I have seen Simon Hallett and John Morgan right before the game, when I drove in.
“I haven't spoken to Simon really since, which isn't the way we want it to be. I have just had a text from him now saying 'Really good to see you and Victoria, let's stay friends' which we will. It's obviously a bit raw, and I understand the situation but it was really good to see everyone.”
He added: “I have been trying to pick the right moment to call Simon. I was going to do it this week but the pressure and everything that was on the game, I thought maybe leave it until next week. It was really good to see him because he knows how much I care about him and how good our relationship is, and it still will be I'm sure.”
Another familiar face for old friends
Amid all the talk of Schumacher, Mark Hughes, Luke Cundle and the rest, John Acres pretty much sneaked back into Stoke. A popular former host on Radio Stoke, now running the breakfast show on Radio Devon, he was on 5Live and Final Score duty this time.
He’s a Plymouth fan who has a lot of love for Stoke – and he’s lost his son Evan to the Potters.
Sohail Sahi, his friend and BBC colleague, revealed how talented young basketball player Evan had travelled up with his dad for the match before heading off into the home stands to cheer the hosts to victory. They did it for Acres Jr, someone might say.
Anniversaries this week
April 22 – birthdays: Lee Sandford (56), James McClean (35)
April 22, 1967 – 1-0 loss to Chelsea: Gordon Banks (first league appearance)
April 23, 1977 – 0-0 draw with Spurs: Jimmy Robertson (final league appearance)
April 23, 1983 – 1-1 draw with Southampton: Dave Watson (final league appearance)
April 23, 1994 – 0-0 draw with Notts County: Steve Foley, Gary Bannister (final league appearances)
April 24, 1973 – 2-0 win over Wolves: Peter Dobing (final league appearance)
April 24, 2004 – 2-0 loss to West Ham: Brynjar Gunnarsson (final league appearance)
April 25 – birthday: Alex Elder (83)
April 25, 2010 – 7-0 loss to Chelsea: Asmir Begovic (first league appearance), Dave Kitson (final league appearance)
April 26, 1924 – 2-1 loss to Bradford City: Jimmy Broad, John Roxburgh, Billy Tempest, Joe Kasher (final league appearances)
April 26 – birthday: Rikki Dadason (52)
April 26, 2003 – 1-0 loss to Crystal Palace: Mark Williams, Paul Warhurst (final league appearances)
April 26, 2008 – 1-0 win over Colchester: Chris Riggott (final league appearance)
April 27, 1908 – 1-0 loss to Leicester: Final game before club was put into liquidation
April 28, 1990 – 4-1 win at Brighton: Mark Sale (first league appearance), relegation party
