Stoke on Saturday - where to go before

[EastbourneBlue]

I’ve been to Stoke a few times but I’ve always taken the car and parked dead close to the 365.

On this occasion I’ll be getting the train. Where do away fans go before for a drink?

[light up the darkness]

Stoke and the Potteries are a complete sh*t hole
Apart from that ...

[Trigger]

Stoke and the Potteries are a complete sh*t hole
Apart from that ...

I've never been so always take these comments with a pinch of salt, knowing full well many who haven't been here would say the same about cardiff. All cities of course have their deprived areas.

I googled Stoke then went to images and noticed this article, safe to say its not sponsored by Visit Stoke https://www.ilivehere.co.uk/stoke-on...-on-trent.html

[EastbourneBlue]

I've never been so always take these comments with a pinch of salt, knowing full well many who haven't been here would say the same about cardiff. All cities of course have their deprived areas.

I googled Stoke then went to images and noticed this article, safe to say its not sponsored by Visit Stoke https://www.ilivehere.co.uk/stoke-on...-on-trent.html

I’m aware that it’s a proper dump.

Must be somewhere where away fans tend to go though?

[Former Labour leader]

Only went there once.Drove in and out as quick as possible. Grateful I had wheels left on car after match.

[Forest Green Bluebird]

I’ve been to Stoke a few times but I’ve always taken the car and parked dead close to the 365.

On this occasion I’ll be getting the train. Where do away fans go before for a drink?

Large pub just outside ground. Family & away supporters friendly. Something like Wetherspoons.

[B. Oddie]

The suburbs around the CCS is a complete shithole too.

[NYCBlue]

The suburbs around the CCS is a complete shithole too.

Canton is not a shithole.

[BLUETIT]

Canton is not a shithole.

This is true

Canton is great

https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/w...e-17634165.amp

PS:——— Don’t wear colours, badges or anything that denotes Cardiff, if you’re thinking of having a pint in Sjoke !!!!!
Oh, don’t open your gob either

[light up the darkness]

The suburbs around the CCS is a complete shithole too.

I don’t disagree about parts of Grangetown but cannot agree about all the surrounding suburbs

[TERRY BLUE]

Last time I went by train was for an F.A. Cup tie there many years ago and we were met on the station platform by the Staffordshire Constabulary handing out Welcome to Stoke leaflets which directed us to a bar at a Students Union place. There were double decker buses then to take us to the ground and back again to the station after the game. Not sure if this will be the case for the League game on Saturday though. Check out Footballgroundguide on the internet for up to date info. Hope this helps.

[BLUETIT]

Last time I went by train was for an F.A. Cup tie there many years ago and we were met on the station platform by the Staffordshire Constabulary handing out Welcome to Stoke leaflets which directed us to a bar at a Students Union place. There were double decker buses then to take us to the ground and back again to the station after the game. Not sure if this will be the case for the League game on Saturday though. Check out Footballgroundguide on the internet for up to date info. Hope this helps.

So much for “freedom of movement”

[NYCBlue]

Last time I went by train was for an F.A. Cup tie there many years ago and we were met on the station platform by the Staffordshire Constabulary handing out Welcome to Stoke leaflets which directed us to a bar at a Students Union place. There were double decker buses then to take us to the ground and back again to the station after the game. Not sure if this will be the case for the League game on Saturday though. Check out Footballgroundguide on the internet for up to date info. Hope this helps.

Was that at the Victoria Ground? We scored first and ended up losing 2-1. It was seen as something of a glamour tie at the time.

[TERRY BLUE]

No mate, it was at the Brittania stadium.

[splott parker]

Was that at the Victoria Ground? We scored first and ended up losing 2-1. It was seen as something of a glamour tie at the time.

Saw us get beat 4-1 in the cup in 1968 at the Victoria Ground, went by train, messing about on there and got locked in the guards van on the way up. Thought we were going to miss our stop but the bugger let us out just before Stoke station, taught us a lesson, don’t f*ck about on trains

[BLUETIT]

Saw us get beat 4-1 in the cup in 1968 at the Victoria Ground, went by train, messing about on there and got locked in the guards van on the way up. Thought we were going to miss our stop but the bugger let us out just before Stoke station, taught us a lesson, don’t f*ck about on trains

I was most probably on the same train, you young whipasnappers couldn’t behave then

[Des Parrot]

Having lived in Stoke (Newcastle under Lyme) for a couple of years & having one of my sons in Uni in Stoke. I beg to differ. In fact I'd say of all of the towns / cities we go to Stoke is by far the most similar to Cardiff (& even more so the valleys). My Bluebird badged car survived with no issues during my time there.

The people are great and amongst the friendliest I've worked with, their attitude about not being loved and overlooked is the same as South Wales and there are many similarities between the history of the pottery & mining industries. I'm going to the game with my ex-Stokie work mates & will be quaffing in Delilah's with them.

Shithole? Probably. But look around you! The people are real & not pretentious like some of the places we go to.

[Maccy Blue]

Having lived in Stoke (Newcastle under Lyme) for a couple of years & having one of my sons in Uni in Stoke. I beg to differ. In fact I'd say of all of the towns / cities we go to Stoke is by far the most similar to Cardiff (& even more so the valleys). My Bluebird badged car survived with no issues during my time there.

The people are great and amongst the friendliest I've worked with, their attitude about not being loved and overlooked is the same as South Wales and there are many similarities between the history of the pottery & mining industries. I'm going to the game with my ex-Stokie work mates & will be quaffing in Delilah's with them.

Shithole? Probably. But look around you! The people are real & not pretentious like some of the places we go to.

To be fair that is a good write up for Stoke.

I have worked with a load of Stokies over the years (or Potheads as they like to be referred as) and they have all been sound. Been taken to Port Vale games with them and Stoke as well. Stoke can be a bit of a rum place to be at weekends but the locals are usually pretty sound.

Some areas are very run down but you won't end up there unless you get very lost on your travels. Just avoid the Potteries centre - it is by far the worst shopping centre in the world.

[Rock_Flock_of_Five]

Having lived in Stoke (Newcastle under Lyme) for a couple of years & having one of my sons in Uni in Stoke. I beg to differ. In fact I'd say of all of the towns / cities we go to Stoke is by far the most similar to Cardiff (& even more so the valleys). My Bluebird badged car survived with no issues during my time there.

The people are great and amongst the friendliest I've worked with, their attitude about not being loved and overlooked is the same as South Wales and there are many similarities between the history of the pottery & mining industries. I'm going to the game with my ex-Stokie work mates & will be quaffing in Delilah's with them.

Shithole? Probably. But look around you! The people are real & not pretentious like some of the places we go to.

You beg to differ but align yourself to the majority of posters in this thread, that Stoke is indeed a shithole?

[Maccy Blue]

If the police aren't being a bit heavy handed and herding people onto buses outside the station then head to the BOD bar actually on the station, platform 1 - https://stoke.bodcafebars.co.uk/#about . You can get into it from the outside too. Great selection of beers and a really nice friendly place. From there get a taxi to the ground. If you want to experience the fun of the potteries then get the bus outside the station and head into Hanley. There is a couple of pubs like Spoons/Lloyds next to each other as well as a few other slightly rougher bars a short walk away.

[EastbourneBlue]

If the police aren't being a bit heavy handed and herding people onto buses outside the station then head to the BOD bar actually on the station, platform 1 - https://stoke.bodcafebars.co.uk/#about . You can get into it from the outside too. Great selection of beers and a really nice friendly place. From there get a taxi to the ground. If you want to experience the fun of the potteries then get the bus outside the station and head into Hanley. There is a couple of pubs like Spoons/Lloyds next to each other as well as a few other slightly rougher bars a short walk away.

Thanks everyone for assistance

[life on mars]

Burslem great force cheap pint and guaranteed ruck

[SLUDGE FACTORY]

I was most probably on the same train, you young whipasnappers couldn’t behave then

The relegation game when billy ayre god bless him was in charge was a riot basically

After the game the police totally lost control , they battered a city fan who was on the floor on his own then got chased by a load of city nutters

They arrested loads of cardiff fans after the echo , wrongly in my opinion , collaborated with Staffordshire police and printed wanted photos in the paper

Nobody was charged as basically the police were seen beating a defenceless man on the floor

People lost their jobs over having their faces printed as hooligans

[Maccy Blue]

The relegation game when billy ayre god bless him was in charge was a riot basically

After the game the police totally lost control , they battered a city fan who was on the floor on his own then got chased by a load of city nutters

They arrested loads of cardiff fans after the echo , wrongly in my opinion , collaborated with Staffordshire police and printed wanted photos in the paper

Nobody was charged as basically the police were seen beating a defenceless man on the floor

People lost their jobs over having their faces printed as hooligans

It was bananas that day. The police were up for a scrap and were provoking City fans all day. They held most of the coaches outside Stoke at Stapeley Water Gardens and then bussed them in after the first half. City fans went straight into the stands and ripped up the segregation netting. I witnessed some bizarre things that day. Home fans smashing up their own seats to lob at us, Andy Legg getting a police horse to move so he could take a corner and my Mum throwing an apple at a copper.

I had driven down that day so exited away from the fans who were going to the coaches - I could see it kicking off behind me as Stoke fans tried to get through the fencing and then getting chased back by a bunch of proper fired up knuckleheads. Didn't the police try and claim a Cardiff hooligan had brought a circular saw to the game and a load of knives etc? Turned out it was his work gear.

[SLUDGE FACTORY]

It was bananas that day. The police were up for a scrap and were provoking City fans all day. They held most of the coaches outside Stoke at Stapeley Water Gardens and then bussed them in after the first half. City fans went straight into the stands and ripped up the segregation netting. I witnessed some bizarre things that day. Home fans smashing up their own seats to lob at us, Andy Legg getting a police horse to move so he could take a corner and my Mum throwing an apple at a copper.

I had driven down that day so exited away from the fans who were going to the coaches - I could see it kicking off behind me as Stoke fans tried to get through the fencing and then getting chased back by a bunch of proper fired up knuckleheads. Didn't the police try and claim a Cardiff hooligan had brought a circular saw to the game and a load of knives etc? Turned out it was his work gear.

Yep I remember our coach being boarded by a copper issuing a section 60 telling us we would all be searched

We were led off the bus through a metal detector ff sake

Bizarre day

Police called in from west Midlands and greater manchester that day , they wanted arrests