Newcastle Town  Pre Season Friendly 15th July 2007

Once again Stoke show their first public face of pre season with a match against Newcastle Town at the Lyme Valley Stadium.

A stadium that's developed great over the years from a cycle velodrome , on the proceeds of regular pre season games against league opposition , including Stoke ,Vale and Crewe ,and  those using the facilities of nearby Keele University.

For me the fixture has long since lost it's appeal , not least because Stoke's team building plans are seldom started never mind complete at this time , the players aren't fit , the pitch is bumpy and we tend to give two teams a 45 minutes run out.

Added to which the cycle track makes the view of the game a disappointment. However, given that Stoke play their winter reserve fixtures here it'd appear the special 'partnership' is here to stay for the foreseeable future.

Given it's professional links I just wish they'd sort the pitch out , in previous years it's been uneven and the grass unnecessarily long , even accounting for the number of games it will have to stand up to in the forthcoming season.

A social gathering and a chance to meet up mates and finalise the plans for the Austrian games.. but nothing more.

Newcastle Town 1 Stoke City 5

Team 1st half

.......................Simonsen.....................
Hoefkens......(Trialist)....Buxton.....Hazley
Delap.......Russell(c)......Matteo.......Sweeney
...............Fuller(2).........Sidebe...........

2nd half

.......................Hoult.....................
Wilkinson........Higginbotham.......Buxton......Dickonson
Garrett(1).......Pulis......Eustace.......Lawrence(1)
.........Pericard(1).........Parkin...........
 

Attendance 1,966
Ticket Price £8

Distance 109 miles

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