Stoke City fan zone: Potters' progress sparks weird and wonderful coverage - This is Sentinel

IT'S incredible how Stoke's rise to prominence has raised City's profile among those interested in things other than what goes on during a game.

On Sky Sports' SoccerAM on Saturday morning, American documentary maker Morgan Spurlock revealed his new-found love for the Potters, citing the FA Cup final defeat as a huge disappointment.

It's well-known, of course, that 1980s Scandinavian group A-Ha are fully-fledged Stokies and there have been plenty of other celebrity supporters, including the likes of Nick Hancock, both in the grim years and the bountiful.

But now this is all developing in ever more weird and wonderful ways.

Signing players such as Jermaine Pennant and Peter Crouch was always going to bring a bigger spotlight from the non-footballing press.

Recently stories ran about how camp dancer Louis Spence has offered Crouchy lessons in the big man's endeavours to win back his twinkletoes crown among the England squad.

Then, before Stoke's visit to Swansea yesterday, a new invention the Crouch-o-Meter was dreamt up by those clever chaps at the Welsh city's PR department.

It compared 6ft 7ins Crouch not only with Swansea's 5ft 5ins winger Lloyd Dyer, but with local landmark the Meridian Tower.

At 53.5 Peter Crouchs, it's around a third of the size of the Eiffel Tower, which stands at 150 Crouchs.

How many Crouchs it takes to make an incinerator was, sadly, missing.

What next? The spiciness of jerk chicken measured in the length of Kenwyne Jones's dreadlocks?

Or the strength of a beer measured in Delap's throws?

The marketing men are beginning to take notice of little old Stoke. And it's having far-reaching effects.

Recently, two Russian lads from Moscow travelled for 20 hours in a train to watch their heroes in Kiev. Not Dynamo but Stoke City.

They received a rapturous welcome from the hardy band of fans who made similarly long treks from England.

And it got me thinking about such supporters are they glory hunters? Or is it just a wonderful thing that Moscow now has its own Stoke supporters' club?

Whichever you believe, bear in mind they would have to travel the small matter of 1,267,200 Crouchs if those two fans ever wanted a match at the Brit.

Mind you, if City play too often like they did at the Liberty Stadium yesterday, they won't bother coming directly after a Europa League game.

• 
  

  1. Learn. 2. Strategize. 3.Trade Get Up To $1000 Bonus. Trade Now!

• 
  

  Melde Dich jetzt kostenlos an und lerne zahlreiche Singles kennen!

• 
  

  Tagesgeld-Konten mit Top-Zinsen im aktuellen Online-Vergleich!

Be the first to

Report Abuse

• Name *
• Email *
• What is the primary reason you are reporting this message as abusive?
• Additional?