Steady Progress

The last two years have seen a complete transformation in the fortunes of Stoke City. From midtable Championship Play-Off contenders, they now find themselves midtable in the division above. More importantly, their transfer activity seems to reflect their new-found status.

There have been several clubs who have attempted to establish themselves in the Premiership from the Championship wilderness in recent years. But few have gone about it with the level of belief that Stoke have displayed.

The January signings of Matthew Etherington and James Beattie were statements of intent from a club who felt entitled to bid for players with established premiership reputations. Particularly having discovered that their existing players, such as Ricardo Fuller and Liam Lawrence, had taken to the Premiership so comfortably themselves. That attitude has continued into the summer transfer window. Whilst the number of transfers has been a trickle rather than a deluge, this has more to do with a desire to aim at a high standard. The signing of Dean Whitehead is further indication of the requirement, and ability, to add premiership quality to their squad.

The biggest indication of Stoke new standing in the game, and the acceptance of that standing within the football world, is in the way their projected signings have been received. They have been heavily linked with signing good quality premiership players such as Dean Ashton, Danny Murphy and Benjani, signings which have generally been accepted by the football media to be serious offers with serious potential to be realised. By contrast, Hull City, promoted within weeks of Stoke themselves, have found a somewhat bemused reaction to their suggested transfer targets. Indeed, it has been seen as something of a success for Hull to finally land a player, one Seyi Olafenjani. A player deemed surplus to requirements by none other than Stoke City.

Whether the club are able to push on beyond what would appear to be a high watermark 12th place finish last season, remains to be seen. What is notable however is that nobody would be particularly surprised were they able to finish there again, a real barometer of how far and how well Stoke City have travelled.