Stoke City F.C.

Formation and the early years (1863–1919)

Although there are reports of the game being played in Stoke in 1863 and the club gives this as its official date of formation, the Stoke Ramblers club was formed in 1868 by Henry Almond, who had been a student at Charterhouse school where a dribbling form of the game was popular. Almond arrived in the region to become an apprentice with the North Staffordshire Railway Company and, wishing to continue playing the game that he had enjoyed whilst at school, established the first formal association football club in the region. The club's first documented match was in October 1868, against a scratch team brought together for the occasion by E.W May. Harry Almond captained the Stoke Ramblers team and also scored the club's first goal. The club's first recorded away match was at Congleton, a rugby club that were convinced to play a one-off fixture under association rules, in December 1868. From the 1860s, the club played at the Victoria Cricket Club ground; however they switched to a nearby ground at Sweetings Field in 1875 to cope with rising attendances.

In 1870, after two seasons as the Ramblers, the club dropped the suffix from its title and became known as Stoke Football Club. It became closely aligned with Stoke Victoria Cricket Club, sharing facilities and some administrative responsibilities. The club played at the Athletic Club ground, which soon became known as the Victoria Ground. It was around this time that the club…

Stoke City's honours include the following: League

Second Division / Championship (level 2) Champions: 1932–33, 1962–63 Runners-up: 1921–22, 2007–08 Promoted: 1978–79 Third Division North / Second Division (level 3) Champions: 1926–27, 1992–93 Play-off winners: 2002 Football Alliance Champions: 1890–91 Birmingham & District League Champions: 1910–11 Southern League Division Two Champions: 1909–10, 1914–15 Runners-up: 1910–11 Cup

FA Cup Runners-up: 2010–11 League Cup Winners: 1971–72 Runners-up: 1963–64 Football League Trophy Winners: 1991–92, 1999–2000 Watney Cup Winners: 1973 Minor

Staffordshire Senior Cup Winners (19): 1877–78, 1878–79, 1903–04, 1913–14, 1920–21, 1929–30, 1933–34, 1938–39, 1947–48, 1964–65, 1968–69, 1970–71, 1974–75, 1975–76, 1981–82, 1992–93, 1994–95, 1998–99, 2016–17 Runners-up: 1882–83, 1885–86, 1890–91, 1895–96, 1896–97, 1900–01, 1901–02, 1902–03, 1923–24, 1925–26, 1934–35, 1951–52, 1971–72, 1973–74, 1980–81, 2002–03, 2005–06, 2010–11 Birmingham Senior Cup Winners: 1901, 1914 Runners-up: 1910, 1915, 1920, 1921 Isle of Man Trophy Winners: 1987, 1991, 1992 Runners-up: 1985