Tony Pulis
Role: Manager
Joined: 2006
Rejoined the Potters in 2006, to much mixed feelings among the faithful. His success cannot be argued wth but there were concerns over the style of play that it was achieved with.
That all changed though in 2007/2008 when TP guided the club to promotion to the top flight for the first time in 23 years. Unified support then saw the Brit packed out the following season and the team and fans given many plaudits as the fans came out top of the league whilst the team amazingly finished 12th.
Started his management career at Bournemouth before enjoying great success at Gillingham, winning one promotion and being stoppage time away from another promotion in the play off final before two late, late goals broke the dream.
A spell at Bristol City followed before he was lured to Portsmouth. Only had one season at Pompey before leaving and the came his initial spell at the Britannia Stadium.
In 2002/3 he took over a side slipping down the league following promotion the season before, and was the 4th manager in 5 months, and after a run of 8 successive defeats the rebuilding started. A dramatic end of season run saw the Potters claim 22 points from their final 12 games, after securing just 28 from their first 34 to sit bottom before the run in, survival secured on the last day.
2003/4 and 2004/5 saw top half finishes before Pulis was sacked by the clubs Icelandic board during the summer of 2005.
The return of Peter Coates as chairman in the summer of 2006 saw him immediately bring back Pulis and immediate success was there as the Potters brought in many big name players like Lee Hendrie, Salif Diao and Patrick Berger but lost out on a play off position on the final day and finished 8th.
They were not be denied 12 months later though as they secured the draw needed on the final day to finish 2nd and win automatic promotion, signings Ricardo Fuller and Liam Lawrence each netting 15 goals each.
Pulis once again showed his prowess in the transfer market to recruit players of the experience and ability of Abdoulaye Faye and Thomas Sorenson to see the Potters improve as team, and manager, learnt more and more about the league before pulling away from the drop zone in the run in and finishing a comfortable 12th.
11th the season after, with the Potters style moving on aswell, earnt more plaudits before 2010/11 saw him guide the Potters to their first ever FA Cup final, after beating Bolton 5-0 at Wembley in the semi final. The club finished 13th in the league but qualified for Europe for the first time in 37 years.
2011/12 started with the Potters defeating Hajduk Split, the first City side to ever triumph over two legs in a European tie, and also collect the clubs first ever away win in Europe at the same time