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"They're an interesting club with a lot of history and it's an intriguing tie.
"I am sure it will be a great day for both our clubs up in the Potteries, and we'll be looking forward to going up there.
"Stoke have great traditions, particularly in the Cup, and actually beat us in a League Cup final at Wembley back in the 1970s.
"Peter Coates was an innovative chairman and he did a great job there, in my opinion. I'll be hoping to catch up with him.
"It's a nice draw - one of the reasons being that Stoke have got a new ground with a near-30,000 capacity, so it should comfortably accommodate the Chelsea fans who want to go up there."
"I have always had a great affection for Stoke going back to the days when Tony Waddington - a milkman - was in charge, because I knew him well," added Bates.
"Rather like Chelsea did recently, he used to go out and buy players who were just slightly over the hill and past it.
"He would take them to Stoke City, but then manage to get two or three more years out of them.
"He got players like Peter Dobing, Jimmy McIlroy and George Kinnell - all those kind of players - and he'd bring them in for next to nothing from nearby clubs like Burnley, Man City and Everton.
"He would get that bit more out of them towards the end of their careers, and back in those days Stoke were known to play great football.
"I can remember when he signed Peter Shilton and paid a lot for a goalkeeper.
"I asked Tony why he was paying that sort of money for him and he said to me: 'Ken, he's worth 40 points a season and if he keeps us in the First Division, then I'll keep my job'.
"That was his attitude and, of course, if they could get an occasional cup run together then all the better for him.
"I've had an affection for them since then and I like to see them doing well."
This quotes from this interview have come from The Sentinel