Credit: Joe Lyons
An eagerly anticipated date for football fans is the day their side’s fixtures get released, with each fan across the land, pen-in-hand ready to frantically bookmark each matchday in their diaries or calendars.
This year is no different, however, it may have been a case of tapping a few keys on an electronic keyboard, perhaps with much more excitement this year too as fans can finally return to games due to being confined to supporting their teams from their front room sofas for the whole of the previous campaign.
Unless selected for TV coverage on Friday 6th August, Stoke kick-off their season with hopefully a full capacity crowd in attendance for the clash with Reading on August 7th, the first time Potters fans will be able to get their City fix in the flesh for the first time in over 18 months.
The following midweek, the winners of the competition in 1972 embark on their League Cup venture as they host Fleetwood Town in the first round.
The first time the Potters are in action away from home is on Saturday 14th August as they make the short trip down the M6 to St. Andrew’s to face Birmingham City. Awaydays come like London busses for the North-Staffordshire side as just three days later, Stoke make the trip to South Wales to take on last season’s Championship play-off runners-up Swansea City.
Rounding out the first month of the campaign, Stoke host Nottingham Forest on August 21st before making one of three trips to the capital as Michael O’Neill’s side take on Fulham at Craven Cottage on Saturday 28th August.
An away tie which many Stoke supporters were looking forward to, Blackpool, falls on Wednesday 3rd November, much to the huge disappointment of many fans.
The eagerly anticipated festive period gets kick-started with a trip to Coventry City, an away tie at Barnsley on Boxing Day before a home fixture against Derby County on the 29th December, the Rams one of many sides forced to endure the baltic elements of the Bet365 Stadium.
To start the New Year, the Potters play Preston at home – which is usually a feisty encounter. That then is followed up by the fascinating FA Cup third round weekend seven days later.
One of Stoke fans’ most-looked-forward-to away ties falls on April 9th as the Potters make their second trip to the West Midlands as they take on West Bromwich Albion at The Hawthorns.
On the Easter Bank Holiday weekend, Stoke host Bristol City on Good Friday before making the popular trip to Lancashire to take on Blackburn Rovers on Easter Monday.
To round off the campaign, the Potters’ final away adventure is to Middlesbrough on 30th April – coinciding with the early May Bank Holiday weekend, before a home clash with Coventry City on the final day of the season on May 7th.
Note: All fixtures subject to change.
August 7th Reading (H)
August 11th – Fleetwood Town (H) (Carabao Cup Round One)
August 14th Birmingham City (A)
August 17th – Swansea City (A)
August 21st – Nottingham Forest (H)
August 28th – Fulham (A)
September 11th – Huddersfield Town (H)
September 15th – Barnsley (H)
September 18th – Derby County (A)
September 25th – Hull City (H)
September 28th – Preston North End (A)
October 2nd – West Bromwich Albion (H)
October 16th – Sheffield United (A)
October 19th – Bournemouth (H)
October 23rd – Millwall (A)
October 30th – Cardiff City (H)
November 3rd – Blackpool (A)
November 6th – Luton Town (A)
November 20th – Peterborough United (H)
November 24th – Bristol City (A)
November 27th – Blackburn Rovers (H)
December 4th – Queens Park Rangers (A)
December 11th – Middlesbrough (H)
December 18th – Coventry City (A)
December 26th – Barnsley (A)
December 29th – Derby County (H)
January 1st – Preston North End (H)
January 15th – Hull City (A)
January 22nd – Fulham (H)
January 29th – Huddersfield Town (A)
February 8th – Swansea City (H)
February 12nd – Nottingham Forest (A)
February 19th – Birmingham City (H)
February 23rd – Luton Town (H)
February 26th – Bournemouth (A)
March 5th – Blackpool (H)
March 12th – Peterborough United (A)
March 16th – Cardiff City (H)
March 19th – Millwall (H)
April 2nd – Sheffield United (H)
April 9th – West Bromwich Albion (A)
April 15th – Bristol City (H)
April 18th – Blackburn Rovers (A)
April 23rd – Queens Park Rangers (H)
April 30th – Middlesbrough (A)
May 7th – Coventry City (H)
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