Just fabulous history whether you like sport or not

The latest from @stokefootball.bsky.social Great read open.substack.com/pub/stokefoo...

Unrealised development proposal at Etruria Junction on the Trent & Mersey Canal #Etruria #ThePotteries #StokeonTrent

#FloodlightFriday Victoria Ground, Stoke. Photo Credit: Bert Bentley

Still available via Pitch Publishing #WorkandPlay www.pitchpublishing.co.uk/shop/work-an...

"Street football is a global language, but spoken with a local accent" Out in 2026 via Pitch Publishing 'Street Football: The Real Grassroots of the Beautiful Game' #StreetFootball 📸 Getty Images

Football in a Library #38 League Football and the Men Who Made It By Simon Inglis, THE book about a century of league football before the Premier League, before Super Sundays, before pre-tax losses of millions of pounds. Stoke were sometimes good, sometimes bad. The more things change…

Just before going on vacation, one final plug for the Shoot! archive, full scans of Shoot! magazine and related items, all to enjoy for free Final tally: 320 full scans Below as always is the link to click and share #shoot #shootmagazine www.flickr.com/photos/11405...

#AlanHudson arriving at Stoke station after his transfer from Chelsea.

Mapping Stoke Football in the 1870s and 1880s, including location of the original cold, wintry night at Stoke open.substack.com/pub/stokefoo...

A novella completes my new collection ‘The Last Amateur’. A multi-billionaire decides to take the small-town club of his youth to the heights of glory, re-building the stadium where he was a free-scoring teen. Buy at @halcyonpublish1.bsky.social or @wsc.co.uk or @stanchionbooks.bsky.social

'Dudson (Hope Street)' Charcoal and Varnish on Paper Wilson55. Nantwich. www.wilson55.com/auction/deta...

Football in a Library #37 La Vie Jamais Racontée  By Nancy Gillen Alice Milliat. An extraordinary person who fought for elite women’s sport over a century ago. This book is a riveting account of her life.

'End of Shift (Stoke)' Bitumen & Mixed media on Paper Wilson55 Nantwich Northern Art Auction www.wilson55.com/auction/deta...

As it's Hallowe'en/Samhain, what spooky football stories have you got? 🎃 I hear Ibrox is haunted by a spectral black dog, and both Birmingham City and Sligo Rovers have been on the receiving end of curses Any other tales of where football meets the supernatural?

A Dutch #referee for this match: Piet Roomer.

Escape from Berlin ⚽️⚽️

Minton Door Surround #Leek #NorthStaffordshire

This mysteriously appeared in the Sentinel newspaper in 1889. Happy Birthday Stoke!

Turf Moor, home of Burnley, in the 1930s. Look at the proximity of the ground to the housing nearby. Another club deeply entrenched in their community.

Football in a Library #36 The Accidental Footballer By Pat Nevin So many great stories in this entertaining book, I think the funniest is his dog’s unaccompanied train journey, but what do you like best about Pat Nevin?

City of Fire and Beautiful Bricks’ Exhibition at The Glosthouse, Longton. Stoke-On-Trent. www.theglosthouse.co.uk An ongoing exhibition of Works both new, and never before exhibited. Painting : Drawing : Collage. Poetry : @minxyowlwriter.bsky.social #Stoke100 #SoT100

On this day, 22 September 1883 First match at Stoke’s Victoria Ground 1-1 draw against Notts County Staffordshire Sentinel noted Stoke ‘played in their new uniform of flannel shirts with red and white stripes and white knickerbockers, presenting a very smart appearance’.

Football in a Library #35 The World’s First Football Superstar By Owen Arthur The fascinating story of Stephen Smith, born near St George’s Park in Staffordshire over 150 years ago. Smith won several league titles with Aston Villa, as well as the FA Cup, before moving to Southern League Portsmouth.

Association Football and the Men Who Made It, published in 1905, speculating on the future for referees…

When England had to drop Stanley Matthews… stokefootballhistory.substack.com/p/three-lion...

‘A Grand Tour (in the footsteps of Neville Malkin)’’ The drawings of @stevehenshall.bsky.social The Gallery Room at Vellichor Books. Hanley Stoke-On-Trent www.vellichorbooks.co.uk Overview by Paul Adams ko-fi.com/post/Malkins... #SoT100 #Stoke100

Stoke’s trio of England defenders - Bill Rowley, Tommy Clare and Alf Underwood - boating on holiday in the Isle of Man. Credit: Staffordshire Sentinel

Football in a Library #34 Lofty, Matt Clough Stoke mentions include the grim Burnden Park disaster. ‘The very notion these men had survived the horrors of the most devastating conflict in human history only to die at home, watching a game of football, was beyond the pale for many, including Nat.’

Stan Matthews, Freddie Steele and Joe Johnson being congratulated by Stoke manager Bob McGrory after all three were selected to play for England in 1937

Sign up for the @fusmuswarwick.bsky.social Football in the British Army Series of Talks. There are three talks in total which support the current - Home and Away: Football in the British Army Exhibition

Stoke FC 1905/06. Started the season with five wins in the league.

‘A brilliant book.’ (Pete Smith, Stoke Sentinel)😊 www.pitchpublishing.co.uk/shop/harry-l...

Football in a Library #33 On Days Like These By Tim Rich Beautiful book, ‘a story of making saves and being saved,’ based on cassettes found after the death of goalkeeper Les Sealey.

Tomorrow is a landmark date in Everton’s history as we fully enter the Hill Dickinson Stadium era. On our website, @MikeRoyden.bsky.social tells us about how the Toffees started life at Goodison Park, 133 years ago: efcheritagesociety.com/august-1892-...

I've written a guest post for @footballheritage.bsky.social ✍🏼 What makes a good football museum and stadium tour? (club or country) Plus, some of my favourites from around the world Read on 👉🏼 www.footballheritage.co.uk/football-mus... #Skystorians #FootballHistory

Delighted to hear Claybody Theatre will continue to be based at The Dipping House on the former Spode pottery site. Looking forward to seeing many more place-based productions ‘shaped from the unique cultural heritage and contemporary lives of the people of Stoke-on-Trent & North Staffordshire.’

Association Football and the Men Who Made It 1905 contains this photo of ‘Stoke defending their goal’