Today I'm going back 25 years to 1997 and Stoke City's League Division 1 (now known as the Championship) fixture against Swindon Town. This was my first of six visits to the Britannia (now Bet365) Stadium and the gate was 23,000.
The featured game was Stoke's first ever League fixture at their new stadium and was only their second competitive game there (the first had been Stoke's 1st Round, 1st Leg League Cup tie against Rochdale three days earlier). I can distinctly recall Stoke City legend Sir Stanley Matthews performing the ceremonial kick-off honours in the new stadium and it was the only time that I ever saw Sir Stanley playing football in the flesh! (Matthews died, aged 85, in 2000).
Chic Bates' Stoke had the honour of scoring the first League goal at their new home and it came after 33 minutes with a cross being toe-poked home by Richard Forsyth to give Stoke a half-time lead. It took until there were just 13 minutes remaining before Swindon struck with Wayne Allison scoring on the turn. It was no more than Swindon deserved and there was more to come. Three minutes later Steve McMahon's Swindon had themselves a winner with a smart strike from Chris Hay to well and truly poop Stoke's house warming party.
Looking a little incongruous in a Stoke City shirt that afternoon was former Spurs and Liverpool striker Paul Stewart who was making one of only 25 appearances for the Potters. Interestingly, Wayne "the Chief" Allison is now Dr Wayne Allison after completing a PhD at Hallam University studying the effects of high-intensity exercise on decision making in football. He played for eight different Football League clubs including Bristol City, Swindon Town, Tranmere Rovers and Chesterfield and his League appearances alone totaled 752 and he scored over 200 goals.
The season proved to be something of a disaster for Stoke who ended up being relegated after finishing 23rd (of 24). Things proved to be better for Swindon although not much as they finished 18th, four points clear of the relegation zone. Relegated into the Second Division (now known as League 1) alongside Stoke that season were bottom placed Reading and Manchester City. Champions of the First Division were Nottingham Forest and also promoted into the Premier League were Middlesbrough and Play-Off winners Charlton Athletic who beat Sunderland on penalties at Wembley after a humdinger of a 4-4 draw.
CRB Match No. 1125
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