In Premier League history, Stoke City was not a team worth writing home about.
Despite having a history second only to Notts County, during the first dozen or so years of the Premier League, they had remained in the second-tier English League One and later the English Championship, and had even played in the third tier.
In 2002, Stoke City welcomed Tony Pulis.
At the time, Stoke City had just been promoted from the third tier to English League One. Under Pulis, Stoke City performed steadily and remained in the middle of the table. However, due to a conflict with the new owner, Pulis angrily resigned. It was not until a year later, after former owner Coates returned to take charge of the team, that Pulis was brought back.
This time, Pulis spent two years leading Stoke City to second place in the English Championship and successfully earning promotion to the Premier League.
From their relegation in 1985 to their return in 2008, Stoke City had spent a full twenty-three years away.
This was also the first time Tony Pulis had managed a Premier League team.
With almost no one giving them any chance, Stoke City finished twelfth in the Premier League that season and successfully avoided relegation.
They had finished eleventh last season and were currently eighth this season.
Tony Pulis had led Stoke City to establish themselves in the Premier League.
During their three years in the Premier League, Stoke City had earned themselves a nickname: Sky City.
The nickname mainly came from the way this Stoke City team played under Pulis.
Do you know which of the twenty Premier League teams this season had the highest average height?
And which team had the heaviest average weight?
That's right. Congratulations, you guessed correctly.
Stoke City!
With an average