Season 2003/4

Last updated : 08 May 2010 By Dan Buxton

Brian Wilson - Cheltenham(£50,000)
#22
Right back, Right wing
d.o.b:09/05/83
Signed/Sold: Youth Team/March 2004
Games in last season: 0/3
Goals in last season: 0
Total club games: 3/5
Total club goals: 0

Wilson a talented right sided defender/winger.

Got given his big break by manager Steve Cotterill and played well but was dropped when Wayne Thomas returned and then wasn't given a chance when Tony Pulis took the reigns as he didn't feel that youth would keep Stoke up and they needed experience.

Eventually joined Cheltenham after a successful loan spell there and played right wing and was a vital part in there promotion in 2005/6

Kris Commons - Nottingham Forest(£500,000)
#24
Left wing, Left back
d.o.b:30/08/83
Signed: Youth team
Games in last season: 14/21
Goals in last season: 4
Total club games: 22/23
Total club goals: 5

Burst onto the scene at the start of 2002/3 when he played half a dozen games on the left of midfield under Steve Cotterill and attracted interest from Liverpool, Sunderland and Manchester United before tearing knee ligaments setting up the winning goal 5 minutes after coming up on as a sub against Ipswich.

Refused to sign a new contract and let his contract run out so any move would be his choice.

Huge potential and has moved onto Nottingham Forest where he was relegated in his first season despite scoring several fantastic goals and carrying the team he supported as a boy. 

Brynjar Gunnarsson - Watford(Free)
#15
Right back, Centre back, Centre midfield
d.o.b:16/10/75
Signed/sold: February 2004/May 2004
Games in last season: 1/3
Goals in last season: 0
Total club games: 153/7
Total club goals: 21

Icelander who joined Stoke again a week before the deadline in March. Became the clubs record signing from first time round at £600,000 and that remained unbeaten until the £900,000 capture of Sam Bangoura in August 2005.

Turned his back on Stoke in summer of 2003 when signing for Forest when offered a contract at the Britannia and got some stick when 'played' against Stoke At the Brit earlier in the next season before resigning. Well actually he didn't play he just sat on the bench for 90 minutes.

Left for Watford and then went to play for Reading as they achieved promotion to the Premiership

Paul Williams - Free
#29
Centre Back
d.o.b:26/03/71
Signed: August 2003
Games in this season:0
Goals in this season:0
Total club games:17/3
Total club goals:0

Free transfer from Southampton two weeks after the 2003/4 season started.

Played in the Premiership for Coventry and Southampton and has played over 400 games in his career and 13 last season. Brought some much needed experience to the very young back line that had been assembled over the summer.

Was very impressed by the crowd, team, facilities and management after watching the game against Manchester United(mustn't have minded the result either).

Never really got going at Stoke and was overweight and was only used as a back up player when the first choice defence was not available.

Had a nightmare away at Crystal Palace when he gave away 2 penalties and was at fault for 2 other goals as the Potters crashed 6-3.

Left as he went to America to play one final season and start his coaching career.

Neil Cutler - Stockport(Free)
#12
Goalkeeper
d.o.b:03/09/76
Signed/Sold:June 2001/June 2004
Games in last season:12/4
Goals conceded in last season:11
Clean sheets in last season:9
Total club games:77/5
Total goals conceded:90

At times he can be brilliant but he isnt very often and most of the time he is statue like on his line. It can be very distressing watching him or it can be joyful. One things for sure he has the shot stopping ability to be at the top... if only he can learn to come off his line. A regular in his first season mainly because barring Gavin Wards spells of fitness he was the only experienced goalkeeper at the club.

Played well in our promotion season barring a cold, wet, windy Tuesday night in Wigan. Got his own back in the FA cup last season by keeping a clean sheet as we won 3-0. Fell out of favour as he lost number 1 jersey to Ed De Goey.

Moved on to Stockport where he got relegated in his first season.

Peter Hoekstra - retired
#11
Striker, Support man, Left wing
d.o.b:04/04/73
Signed/Left: June 2001/May 2004
Games in last season: 22/4
Goals in last season: 4
Total club games: 73/14
Total club goals: 12

Will be remembered for all his skills and many stoke fans regard him as the finest player they have seen pull on a Stoke shirt.

Highlights include his goal against Watford wher he spun and hit the ball over his shoulder from 30 yards and won the game, his hat trick aginst Reading where he rounded the keeper for his first, hit the goal of the season for his second from outside the box then won a penalty and converted it by chipping it straight down the middle and also all his bits of skill withe the one that springs to mind where on his return after a lenghty lay off he stood in front of a Buryt defender flicked it over his head ran round him and caught it on his foot.

Injuries blighted his whole career and although Stoke fans moaned about this, if this wasn't the case he would have been at a much higher level.

Keith Andrews - return to Wolves after loan
#20
Centre midfield
d.o.b:13/09/80
Signed/Sold: August 2003/November 2003
Games in last season: 16
Goals in last season: 0
Total club games: 16
Total club goals: 0

Joined on loan for 3 months and played well in a two man midfield alongside John Eustace.

Irishman who came from Wolves and has since moved to Hull.

Will mostly be remembered for hitting both posts but failing to score in Stoke's 1-0 defeat away at Ipswich in a match shown on Sky Sports.

Frazer Richardson - Return to Leeds after loan
#31
Right back, right wing
d.o.b:29/10/82
Signed/Sold: November 2003/December 2003
Games in last season: 6
Goals in last season: 1
Total club games: 12/1
Total club goals: 1

Had two spells on loan and was played well in both.

Had to return to Leeds on both occasions to play in the first team but Stoke will be grateful as it was his goal on his final game away at West Ham that gave Stoke a 1-0 win that ended a run of 8 straight away defeats and started a run of 19 points from 21, that clawed Stoke from the bottom 3 into the top 10.

Returned to be a popular and regular member of the Leeds side.

Mark Goodfellow - Bristol City (£150,000)
#19
Left wing, striker
d.o.b:20/09/81
Signed/Sold: Youth team/January 2004
Games in last season: 2/4
Goals in last season: 0
Total club games: 25/46
Total club goals: 9

A player who burst onto the scene with the winning goal on debut against Premiership Charlton after coming on as a sub just 3 minutes before.

Was never a regular but was a fast, skillful player.

Should have done more during his time with the club but didn't and as a result left for Bristol City.

Chris Iwelumo - released
#15
Striker
d.o.b:01/08/78
Signed/Sold: August 1999/February 2004
Games in last season: 4/8
Goals in last season: 1
Total club games: 51/50
Total club goals: 21

Brought after a recommendation by John Rudge for £50,000.

Scored on debut, a 90th minute goal for a 3-2 win over top of the table Millwall, after coming on as sub 3 minutes earlier and scored after coming off the bench in his next appearance. Ended his first season with just 4 apearances all from the bench and 2 goals.

When he finally got a run in the side he finished top scorer for two consecutive seasons as his goals first guided Stoke to promotion in 2000/1 then staved off relegation in 2001/2.

Left for Brighton before going to Germany to play in the Bundesliga and played in the UEFA cup in his season there before returning to England and to play for Colchester helping them to promotion to the Championship in 2005/6 top scoring with more than 15 goals.

Richard Johnson - released
#35
Centre midfield
d.o.b:27/04/74
Signed/Sold: November 2003/February 2004
Games in last season: 4/5
Goals in last season: 0
Total club games: 4/5
Total club goals: 0

Signed to shore up the midfield and was in and out of the side before a red card at Wimbledon sealed his fate and he left the club shortly after.

Petur Marteinsson - released
#21
Centre back, Centre midfield
d.o.b:14/07/73
Signed/Sold: November 2001/September 2003
Games this season: 3
Goals this season: 0
Totals club games: 13/7
Total club goals: 2

Impressive performances when played, but never got a full run in the side