Stoke City Football Club were formed, as Stoke Ramblers, in 1863. This makes them the second oldest football club in the world, second to Notts County. Stoke play at the Britannia Stadium, which seats 28000 fans. Prior to their move there in 1997, they had played at their previous ground, the Victoria Ground, for 119 years- a record they share with Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Before their promotion to the Premier League in 2008, Stoke had not been a top flight team for 23 years- when they were relegated from the old First Division in 1985, they went down with only 17 points- an unwanted record not beaten until Derby County were relegated with even less 21 years later. Stoke's first major trophy came in 1972 when they beat Chelsea 2-1 in the League Cup final.