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Pulis Salutes His History Makers

Posted on: Mon 19 Dec 2011

TONY PULIS was understandably proud of the fact that Stoke City wrote their name into the record books once again with their Staffordshire derby win at Molineux . . . but he also admitted that they had a stroke of good fortune.

City made it four successive wins in the Barclays Premier League for the first time since they won promotion back in 2008 and you have to go back 30 years for the last instance of them recording such a sequence of victories in the top-flight.

It is yet another 'first' for Pulis' side in an outstanding year, one which leaves them comfortably placed in the top half of the Premier League table as they enter the busy Christmas and New Year programme of fixtures over the next fortnight.

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"That's another piece of history in what has been a remarkable time for this Club," proclaimed City's manager after the triumph.

"I was talking to the Chairman the other day about this. It's a good debate as to whether it's been the best year in the Club's history.

"We've reached a first FA Cup Final, we qualified for the Knockout Stages in Europe for the first time and we're eighth in the Premier League.

"Certainly Peter, who has supported this Club for many, many years before becoming Chairman thinks it's up there as one of the best."

He added: "It's been a fantastic turnaround over the past four games; another 16 points now and we'll be absolutely delighted again."

Pulis did, however, concede that City were a little fortunate not to be reduced to ten men in a difficult start to the local derby.

Jonathan Woodgate, who had already been booked for a foul on Matty Jarvis, gave away a penalty with another foul on the winger, but escaped a second caution as Stephen Hunt fired the home side in front from the spot in the 17th minute.

"It was a bit of good fortune," admitted Pulis. "We could not have argued if the referee had decided to give Woody a second yellow.

"We decided to make a change there and then because we didn't want to go down to ten men. Woody said to me that it was a great decision as he came off. He accepted that it had been done for the good of the team.

"I thought we were shocking in the first 25 minutes. We were slow out of the blocks and Wolves deserved to be in front.

"But after that, I thought we stepped it up and once we got the goal back, I thought there was only going to be one winner.

"It was a fantastic cross from Matty for the second goal and we created plenty of other chances in what was a great second half.

"While their 'keeper made a fantastic save to deny Matty, Tommy came off at the end and said he'd hardly had a shot to save."

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