Stoke City stayed in the Premier League largely thanks to their impressive home form, which saw a host of big names departing from Staffordshire with their tails between their legs after enduring physical punishment on the park and extreme intimidation from the stands.

The Potters had long enjoyed a reputation for a rowdy support in their long spell away from the top flight, but it seemed to come as a surprise to many in the more sanitised world of the Premier League,. and maintaining that kind of atmosphere will be vital for the Potters in future seasons.

The Britannia Stadium also looks set to be expanded, according to a report in The Stoke Sentinel, which claims that the club’s directors are considering plans to increase the capacity of the ground from 27,500 to well over 30,000 by erecting additional stands in the currently empty corners of the ground.

The club has already sold 19,000 season tickets for the the 2009-10 campaign, and is expected to have to place a ceiling of 20,500 on any more. Such demand means that the board are now looking at expanding as they seek to make the famous old club a more established Premier League name.