John Coates: From Decades as a Diehard Fan to Owner and Chair

From the carefree adventures of a diehard fan to the “enormous responsibility” and “absolute labour of love” of being the Club’s owner and Chair, John Coates has lived a life as a Potter like no other.

While other interviews during the course of the year provide updates on the present-day direction of the Club, this episode of Potters’ Pod is something completely different, providing a comprehensive insight into the person and fan.

In a world where English football club owners hail from all corners of the globe, John was born and bred locally and fulfilled his earlier years as a Potter with travels to Football League stadiums the length and breadth of the land.

From the windscreen blowing in on a rickety old coach to Peterborough, to open terrace triumphs and travails and a spontaneous Ford Escort foray to Italia 90, Coates tracks his time as the most avid of Stoke City supporters.

The Club Chair, whose ownership of the Potters is characterised by multi-million-pound investments each year, recalls navigating dodgy Center Parcs phone reception whilst brokering the deal to take over the club back in 2006.

From that point on, fans can live the story of the ensuing years candidly and uniquely through the eyes of an owner, whose passion for Stoke City remains undimmed.

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