Stoke City Football Club News

• Nickname:Potters
• Founded:1863
• Manager:Tony Pulis

• Ground:Britannia Stadium
• Capacity:28,218

Coates voices Potters defence

05 Nov 2008 - 09:38:05

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Stoke City chairman Peter Coates has launched a staunch defence of his club's players, after several were accused of deliberately trying to cause injuries during the 2-1 win at home to Arsenal.

Gunners boss Arsene Wenger hit out at what he perceived as the strong-arm tactics employed by the Potters, singling out Rory Delap and Ryan Shawcross for his harshest criticism.

An unhappy Coates responded by saying: "I am really very disappointed in what he has said.

"That wasn't the game I saw, it wasn't the game the fans at the ground saw and it wasn't the game that the referee saw. I really am disappointed in him and I couldn't really disagree with him more.

"There was only one player who got sent off in that match and that was an Arsenal player (Robin Van Persie).

"Things happen in football. We don't have nasty players in the team who go out to injure players and we don't want that.

"Perhaps he (Wenger) has had a difficult few days with his results. There is a lot of pressure in football and I think it could be a manifestation of that.

"I think he's a fantastic manager, one of the great managers of the game. I'm not going to get involved in a slanging match with Arsenal, I just profoundly disagree with what he has said."