Stoke City Football Club

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

• Ground:Britannia Stadium
• Capacity:28218

Pulis ready for reception

02 Mar 2007 - 10:45:54

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Stoke City boss Tony Pulis claims he is ready to run a gauntlet of abuse when he returns to former club Plymouth Argyle on Saturday.

Pulis walked out on Argyle last summer to return to Stoke and is expecting a rough ride from the Home Park faithful on his first return to Devon.

The former Bournemouth, Gillingham and Bristol City boss spent less than 12 months at Plymouth before leaving in June.

"I'll have my tin hat on down there. I know there will be supporters there wanting to give me a bit of stick, but I'm old enough to handle that," he claimed.

"It's a pity because not only did I have a smashing seven months there, but I also believe I left the club in far better shape than I found it.

"But criticism is a way of life for managers today. You have to take stick off your own supporters sometimes, as I know only too well, yet our position isn't quite so bad when you recall that after 11 games this season some were saying we'd be relegated.

"We're currently six points in front of Plymouth, yet some people are having a go at our season while saying what a wonderful season Plymouth are having."