And She Laughed No More

Book excerpt: The Premiership is not all glamour, particularly not now Stoke City - the ugly ducklings - are involved...In 2008, Stoke City managed to grind their way into the Promised Land of the Premiership. Under the uncompromising guidance of manager Tony Pulis, they were never going to be pretty to watch. Lifetime Stoke supporter Stephen Foster describes a club with a chip on its brawny shoulders, whose tactics were built around heroic defiance of superstars earning 150 grand a week - and, of course, Rory Delap's long throw. And She Laughed No More, the sequel to Foster's bestselling She Stood There Laughing, chronicles the blood, sweat, tears and triumphs of an unlikely season when the Potters were rescued from their lower league nightmare and transported to the Theatre of Dreams at Old Trafford (where they lost 5-0).