Just to 'Stoke' things up on travel costs...

[Tooting Gull]

...here's one from today.

http://www.stokecityfc.com/news/article/club-announce-free-away-travel-930449.aspx

Fair play to them, nice gesture and a good way to use a fraction of the TV cash windfall.

 

[Easy 10]

That is a truly fantastic gesture.

The only catch I can see is that you have to watch Stoke.

 

[Rookie]

Blimey, cracking deal (apart from the Stoke bit)

 

[Wardy]

Great offer, but I would imagine a number of fans would still moan since being an official football coach there will be no drinking etc.

 

[Titanic]

How the other half live

 

[timseagull]

That is a great offer.

 

[Superphil]

Aren't Stoke one of the very, very few English Leagues clubs that is not in debt?

 

[Pavilionaire]

Nice gesture, everyone's a winner.

 

[dougdeep]

Great offer, but I would imagine a number of fans would still moan since being an official football coach there will be no drinking etc.

There is no drinking allowed on any coach.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

...here's one from today.

http://www.stokecityfc.com/news/article/club-announce-free-away-travel-930449.aspx

Fair play to them, nice gesture and a good way to use a fraction of the TV cash windfall.

That is absolutely tremendous. Well done Stoke

 

[Mr Smggles]

Absolutely fantastic by the club.

 

[empire]

great effort

 

[Gritt23]

Very well done Stoke, that'll boost away attendances, and that should HELP the team. Everyone's a winner.

Not as if it's been paid for within price rises elsewhere. No increase in Season Tickets since 2008 is also impressive.

 

[dougdeep]

Great idea, I suppose being where they are it'd be relatively cheap to do this though. I mean it would be a lot more expensive for Newcastle.

 

[brakespear]

Great move by Stoke - helps out the fans and boosts away ticket sales, winner

 

[El Turi]

Brilliant gesture. A lot of clubs in this country could learn from Stoke and how they treat their fans.

 

[1066familyman]

Wouldn't it be great if other clubs followed that lead.

Well played Stoke

 

[Ulloa's Soul Patch]

Watch about Bayern Munich, Stoke are giving free travel alongside an away ticket

 

[Deleted member 18477]

They'll be asking for their tickets to be paid for the following season if Mark Hughes is still in charge!

 

[bha100]

Aren't Stoke one of the very, very few English Leagues clubs that is not in debt?

Not judging by these ccounts for the year to 31 May 2012

Ownership: Owned by bet365 Group, the online gambling company controlled by Denise Coates, daughter of chairman, Peter, and family

Turnover: 13th in league, £71m (up from £68m in 2011)

Gate Receipts: £8m

Sponsorship and advertising: £6m

Europa League: £5m

TV and media: £46m

Conferencing and hospitality: £3m

Other: £0.6m

Retail and merchandising: £3m

Wage bill: 14th, £53m (up from £47m in 2011)

Wages as proportion of turnover: 75%

Loss before tax: £10m (following £6m loss in 2011)

Net debt: £14m

Interest payable: Nil

Highest-paid director: Unnamed, £517,000