Pulis Wants The Corners Filled In

TONY Pulis has admitted for the first time he wants the two open corners filled in at the Britannia Stadium after revealing that every home game will be close to selling out this season.

"I think we are close to having every home game sold out this season," he revealed.

But he warned fans not to get carried away with the club's recent success as he prepares for tomorrow's sell-out opener against Chelsea (1.30pm).

"We've been on an upward curve for five years and I don't think there's many clubs that can say that.

"I will be bashing away at Peter (Coates) to fill in the corners, but I think he wants to keep them open so it's not too hospitable.

"There's definitely a feel-good factor around the city. Supporters are very keen to push on, but they also understand we aren't just trying to build a team for today, but for future generations, to make Stokies proud of their football club.

"Expectation levels can go through the roof and managing the expectation at a football club now is almost as difficult as managing players on the pitch.

"In professional sport, the minute you think you've cracked it is the minute you fall flat on your backside.

"But the great thing about this club is that supporters are still old enough to remember what it's like to be in the Championship and they want to stay in the Premier League."

Extending the stadium's capacity from 27,500 remains off the club's agenda for now, but Pulis continued: "For the home game against Hajduk Split, there were only 12,000 season-ticket holders in the ground.

"That means there were 14,000 who weren't and that gives you a lot of non-season ticket holders supporting this football club."

Pulis, pictured below, looks set to hand Jonathan Woodgate his league debut for Stoke tomorrow after he impressed in Croatia last week, but fellow newcomer Matthew Upson will only be on the substitutes' bench at best.

"I will make a decision on whether or not to start with Jonathan," added Pulis.

"He's been very good around the place and hasn't missed a minute's training. The lads have warmed to him.

"He's got a point to prove and he's desperately keen to play."

He said both Matthew Etherington (rib) and Rory Delap (hamstring) should be available tomorrow.

Story From The Sentinel