Pulis backing for fans

3rd December 2008

Stoke manager Tony Pulis refused to criticise the Potters fans who did not turn up to watch the Carling Cup loss to Derby.

The Potters lost to a stoppage-time Nathan Ellington penalty in front of just over 22,000 fans at the Britannia Stadium, and Pulis was left to rue missed chances.

He said: "It is our fault we have been beaten. Derby were smashing, they created some good chances. But we missed so many, Fuller missed four on his own. We are desperately disappointed, we but it was just not our night.

"The opportunity to get to a major final does not come around too often, we really got into the players about that. They gave it their best shot and it didn't happen.

"Maybe the ground wasn't full enough. But I'm not going to criticise that. There's tough times at the moment, there's a lot of people in this area with Christmas coming up and families to look after.

"They have other bills that need to be paid. I'm not for one minute blaming the fact that it was not a full house and what we have been used to for Premier League matches. There are more important things for people at the moment, I would not expect anything else."

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3:00, Sat 6th Dec
Newcastle	v	Stoke
3:00, Sat 13th Dec
Stoke	v	Fulham
3:00, Sat 20th Dec
Blackburn	v	Stoke
12:45, Fri 26th Dec
Stoke	v	Man Utd
2:00, Sun 28th Dec
West Ham	v	Stoke

3:00, Sat 29th Nov
Stoke	1	v	1	Hull
3:00, Sat 22nd Nov
Stoke	1	v	0	West Brom
3:00, Sat 15th Nov
Man Utd	5	v	0	Stoke
12:45, Sat 8th Nov
Wigan	0	v	0	Stoke
3:00, Sat 1st Nov
Stoke	2	v	1	Arsenal