From the very first edition of Charles Buchan’s Football Monthly in 1951, Stoke City’s fortunes were followed with a keen eye—though the club’s early years in the magazine were marked more by struggle than silverware. Readers would have seen reports on the Potteries’ tough battles in the First Division and the dogged performances of club legends like Frank Bowyer and Dennis Wilshaw. Match reports captured the atmosphere at the Victoria Ground, where a loyal, rain-soaked crowd urged on a side that, while not yet gracing Wembley, still managed to produce football with flashes of brilliance and grit.
By the mid-1960s, the magazine’s glossy pages reflected a new optimism at Stoke. The arrival of Tony Waddington as manager brought a wave of change, and Charles Buchan’s Football Monthly ran glowing profiles of the “Waddington’s Wall” defence, featuring stalwarts like Eric Skeels and Bill Bentley. The return of the legendary Stanley Matthews in 1961 thrilled readers—his artistry and ageless class were favourite subjects for writers and photographers alike. Matthews’ homecoming was described as “the second coming for Stoke”, and the magazine regularly highlighted his impact on and off the pitch.
The late 1960s saw the Potteries dreaming bigger, and Football Monthly chronicled their march to respectability. The magazine featured in-depth interviews with stars like Gordon Banks, England’s World Cup-winning goalkeeper, who joined Stoke in 1967. Banks’ presence lifted the side, and each acrobatic save or calm command of the box was captured in vivid photographic spreads. The magazine’s writers celebrated his partnership with defenders Alan Bloor and Denis Smith, as Stoke became renowned for their resilience and occasional cup heroics.
The early 1970s were a golden era for Stoke City, and Charles Buchan’s Football Monthly was there for every step. The club’s famous run in the League Cup during the 1971-72 season was splashed across several issues, documenting their dramatic victories over Manchester United and West Ham. The Wembley final against Chelsea, where George Eastham’s goal secured Stoke’s first major trophy, was given a special feature—a moment described as “Potteries pride fulfilled.” The magazine’s match report captured the sea of red and white at Wembley and the celebrations that followed back in Stoke.
Throughout these years, the magazine’s pages were filled with the faces and feats of Stoke’s greatest. From the artistry of Matthews and the heroics of Banks to the work rate of John Ritchie—the club’s all-time leading scorer—every triumph and heartbreak was given the full Football Monthly treatment. The magazine made legends of these men, and for Stoke fans, each new edition was a keepsake chronicling the slow rise from post-war struggle to that glorious Wembley day in 1972.
ROYAL MAIL TRACKED 48Published: November 1, 2025Price: £21.99 Paperback: 158 pagesISBN-10: 1068565144ISBN-13: 978-1068565144Dimensions: 154 x 236 (mm)
