| 2012–13 season | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Chairman | Peter Coates | ||
| Manager | Tony Pulis | ||
| Stadium | Britannia Stadium | ||
| Premier League | 13th (42 points) | ||
| FA Cup | Fourth Round | ||
| League Cup | Second Round | ||
| Top goalscorer | League:Jonathan Walters (8) All:Jonathan Walters (11) | ||
| Highest home attendance | 27,544 vAston Villa (6 April 2013) | ||
| Lowest home attendance | 24,421 vWigan Athletic (29 January 2013) | ||
| Average home league attendance | 26,922 | ||
The2012–13 season wasStoke City's fifth season in thePremier League and the 57th in thetop tier of English football. It was also the club's 150th year in existence and to mark the occasion the club had a special crest and the away kit was the same colours that Stoke Ramblers wore back in 1863,navy andcardinal Stoke also had a new shirt sponsorBet365 taking over fromBritannia.[1]
The summer of 2012 saw the departure of fan favouriteRicardo Fuller whilst in came wingerMichael Kightly and USA defenderGeoff Cameron, later followed byCharlie Adam andSteven Nzonzi. Stoke began the season with four straight draws and an embarrassing League Cup exit to Swindon Town. Despite recording one victory in their opening ten match they did put in some impressive performances away at Chelsea and Manchester United and at home to champions Manchester City. Stoke then went ten matches undefeated from 10 November to 29 December with a 3–1 victory over Liverpool on boxing day the stand out result.
During that run Stoke conceded just seven goals but at the turn of the year their form and performances dropped off as in the next ten matches Stoke picked up just five points, scored only six goals and conceded 19. Results and performances failed to improve and after an awful defeat at home to Aston Villa, Stoke were in danger of being involved in the relegation battle. Back to back wins against Queens Park Rangers and Norwich City lifted Stoke away from the foot of the table and they recovered to finish in 13th position with 42 points. At the end of the season managerTony Pulis left the club by mutual consent bringing an end to his seven-year tenure at the club. He was replaced by the former Wales, Blackburn Rovers, Manchester City, Fulham and Queens Park Rangers managerMark Hughes.
There was expectation that several players would leave the club in the summer with a number reaching the end of their contacts and chairmanPeter Coates said thatTony Pulis will have to sell if he wants to buy.[2] Pulis releasedLouis Moult,Tom Soares,Salif Diao and club legendRicardo Fuller after the end of their contracts andJonathan Woodgate andDanny Collins left forMiddlesbrough andNottingham Forest respectively.[3][4] On 8 AugustWolverhampton Wanderers wingerMichael Kightly joined that club for an undisclosed fee.[5]
For the 2012–13 pre-season, Stoke travelled to the United States where they will spend eleven days and play matches againstMajor League Soccer sidesColumbus Crew andSporting Kansas City as well as affiliatedUSL Pro clubOrlando City.[6] Matches were also arranged against Swiss sideFC Sion and GermanBundesliga teamSpVgg Greuther Fürth.[7]
Stoke began their pre-season in Switzerland and played a match againstFC Sion which was won 1–0 thanks to a penalty fromMatthew Etherington.[8] City then travelled to The USA and played their first match against theColumbus Crew. Despite taking the lead viaJonathan Walters the Americans were much brighter and scored twice throughAaron Horton andBen Speas.[9] The next match against affiliated clubOrlando City saw Stoke win 1–0 with Walters scoring his second goal of pre-season but it was marred withGlenn Whelan being sent off after a harmless altercation with former Stoke midfielderJames O'Connor.[10] Stoke's final match in USA againstSporting Kansas City saw Stoke miss a number of chances but did eventually take the lead with six minutes left whenMichael Tonge whose only contribution to the club is in pre-season was fouled in the area and he scored the spot kick. Stoke however conceded a comical equaliser asAsmir Begović's clearance went straight to Kyle Miller who had the easy task of heading the ball into an empty net.[11]
On their return to England they played two matches againstFootball League opposition,Torquay United andYeovil Town. Both matches ended 1–1 and they had a Polish international trialistSebastian Boenisch playing at left back.[12] The final match of pre-season saw Stoke take on German sideSpVgg Greuther Fürth inBavaria. New signingMichael Kightly made a perfect start to his Stoke career scoring with his first touch.Matthew Upson gave away a penalty andBernd Nehrig scored from the spot and for the four time in pre-season that match finished 1–1. Afterwards Tony Pulis revealed that Stoke had agreed to take Macedonian left backGoran Popov on loan fromDynamo Kyiv until the end of the season.[13] However the move collapsed as he failed to gain a work permit.[14]
| Match | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorers | Report |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 18 July 2012 | Sion | A | 1–0 | 200 | Etherington 38' (pen) | Report |
| 2 | 24 July 2012 | Columbus Crew | A | 1–2 | 8,976 | Walters 23' | Report |
| 3 | 28 July 2012 | Orlando City | A | 1–0 | 10,441 | Walters 45' | Report |
| 4 | 1 August 2012 | Sporting Kansas City | A | 1–1 | 16,197 | Tonge 84' (pen) | Report |
| 5 | 6 August 2012 | Torquay United | A | 1–1 | 2,155 | Downes 43' (o.g.) | Report |
| 6 | 7 August 2012 | Yeovil Town | A | 1–1 | 2,106 | Jones 57' | Report |
| 7 | 10 August 2012 | SpVgg Greuther Fürth | A | 1–1 | 3,750 | Kightly 3' | Report |
Stoke's first league match of the 2012–13 season saw them come up against newly promotedReading at theMadejski Stadium. New signingMichael Kightly made his league debut and marked it with scoring the opening goal albeit thanks to an error from "Royals" goalkeeperAdam Federici. The home side were not posing much of a threat to Stoke's goal but they were gifted the chance to equalise in the final minute of the match asDean Whitehead brought downGarath McCleary in the area and conceded a penalty, and to make matters worse for Whitehead he was shown a second yellow.Adam Le Fondre made no mistake from the spot and it was a case of two points dropped for Stoke.[15]
The first home match of the season was against old adversariesArsenal with the match being broadcast live on TV.Geoff Cameron made his first appearance in a red and white shirt and produced a good performance in a match which surprisingly failed to live up to the buildup. There were few moments of excitement withJonathan Walters having Stoke's best effort, hitting the back of the net but it was ruled out for offside. The "Gunners" struggled to makeAsmir Begović work in the City goal and the match finished in a rather tame goalless draw.[16] On transfer deadline day Stoke completed the signings of midfieldersCharlie Adam,Maurice Edu andSteven Nzonzi.[17]
Charlie Adam andMaurice Edu were both on the bench for the match at 'bogey' side Wigan Athletic. Stoke made a terrible start to the match conceding a penalty after just four minutes afterRobert Huth handled in the area andShaun Maloney made no mistake from the spot. The away support were beginning to vent their frustration towards Pulis but after half an hour he brought on Adam for his debut. He impressed instantly with his passing ability and Stoke were awarded a penalty of their own just before half time,Jonathan Walters scoring for Stoke. But poor defending at the start of the second half giftedFranco Di Santo a goal and Stoke were again chasing the match.Peter Crouch scored his first league goal of the season and Stoke could have won it but for a wonder save fromAli Al-Habsi denying Adam a debut goal.[18]
On 4 September Stoke announced the signing of former Real Madrid and England strikerMichael Owen on a one-year contract.[19] Nzonzi and Adam made their home debuts against Premier League title holders Manchester City as Stoke lined up in a new look formation which included three centre midfielders. And it was Stoke who took the lead via Peter Crouch, although TV replays showed that he handled in the buildup. Stoke then had to as expected weather a lot of pressure from Man City but they leveled from a set play,Javi García being left unmarked.Michael Owen came off the bench for the final few moments as Begović and Shawcross prevented Manchester City winning the match late on. It was Stoke's fourth draw in a row and all from the start of a season, a club record.[20] After the matchAndy Wilkinson was handed a three match ban after an off the ball altercation withMario Balotelli.[21]
Stoke then played Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, and were the better side for most of the 90 minutes. They had chances to take the points with Walters hitting the crossbar and Kightly and Crouch guilty of missed opportunities and Chelsea took full advantage withAshley Cole scoring with five minutes left handing Stoke an undeserved defeat.[22]
Stoke went into their next match at home to Swansea looking for their first win of the season and that's what they got after a simple enough victory.Michael Laudrup's Swansea as expected enjoyed a large amount of possession but they never threatened to trouble Stoke's defence andPeter Crouch scored twice before half time to settle the contest.[23]
Prior to the League match againstLiverpool Stoke were handed a boost when captainRyan Shawcross earned a call up to theEngland team.[24] The match against Liverpool saw both sides cancel each other out in a bad tempered 0–0 draw.[25]
After the international break Stoke completed their tough set of opening fixtures away at Manchester United. Stoke made a great start and took the lead through an own goal byWayne Rooney and Stoke could have added to their goal tally with Adam and Walters going close. But poor defending cost Stoke dearly as Rooney,Robin van Persie andDanny Welbeck saw the "Red Devils" turn the match in their favour. Kightly pulled one back but Rooney scored his second goal to make it 4–2.[26]
The next match saw Stoke andSunderland play out an uneventful and lifeless goalless draw at the Britannia but it proved to be a costly one for Stoke as left backMarc Wilson broke hisfibula.[27]
Stoke then put in a poor performance away at Norwich City going down by a solitary goal fromBradley Johnson.[28]
Stoke went into their next match then against bottom of the tableQueens Park Rangers looking for a much needed win. It was a scrappy encounter with Rangers'Adel Taarabt causing City's defence problems with his skill but were also thankful for his poor decision making which left him squandering QPR's best chances.Charlie Adam scored his first goal for Stoke just after half time and that proved to be the winning goal.[29]
Stoke's next match was against in form West Ham United moved to a Monday night for live TV coverage. Stoke began the match brightly and scored through Walters after 13 minutes via a well worked corner routine. City continued to dominate the first half and almost scored again but Nzonzi's powerful shot cannoned off the woodwork. However it was role reversal in the second half at the "Hammers" took control of the game and soon levelled throughJoey O'Brien but Stoke fought off West Ham's revival and earned a decent point.[30]
Stoke then began a three-game week with a home match against Fulham and for the second match at the Britannia the match was settled by a single goal from Charlie Adam. Stoke had several chances to win by a bigger margin but were guilty of poor finishing.[31]
The mid-week match against an out of form Newcastle United side saw Stoke come from behind to claim a late victory.Papiss Cissé put the "Magpies" in front just after half time capitalising on an error fromGlenn Whelan. SubstitutesKenwyne Jones andCameron Jerome then came off the bench to spark Stoke's turnaround. Firstly, Jerome provided an assist forJonathan Walters and then scored the winning goal after being set up by Jones.[32]
Stoke's then played high-flyingWest Bromwich Albion who at the time were in the top four. Stoke produced a disciplined defensive performance nullifying Albion's attack and grabbed a 1–0 win thanks to a rare goal fromDean Whitehead.[33]
Stoke again played away at Midlands opponents this timeAston Villa and both sides cancelled each other out in a drab goalless draw. Stoke hadRyan Shotton sent off for two bookable offences.[34]
Stoke then played out a bruising 1–1 draw with Everton on 15 December. The "Toffees" took the lead afterSteven Pienaar's cross was deflected into the net by Ryan Shawcross and the visitors almost scored again soon after withLeon Osman missing from close range. Stoke levelled thanks toKenwyne Jones' first league goal since August 2011 but the major indecent of the match sawMarouane Fellaini deliberately headbutt Shawcross which was missed by refereeMark Halsey.[35] After the match Fellaini issued a public apology to Shawcross and was given a retrospective three match ban.[36]
City then earned their fifth goalless draw of the season (10th in total) with an impressive defensive display at Tottenham Hotspur.[37]
On Boxing day City took on Liverpool in a late evening kick-off and the visitors took the lead very early on as after just 30 secondsLuis Suárez was fouled in the area andSteven Gerrard scored the spot kick. Stoke instantly replied with Walters and then Jones to turn the game around and victory was completed in the second half with Walters scoring a second to earn Stoke a 3–1 win.[38]
The final match of 2012 saw another incident packed 90 minutes against Southampton. Stoke without key defensive duo Shawcross and Cameron saw the "Saints" take the lead throughRickie Lambert but Stoke soon levelled though a Jones back heel. Then two awful defensive mistakes gave the away side a 3–1 lead. Stoke pulled one back throughMatthew Upson midway through the second half and then hadSteven Nzonzi sent off for an apparent stamp onJack Cork. Stoke did make it 3–3 withCameron Jerome scoring from 30 yards in the final minute. Nzonzi's red card was later rescinded bythe FA.[39]
Stoke began 2013 with another tame 3–0 defeat away at Manchester City on 1 January, ending Stoke's ten-match unbeaten run. Manchester City were in complete control of the match and only their poor finishing prevented them taking the lead. Eventually they did break the deadlock just before half-time afterJames Milner's cross was blocked by Begović butPablo Zabaleta was able to score the rebound. The second half continued in the same vein and afterSergio Agüero's shot was parried by the Stoke keeper his compatriotEdin Džeko scored a simple tap-in. Stoke tried to hit back through a Charlie Adam free-kick before Walters blazed a shot over from close-range. Stoke's misery was compounded when Nzonzi fouledDavid Silva and conceded a penalty which Agüero converted, with Nzonzi receiving a yellow card for the foul.[40]
Chelsea then ended Stoke's 11-month unbeaten home run in the Premier League in emphatic fashion beating Stoke 4–0. However it was a harsh scoreline as Chelsea's goals came from two own goals from, Jonathan Walters aFrank Lampard penalty and a long-range effort fromEden Hazard. To add to Walters' woe he also missed a last minute penalty.[41]
Stoke's awful start to 2013 continued with a poor 3–1 loss at Swansea City After a goalless first half Swansea dominated the second period and took the lead through their full-backBen Davies. After Adam had fouledMichu, Dutch midfielderJonathan de Guzmán curled in the free-kick and then Jerome missed an easy chance to pull one back for Stoke. de Guzmán ended the game as a contest when he scored to complete a flowing Swansea move although Stoke did manage to get a consolation goal,Michael Owen scoring in the final minute for what was his 150th Premier League goal.[42]
Stoke then threw away a two-goal lead against Wigan Athletic on 29 January, their fourth 2–2 draw with Wigan in four seasons.[43] Stoke ended the month by completing the transfers of USA internationalBrek Shea and England goalkeeperJack Butland.[44]
Stoke continued their poor run with a narrow 1–0 defeat at Arsenal courtesy of aLukas Podolski free-kick.[45]
Stoke secured their first league win of 2013 against Reading. After a goalless first half Stoke scored through aRobert Huth header and a fine goal from Jerome but the Royals quickly responded withAdrian Mariappa heading a late corner but Stoke held on for a 2–1 victory.[46][47]
After a two-week international break Stoke travelled toCraven Cottage to take on Fulham. Stoke failed to improve on their terrible away record of one win in 23 asMartin Jol's side won 1–0 thanks to a fine volley fromDimitar Berbatov. Stoke had the chance to earn a point from the penalty spot but Walters's kick was weak and easily saved byMark Schwarzer.[48] It got worse for Stoke as Huth was given a retrospective three match ban after an off the ball altercation withPhilippe Senderos.[49][50]
With Huth suspended Marc Wilson filled in a centre back against West Ham United in what was another poor performance by Stoke.[51] West Ham scored the only goal viaJack Collison and the Stoke supporters began to vent their frustration at manager Tony Pulis.[52]
Stoke's next away match was against Newcastle United and Stoke took the lead in the second half with Walters converting a penalty which he won. Stoke could not hold out for a point though as the Magpies drew level through aYohan Cabaye free-kick and thenPapiss Cissé scored in the final minute to extended Stoke's losing run to three matches.[53]
The Midlands derby against West Brom was a good opportunity for Stoke to end their poor form but it turned out to be a frustrating afternoon. There was few chances from both sides and Stoke's best chance came in the final minute through Kenwyne Jones but he could only hit his shot straight atBen Foster and the match finished in a drab 0–0 draw.[54][55]
Stoke's final game of a barren March saw them travel to Everton. Stoke missed a glorious chance to take an early lead after aRyan Shotton long throw-in was headed towards goal by Huth and saved byTim Howard, Walters could only hit the crossbar. Everton had a couple half-chances thoughNikica Jelavić before they scored in fine style. A Marc Wilson cross was punched away by Howard and the ball fell for BelgianKevin Mirallas who broke clear of the retreating Stoke defence and slotted the ball past Begović. Stoke had chances in the second half to pull level but failed to take them with Walters, Huth, Shotton and Jerome all guilty of poor finishing and Everton won the match 1–0.[56][57]
Stoke entered the final six games of the 2012–13 season with a vital home match against Midlands rivals Aston Villa at the Britannia Stadium. Stoke got off to an awful start after poor defending let inGabriel Agbonlahor to score after ten minutes. Stoke failed to troubleBrad Guzan and Villa almost scored again throughAndreas Weimann whose shot hit the post. City improved marginally after the break and scored in the 80th minute through substituteMichael Kightly. But Villa defenderMatthew Lowton then scored an unstoppable goal, a volley from 30 yards and with Stoke pushing for an equaliser they were caught on the counterattack andChristian Benteke sealed a 3–1 win and left Stoke fully involved in the relegation fight.[58]
Stoke's slide towards the relegation zone continued with 2–0 home defeat against champions elect Manchester United on 14 April. The Potters made an awful start conceding after just four minutes after aRobin van Persie corner was not dealt with by the Stoke defence and the ball was prodded in byMichael Carrick. Stoke rarely threatenedDavid de Gea and when he was finally tested by Charlie Adam Stoke gave away a penalty after Wilkinson fouled van Persie in the area who converted the spot kick.[59][60] Pulis decided to impose a media ban for the remainder of the season on his players in order to 'keep them focused'.[61]
City then travelled to lowly Queens Park Rangers and came away with a vital 2–0 victory only their 2nd win of 2013. Peter Crouch scored for the first time since January and a Walters penalty lifted Stoke six points away from danger.[62]
Stoke then beat Norwich City 1–0 on 27 April to move them onto the 40 point mark in a match which saw the supporters pay tribute to former playerPaul Ware.Charlie Adam scored the only goal of the game just after half-time, Stoke could have added a second but Crouch was guilty of some poor finishing.[63]
Stoke played relegation threatened Sunderland on 6 May and Stoke took a 9th-minute lead through Walters after Sunderland failed to clear a Charlie Adam corner. It got worse for the Black Cats asCraig Gardner was sent-off for a foul on Adam just before half time. However Sunderland managed to earn a point thanks to a goal fromJohn O'Shea.[64]
The last home match of the 2012–13 season against Tottenham Hotspur was used as a 'celebration match' for the club's 150th anniversary. To mark the occasion 80 former players attended the match and performed a lap of honour whilst the supporters received a free T-shirt. Stoke started the match brilliantly withSteven Nzonzi scoring his first goal for City after just three minutes. Spurs levelled throughClint Dempsey who punished a defensive mix-up between Wilson and Begović. Just after half time Stoke's task was made harder when Charlie Adam picked up a second yellow card meaning Stoke had to play the remaining 40 minutes with ten men. Stoke couldn't hold on to a draw asEmmanuel Adebayor scored the winning goal for Spurs.[65]
Stoke ended the 2012–13 season with a 1–1 draw away at Southampton, Crouch scoring just after half time for Stoke before Rickie Lambert made sure the season ended with a draw.[66] It proved to be Pulis' final game in charge of Stoke as two days later he left the club by mutual consent.[67] He was replaced by fellow WelshmanMark Hughes. This was also the final match in Michael Owen's career, in only his 8th appearance for Stoke he got a standing ovation from both set of fans.
| Match | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorers | Report |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 18 August 2012 | Reading | A | 1–1 | 23,793 | Kightly 34' | Report |
| 2 | 26 August 2012 | Arsenal | H | 0–0 | 27,072 | Report | |
| 3 | 1 September 2012 | Wigan Athletic | A | 2–2 | 16,247 | Walters 40' (pen),Crouch 76' | Report |
| 4 | 15 September 2012 | Manchester City | H | 1–1 | 27,101 | Crouch 15' | Report |
| 5 | 22 September 2012 | Chelsea | A | 0–1 | 41,112 | Report | |
| 6 | 29 September 2012 | Swansea City | H | 2–0 | 27,330 | Crouch (2) 12', 36' | Report |
| 7 | 7 October 2012 | Liverpool | A | 0–0 | 44,531 | Report | |
| 8 | 20 October 2012 | Manchester United | A | 2–4 | 75,585 | Rooney 11' (o.g.),Kightly 58' | Report |
| 9 | 27 October 2012 | Sunderland | H | 0–0 | 27,005 | Report | |
| 10 | 3 November 2012 | Norwich City | A | 0–1 | 26,072 | Report | |
| 11 | 10 November 2012 | Queens Park Rangers | H | 1–0 | 27,529 | Adam 52' | Report |
| 12 | 19 November 2012 | West Ham United | A | 1–1 | 35,005 | Walters 13' | Report |
| 13 | 24 November 2012 | Fulham | H | 1–0 | 26,921 | Adam 26' | Report |
| 14 | 28 November 2012 | Newcastle United | H | 2–1 | 26,793 | Walters 81',Jerome 85' | Report |
| 15 | 1 December 2012 | West Bromwich Albion | A | 1–0 | 23,739 | Whitehead 75' | Report |
| 16 | 8 December 2012 | Aston Villa | A | 0–0 | 30,110 | Report | |
| 17 | 15 December 2012 | Everton | H | 1–1 | 27,008 | Jones 52' | Report |
| 18 | 22 December 2012 | Tottenham Hotspur | A | 0–0 | 35,702 | Report | |
| 19 | 26 December 2012 | Liverpool | H | 3–1 | 27,490 | Walters (2) 5', 49',Jones 12' | Report |
| 20 | 29 December 2012 | Southampton | H | 3–3 | 26,391 | Jones 16',Upson 67',Jerome 90' | Report |
| 21 | 1 January 2013 | Manchester City | A | 0–3 | 47,192 | Report | |
| 22 | 12 January 2013 | Chelsea | H | 0–4 | 27,348 | Report | |
| 23 | 19 January 2013 | Swansea City | A | 1–3 | 19,603 | Owen 90' | Report |
| 24 | 29 January 2013 | Wigan Athletic | H | 2–2 | 24,421 | Shawcross 23',Crouch 48' | Report |
| 25 | 2 February 2013 | Arsenal | A | 0–1 | 59,872 | Report | |
| 26 | 9 February 2013 | Reading | H | 2–1 | 26,737 | Huth 67',Jerome 81' | Report |
| 27 | 23 February 2013 | Fulham | A | 0–1 | 25,458 | Report | |
| 28 | 2 March 2013 | West Ham United | H | 0–1 | 26,250 | Report | |
| 29 | 10 March 2013 | Newcastle United | A | 1–2 | 50,703 | Walters 67' (pen) | Report |
| 30 | 16 March 2013 | West Bromwich Albion | H | 0–0 | 26,137 | Report | |
| 31 | 30 March 2013 | Everton | A | 0–1 | 33,977 | Report | |
| 32 | 6 April 2013 | Aston Villa | H | 1–3 | 27,544 | Kightly 80' | Report |
| 33 | 14 April 2013 | Manchester United | H | 0–2 | 27,191 | Report | |
| 34 | 20 April 2013 | Queens Park Rangers | A | 2–0 | 17,391 | Crouch 42',Walters 77' (pen) | Report |
| 35 | 27 April 2013 | Norwich City | H | 1–0 | 27,488 | Adam 46' | Report |
| 36 | 6 May 2013 | Sunderland | A | 1–1 | 38,130 | Walters 9' | Report |
| 37 | 12 May 2013 | Tottenham Hotspur | H | 1–2 | 27,531 | Nzonzi 3' | Report |
| 38 | 19 May 2013 | Southampton | A | 1–1 | 31,539 | Crouch 47' | Report |
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Manchester United(C) | 38 | 28 | 5 | 5 | 86 | 43 | +43 | 89 | Qualification for theChampions League group stage |
| 2 | Manchester City | 38 | 23 | 9 | 6 | 66 | 34 | +32 | 78 | |
| 3 | Chelsea | 38 | 22 | 9 | 7 | 75 | 39 | +36 | 75 | |
| 4 | Arsenal | 38 | 21 | 10 | 7 | 72 | 37 | +35 | 73 | Qualification for theChampions League play-off round |
| 5 | Tottenham Hotspur | 38 | 21 | 9 | 8 | 66 | 46 | +20 | 72 | Qualification for theEuropa League play-off round |
| 6 | Everton | 38 | 16 | 15 | 7 | 55 | 40 | +15 | 63 | |
| 7 | Liverpool | 38 | 16 | 13 | 9 | 71 | 43 | +28 | 61 | |
| 8 | West Bromwich Albion | 38 | 14 | 7 | 17 | 53 | 57 | −4 | 49 | |
| 9 | Swansea City | 38 | 11 | 13 | 14 | 47 | 51 | −4 | 46 | Qualification for theEuropa League third qualifying round[a] |
| 10 | West Ham United | 38 | 12 | 10 | 16 | 45 | 53 | −8 | 46 | |
| 11 | Norwich City | 38 | 10 | 14 | 14 | 41 | 58 | −17 | 44 | |
| 12 | Fulham | 38 | 11 | 10 | 17 | 50 | 60 | −10 | 43 | |
| 13 | Stoke City | 38 | 9 | 15 | 14 | 34 | 45 | −11 | 42 | |
| 14 | Southampton | 38 | 9 | 14 | 15 | 49 | 60 | −11 | 41 | |
| 15 | Aston Villa | 38 | 10 | 11 | 17 | 47 | 69 | −22 | 41 | |
| 16 | Newcastle United | 38 | 11 | 8 | 19 | 45 | 68 | −23 | 41 | |
| 17 | Sunderland | 38 | 9 | 12 | 17 | 41 | 54 | −13 | 39 | |
| 18 | Wigan Athletic(R) | 38 | 9 | 9 | 20 | 47 | 73 | −26 | 36 | Qualification for theEuropa League group stage and relegation toFootball League Championship[b] |
| 19 | Reading(R) | 38 | 6 | 10 | 22 | 43 | 73 | −30 | 28 | Relegation toFootball League Championship |
| 20 | Queens Park Rangers(R) | 38 | 4 | 13 | 21 | 30 | 60 | −30 | 25 |
Stoke were drawn away atChampionship sideCrystal Palace in the third round and the match atSelhurst Park saw both sides cancel each other out in a 0–0 draw meaning that a replay would be required.[69]
The replay was a far more eventful affair which began with the trickyWilfried Zaha winning a penalty butJermaine Easter's spot kick was saved by Sørensen. Kenwyne Jones put Stoke in front on 70 minutes before Palace were awarded another penalty whichGlenn Murray converted to send the tie into extra time. With Palace tiring Stoke took full advantage and a brace from Walters and a last minute strike from Cameron Jerome earned Stoke a 4–1 victory.[70]
The fourth round saw a repeat of the2011 FA Cup Final, unfortunately for Stoke the outcome was the same, Man City winning 1–0, thanks to a late strike fromPablo Zabaleta.[71]
| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorers | Report |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| R3 | 5 January 2013 | Crystal Palace | A | 0–0 | 13,693 | Report | |
| R3 Replay | 15 January 2013 | Crystal Palace | H | 4–1 (aet) | 11,617 | Jones 69',Walters (2) 95', 110',Jerome 120' | Report |
| R4 | 26 January 2013 | Manchester City | H | 0–1 | 19,814 | Report |
Stoke were on the receiving end of a cup upset as League OneSwindon Town knocked Stoke out in the second round. The "Robins" showed no fear at playing at the Britannia Stadium and took the lead throughJames Collins after aThomas Sørensen mistake. Swindon and Collins scored again just before half time and they also had chances to increase their goal tally much to the anger of Stoke fans who booed their team off at half time. In the second half Stoke scored throughKenwyne Jones andJonathan Walters to send the tie into extra time. However, despite squandering their two-goal lead Swindon were not affected and scored again throughAden Flint butPeter Crouch replied for Stoke.Jamie Ness had to leave the action after picking up an injury and it seemed it would go all the way to a penalty shoot-out but Collins beat the offside trap and claimed his hat-trick and victory forPaolo Di Canio's Swindon.[72]
| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorers | Report |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| R2 | 28 August 2012 | Swindon Town | H | 3–4 (aet) | 9,147 | Jones 63',Walters 86',Crouch 111' | Report |
| No. | Pos. | Name | Premier League | FA Cup | League Cup | Total | Discipline | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |  |  | |||
| 1 | GK |  Asmir Begović | 38 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 38 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| 2 | DF |  Geoff Cameron | 29(6) | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 32(6) | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| 3 | DF |  Danny Higginbotham | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 4 | DF |  Robert Huth | 35 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 39 | 1 | 5 | 0 |
| 6 | MF |  Glenn Whelan | 31(1) | 0 | 1(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 32(2) | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| 7 | MF | Jermaine Pennant | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 8 | MF |  Wilson Palacios | 0(4) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0(4) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 9 | FW |  Kenwyne Jones | 10(16) | 3 | 1(2) | 1 | 1 | 1 | 12(18) | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| 10 | FW | Michael Owen | 0(8) | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1(8) | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 11 | FW |  Mamady Sidibé | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 12 | DF | Marc Wilson | 19 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 20 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| 13 | MF | Maurice Edu | 0(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 14 | MF |  Jamie Ness | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0(1) | 0 | 0(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 15 | MF |  Steven Nzonzi | 35 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 38 | 1 | 9 | 0 |
| 16 | MF | Charlie Adam | 22(5) | 3 | 0(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 22(6) | 3 | 9 | 1 |
| 17 | DF | Ryan Shawcross (c) | 37 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 40 | 1 | 8 | 0 |
| 18 | MF | Dean Whitehead | 12(14) | 1 | 2(1) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 15(15) | 1 | 11 | 1 |
| 19 | FW | Jonathan Walters | 38 | 8 | 3 | 2 | 0(1) | 1 | 41(1) | 11 | 4 | 0 |
| 20 | DF | Matthew Upson | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 21 | MF | Michael Kightly | 14(8) | 3 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 18(8) | 3 | 2 | 0 |
| 22 | MF | Brek Shea | 0(2) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0(2) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 23 | MF | Michael Tonge | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 24 | MF | Rory Delap | 0(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 25 | FW | Peter Crouch | 28(6) | 7 | 2(1) | 0 | 0(1) | 1 | 30(8) | 8 | 2 | 0 |
| 26 | MF | Matthew Etherington | 21(10) | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 23(10) | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 27 | GK | Carlo Nash | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 28 | DF | Andy Wilkinson | 19(5) | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 21(5) | 0 | 6 | 0 |
| 29 | GK |  Thomas Sørensen | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 30 | DF | Ryan Shotton | 20(3) | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 23(3) | 0 | 7 | 1 |
| 32 | MF |  Diego Arismendi | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 33 | FW | Cameron Jerome | 8(18) | 3 | 0(3) | 1 | 1 | 0 | 9(21) | 4 | 3 | 0 |
| 36 | MF |  Matthew Lund | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 38 | MF |  Florent Cuvelier | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| – | – | Own goals | – | 1 | – | 0 | – | 0 | – | 1 | – | – |
| Date | Pos. | Name | From | Fee | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 July 2012 | MF | Jamie Ness | Rangers | Free | [73] |
| 8 August 2012 | MF | Michael Kightly | Wolverhampton Wanderers | Undisclosed | [74] |
| 8 August 2012 | DF | Geoff Cameron | Houston Dynamo | £2.5million | [75] |
| 31 August 2012 | MF | Maurice Edu | Rangers | Undisclosed | [76] |
| 31 August 2012 | MF | Charlie Adam | Liverpool | £4 million | [77] |
| 31 August 2012 | MF | Steven Nzonzi | Blackburn Rovers | £3 million | [78] |
| 4 September 2012 | FW | Michael Owen | Manchester United | Free | [79] |
| 31 January 2013 | MF | Brek Shea | FC Dallas | £2.5million | [80] |
| 31 January 2013 | GK | Jack Butland | Birmingham City | £3.5million | [81] |
| Date | Pos. | Name | To | Fee | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24 May 2012 | DF | Andrew Davies | Bradford City | Free | [82] |
| 30 June 2012 | MF | Tom Soares | Bury | Free | [83] |
| 30 June 2012 | MF |  Salif Diao | Retired | [84] | |
| 30 June 2012 | FW | Louis Moult | Northampton Town | Free | [85] |
| 7 July 2012 | DF | Jonathan Woodgate | Middlesbrough | Free | [86] |
| 24 July 2012 | DF |  Danny Collins | Nottingham Forest | Undisclosed | [87] |
| 22 August 2012 | FW |  Ricardo Fuller | Charlton Athletic | Free | [88] |
| 1 January 2013 | DF | Danny Higginbotham | Sheffield United | Free | [89] |
| 10 January 2013 | MF | Michael Tonge | Leeds United | Undisclosed | [90] |
| Date from | Date to | Pos. | Name | To | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13 July 2012 | 28 January 2013 | MF | Matty Lund | Bristol Rovers | [91] |
| 16 July 2012 | 5 January 2013 | MF | Florent Cuvelier | Walsall | [92] |
| 17 July 2012 | 5 January 2013 | MF | Ryan Brunt | Leyton Orient | [93] |
| 13 September 2012 | December 2012 | MF | Michael Tonge | Leeds United | [94] |
| 21 September 2012 | 21 October 2012 | DF | Danny Higginbotham | Ipswich Town | [95] |
| 12 October 2012 | 1 January 2013 | MF | Jermaine Pennant | Wolverhampton Wanderers | [96] |
| 23 November 2012 | 23 December 2012 | FW | Mamady Sidibé | Sheffield Wednesday | [97] |
| 31 January 2013 | 30 June 2013 | MF | Rory Delap | Barnsley | [98] |
| 27 March 2013 | 30 June 2013 | MF | Florent Cuvelier | Peterborough United | [99] |
