Taking a look at Stoke City’s transfer dealings in the 21st century, the club have not been shy to get the chequebook out when they felt it necessary to do so.
Names such as Giannelli Imbula, Kevin Wimmer, and Badou Ndiaye are among the club’s record transfer dealings, with all of those players signed for fees north of £15 million.
Spending that sort of money on players was often what was required to compete in the Premier League, with the club having spent 10 consecutive seasons in the top-flight between 2008 and 2018.
Not all of the club’s dealings in the 21st century have been big-money moves, though. In 2006, the club secured one of their greatest modern day signings, and paid just £500,000 in doing so.
Stoke City snap up Ricardo Fuller
We are, of course, talking about the Potters snapping up Jamaican striker Ricardo Fuller from Southampton.
Back in 2006, Stoke City paid a reported £500,000 for the forward’s signature, and it undoubtedly proved to be a huge bargain.
Fuller’s impact at the club was instant, and he would go on to play a huge role in not only getting the club promoted to the Premier League, but also help the club to retain that status in their early years back in the top-flight.
In doing so, Fuller, endeared himself greatly to the club’s supporters, becoming a cult hero and modern-day legend at Stoke City football club.
Ricardo Fuller’s Stoke City career in numbers
As mentioned above, Fuller hit the ground running for the Potters, evidenced by the fact he was the club’s top goalscorer during his first campaign at what was then the Britannia Stadium.
Having scored just 10 league goals, he was far from prolific, but these goals were often far from ordinary, and his nine assists to go along with it proved he had been an excellent summer addition.
Fuller’s goal tally would increase the following season, where he would share the club’s top goalscorer award with Liam Lawrence. Both forwards netted 15 times that season, helping Stoke City to second place in the Championship and automatic promotion to the Premier League.
Despite the huge step up in levels from the Championship to the top-flight, Fuller’s hit double digits for Premier League goals the following season once again, with his 11 goals enough to help him wrap up the club’s top goalscorer award for a third successive time.
More importantly, though, the Potters finished a comfortable 12th that season, maintaining their Premier League status and avoiding an instant return to the Championship.
The following season, Fuller’s goals dried up in the Premier League, scoring just three times in the top flight. Remarkably, he did win the club’s top scorer award once again, though, with eight goals in all competitions.
Four of those goals came in the FA Cup as Stoke reached the quarter-finals, overcoming Arsenal and Manchester City only to be halted by Chelsea.
With Fuller into his 30’s, the goals began to dry up, and from the 2010/11 season onwards, Fuller would score just five goals for the club in 54 appearances.
In August 2012, Fuller’s time at the club came to an end, departing for Charlton Athletic on a free transfer.
Fuller deal was one of the best
Despite things petering out in terms of goals, Fuller’s signing is undoubtedly one of the best in Stoke City’s modern history.
Not only was the player a real maverick, he performed on the pitch, leading the club for goals time and time again as they won promotion to the Premier League and maintained their status in it.
Fuller was a key part of Tony Pulis’ side in those years, and the club’s supporters certainly appreciated what he brought to the Potters.
Now back at the club in a coaching capacity and offering what he can to the club’s up-and-coming youngsters, Fuller is only adding to an already immense legacy at Stoke City.
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