Stoke chairman hails Shawcross as club’s best signing
Ryan Shawcross has been hailed as one of Stoke City’s greatest-ever signings by chairman Peter Coates.
The centre back is in line to start his 300th league game for the Potters next Saturday in their clash with Sunderland.
That will make the 29-year-old – who has one England cap to his name – the first Stoke player to break through that barrier in almost 30 years.
And Coates admits the Manchester United youth product is one of the club’s shrewdest pieces of business.
“Ryan is one of our very best signings,” he said.
“In the modern game of football it is rare for a player to stay so long at one club and he has been a rock for us over the years.
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“He has been a great captain and a key man for us as we won promotion and then again to stay in the Premier League – and he has still got a job to do on that front!
“He always had great potential – and he can consider himself unfortunate that he has not played many more times for England as well as Stoke.
“He’s had a bit of bad luck in his career but there is a lot of luck in life and football is no different.
“There is no doubt he has been a brilliant servant for Stoke City.”
