The man is an absolute God to the majority of Stoke fans, myself included. No other player's light has shone so brightly over the 20 years I've been a Stoke supporter.
A little piece of me held on to the hope that he would re-sign for us before the window closed, have one last season and finish his career here, but at least he doesn't have to suffer the ignominy of being without a club now.
I honestly don't know how he will turn out for you- part of me thinks he'll flourish down a division, against less accomplished/intelligent defenders, but I also think you won't get all the brute strength and pace that was/is such an integral part of his game, thanks to recent injuries, so we'll see.
20/25 goals may be a bit ambitious (he's not a bad finisher, but is a very 'streaky' goalscorer- I think 10/15 is more realistic) but some players are above and beyond being judged by statistics alone. If Ric can give you lot a tenth of the joy that he's given us over the last few years then, wow, you boys are in for a treat.
I hope myself and other SCFC fans aren't talking him up to the point where all he can do is disappoint you, because I desperately want him to do well.
Really look forward to seeing him play, I can safely say one thing.. as a defender if I was to have Kermogant battling me to every ball, having to chase BWP for pace and knowing Fuller was about too. I'd be shitting it
Didn't realise he was so much loved at Stoke , i know you tube video's always have peoples best bits rather than their mistakes , but that video got me excited , CP could have unearthed a gem.
I did originally post on a different Charlton board but it seems to be as dead as Port Fail. Couple of other Stokies have added their piece too which I'll include in here. Well done, you've inherited a legend. RICARDO FULLER
Not one to sign up to other clubs boards, however for Ric I'll make an exception. Riccy Fuller is the most talented player to wear the Stoke shirt in the last 10 years bar none. If his body allows, the comments on here will be proven completely & utterly wrong. The man is a legend, had it not been for injuries he'd have played for one of the top sides. Can't praise him enough, the man is a legend at Stoke City and will always be held in the highest esteem. Ricardo Fuller, one love.
========= Evening all! Another Stoke fan here. Please look after and cherish Ric - on his day he can win you any game against any opposition. Undoubtedly the most talented footballer I have ever seen in our colours and a true Stoke City Legend (check out a few of the montages on YouTube if you haven't already.
Good luck for the season & it would be great to get you in the cup in January!
Good luck for the season. ============================= I've never posted on another teams message board, but on hearing that you've landed Ric, I have to tell you that you've just signed the best player I've seen in a Stoke shirt in 34 years.
It's difficult to describe what a magician he is, and if you can keep him fit and happy, he could make a massive difference to you.
He has scored goals for us that I'll remember until my dying day and I am truly saddened as to how he has been treated by my Club.
Ric was our No. 10. His contract expired at the end of May and Stoke made it clear that they were'nt going to offer him a new one.
Our last game of the season was a home game against Bolton. It turned out to be Ric's last game for us. By the powers of the Stoke City 'Oatcake' message board, it was arranged that when the clock on the scoreboard changed from 9 mins 59 seconds to 10 minutes, the whole stadium would stand as one and applaud Ricardo. It really made the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end and. The great man was running and clapping us at the same time. On 11 minutes everyone sat down and went back to 'normal'.
Charlton are now my 2nd favourite team and I would love to land you in a cup game this season. If Ric scored for you, thousands of Stoke fans would clap.
He needs you lot to get behind him. Sing his name and he'll give you plenty to cheer about.
I remember watching Stoke v Newcastle a few years ago and Newcastle were cruising at half time and probably a few goals up. (Can't remember exactly!) Fuller came on at half time and withing 15 minutes he'd single handedly destroyed Newcastle.
I remember watching Stoke v Newcastle a few years ago and Newcastle were cruising at half time and probably a few goals up. (Can't remember exactly!) Fuller came on at half time and withing 15 minutes he'd single handedly destroyed Newcastle.
I remember it well mate. We were 2-0 and not in the game. Ric came on and within minutes every time he got the ball things happened. The game finished 2-2 and we could easily have nicked it. It was a typical Fuller performance and one we've seen many many times over the years. Perhaps because he carried our attacking threat almost single handedly we may be hyping him up too much but i hope that's not the case and you get to see the magic in his boots. He has his faults of course, he only works in short bursts and then explodes into life with pace and power, he can get frustrated if things aren't working for him or he doesn't get any service, he hasn't got a powerful shot and he's not interested in fighting for long punts from the goalkeeper. But get it to his feet in a little bit of space and let him do his thing. He attacks defenders, he commits defenders, he creates space for others and basically causes panic.
You've just got to get him fit. I really hope you do as he deserves one last crack at it before his legs explode ;-)
If he's fit and up for it sounds like he should be a very good signing. Powell obviously thinks he will be, will trust him on this.
Will hopefully give both BWP and Yann some serious competition. Looking forward to seeing Fuller and Haynes on the bench, both should cause some problems. Not that he's come here to just be a sub.
Fair enough, you lot have seen more of him than I have.
"Target man" is probably the wrong term, I don't mean a target man like Crouch/Carroll but more of a Les Ferdinand type who is the focal point of the attack and uses his pace and power to really put the wind up defenders - although Fuller has a lot of skill too.
Let's be honest though, the bloke is 6' 3' and must be nearly 14 stones in weight, he's hardly going to play like Lionel Messi is he?
Fuller is a top signing at this level and when fit probably one of the best players in the league. I'm delighted with our front line now tbh and wouldn't swap it for many other teams in our league.
In a long season you need options. Look at our bench today and with Haynes injured we didn't have a main striker type. Fuller is a very astute addition but I don't see him outsing BWP or Kermogant but he will keep them honest and get time from the bench. In fact, unleashing Haynes and Fuller on defences BWP and Kermogant have softened up is an exciting prospect.
In a long season you need options. Look at our bench today and with Haynes injured we didn't have a main striker type. Fuller is a very astute addition but I don't see him outsing BWP or Kermogant but he will keep them honest and get time from the bench. In fact, unleashing Haynes and Fuller on defences BWP and Kermogant have softened up is an exciting prospect.
"It didn't matter how much we were criticized, it didn't matter how much some smug fucker would come up to you and say 'how can you watch that every week', it didn't matter that we rarely got the credit we deserved because we had Ricardo Fuller. The real pleasure was though it didn't matter if that fact meant nothing to them because they didn't have the enormous privilege of watching him week in and week out, they didn't have a fucking clue."
Sums it up perfectly. I know people aren't supposed to be experts on other team's players but it has always amazed me how underated Fuller has been. You look at the numbers and his goal record isn't prolific but unless you saw how defensive we played, with Ric totally isolated on his own, it's difficult to appreciate what he did for us. Everything we did going forwards had to go through him or we were down to free kicks and corners and he won 75% of those. In the second season back in the prem he scored 3 league goals and yet he had a fantastic season. I know that's hard to understand when he's the main striker but it's true. He created lots for others and had to feed off scaps himself. For our style of play he was the absolutley perfect player as he can hold the ball up for as long as you need and still has the ability to create something from nothing. Without doubt if it wasn't for the injuries and his 'difficult to handle' tag he'd have made it to a big club. Luckily for us it didn't come as we wouldn't be where we are now and after years of dross i wouldn't have been reminded what watching football is all about - getting you off your seat with realistic expectation that you might see something special.
I'm hoping a more expansive style of play will suit him and he can score more goals as he got very little help at Stoke. You will have to give him time as he's had no pre-season but with a following wind, in a month or two you'll get to see what he can do. If he can get to 50% of his best you won't be disappointed.
Is this like that t-shirt of the three wolves on Amazon where loads of people posted outrageously positive reviews for what was just a slightly naff shirt? I only ask because I don't think I've ever seen this much positivity about a departing player in my life. Either the Stoke fans have all got together and decided to build him up like some kind of insane footballing megazord for giggles or he's the real deal
He needs to be fit enough to make a difference, simple as. I am impressed by the Stoke City fans comments personally, the sort of thing we would have said about Kinsella when he went to Aston villa.
Bit of info on his background, he hails from Tivoli Gardens, probably the roughest district in Kingston. As such being a product of his enviroment he doesn't take shit from anyone, he's prone to losing it every now & then. Be that getting involved in a scuffle in the players lounge after a game, knocking out two Luton players in the process, getting sent off for slapping Andy Griffin during a game or giving out a few cuffs to pissed up knobs in nightclubs.
Don't let that sway you into thinking that makes him a Joey Barton type though, couldn't be further from the truth. He's come from the 'ghetto' and has made something of himself out of nothing, it's what makes him the player he is. A few years ago he had to return to Kingston to rebuild his grandmothers house after it got burnt down during the Dudas Coke riots. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/10524196
He's your typical Jamaican, walks to the beat of his own drum but when he's hyped he'll burst into life. I'm aware he hasn't had a pre season, more than most for him to be effective he needs to be fit, so give him some time. But when he's sharp get ready to enjoy him, utter legend. I've seen comments regarding him being behind the pecking order of your current strikers, without being disrespectful guys like BWP & Kermorgant couldn't hold a candle to a fully firing Ricardo Fuller. It's no exaggeration to suggest had he not been blighted by injuries he'd have been a star for one top 4 teams.
CS You may be interested to know that as a Tivoli Gardens player he spent a year at Charlton (I think 'on loan') helping him recover from a serious injury as a young player. I'm not entirely sure of the story, but as I understood it we were then going to sign him from Tivoli. I also vaguely remember that at the time we thought Tivoli were asking silly money, or maybe Mr Fuller (or agent?) thought better of signing for us, and he then emerged elsewhere. Either way, the year he spent with us certainly helped him recover from whatever injury he had, and as a result Charlton fans have watched his progress with interest. Do you know the full story by any chance?
Comments
A little piece of me held on to the hope that he would re-sign for us before the window closed, have one last season and finish his career here, but at least he doesn't have to suffer the ignominy of being without a club now.
I honestly don't know how he will turn out for you- part of me thinks he'll flourish down a division, against less accomplished/intelligent defenders, but I also think you won't get all the brute strength and pace that was/is such an integral part of his game, thanks to recent injuries, so we'll see.
20/25 goals may be a bit ambitious (he's not a bad finisher, but is a very 'streaky' goalscorer- I think 10/15 is more realistic) but some players are above and beyond being judged by statistics alone. If Ric can give you lot a tenth of the joy that he's given us over the last few years then, wow, you boys are in for a treat.
I hope myself and other SCFC fans aren't talking him up to the point where all he can do is disappoint you, because I desperately want him to do well.
To quote another poster on the '1863' forum (http://eighteensixtythree.proboards.com/index.cgi?)
'Ricardo Fuller will never die because it's not just one man, it's a state of being.'
Gwarn Ric, 'one love' and all that, and good luck Charlton.
Really look forward to seeing him play, I can safely say one thing.. as a defender if I was to have Kermogant battling me to every ball, having to chase BWP for pace and knowing Fuller was about too. I'd be shitting it
Not one to sign up to other clubs boards, however for Ric I'll make an exception. Riccy Fuller is the most talented player to wear the Stoke shirt in the last 10 years bar none. If his body allows, the comments on here will be proven completely & utterly wrong. The man is a legend, had it not been for injuries he'd have played for one of the top sides. Can't praise him enough, the man is a legend at Stoke City and will always be held in the highest esteem. Ricardo Fuller, one love.
=========
Evening all! Another Stoke fan here. Please look after and cherish Ric - on his day he can win you any game against any opposition. Undoubtedly the most talented footballer I have ever seen in our colours and a true Stoke City Legend (check out a few of the montages on YouTube if you haven't already.
Good luck for the season & it would be great to get you in the cup in January!
Ricardo Fuller! City's Number 10 ...
RoryM_SCFC
-------------------------
Charlton will be many Stokies 2nd team this season..
For anyone interested in the esteem Fuller is held in, check out this thread.
http://oatcakefanzine.proboards.com/inde....d=197426&page=1
Good luck for the season.
=============================
I've never posted on another teams message board, but on hearing that you've landed Ric, I have to tell you that you've just signed the best player I've seen in a Stoke shirt in 34 years.
It's difficult to describe what a magician he is, and if you can keep him fit and happy, he could make a massive difference to you.
He has scored goals for us that I'll remember until my dying day and I am truly saddened as to how he has been treated by my Club.
Ric was our No. 10. His contract expired at the end of May and Stoke made it clear that they were'nt going to offer him a new one.
Our last game of the season was a home game against Bolton. It turned out to be Ric's last game for us. By the powers of the Stoke City 'Oatcake' message board, it was arranged that when the clock on the scoreboard changed from 9 mins 59 seconds to 10 minutes, the whole stadium would stand as one and applaud Ricardo. It really made the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end and. The great man was running and clapping us at the same time.
On 11 minutes everyone sat down and went back to 'normal'.
Charlton are now my 2nd favourite team and I would love to land you in a cup game this season. If Ric scored for you, thousands of Stoke fans would clap.
He needs you lot to get behind him. Sing his name and he'll give you plenty to cheer about.
RF10 = SCFC legend.
Best of luck to Ric and all at CAFC
You've just got to get him fit. I really hope you do as he deserves one last crack at it before his legs explode ;-)
Will hopefully give both BWP and Yann some serious competition. Looking forward to seeing Fuller and Haynes on the bench, both should cause some problems. Not that he's come here to just be a sub.
"Target man" is probably the wrong term, I don't mean a target man like Crouch/Carroll but more of a Les Ferdinand type who is the focal point of the attack and uses his pace and power to really put the wind up defenders - although Fuller has a lot of skill too.
Let's be honest though, the bloke is 6' 3' and must be nearly 14 stones in weight, he's hardly going to play like Lionel Messi is he?
Don't get that too often when a player moves.
Glad we've signed him think he'll do well, just hope Haynes can get fit and we've got some good strikers at this level.
"It didn't matter how much we were criticized, it didn't matter how much some smug fucker would come up to you and say 'how can you watch that every week', it didn't matter that we rarely got the credit we deserved because we had Ricardo Fuller. The real pleasure was though it didn't matter if that fact meant nothing to them because they didn't have the enormous privilege of watching him week in and week out, they didn't have a fucking clue."
Sums it up perfectly. I know people aren't supposed to be experts on other team's players but it has always amazed me how underated Fuller has been. You look at the numbers and his goal record isn't prolific but unless you saw how defensive we played, with Ric totally isolated on his own, it's difficult to appreciate what he did for us. Everything we did going forwards had to go through him or we were down to free kicks and corners and he won 75% of those. In the second season back in the prem he scored 3 league goals and yet he had a fantastic season. I know that's hard to understand when he's the main striker but it's true. He created lots for others and had to feed off scaps himself. For our style of play he was the absolutley perfect player as he can hold the ball up for as long as you need and still has the ability to create something from nothing. Without doubt if it wasn't for the injuries and his 'difficult to handle' tag he'd have made it to a big club. Luckily for us it didn't come as we wouldn't be where we are now and after years of dross i wouldn't have been reminded what watching football is all about - getting you off your seat with realistic expectation that you might see something special.
I'm hoping a more expansive style of play will suit him and he can score more goals as he got very little help at Stoke. You will have to give him time as he's had no pre-season but with a following wind, in a month or two you'll get to see what he can do. If he can get to 50% of his best you won't be disappointed.
I am impressed by the Stoke City fans comments personally, the sort of thing we would have said about Kinsella when he went to Aston villa.
Don't let that sway you into thinking that makes him a Joey Barton type though, couldn't be further from the truth. He's come from the 'ghetto' and has made something of himself out of nothing, it's what makes him the player he is. A few years ago he had to return to Kingston to rebuild his grandmothers house after it got burnt down during the Dudas Coke riots. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/10524196
He's your typical Jamaican, walks to the beat of his own drum but when he's hyped he'll burst into life. I'm aware he hasn't had a pre season, more than most for him to be effective he needs to be fit, so give him some time. But when he's sharp get ready to enjoy him, utter legend. I've seen comments regarding him being behind the pecking order of your current strikers, without being disrespectful guys like BWP & Kermorgant couldn't hold a candle to a fully firing Ricardo Fuller. It's no exaggeration to suggest had he not been blighted by injuries he'd have been a star for one top 4 teams.
Do you know the full story by any chance?