Ex-Pat Packs Potteries Plate

In an earlier number plate news story, we reported how a Stoke City fan spelt out his allegiance with the convincing but necessarily approximate S7OKE.

In the United States, things are a little different: Motorists can choose almost any words without reference to a complicated identification system such as the one we have here in the UK .

As a consequence, ex-patriot football fan, Rich Davies has installed the actual words 'STOKE FC' proudly on his motor.

Rich, has lived in the US for 28 of his 43 years and the plate is a constant reminder of his home town. It is now well known around his new home of Raleigh, Carolina and causes both comment and interest amongst new colonial soccer fans.

"I would take the train to watch most home games even as a young boy," says Rich. "When I moved to America I believed no matter where I lived I would support my home team.

"Since Stoke made it to the Premiership a lot more Americans have heard of them and I get more comments about my connection with Stoke because of the plate."

Under the American vehicle registration system, 'Vanity Plates' - as they have become known - can be bought for just $35. In an earlier news story we looked at the US number plate system in more detail and discovered numerous examples where the expressions of hobbies and interests could be simply achieved.

Getting back to Mr Davies, who was just 15 when his family emigrated to the States: Reluctant to sever his connections totally, Rich cleverly decided to follow a career in ceramics. This gave him a perfect excuse to make regular return visits to his old Staffordshire 'potteries' haunts and, of course, good old Stoke City football ground.

Next time, Rich will taking along his American-born wife, Ann and their three children, Brittany,15, Stefan, 12, and Liam, 8 - and they aim to fit in a Stoke v Portsmouth fixture as part of the itinerary.

"They're really excited" he says. "We will see a Port Vale game too, but not as supporters, just for the experience."

The Portsmouth game happens to coincide with wife Ann's birthday! But, she has no problem with sitting in a freezing English football ground:

"I've been swayed from American football to soccer because it's more exciting," she says. Ann thinks her husband's STOKE FC number plate is "brilliant." and considers it "really appropriate for Rich because he has supported Stoke for such a long time."

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