Stoke City FC: the Icelandic Years 1999-2006
Twinned with Reykjavik is a detailed account of the unforgettable Stoke City period between 1999 and 2006, when Icelanders ran the club. Through their ownership, Stoke saw success and failure, excitement and embarrassment, shock arrivals and departures, plus disputes across the hierarchy. One thing is certain, it was entertaining!
The period leading up to 1999 had been grim for Stoke City fans - relegation, stagnation, embarrassment and board conflicts were commonplace at the club. As the new millennium approached, fans demanded change, but no one could have predicted what would come next. An Icelandic consortium, brought together by Gudjon Thordarson, set sail for the Potteries with the promise of exciting foreign imports and Premier League football. What followed was a mixture of flashy arrivals, cup successes, broken curses, flop signings and plenty of fallouts, with extraordinary on-field moments along the way. Cult heroes and villains were made as Stoke became a living soap opera for seven remarkable years. Twinned with Reykjavik lifts the lid on that rollercoaster ride with the views of the people who experienced the wild journey. Integral players and fans look back on the key moments that defined the era as the book ponders that vital question: was the Icelandic takeover actually a success for Stoke City?