After Stoke City’s third year in the Championship came to a close, a season in which Stoke supporters were forced to watch their team from the confines of their living room sofas, fans were tasked with voting for their 2020/21 Player of the season. Despite what many consider to be a turbulent campaign, mostly due to injuries of key personnel, talismanic midfielder Nick Powell took home the award after a landslide victory- gathering 59% of the overall vote.
Powell racked up an impressive 12 goals and 3 assists in the Championship, not only becoming Stoke’s top goal scorer, but also proving to be one of the best performing players in the league. A statement that can be proved evident as the versatile midfielder was included in WhoScored.com’s Championship team of the season, with an overall rating of 7.10.
The 27-year-old’s career has been erratic to say the least. After coming through the academy of his local team Crewe Alexandra and becoming the second youngest player to play for the Railwaymen (making his debut at just 16), Powell became one of England’s brightest talents. Legendary manager Sir Alex Ferguson paid £6million to secure the teenager’s signature for Manchester United, yet despite scoring on his debut, Powell struggled to secure his position as a United regular.
Loan spells for Powell then ensued. First going on loan to Wigan in 2013, then to newly promoted Leicester the following season, then finally to Hull City in February 2016. The midfielder was eventually released by Manchester United in 2016 and then joined Wigan Athletic.
Following a three year stay at the Latics, a rejuvenated Powell signed for the Potters on a free transfer in the summer of 2019. However, Powell’s Stoke career started slow; injuries plagued the midfielder’s start at The Bet365 stadium, being unavailable for 10 of the first 14 matches of the 2019/20 season.
With the Potters routed at the bottom of the table come November, and Powell failing to make an impact in red and white, in came new manager Michael O’Neill who set about building a team around Stoke’s unpolished diamond. Under O’Neill, Powell began to shine. He featured throughout the rest of the season, only missing out on the matchday squad a mere four times. Coincidently, Powell’s improved form coincided with the improved form of the whole team. He scored his first competitive goal for the club in a 5-2 thrashing away at Huddersfield Town, in which he also registered his first assist for Stoke.
Powell finished the 2019/20 season strongly, ending the campaign with 10 goal involvements. Despite getting sent off against Middlesbrough, his final product and bold style of play helped endear himself to the Stoke faithful, making him a fan favourite by the end of his first season as a Potter.
As Stoke prepared themselves for their first full season under O’Neill, Powell had certainly claimed his place as one of Stoke’s best attacking threats. Starting the new season playing off the left in a front three, the 27-year-old scored two goals in his first four appearances. One of which was against his former boss Nathan Jones, a moment in which the cheekiness of Powell was summed up through the infamous ‘chest-pump’ celebration- a gesture that mocked the former Stoke manager.
The ex-England youth international continued to show his quality as the season progressed. Helping other players to thrive, such as attacking starlet Tyrese Campbell - who also amounted an excellent seven goals and five assists (a record only bettered by Harry Kane in England’s top four leagues at that time).
The Potters would take a huge blow midway through the season, losing Campbell to a season ending injury, which would have a drastic effect on the form of the team.
Despite going on a nine-game winless run entering the new year and Stoke’s attack scarred by injuries, Powell showed his versatility, playing several different roles and was often relied upon to lead the line in attack, a challenge that can be argued brought out the best in the Stoke talisman. Powell would go onto play over 80 minutes in 20 of his next 25 appearances. All the while being the 10th most fouled player in the Championship.
Following a largely inconsistent finish to the 2020/21 campaign, the Potters dropped to an uninspiring 14th in the table. Even though Powell finished with a lower expected goals ratio of 8.98 compared to the 12 he scored, he’s proven he can perform at a level much higher. Without his contributions and willingness to lead the Potters attack, it can be argued that the season could’ve ended far uglier.
Therefore, it is no surprise that Powell has become Stoke City’s 44th player of the year by such a huge margin. A player setting an excellent example for young prospects that aspire to take home the same award in the future.
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