Stoke City's £3m bargain: How Etherington benefitted from West Ham exit | OneFootball

Matthew Etherington joined Stoke from West Ham in a deal that was hugely beneficial for both player and club

Upon achieving their first historic promotion to the Premier League, Tony Pulis' Stoke City side were widely tipped to be among the favourites for relegation in their inaugural top-flight season, but the Welsh boss had other plans.

Having finished second in the EFL Championship, behind only West Bromwich Albion in the 2007/08 season, Stoke were preparing to undergo their first-ever season in the Premier League.

Under the guidance of Tony Pulis, the Potters were hot favourites for the drop upon their promotion, and sought to add to their roster over the summer window to add bits of quality throughout the squad.

The likes of Dave Kitson, Seyi Olofinjana, Danny Higginbotham, Abdoulaye Faye, and Thomas Sorensen all made the move to the bet365 Stadium, then known as the Britannia Stadium.

Stoke made it to the halfway point in the season still well within a chance of staying up, after impressive home victories over the likes of Aston Villa, Tottenham Hotspur, and Arsenal, but Pulis still wasn't content, and dived back into the market that January.

In came James Beattie from Sheffield United on a permanent deal to add another striker to the mix, whilst Henri Camara and Stephen Kelly joined on loan from Wigan Athletic and Birmingham City, respectively.

However, it was their other January addition which would have the greatest impact in the Potteries, with his performances down the wing still lauded to this day.

Matthew Etherington joined Stoke City from West Ham in a £3 million deal

Stoke's fourth, and frankly, best piece of business that January was undoubtedly the purchase of Matthew Etherington from West Ham United, with the winger making the move from Upton Park for a fee of around £3 million.

The then 27-year-old began his professional career with Peterborough United before joining Tottenham Hotspur in 2000 alongside Simon Davies, though he struggled to establish himself at White Hart Lane and would head out on loan to Bradford City for the second half of the 2000/01 campaign.

He'd then join West Ham in 2003, and spent six years with the Hammers between the first and second tier, though around this time, the left-winger was dealing with a gambling addiction.

Upon his arrival in Staffordshire, Pulis said: "I think Matthew feels it is right to get out of London and start again. I have had to solve problems with players before, and we do our best at Stoke to look after them. I have really got a feeling from him. If we can get him back to his best, he will be a really exciting player for our supporters."

Etherington was immediately thrust into the fold at Stoke and contributed three assists in 14 games during the second half of the 2008/09 season as Stoke, against the odds, scraped survival.

From there, he became an integral figure down the left flank, capable of getting to the byline before playing it across the box or crossing it from deep, with his left-foot delivery a nightmare to defend against, scoring five and assisting nine in 34 Premier League games in his first full season at the club.

He'd continue to impress thereafter, scoring five and assisting eight during the 2010/11 season, as Stoke reached the FA Cup final, only losing out to Manchester City at Wembley, with Etherington scoring the first in the Potters' memorable 5-0 victory over Bolton Wanderers in the semi-final.

With Jermaine Pennant off the other flank, and the likes of Peter Crouch, Kenwyne Jones, Ricardo Fuller, Cameron Jerome, and Jonathan Walters to aim for, Pulis' plan was clear, and Etherington's creativity off the left was a key part of their success.

The 2011/12 season was his final notable year in football, scoring three and assisting eight in 30 Premier League appearances as Stoke yet again retained their place in the Premier League.

He'd make a further 42 top-flight appearances for the Potters in the following two seasons under both Pulis and then Mark Hughes, but failed to contribute to a single goal before announcing his retirement in 2014 after an ongoing back injury.

Matthew Etherington remains one of Stoke City's most underrated modern-day signings

In the past decade or so, Stoke have made some horrendous signings, which have culminated in them losing their top-flight status and never looking likely to return since.

However, under Pulis, signings like Etherington laid the foundation for the Potters' continued success in the top flight into the Mark Hughes era, laying the pathway for the likes of Marko Arnautovic, Bojan Krkic, and Xherdan Shaqiri to strut their stuff in Staffordshire.

To this day, Etherington is Stoke's top assister in the Premier League era and an integral figure to the club's success, in particular their giant forwards, who loved to get on the end of his crosses.

The winger benefited from the Potters, too, on a personal level. Having racked up debts of around £800,000 and lost more than £1.5 million in betting, chairman Peter Coates helped to pay off the money he owed and aided his addiction to gambling.

A signing which encapsulates Pulis' era at Stoke, Etherington was a huge reason for Stoke's top flight journey lasting as long as it did, whilst helping the club come inches from an FA Cup title, and seeing them embark on a European journey as a result.

The Potters helped the winger on a personal level when he needed it most, and both club and player will be eternally grateful to West Ham for completing this deal, with the £3 million fee looking like a bargain.