Stoke City hit transfer gold with Aston Villa decision | OneFootball

Thomas Sorensen joined Stoke City on a free transfer in the summer of 2008 and starred for the Potters in the Premier League

Following a historic promotion to the Premier League for the first time in their history, Tony Pulis was looking to cement Stoke City’s place in the top-flight with some key additions in the summer of 2008.

The likes of Dave Kitson joined from Reading, Seyi Olofinjana from Wolverhampton Wanderers, Danny Higginbotham from Sunderland, and Abdoulaye Faye from Newcastle United, as Pulis set out to make a team of giants, adding to a squad already containing the likes of Ryan Shawcross, Rory Delap, Mamady Sidibe, and Ricardo Fuller.

The plan was in place for how Stoke were going to play – direct, strong, and no-nonsense - something that would eventually encapsulate their early days in the Premier League.

However, arguably their best signing that window was not an outfield player, but rather a goalkeeper, whose free addition between the sticks left a lasting impact in the Potteries.

Thomas Sorensen joined Stoke City on a free transfer from Aston Villa

Steve Simonsen had been Stoke’s first-choice goalkeeper for four years under Pulis, playing a central role in helping to guide the Potters to the Premier League. Yet, upon their promotion, he found himself on the bench, as the Englishman had to make way for Danish shot-stopper Thomas Sorensen.

Sorensen joined the club on a free transfer from Aston Villa and was immediately viewed by Pulis as his main choice between the sticks, signing a three-year deal in North Staffordshire.

The 102-capped Dane first moved to England in 1998 with Sunderland, with whom he starred in his first season in the country, helping the Black Cats to promotion, and continued to shine in the Premier League.

He’d eventually leave for Aston Villa in 2003 following Sunderland’s relegation, making 192 appearances on Wearside across all competitions during his time at the Stadium of Light, and was instantly made Villa’s number one upon his arrival.

Sorensen spent four seasons as the first choice at Villa Park but found himself isolated in his fifth and final year with the club, becoming the third-choice option behind Scott Carson and Stuart Taylor, where he would eventually join Stoke on a free transfer upon his deal with the Villains expiring.

Thrust immediately into the action, it didn’t appear as if the Dane had just spent the previous year on the peripheries, as he would become integral to Stoke’s success, especially from a defensive point of view, with the Potters comfortably staying up in 12th place despite being tipped as one of the favourites for relegation initially.

He’d retain his place in goal the following campaign and continued where he left off, remaining as an assured presence between the sticks.

Sorensen saved three penalties in four matches, denying each of Kevin-Prince Boateng for Portsmouth, Cesc Fabregas for Arsenal, and Hugo Rodallega for Wigan Athletic from 12 yards, cementing his place as one of the division’s finest penalty stoppers, earning himself a new deal in the process.

Stoke would once again comfortably survive with Sorensen in goal, though the 2009/10 season would be the final as Pulis’ number one, with Bosnian goalkeeper Asmir Begovic emerging as the Welshman’s preferred option, resigning the Dane to a backup role once more.

He’d continue in his role as deputy for the next four years to Begovic, and then to eventually Jack Butland, before leaving the Potteries for Australia in 2015, where he would finish his career with Melbourne City.

Sorensen remained a popular figure behind the scenes despite his lack of playing time towards the end, but it will be his efforts in goal for his first two seasons at Stoke, in which he will always be fondly remembered for, as if it wasn’t for him, the Potters may not have survived and endured the Premier League journey they would eventually embark upon.

Thomas Sorensen broke Premier League records at Stoke City and is remembered as one of the division’s finest

Sorensen finished his Stoke career with 129 appearances across all competitions, including the Premier League and Europa League, the latter of which they qualified for by virtue of reaching the FA Cup final in 2011, where Sorensen once again played a crucial role in achieving.

With Stoke, Sorensen became the record appearance maker for a Danish player in the Premier League, ahead of the likes of Christian Eriksen, and father and son duo Peter and Kasper Schmeichel, with 363 top-flight appearances to his name.

Nobody looks likely to take that record away from Sorensen anytime soon, with his impact in the English top tier having a lasting impact, and certainly for Stoke fans, his performances between the sticks were fundamental to the success they would go on to achieve in the Premier League, leaving an everlasting legacy in the Potteries.