Stoke City are top of the league and scoring goals for fun – on this form who can stop them?

The Potters are dreaming of a shot at the Premiership and with the consistency, hard work and endeavour they have shown in recent weeks, they have every chance of making it to the Promised Land.

While those around them have struggled for consistency, Stoke have taken the division by the scruff of the neck and their performances just keep getting better and better.

They have invested wisely at key times – chairman Peter Coates sanctioned five permanent signings in the January transfer window – and they certainly look to be the team that has the momentum with them at the moment.

Manager Tony Pulis is like Marmite to Stoke fans – they seem to either love him or hate him – and despite all of his achievements during his second spell at the Britannia, he still hasn’t won all of the Potters faithful over.

What more can he possibly do?

Stoke have been classed as a sleeping giant but maybe this is the year they re-awaken and burst in to life as the feel-good factor returns to the city.

If they do reach the Premiership in May, there will no longer be any need for the fans to harp back to the good old days and the 1972 League Cup final.

A proud City steeped in football history deserves another crack at the big time and a chance to avenge their last flirtation with England’s top flight when they finished the 1984/85 campaign with just 17 points.

But for now just an opportunity to sit at the country’s top table would send the club in ecstasy and a win against Ipswich on Saturday will propel them a step closer to achieving just that.