An afternoon of unmitigated enjoyment, endless positives and two weeks to hug ourselves with the memory of a fine day’s work – marvellous. In fact, City haven’t lost any of the three matches immediately preceding an international break so far in 2009/10. Perhaps we should view these interruptions to our season more favourably from now on.

All of the talk before the match was of Phil Brown’s on-going travails, with a widespread conviction that his sacking was imminent, irrespective of the outcome. Afterwards, one man was hogging the headlines, and it wasn’t the beleaguered City manager: step forward one James Richard Bullard.

We’ve waited a long time to see him properly. Two fleeting appearances from the bench was the sum total of his contribution prior to the visit of Stoke, both coming in nights games in London. The overwhelming majority of the Tiger Nation was yet to see him clad in amber. Well, we all have now. And we understand what the fuss was about.

Phil Brown made five changes to the side that crumbled to defeat at Burnley last week. Mendy replaced McShane, Bullard replaced the suspended Geovanni, Garcia came in for Ghilas on the right wing, Altidore took Vennegoor of Hesselink’s spot up front and Fagan took Dean Marney’s place.

It meant that on a cool, grey afternoon at the Circle, City took the field under the gaze of the Sky Sports cameras with the following XI: Duke; Mendy, Zayatte, Gardner, Dawson; Garcia, Olofinjana, Bullard, Hunt; Fagan, Altidore.

It being Remembrance Sunday, an immaculately observed minute’s silence was held before kick-off, which began with City attacking the North Stand. That held a decent contingent of Stoke fans, who interestingly asserted that empty seats “every-fucking-where” in, err, a sold-out stadium.

Jimmy Bullard was immediately in the thick of the action, having two shots on goal in the opening ten games, sending one over and then lashing an attempt that flew just wide of the near post from thirty yards – it’s doubtful that Thomas Sorensen would have got to the ball had it been on target.

Ryan Shawcross had Stoke’s first effort on goal after quarter of an hour, his shot being parried to safety by Matt Duke. It was a reasonable spectacle, perhaps a little low on quality but with two committed sides keeping a decent tempo. Shawcross was involved again minutes later with a foul on Fagan that brought the afternoon’s first caution from referee Mike Dean. The resulting free-kick was rather dozily blasted over by Bernard Mendy.

City grew increasingly dominant as the half wore on, with Altidore and Garcia sending efforts on goal. Then, disaster struck. Mendy, recently cautioned for upending Matthew Etherington, misjudged a high ball and Zayatte lost his marker, allowing the Stoke winger to race through on goal. His remarkably impressive turn of pace saw him get to Duke’s goal before anyone else, and his well-hit low shot flew past the City keeper at his near post.

The Stoke fans crowed with glee, their restraining-order-worthy obsession with Phil Brown freely unleashed. It was tough on City, but a single defensive error had been ruthlessly punished. The half ended with little further incident, and while the Tigers were sportingly applauded off at the break, the mood was bleak.

Forty-five minutes for Phil Brown to save his job? On the concourse, it felt that way. Another defeat in a winnable game just would not do. There were some encouraging signs, but Altidore and Fagan were not a duo likely to threaten the scorers. In the end, they weren’t required to.

Seven minutes into a chanceless second half Phil Brown made his first change of the day, withdrawing the quiet Garcia in favour of Nick Barmby. Moments later, Stoke nearly killed the game off. An Etherington cross struck Gardner and sent the ball goalwards. Duke got a hand to it, but from this observer’s vantage point in the East Stand the ball was still heading for the net. Somehow, it slipped apologetically past the post. Even the replays don’t properly explain this extraordinary piece of good fortune. We survived. Phil Brown survived. Just.

A cynical foul by the returning Robert Huth on Altidore saw him cautioned as the temperature of the game rose a little. This suited City, striving manfully for a route back into the game. On 62 minutes, Seyi Olofinjana skilfully navigated one.

He fastened onto the ball twenty-five yards from the Stoke goal, turned towards it and skipped past his man before curling a delightful shot over and beyond Sorensen. The Circle erupted as much in relief than happiness. 1-1. Game on.

This invigorated even further an already charged City side, and Abdoulaye Faye was booked for trying to delay Nick Barmby taking a throw-in – a caution that’d prove costly later in the game. Craig Fagan nearly gave the Tigers the lead when pouncing on a ball spilled by Sorensen – his shot squirted goalwards but was deflected by a covering Potter.

On City went, comfortably on top. Tuncay came on for the tiring Fulller, while Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink came on for Jozy Altidore, who’d tried but not really made an impact upon proceedings. Then with minutes left, Stoke were reduced to ten men. A cretinous lunge on Barmby by Faye saw Mike Dean flash a red at him. The crowd chortled derisively as he slunk off, and were positively baying as Tuncay’s seven minute cameo was ended by Tony Pulis as he brought on Andy Wilkinson to shore up his defence. The Turk stormed down the tunnel in an evident huff.

With four minutes of injury time advertised and the Tigers pressing for a winner, the knackered but still willing Bullard collected the ball on the left, cut in and blatted a shot at goal from twenty-five yards. It was clumsily shovelled away by Sorensen to the lurking Vennegoor of Hesselink, who calmly swept the ball home to spark riotous celebrations on the terraces and on the pitch.

Amid the mayhem Phil Brown withdrew Fagan for the steadying influence of George Boateng and the remaining minutes were played out among scenes of jubilation we’ve not enjoyed for some time. The Stokies slipped out into the gloaming, we bounced off to the pub.

This felt big and important in a way neither of our previous home wins did. To recover from behind to win, to score a late winner, to play in a positive and vibrant fashion – it gladdens the soul.

We could single out several individuals for praise. So let’s, because we haven’t had many chances lately. Anthony Gardner played like a player who used to attract international attention – his fitness is never going to be see him through thirty games a season, but when he’s fit and on form his class is obvious. He also brings the best out of Zayatte, who can frustrate but who can also delight.

Olofinjana’s game improved vastly after his gorgeously-taken goal – he needs to do more than he has thus far with City, but the ability is there. Vennegoor of Hesselink is a proper forward who looks good when used properly. That means getting support and supply to him. His finish yesterday was a cool one given the frenetic nature of the game at the time. Barmby remains a wily influence.

And there’s Jimmy Bullard. Finally, gloriously, there’s Jimmy Bullard. The mark of a great player is the ability to make things look easy. He made the game look laughably simple. Dart into space, collect the ball, pass it on. Sounds straightforward, and looks it when done properly, but not many can in the hothouse of the Premier League. He can.

We hesitate to get too carried away…but this was a full debut of glittering promise. He inspired his team-mates and his immediately adoring crowd, lifting all with his infectious presence and precise ability.

All of this without Geovannni too, our player of the season thus far. We now sit in sixteenth, with three good home wins already to our name. The season suddenly feels a bit brighter. Adam Pearson is back, we’ve seen our team play well and win…there looks to be a glimmer of hope for City – could there be one for Phil Brown too?