Stoke & Staffordshire

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  1. Table 'not something I sit and stare at' - Robinspublished at 18:17 GMT 28 November

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    At this point in the season, Mark Robins says he is more interested in how people in and around Stoke City are feeling than who is in the automatic promotion places.

    His previous side Coventry are top of the Championship while The Potters are second after a 3-0 win against Charlton on Tuesday.

    When asked how he feels about seeing the two sides' places in the league table, Robins said: "I want to be top."

    He added: "It's not something I sit and stare at. It's not something I sit and think about too much. It's only 17 games, you look at all sorts of things that you can't affect and then you're wasting time so you procrastinate about things that you've got no control over so, no point.

    "I think that my energy is better served to look at what we're doing, what we can do better and then getting on with that and I think everybody is aware of that.

    "The staff and the players are aware of that. It's only about us. We talk about it's us in the building, it's us around the place, it's our supporters, it's you guys [the media], the positivity and the good will that we've gleaned.

    "Those are the things that feel good around the place and you can really use that to push things forward and I think that the players are in a brilliant place because of all of those things, because of the performances they put in so I'm happy with all of those things.

    "Christmas is around the corner and there'll be plenty of work that goes on in the community now, that continues all season anyway but we can start to put a little bit back into the community."

    You can listen to more from Mark Robins on BBC Sounds.

  2. 🎧 Stoke performances getting fans to dream bigpublished at 14:29 GMT 26 November

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    A Cold Wet Tuesday Night: 'It's tantalizing'

    "We are quickly approaching the halfway mark of the season and it's not just the top six, they [Stoke] are second.

    "I know Ipswich will have a say in that, they've got a game in hand and look like the team that are making a bit of a move but Stoke are finishing in the top six."

    Lucas Yeomans and Stoke City commentator Mark Elliott dissect a fantastic 3-0 performance against Charlton Athletic that sees them up to second on the Championship table and get a little carried away dreaming of a promotion-contending season.

    Listen to the full episode of A Cold Wet Tuesday Night and more Stoke City content on BBC Sounds.

    Listen on BBC Sounds
  3. 'Bozenik shows Stoke's genuine strength in depth'published at 12:18 GMT 26 November

    Mark Elliott
    BBC Radio Stoke commentator

    Stoke City's Robert Bozenik during the warm-up before the 3-0 win over CharltonImage source, Getty Images

    Robert Bozenik did not even need to think when asked what he needs to do to take his game to the next level.

    "Goals, goals, goals," was the reply.

    Making a rare start for Stoke in place of the rested Divin Mubama, Bozenik was singled out by his manager Mark Robins for praise despite leaving Tuesday's 3-0 win over Charlton without adding his name to the scoresheet.

    He came close, firing just wide from the edge of the box in the second half but his work-rate and hold up play were superb.

    Bozenik has never been prolific but has been working with Robins - a former forward himself - to improve his strike-rate.

    Off the pitch, he says he has settled in well, sharing a commute with international team-mate Tomas Rigo from an area they both share with Burnley goalkeeper and fellow Slovakian Martin Dubravka.

    On it, against Charlton he showed he can offer plenty to Stoke's season.

    They have long had competition for places all over the pitch and Tatsuki Seko, Steven Nzonzi and Eric Bocat came in as Robins made four changes to his side and did well.

    That has helped put them in a great position in the Championship table and now for the first time since arriving from Boavista in the summer, Bozenik has had a big part to play in a significant game.

    With Mubama, the fit-again Sam Gallagher and Bozenik to choose from, Robins has options in the one area that had looked light.

    Stoke have genuine depth and a real chance at getting themselves to January in a position to make a run at promotion to the Premier League.