Stoke & Staffordshire

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  1. Robins reacts to Derby draw that seals survivalpublished at 18:32 3 May

    Stoke City boss Mark Robins (right) shakes the hand of Derby County head coach John EustaceImage source, PA Media

    Stoke City boss Mark Robins spoke to written media after the Potters had their Championship survival sealed with a goalless draw at Derby County.

    "It was a rubbish game but we both ended up getting what we needed, so that is the most important thing," he said.

    "The game was so lacking in quality it's frightening, but understandable in the circumstances.

    "The players managed themselves really well during the week and managed themselves through the game well today.

    "Since I came in [to Stoke] in January, it has been a really tough period - I think one of the toughest of my career. It has been really difficult because I'm the third permanent manager and fourth voice they have had.

    "It's been a lot of upheaval. This team should never have been anywhere near the bottom, it's a mid-table team at worst. And had everyone been fit and we'd been in earlier, things wouldn't have got down to this day.

    "But thankfully we have managed to come out the other side OK."

  2. Stoke job 'not impossible' - Robinspublished at 15:05 2 May

    Stoke boss Mark RobinsImage source, Rex Features
    Image caption,

    Mark Robins has won six of his 20 league games in charge of Stoke

    Managing Stoke City is not an impossible job and the club has the infrastructure to succeed, according to head coach Mark Robins.

    The Potters need to win at fellow-strugglers Derby County (12:30 BST) on Saturday to be assured of Championship football for next season but a failure to take three points would still require wins for Hull City, Luton Town and Preston North End to send them down.

    "The challenge is there and significant - it's been branded an impossible job but it isn't," Robins told BBC Radio Stoke.

    "Around the club things are good and are moving forward.

    "We've got a decent infrastructure but our supporters aren't interested in that, they're just interested in getting the result we need."

    Robins became Stoke's fourth permanent boss in 13 months when he was appointed on New Year's Day and is staying calm ahead of the trip to Pride Park.

    "I understand the seriousness of it but if you've done everything you can in terms of preparation you can't do any more - we've all been diligent so we'll mosey up to Derby and look forward to it," he added.

    "It's a game of football, it's what we do - this is important and we'll give everything we possibly can and as long as we do that we'll be fine."