Stoke & Staffordshire

Latest Updates

  1. 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."

  2. 'We were hoping it would not have come to this'published at 10:43 1 May

    Media caption,

    Danny Pugh: "It's squeaky bum time"

    Former Stoke City midfielder Danny Pugh says he "didn't expect" the club to be in a Championship relegation fight on the final day of the season.

    The Potters are 18th in the table, just two points above the drop zone and face one of their rivals in Derby County on Saturday (12:30 BST).

    Should they lose to the Rams, they would still be safe as long as Hull City and Luton Town do not pick up wins also, nor Preston North End earn a point against Bristol City.

    "We were hoping it wouldn't have come to this," Pugh told BBC Radio Stoke.

    "But like you say, it's squeaky bum time.

    "It's disappointing but I think they will have enough to not get sucked into it."

    The final game against the Rams will be on home ground and while Pugh thinks that will be a strength for the side, he also says there will be a different kind of atmosphere when the players step on to the pitch.

    "You've got that excitement, you've got that adrenaline. You're aware there's a different feeling in the stadium," Pugh said.

    "There's definitely that added tension, that added pressure when there's so much hanging on the game."

    Listen to Pugh's full thoughts and more on BBC Sounds.

    Listen on BBC Sounds