Stoke City

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Stoke City have named former Southampton chief scout Ian Torrance as their new head of recruitment.

He has spent the past year in Italy in a similar role with Serie A club Como and replaces Lee Darnbrough who left the club in February after just eight months.

He becomes Stoke's third head of recruitment in under a year, following the departure of Jared Dublin last May after 11 months in the role.

Torrance spent 13 years with Southampton, eventually becoming chief scout before leaving to join Como in time for their first season back in Italy's top flight.

"We know our work in the transfer market will need to be smart, agile and diligent for us to be successful," said Stoke sporting director Jon Walters., external

"We believe Ian is the right person to help us implement that moving forward."

Mark Robins' Potters lie 20th in the Championship table, a point clear of trouble, going into the final eight games of the season.

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Stoke City midfielder Bae Junho has helped South Korea move closer to qualifying for an 11th successive World Cup finals.

The 21-year-old appeared as a second-half substitute in a 1-1 draw with Oman in Goyang which leaves the Taegeuk Warriors top of their Asian qualifying group.

Wolves midfielder Hwang Hee-Chan gave South Korea a first-half lead only for the visitors to equalise with 10 minutes remaining.

The top two sides will qualify for the 2026 tournament in the USA, Canada and Mexico with South Korea six points clear of third-placed Jordan.

Junho earned his seventh cap in the game and will be part of the squad for their next qualifier against Jordan on Tuesday where victory could be enough to confirm their place at the World Cup.

"It's a massive sucker-punch to what seemed like a promising week. It's annoying that a game has been decided by that. It's just a tough one to take."

Stoke City fan and host of the Potterlytics podcast, George Weaver, joins BBC Radio Stoke presenter Lucas Yeomans to discuss the Potters' last-gasp defeat by Millwall at The Den.

You can listen to the full episode of A Cold Wet Tuesday Night podcast on BBC Sounds.

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Stoke City left-back Eric Bocat says the last-gasp defeat at Millwall was a frustrating way to finish domestic matters before the international break.

Mihailo Ivanovic's controversial 94th minute penalty meant the Potters lost their second successive away game in stoppage time with Mark Robins' side now hovering precariously above the relegation zone by just one point.

"I don't think we could have done better than this because we stuck together all game long, we defended together, but that is football," the 25-year-old told BBC Radio Stoke.

"Last week against Coventry away it was the same – at the end of the game we conceded a goal at the end and came back home with zero points.

"Yeah, really frustrating, it is what it is but we have to stay focused and keep working together.

"We have a really good team that can hurt anybody in this league. We have eight games now to secure this team in this league."

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Stoke boss Mark Robins was a frustrated man after seeing his side beaten by a "rubbish" stoppage-time goal at Millwall.

Mihailo Ivanovic's penalty, after Ben Wilmot was adjudged to have fouled Josh Coburn, gave the Lions the points after the game looked set to end in stalemate.

"It was a game short on quality all the way through apart from when we got on the ball," Robins told BBC Radio Stoke.

"First half, we played some reasonable football - they're spoilers, they set their stall out to do what they did, but we can't become embroiled in that, which happened in the second half.

"We ended up stopping playing our game, making mistakes, although we created some brilliant openings for Burger and then Junho hit the bar, then other times we picked the wrong option.

"What the referee has seen (for the penalty), I have no clue - their player put his arm inside Ben Wilmot's arm, then rolled, and I don't know what Ben's supposed to do because he can't get away from him, so then they go down together and he's bought the penalty. It's absolutely ridiculous.

"It's happened twice now - the game at Coventry where we conceded a rubbish goal and another rubbish goal at the end of this game."

Stoke will be at home to Queens Park Rangers in their first game after the international break, on 29 March.

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Stoke City boss Mark Robins said his battling squad is "capable of doing a lot more" as they try to build on this week's important win over Blackburn Rovers when they face Millwall in the lunchtime kick-off on Saturday.

The Potters' 1-0 win on Wednesday was their first in five games and kept them four points clear of the Championship's relegation zone.

Speaking ahead of their trip to south-east London, Robins thinks Stoke's lowly position does not tell the whole story of what they have been through this term.

"I think we're capable of doing a lot more. I think the league position is something where we shouldn't necessarily be," he told BBC Radio Stoke.

"Injuries really impact a squad and it's felt like a perfect storm, and all of the things that could go wrong, go wrong. But you have to make the best of the hand you're dealt."

The Potters have been without a host of key players at various points this season because of injury and have had particular issues at left-back.

Although Edna Stevens will not face the Lions because of a slight knock, Eric Bocat is set to return.

"We need to keep everyone on the training ground, but it's a balancing act over how far we can push them because you need to push them beyond [their limit] to get any growth."

With nine games to go, Robins knows every point will be vital and has confidence in his players to stay clear of trouble.

"I think we're good enough and they're really capable players. I see good things, and some not so good things, but you can rectify things and put them right," he said.

"The big thing is we have to back performances up - so can we go and do that? Can we go and get these three points that we really want and really need?"

Millwall are looking for just a third win in eight league games as they welcome Stoke City to The Den on Saturday (12:30 GMT).

Stoke's midweek victory over Blackburn Rovers means they are four points of the relegation zone.

• Millwall have lost only one of their past 12 league meetings with Stoke (W6 D5), a 2-0 away defeat in the 2021-22 season.

• Stoke have not won on any of their past six league visits to Millwall (D2 L4) since a 1-0 victory in August 2005 under then manager Johan Boskamp.

• Millwall have picked up just five points in their six league games at The Den under Alex Neil (W1 D2 L3), scoring five goals in that time from 65 shots (7.7% conversion rate).

• Stoke City have lost their past three away league matches, last losing four in a row between January and March 2024 under Steven Schumacher.

• This is Millwall manager Alex Neil's first league meeting with former club Stoke since he left in December 2023. Neil has won four of his past five Championship games against the Potters (L1).

"I thought that was a good performance from Stoke. It was similar in terms of that aggression we saw at Coventry. They just kept Blackburn at arm's length all game.

"That's a massive three points. It keeps you at least enough of a distance away from the bottom three. Massive, massive three points for Stoke."

Those are the thoughts of George Weaver (aka Potterlytics), who joined Lucas Yeomans to discuss Stoke's 1-0 win over Blackburn Rovers on Wednesday night.

The victory leaves the Potters in 19th, four points above the bottom three with nine games of the season remaining.

You can listen to the full episode of A Cold Wet Tuesday Night podcast on BBC Sounds.

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Stoke City manager Mark Robins acknowledges there is room for improvement in his side but was delighted to pick up a vital win on Wednesday.

The 1-0 victory over Blackburn Rovers moved Stoke four points clear of the relegation zone and ended a run of four games without a win.

But it was vital with four of the other sides in the bottom seven all winning in this midweek round of fixtures.

"It was really hard fought," Robins told BBC Radio Stoke.

"They were a tough nut to crack. The support was fantastic, cheering every tackle, every foray forward, and they stayed with us until the end.

"We started brightly, we scored a brilliant goal, and it was sharp. We played in spells, really well, but at some point we make a mistake and shoot ourselves in the foot.

"Inevitably, the other side puts you under pressure, but we had Viktor behind us who kept us in it and made a couple of brilliant saves.

"I'm really pleased. The endeavour was there, commitment was there, the desire was there. We were focused on what we were trying to do.

"There is room for improvement, and that's a good thing. We are in a good position in terms of the physicality and mental side of it, and we have some really good players here. I'm delighted with those three points."

Stoke City are without a win from their past four Championship matches with Saturday's 3-2 defeat by Coventry their third loss in that run.

The Potters are four points clear of the relegation zone as they prepare to host Blackburn on Wednesday (20:00 GMT).

Rovers are three points outside the play-off places but yet to win under new head coach Valerien Ismael.

• Stoke City have won four of their past six league games against Blackburn Rovers (L2), keeping a clean sheet in three of those wins.

• Blackburn Rovers have won four of their past six away league games against Stoke City (L2), winning this exact fixture 3-0 last season which is their joint-biggest away league victory over the Potters alongside another 3-0 win in December 1889.

• Stoke have only lost one of their past six home league games (W2 D3), keeping four clean sheets in that time, as many as in their previous 17 league matches on home soil.

• Blackburn have only lost two of their past eight midweek league games (W4 D2), though those two defeats have come in their past three such games (0-2 v Coventry, 1-2 v QPR).

• Stoke boss Mark Robins is unbeaten in his last eight Championship games against Blackburn (W3 D5), winning each of his past three at home with Coventry from November 2022 to October 2024.

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Fit-again Stoke City striker Sam Gallagher says he is trying to fulfil boss Mark Robins' request to not "throw himself around as much" during games in an attempt to safeguard his fitness for the rest of the season.

Gallagher, a summer signing from Blackburn, has had a frustrating time with the Potters seeing a succession of injuries limit his game time.

Saturday's 3-2 defeat by Coventry City was only Gallagher's 13th appearance of the campaign but his two goals underscored his importance to Stoke's attempts to stay clear of relegation trouble.

"It's been really tough coming into the club and getting injured early on and then working so hard to get back fit and then having another setback which maybe could have been prevented with different kind of management - [by] easing into the game," he told BBC Radio Stoke.

"That's what we've done now. I've not pushed too much too soon, which I think has put me in a good spot."

Gallagher's appearance as a half-time substitute breathed life into the Potters' fortunes against Robins' old club at the CBS Arena as his two goals brought Stoke back from 2-0 down to level with four minutes to go.

But Brandon Thomas-Asante's stoppage-time winner snatched the points for Frank Lampard's play-off chasers - a result Gallagher called "a kick in the teeth".

"Personally, for me to have a few more minutes back in the team after a bit of time out is good for my confidence," he said. "But the result in the end is more important."

With 10 games to go, Stoke are only four points above the relegation zone and face Gallagher's old club Blackburn next up on Wednesday.

Despite the pressure to stay up mounting, Gallagher, 29, says he needs to be sensible over managing his body - something Robins has highlighted.

"[He said] just not to just throw myself around as much," Gallagher said.

"I'm not 20 any more and I can't run my legs off until they fall off every game. But maybe being a bit smarter and trying to manage myself... I feel like I've found a bit of a routine which is working so hopefully it stays that way."

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Stoke boss Mark Robins criticised his players for making 'naïve choices' after their last-minute defeat against his former club Coventry.

The Potters pulled back a two-goal half-time deficit at the CBS Arena thanks to Sam Gallagher's double – only to concede in the 97th minute when Bobby Thomas fired in after they failed to fully clear a cross.

"The three goals were terrible and that's where we're lacking," Robins declared. "We make really naive choices, we win the ball, knock it down to them in midfield – those are the things that are costing us in games and they need to realise that.

"To allow them to get a cross in, to allow Bobby Thomas to pick up a ball in our penalty area and allow him to drag it onto his left foot and then not stand in the way of a shot is unforgivable.

"We started brightly, we created three chances before they'd had a shot on target. Then their first effort on goal ends up in the back of our net.

"It's too easy, we've allowed him to jump into our centre-half, who doesn't see him coming, and allows him to get a header and flick it into the far corner.

"We were a bit negative and I don't know why. I've got to say they're there for the taking and today we could have won this game."

Four months after being sacked by the Sky Blues, Mark Robins returns to Coventry on Saturday (12:30 GMT) as Stoke visit the CBS Arena in a game with plenty at stake for both clubs.

With 11 Championship games remaining, the Sky Blues sit fifth on the back of eight wins in nine league games and are seeking to take a grip on a play-off spot.

The Potters are 20th, five points above the relegation zone, having picked up just four points from their past five league games.

• Coventry City have lost just two of their past nine league games against Stoke City (W4 D3), though have failed to score in three of their last four games against the Potters.

• After winning the reverse fixture 1-0 back in August, Stoke City are looking to record a league double over Coventry City for the first time since the 1979-80 season.

• Coventry City have won eight of their past nine league games (L1), winning each of their last four since a 2-0 defeat to table-topping Leeds.

• Since Frank Lampard's first game in charge, only Leeds (12) have won more Championship games than the Sky Blues (11).

• Stoke boss Mark Robins has picked up just 10 points in 10 league games as Potters boss (W2 D4 L4). He was in charge of Coventry for their 1-0 defeat to Stoke on the opening day of this season, with this his first league meeting against his former side since September 2015, a 1-0 win for Scunthorpe in League One.

• Six of Coventry City's past eight Championship goals have been headers and they've netted 17 headed goals this season, the most by a team in one season since 2021-22, when Cardiff (20) and Fulham (22) both scored as many.

"Stoke have a better starting XI than most teams in this league - the trouble is a lot of them have been missing and we've never really seen them all at one time."

Is a fully-fit Potters squad worthy of a higher place in the Championship?

Lucas Yeomans is joined by George Weaver (aka Potterlytics) and Stoke City fan Ben Rowley to discuss what's keeping the Potters at the bottom end of the table and the future of the club should their stand-out players leave in the summer.

You can listen to the full episode and more on the A Cold Wet Tuesday Night podcast.

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Stoke City boss Mark Robins says he is grateful to have the Potters fans on his team's side as they continue to grind out performances - if not wins.

Robins has only enjoyed two league victories in the 12 games since he took charge, plus the extra-time FA Cup win at Sunderland.

But they have drawn five times in the Championship, three of them 0-0 at home, the latest of them against play-off chasing Watford.

And he is relieved that the Stoke fans can see the effort the players are putting in to try to turn it round.

"I have to thank the fans for their support," Robins told BBC Radio Stoke. "I'd asked for that and they gave us it. That was huge for us.

"After the week we have had, it was important we did something that was more like what the supporters expect and what the players can do.

"The performance was all right on the back of a three-game week. Watford have only played two games this week - and it makes a difference.

"I am going to take the clean sheet and run with it because there were some good performances in there. Some of the things levelled against the players previously were answered in a more positive way and the supporters responded in kind.

"It wasn't a classic by any stretch of the imagination. But there were a lot of positives. It was niggly at times but I was pleased with some of the tackles we put in.

"There is a performance standard and minimum level we have to do. But the work rate they put in shouldn't be underestimated."

Robins now has a clear week ahead of next Saturday's reunion at Coventry - his first return to the CBS Arena since being sacked by the Sky Blues four months ago.

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Mark Robins says a visit from former SAS Warrant Officer Melvyn Downes on Thursday provided some inspiration to his Potters squad.

Stoke-born City fan Downes served 24 years in the British Army, the majority with the Special Air Service, and has gone on to train special forces around the world as well as appearing on reality TV series SAS: Who Dares Wins.

While the tasks facing Stoke's players are vastly different to those experienced by Downes around the globe, Robins invited him to give a talk on facing adversity and rising to challenges as they sit five points above the Championship relegation zone after three defeats in their past four games.

Robins told BBC Radio Stoke: "Listening to different people from different walks of life is always interesting.

"His story is a really interesting one. He was obviously in a tough environment wherever he went in his career. He's still here to tell the tale.

"It's inspiring to listen to people who have had those experiences in life and how they've dealt with them. What Army and SAS people go through, trained specialists - that obviously has an impact on you for the rest of your life.

"It was inspiring to listen to."

Stoke welcome Watford to the Bet365 on Saturday (15:00 GMT) with plenty at stake for both sides, with a dozen games remaining in the Championship season.

Tuesday's 3-1 home defeat to Middlesbrough was a third in four matches for the Potters, who lie 19th, five points clear of the relegation zone.

After a run of one point from five games, the Hornets have picked-up back-to-back wins and sit 9th, only three points behind West Bromwich Albion in fifth.

• After winning at home against Watford 1-0 last season, Stoke City will be looking to win successive league matches against the Hornets on home soil for the first time since a run of three between 1993 and 1996.

• Watford have won five of their past seven league games against Stoke City (D1 L1), scoring 2+ goals in each of those victories.

• Stoke City boss Mark Robins is unbeaten in his past six league meetings with Watford (W2 D4) since a 3-2 away loss with Coventry City in November 2020.

• Watford have won 1-0 against Middlesbrough and 2-0 against Luton in their past two league games – they last won three in a row in August, while they last did so without conceding in December 2015.

• Watford's Edo Kayembe ended a run of six league games without a goal last time out against Luton, while in the reverse fixture against Stoke this term he scored his only brace to date in an English league game.