Stoke old boy Glen Johnson believes the Potters’ well-documented issues extend beyond the players, but that the club should have enough to avoid relegation from the Championship this season.

Johnson told BetVictor: “The bottom line is if the players are performing, the manager doesn’t get sacked. There’s clearly something going wrong at the moment at every level if they are already onto their third permanent manager of the season.

“It’s never a good sign when a club has been through this many managers. It’s apparent there’s turmoil within the club and the hierarchy need to come up with a solution soon to ensure they don’t drop down into League One.

“That being said, I think they’ll have enough to survive under Mark Robins, but they need to turn things around sooner rather than later.”

READ MORE: Relive the biggest upsets from the World’s Greatest Cup Competition

READ MORE: Mark Robins reveals his Stoke City blueprint for the future

The quiet man

One man with Stoke connections knows new boss Mark Robins better than most - and he is convinced the Potters have finally got the right man as manager.

Premier League promotion hero Carl Dickinson was twice signed by Robins during his career, when he joined Barnsley and then Coventry City on loan.

And although one of those spells was fleeting in the extreme, the Stoke academy product says: “It is a good appointment. He knows exactly what is needed for a team to perform at the top end of the Championship.”

The 37-year-old left the Potters for Robins’ Tykes in September 2009, and told the club website just what was so special about the new man.

Dickinson said: “He puts trust in the players, he expects high standards day-in-day-out but he puts a lot of faith in people. He believes in his players to show their most capable abilities, and he gives them the freedom to do that.

“My spell at Coventry with him was weird in that he signed me on loan and within hours got the Huddersfield job, so that was short and sweet but nice that he wanted me all the same.

“I’ve been lucky enough over my career that I’ve had a few managers at all different levels, and I think you try and take as many things as you can that you feel are going to help you in your own journey.

“With Mark, he wasn’t a shouter, he was calm and that is one of the things I took from him because I was the type of player who was a bit of a shouter and in your face.

“I took from Mark that it doesn’t have to always be like that, you can maintain that calmness, get your message across and still put that belief and trust in your players.”

READ MORE: Mark Robins explains Nathan Lowe Stoke City recall thinking

READ MORE: Mark Robins' plan to find answer as 'devastated' Stoke City striker ruled out again

'The only way is up'

It seems Sunday Times columnist Martin Samuel is a fan of Mark Robins - if a little bit baffled by Stoke's ongoing woes since their heady decade as a Premier League club.

Commenting on Robins' appointment at Stoke in his latest column, the journalist wrote: "Given their owners and fanbase, Stoke City have the potential to be a very big club. What they need is a manager who can drive them away from a drab existence in the Championship.

"This is their seventh year in the second tier and Stoke have never finished higher than 14th. Mark Robins inherits a team in 19th place and threatened by relegation. He is a good manager. One hopes the only way is up."

Gunning for new job

Tommy Smith made 97 appearances for Stoke City between 2019 and 2022, but the full-back is already looking ahead to the next stage of his career after an injury-plagued few months at current club Middlesbrough.

The 32-year-old sustained an ankle injury during a Boro friendly with Real Betis in the summer of 2023 and was finding his feet again last season when he suffered an Achilles injury which has kept him sidelined ever since.

As a result, Smith has embarked on plenty of media work while his rehabilitation continues, and last week was back at the bet365 Stadium as a co-commentator for BBC Radio Stoke for Mark Robins’ first game as Potters’ boss.

Asked about his injury and future prospects, he said: “ I’m 32 years of age now, so I’m desperate to get back on the grass. I want to maximise as much playing time as possible.

“I’ve still got a few little issues I need to get past before I can get back on the grass, but I am still enjoying my time there.

“We’ve got a good group of players and staff, it’s a great club to be at – similar to Stoke in that respect. Passionate supporters who are desperate for their club to do well. I’m looking forward to the rest of the season.”

READ MORE: Stoke City transfer state of play and PSR hurdle as Mark Robins ticks one box

READ MORE: Mark Robins has new Stoke City buzzword as he plans to accelerate 'juggernaut'

Bad luck, Daniel

Daniel Bachmann looks likely to miss his latest reunion with Stoke City after it was revealed he needs surgery on an ankle injury and faces up to three months on the sidelines.

The Watford goalkeeper joined Stoke in 2011 and was on the fringes for long spells until he left in 2017, having enjoyed decent loan spells at Wrexham and Bury.

But the now 30-year-old Austria international sustained an injury during the closing stages of the Hornets’ 2-1 defeat to Sheffield United last Saturday and is likely to miss their trip to the bet365 Stadium on March 1 (3pm kick-off).

Watford head coach Tom Cleverley said: “We’ve committed to doing the surgery. We all feel like it is an injury that has a high risk of reoccurring, so we decided to fix it straight away.”

Dan still the man

Stoke old boy Dan Jarvis has taken the next stage in his career by joining non-league outfit Banbury United.

Now 26, Jarvis was on the cusp of big things at Stoke after he was drafted into the first team squad by Mark Hughes in 2017, but was not able to make a breakthrough.

He subsequently joined Wrexham, where he was a regular in their National League squad. Before also having spells with Gateshead, Hereford and Kettering Town.

Safe journey, George

Another Stoke City old boy took an altogether different journey this week. The funeral of League Cup hero George Eastham was held on Wednesday in South Africa, where he had lived since the late 1970s.

The celebration of his life took place at Edgemead Bowling Club, in Cape Town, and the Stoke City Old Boys’ Association posted a heartfelt message on Facebook, reading: George takes his final journey today. Thanks for all the memories. Always in our hearts. Safe journey.

Chief amongst those memories will be the goal Eastham scored to beat Chelsea at Wembley on March 4, 1972. Naturally, mourners were asked to wear red and white to mark George’s past allegiances - both at Stoke and another of his former clubs in Arsenal.

Up for the cup

Stoke City Ladies will be in action for the first time after the festive break on Sunday when they face WSL side Leicester City for a place in the last 16 of the Adobe FA Cup. The tie will be played at Notts County’s Meadow Lane ground, with kick-off at 1pm.

A 2-1 victory over Chester-le-Street Town booked the Potters' place in the four round for the first time in five years, while the Foxes reached the semi-finals of the tournament last season before losing to Tottenham in extra-time.

Is Robins a good appointment? Click HERE to have your say