Mark Robins vows to fight on at Stoke City

Stoke, who confirmed their safety on the final day of last season, have been well clear of any relegation drama this time around but a promising start – they were in the top six until mid-December – is fading in the memory.

A 3-1 loss to Portsmouth made it just 28 points from 31 games since a first-v-second battle with Coventry in early November and an intended end of season lap of honour or appreciation was played out in a near empty stadium with players left in little doubt what supporters thought about their decline.

Robins knows that those supporters carry the baggage of trouble from before he arrived but he is adamant that he has the drive and can turn things around.

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“One hundred per cent,” he said. “I'm up for that discussion as well because the results are on me. It is very, very difficult to accept performances like that. It's really difficult for anybody, me included. I can't tell you how angry I am. I can't tell you that. I'm fuming.

“There is so much that we need to do, so much that needs doing to change this around. You can't have the tail wagging the dog, you can't have people doing what they think is the right thing and not follow the group. You have to make sure the culture is right.

“Whatever we do, we have to make sure the people who come into the building are ready to fight and scrap and if they're not then they have to leave. It's as simple as that.”

Robins admitted that lap at the final whistle was one of the most embarrassing moments of his career.

He said: “Yes but absolutely on the balance of everything it was absolutely deserved. You only deserve it when you do something that is palpable, that is worthy of people standing to applaud. There is no celebrating staying in the division. For this club that is totally wrong and totally unacceptable. That's the change that has to happen. We've got to get people who are willing to fight and run and be able to to do it every single week through rain, snow, shine.

“We've had a really warm day today and it looked like some said, 'It's a bit too tough, this.' You can't have it. The mentality is totally wrong.”

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