--- source: thedugout.football generated: 2026-09-08T21:34:49.452Z last_updated: 2026-09-07T10:26:21+00:00 data_provider: API-Football canonical: https://thedugout.football/clubs/stoke-city/news/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc3Rva2VzZW50aW5lbC5jby51ay9zcG9ydC9mb290YmFsbC9mb290YmFsbC1uZXdzL3N0b2tlLWNpdHktbm90ZWJvb2stbWFyay1yb2JpbnMtMTExNDU2MzM --- # Stoke City notebook with 18-month first, 'brilliant signing' & transfer war room - **Source:** - **Published:** 7 Sept - **Club:** Stoke City - **Original URL:** https://www.stokesentinel.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/stoke-city-notebook-mark-robins-11145633 Justin Devenny double-goal debut came so quickly after joining Stoke City that he joked he is still learning everyone’s names. The 23-year-old midfielder has signed for Stoke from Crystal Palace in a £5m move that was only confirmed on Wednesday. He got on the scoresheet within 13 minutes of his first appearance, against Charlton on Saturday, and added a second with a deft flick before half-time. “It all moved so quickly. It has been one thing to the other but I think that’s the best way to be when you’re straight into the deep end,” he told Radio Stoke. “I’ve seen the quality of players, the system suited me and I want to be playing games, playing week in, week out. “That wasn’t the case at Palace so it was to come and build up my reputation because we want to be in the Premier League. “I’ve only trained with the boys twice and I’m still getting to know their names at times, even the staff, but everyone has been brilliant and made me settle. It’s a great group full of great characters and hopefully I can add to that. “I don’t think I could ask for much better (on debut). I loved every minute of it. From the start of the game until I came off and even watching at the end, I had a smile on my face.” FOLLOW OUR FACEBOOK PAGE! Latest Stoke City news, analysis and more via the Sentinel A good week for captain Viktor Johansson. The 1-0 mid-week win over Norwich and the 4-0 whipping of Nathan Jones’s Charlton made it back-to-back clean sheets at the bet365 Stadium for the first time since March 2025 (a 0-0 draw with Watford and 1-0 win over Blackburn). Devenny became only the third Stoke player since the Second World War to score two on his debut, following in the footsteps of Andre Vidigal and John Tudor – although the less he can follow what came next with both of those two, the better. Not many debutants have been immediately trusted as penalty taker. Sam Vokes missed one on his first Stoke outing, at Hull, in early 2019 while Benik Afobe scored on a day to be forgotten at Leeds the previous August. Before that, it seems that Mick Kennedy was the last Stoke penalty-scoring debutant all the way back in August 1990, against Rotherham United. He scored from the spot in his next game too, against Tranmere. More trivia? It was the joint biggest win under Mark Robins – matching the four-goal margin that came in the 5-1 thrashing of Bristol City last season. It is Stoke's 62nd 4-0 win in their league history (and 10th this century) and the 14th time they have scored four or more since returning to this level in 2018 although three were behind closed doors in 2020. Jack McGlynn had scored eight and set up 14 in 44 MLS appearances at Houston Dynamo before his deadline day move to Stoke last week. He had moved to Houston from Philadelphia in February 2025 in what was the first ever cash-for-player trade for a homegrown player in the league’s history and they sat second in the Western Conference before he moved to the Potteries. Dynamo’s president of soccer Pat Onsted said: “We are grateful for Jack's contributions to the Dynamo and proud of the strides he made during his time in Houston. When we signed Jack to the club, we committed to work with him to fulfil his dream of continuing his career in Europe. While the timing of this move is not ideal for the club, it is important that we honour our commitments to our players. We wish Jack every success in the next step of his career.” McGlynn, aged 23, made his Stoke debut from the bench on Saturday and sent a video message back to his old fans in Texas. “I just wanted to come on and say just a big thank you for the last year and a half in Houston,” he said. “There were so many ups and downs but it was the best year-and-a-half of my life. Thank you to the staff for trusting me with such a big role from the moment I got there. It helped me develop so quickly. Thank you so much for all the extra sessions, all the video sessions and spending so much time with me, helping me develop as a player.” Final Score’s EFL pundit Aaron McLean picked out the Stoke win as one of his big moments of the weekend and namechecked Ethan Galbraith in the process. “I think that was a real statement of intent in the manner in which they beat (a Charlton side who could have gone top),” he said. “That's back-to-back wins for them now, first against a Norwich side that I feel haven't got going yet but will do and a Charlton side who've had a good start to the season. “I think the recruitment has been good in the summer. Ethan Galbraith was a brilliant signing for them, and hopefully they can continue to build and start to fulfil some of the promise that we've expected from them for the past few seasons.” It already seems like a long time since the chaos of deadline day. It didn’t help many people in the Championship that this summer’s combined with a round of fixtures. Stoke gave Norwich sporting director Ben Knapper a private room to work in at the bet365 Stadium before, during and after the two sides clash on the pitch. Knapper said he was grateful for Stoke’s gesture and admitted that the timing of games with the end of the window was “far from ideal”. He told the BBC: "It adds unnecessary pressure and logistical challenges. I think if it was possible for that not to be the case, it would make everybody's lives easier. It might add to the drama in some ways maybe, but people in my kind of role, the less drama we can have, the better, that's for sure." Stoke beat Blackburn Rovers 9-0 in the National League Cup group stage at Wellbeing Park in a perfect response to a frustrating 1-0 league defeat at Loughborough Lightning. Shannon Stamps scored a hat-trick to add to goals from Rachel Quigley, captain Olivia Cook, Delphi Cole (2), new signing Meg Bradley and an own goal. Head coach Sarah Richardson said in an interview for the club website: “Ruthless. I think that’s a good starting point. It’s something we spoke about this week, making sure that as much as we are creating chances we need to make sure we’re converting chances. Nine goals, happy with it. A good stepping stone going into the next game for making sure we’re being more clinical.” Stoke Women’s former head coach Marie Hourihan is back in football after a controversial departure from Plymouth Argyle in the summer. Hourihan had transformed Plymouth from relegation battlers to promotion candidates, getting one game away from a place in WSL2, but the club slashed its budget and “nearly all” players were notified they were being released via email. She has now taken on the assistant coach position at Leicester City in the second tier, working with former England midfielder Jade Moore. Hourihan said: “I’m grateful for the opportunity to be part of the club and excited to work alongside the staff and players as we head into the 2026/27 season. A new chapter, new challenges and plenty to look forward to.” What do you think? Click HERE to join the debate Get the best Stoke City news and analysis straight to your Inbox courtesy of The Sentinel! To get it, it's a quick and easy one-two: