Stoke City

Image source, Stoke City

Stoke City have appointed Jack Higgins as the club's new academy director.

The 34-year-old is a former head of education at Burnley and joins the Potters after spending the past six years as manager of the academy at League Two Fleetwood Town.

In his time with the Cod Army, Higgins oversaw the development of their academy to Category Two status in 2023.

Stoke sporting director Jonathan Walters said Higgins' experience of "building productive environments, developing players and connecting academy and first-team football" made him the "ideal person" for the job.

"Over the last few months, we have taken time to look closely at our academy structure and how we can better support the development of young players throughout the club," Walters added.

"We all recognise that the step from academy football to first-team football has become increasingly challenging in the modern game.

"Our responsibility is to make that pathway as clear and consistent as possible."

The club have also announced Sam Stockley will become head of professional development phase and take charge of the under-21 side.

Stockley has been with Stoke for the past year having spent 14 years working in youth football in the USA.

The EFL fixture list is out and we know you are bursting to know what you've got to look forward to - or dread - from your team this upcoming season.

Here are some key dates to put in your diary:

• 15 August 2026 - Swansea City (H)

• 22 August 2026 - Southampton (A)

• 26 December 2026 - Wrexham (H)

• 1 January 2027 - West Bromwich Albion (A)

• 1 May 2027 - Millwall (A)

See Stoke City's full fixture list here.

Image source, Stoke City

Stoke City have announced the club's new crest has been installed at bet365 Stadium.

The Potters adopted a new design last summer following several months of consultation with fans and revealed a "phased" introduction at their home ground with similar updates to be made at their Clayton Wood training complex "over the coming seasons".

At the time the club said the idea was to produce a crest "that is truly synonymous with Stoke City Football Club and the city of Stoke-on-Trent" and offered a choice between staying with the current one or adopting a new one.

The alternative - a shield depicting a Staffordshire knot, the club's foundation date of 1863, their famous red and white stripes, and a kiln, in a nod to the area's link to the ceramic industry - received 68% of the vote.

Stoke owner and chair John Coates said the new crest showed the "history, traditions, work ethic and togetherness" of the club and the city.

"We can all look at the club crest and reflect that it truly represents what it means to be Stoke City," he said.

"We are determined that our new crest will come to represent a new and successful era on and off the field.

"Our supporters can be assured that, as the 2026-27 season approaches, we are all working relentlessly towards that aim."

Image source, Stoke City

The EFL will reveal its fixture list for the 2026-27 season on Thursday.

Want to know who your team will face on opening day? The fixtures will be announced at 12:00 BST - but that is not all.

The draws for the group stage of the Vertu Trophy and the first round of the Carabao Cup will also take place.

So check back on 25 June to see who your team faces first, last and everything in between.

Stoke City are trying to finalise a deal for West Bromwich Albion's English goalkeeper Josh Griffiths, 24, in a move that would allow the Baggies' England youth international Tommy Simkin, 21, to head back out on loan. (Stoke Sentinel), external

For more transfer news and rumours, read Monday's full gossip column here.

Stoke City are closing in on their first signing of the summer with former Sheffield United loanee Djibril Soumare, 23, set to arrive from Portuguese club Braga. (Stoke Sentinel), external

For more transfer news and rumours, read Friday's full gossip column here.

Image source, Getty Images

Stoke City's Bae Jun-ho and Viktor Johansson have joined their international sides as they begin preparations for the World Cup this summer.

Midfielder Bae has earned 13 caps for South Korea since his senior debut in 2024, while Johansson has 12 under his belt for Sweden after his first appearance in 2023.

Here is a reminder of the groups the Stoke players are in and who they will face, so you can keep an eye out for them once the World Cup begins on 11 June:

• Bae Jun-ho, South Korea - Group A: Czech Republic, Mexico and South Africa

• Viktor Johansson, Sweden - Group F: Tunisia, Netherlands and Japan

Image source, Getty Images

Stoke City defender Syd Agina has been called into Kenya's senior squad for the first time in his career.

The 18-year-old has been included for friendlies against Palestine and Kyrgyzstan next month as the Harambee Stars prepare for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations which they are co-hosting.

Agina made his first-team debut for Stoke in a 3-3 draw against Ipswich Town in the Championship in March.

He has since made a futher four appearances including three starts as the Potters finished the season in 17th place.

Image source, Shutterstock/Getty Images

Derby County goalkeeper Jacob Widell Zetterstrom and Stoke City's keeper Viktor Johansson have been named in the Sweden squad for the World Cup in the USA, Mexico and Canada.

The pair have been included along with current number one Kristoffer Nordfeldt in Graham Potter's squad for the tournament which gets under way in 11 June.

Zetterstrom, who has won two caps, played 32 times for the Rams as the club finished eighth, narrowly missing out on a place in the Championship play-offs this season.

Twelve-cap Johansson, who signed a new four-year contract on 1 May, has spent most of 2026 recovering from shoulder surgery but made his return in Stoke's final game of the season against Bristol City.

Sweden secured their World Cup place by beating Ukraine and Poland in the play-offs and will open their campaign against Mexico in Monterrey on Monday, 15 June.

Arsenal striker Viktor Gyokeres and Liverpool forward Alexander Isak are also included, as are Leeds' Gabriel Gudmundsson, Aston Villa defender Victor Lindelof, Brighton's Yasin Ayari, Tottenham Hotspur's Lucas Bergvall and Newcastle United winger Anthony Elanga.

Mark Elliott
BBC Radio Stoke commentator

Image source, Shutterstock

Stoke City's 2-0 defeat at Bristol City was their 18th loss in their past 32 games.

At the end of matchday 14, Stoke were second in the Championship with eight wins and 27 points.

Over the remaining 70% of the season they failed to double that win tally, picked up just 28 more points and compiled a record second only to Sheffield Wednesday as the worst in the league over that period.

Sadly, the first 14 games were the exception that kept the Potters away from relegation, but are Stoke in a better position now than they were this time last year when they'd just finished one place and four points worse off in 18th?

The answer is complicated.

The squad contains sellable assets, not least Sorba Thomas who indicated he'd be open to a move when answering my post match question about whether he'd be at the club in August with the words "no comment".

Stoke could potentially generate income by moving on younger players like Bae Junho, Eric Bocat or Million Manhoef and may also look to jettison some of their older, comparatively highly-paid colleagues.

To do so successfully, they'll need to find suitors willing to take those players and the right deal for all parties, but everyone at the club is probably available at the right price.

They might then have a reasonable amount of money to spend, but the club's recent track record in recruitment is patchy to say the least.

Stoke need more power, athleticism and physicality in their squad but, beyond that, those in coaching and recruitment must develop a clear idea of what they want a Stoke team to be, what they want it to represent, how they want it to play and how they're going to implement that.

Currently, there are vacancies within the coaching staff and that culture, identity or DNA - choose your own cliche - isn't clearly visible.

Manager Mark Robins and sporting director Jon Walters end the season under pressure and decisions will have to be made quickly on a structure and methodology for next season that everyone agrees on.

They cannot afford to end up in a position where big changes once again become inevitable early in a new season.

One major positive is that they now have a summer to spend getting everyone fit after a season badly affected by injuries to key players.

There's a lot of work to be done as a fanbase worn down by bottom-half finishes looks for hope and inspiration.

Stoke City manager Mark Robins has stated his uncertainty over what the future holds for the club after his side's season ended with a 2-0 defeat at Bristol City on Saturday.

Newly re-signed goalkeeper Viktor Johansson's miskicked pass in the opening minute gave Delano Burgzorg and Bristol City a dream start to the match.

The Potters' Junior Tchamadeu did hit the crossbar in the first half with an impressive half-volley effort, but that was the best Stoke got to equalising before Sam Bell consolidated the hosts' three points at Ashton Gate on the 88th minute.

"I think we were the better team," said Robins to BBC Radio Stoke after the game. "I thought we played well. We gave a goal away, a real soft goal away, in minute one and then we ended up trying to chase the game for the rest of it because we had to try and make the run-in.

"We're in next week, we'll have meetings no doubt, and we'll speak with the hierarchy and see what happens from there.

"A lot of things are up in the air, not least the financial rules for the league and things like that. I think that will certainly have a bearing on what we eventually do or can do.

"But in the meantime, we'll just get on and do what we can at this point."