Robins: Stoke have to be up for the fight...

MARK Robins sounds like he is preparing Stoke City for a fight as they head into a potentially pivotal last game of the season at Derby County.

- Peter Smith

Robins doesn't expect it to be pretty in front of a sell-out crowd at Pride Park when both teams have their Championship status hanging in the balance.

The manager knows Stoke will have to stand up and be counted, embrace the experience and make sure they do not leave wondering.

He said: “The game is the same, week in, week out - the difference is that it's the last one. There's a lot riding on it but it's a football match, I keep saying that. It's a football match that we've got to try to get something from, the same as every other week.

“We're away from home and we've got to make sure that the decisions that we make are right more often than not and they've got to make sure the decisions they make are right as well. There's a lot of jeopardy involved and that can cause a little bit of angst in a game of football.

“I don't anticipate it being pretty but I anticipate it being firmly contested and I'm looking forward to it. I think it's a brilliant challenge, a really good challenge, and from it, you can grow. The experience and how you deal with that and the circumstances of being in the moment and doing your job to the best of your ability.

“That's all you can ask for. I've said before that 100 per cent is all you can ask for. There's no such thing as 110 per cent or a million per cent. It's what they gave last week and it's what will be demanded now but by both sets of teams and both sets of supporters.”

It is a sell-out crowd at Pride Park, including more than 3,000 Stoke fans in the away end.

Robins said: “That's something to behold as well, when you go into a full stadium anywhere. Derby County supporters are right behind their team. I went to watch their game against Preston the other week and they're right behind them.