'BACK THE BOYS TO SAFETY'

TONY Pulis has urged Stoke City supporters to recreate the kind of atmosphere he knows so well to help pull the club to Championship safety in their final home match of the season.

- Peter Smith

Stoke return to the bet365 Stadium tomorrow night (8pm) for a showdown with Sheffield United, chastened by a thrashing at Leeds on Monday and still with work to do to make sure they stay up.

A win will guarantee survival while a draw could be enough depending on other results a day later. Their fate will still be in their own hands regardless going into the final day at Derby County but Mark Robins just wants to get the job done.

Pulis can empathise, looking back at his own first months in charge at Stoke and a similar battle to stay in the same division - and he is well aware of the difference fans can make and of the importance of coming out the right side of the dog fight.