Stoke City

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Luke Graham says he has aspired to be like "fellow lefty" Andy Robertson and now they are international team-mates.

The 22-year-old Stoke City centre-half was previously in the Scotland squad without playing but has been called up by new national head coach Sebastien Pocognoli, with Robertson retaining his place in the squad.

Robertson has now captained his country at three major tournaments and joined Tottenham Hotspur this summer from Liverpool while Graham left Dundee for Stoke.

"It's a very, very proud moment for me and my family," Graham said of his senior international call-up before his club's weekend fixture with Sheffield United.

"One of the main reasons I play football is to hopefully try and play for my country. I've done it at 21s level so far, but to make that step up to the first team is just unbelievable. I mean, I can't really put it into words, really.

"Some of the players that they've got in that national team are Champions League winners, Premier League players. Learning from them will be absolutely vital.

"Andy Robertson, the captain of the country, he's been such a big figure in there for a number of years now. Being a fellow lefty as well, he was always someone that I looked up to and aspired to be like."

The latest episode of BBC Radio Stoke's A Cold Wet Tuesday Night podcast is out now.

Lucas Yeomans, Matt Sandoz and former striker Louis Moult discuss a rare away win at Watford, a first second-half goal of the season and Stoke City's resident 'good boy'...

Listen above or on BBC Sounds here - and don't forget to subscribe to get each episode into your My Sounds feed.

Mark Elliott
BBC Radio Stoke’s Stoke City Commentator

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When Jack McGlynn dummied to shoot, cut back inside around the attempted block from Edo Kayembe, and placed his shot inside the far post with his weaker right foot, Stoke took a lead their dominance deserved.

At Watford they produced as good an away performance as we have seen from the Potters for some time, and Eric Bocat's low drive on the other side of the break wrapped the points up.

At that point, it looked like Stoke could register a much bigger win than they eventually did, but despite fading as the second half wore on, they never looked anything other than in control.

McGlynn, Justin Devenny and Ethan Galbraith have taken it in turns to provide goals and decisive attacking performances more generally over the past few games, and the latter was excellent again.

But amongst the good performances from new signings there were reminders from those who have been around a little while longer that they still have something to offer.

Lamine Cisse worked really hard up front, hit the bar and had two goals ruled out for offside, and Maksym Talovierov finally looks like the dominant centre-back Stoke thought they were signing when he joined last summer.

Stoke still have work to do to achieve the capacity to maintain performance levels deeper into the second half of games, but when they are on it they look like a solid team that carries a real threat.

If they can build on the past four games unbeaten and the three wins within that with another positive result against Sheffield United next week, they will have turned a shaky start to the season into a really good points return from the eight games before the first international break.

Stoke City boss Mark Robins spoke to BBC Radio Stoke after their win against Watford. For a written selection of his quotes, click here.

Watford ended a two-game losing run by beating Preston 2-1 on Tuesday evening.

Stoke City head to Vicarage Road on Saturday (15:00 BST) with only a point from their three away games in the Championship.

• Watford have won four of their past five home league matches against Stoke City (D1), after losing three in a row.

• Stoke won their last Championship game against Watford 3-1 in March last season, but have not won consecutive meetings in the second tier since December 2004 (four in a row).

• After their 2-1 win over Preston, Watford could win back-to-back Championship games for the first time in 2026.

• Stoke are winless in 12 away league games (D3 L9), their longest run since going 13 without a win in the Premier League in April 2018.

Stoke City boss Mark Robins is finding the challenging schedule of games along with bedding in new players "exciting and fun".

The Potters have taken seven points from a possible nine having lost their opening three games and Robins is taking great confidence from their upturn in form.

"We've picked up seven points in a week which was much needed after a hectic transfer window and everything else that comes with that," he told BBC Radio Stoke.

"It's exciting because there are things to do and for me to get my teeth into and the response from the players has been great."

Stoke added three players on deadline day in Crystal Palace midfielder Justin Devenny and the American duo of midfielder Jack McGlynn and left-back Luca Bombino.

Robins has overseen a period of six games inside 17 days and is preparing his side to visit Watford on Saturday (15:00 BST).

"The intensity is great and the level of detail that goes into things and the amount of players we've got and new players we've got, it's challenging but fun," he added.

"There's an opportunity there to improve and improve players and their understanding which will get better over time and that's the part you look forward to.

"For me it's exciting and after the Sheffield United game [19 September] we've got a three-week period between games."

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Stoke City are mourning the passing of their former forward Harry Burrows who has died at the age of 85.

The Potters paid £27,000 for Burrows when he joined from Aston Villa in March 1965.

He scored 79 goals in 281 appearances during his eight years with Stoke and is 13th on the list of the club's all-time top scorers.

Burrows was part of the side which reached back-to-back FA Cup semi-finals in 1971 and 1972 but missed their League Cup win at Wembley in '72 because of injury.

He left Stoke to join Plymouth in 1973 where he made 19 appearances, scoring three goals.

Former teammate Terry Conroy told the Stoke City website: , external"He was a terrific footballer with a cannonball shot - it was once measured as the hardest shot in the game.

"He was such a genial lad; there are some people in life that everybody gets on with and Harry was one of them."

Mark Elliott
BBC Radio Stoke’s Stoke City Commentator

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Ben Johnson had no right to score from the position he found himself in, chasing a hopefully lofted Robert Bozenik ball into the Cardiff box with angles against him and two defenders for company.

That the ball ended up in the net from there and not from one of the many clear-cut chances spurned by both sides certainly came as a surprise.

In truth, Cardiff were the more wasteful, particularly during a dominant second half.

They did score once, through Joel Colwill, but hit the woodwork three times, missed several very presentable opportunities and finished with an xG (Expected Goals) of 2.93.

Stoke's was down at 0.75, the largest portion of which may have come from a George Hirst chance when he ran through on goal and never looked entirely convincing in forcing a save from Nathan Trott.

The Potters finished with just 29% of the possession and couldn't find a way to get up the pitch often enough as the game went on, dropping deep and failing to get enough pressure on the ball.

When they did take possession they wasted it too frequently which was frustrating in a game in which they always carried a threat.

But this is a team that has barely trained together after major changes late in the transfer window and that has also changed its tactical approach significantly in adopting a back three.

While looking a little disorganised at times and like they haven't quite got to grips with a new way of playing with new personnel, they've picked up seven points from the past nine on offer.

They have far more talent in the squad than they did a few weeks ago and a plan to take forward.

They didn't play well at Cardiff but that points haul, the ability they're showing in attacking areas, the work rate and commitment they're putting into games and the scope for improvement that clearly exists are all major positives they'll take forward with them.

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Stoke City assistant manager James Rowberry has stepped down as Wales assistant coach to focus on his club role.

The 41-year-old has combined his national team duties alongside his position with the Potters since arriving in January 2025.

"It has been a great privilege to represent my country and something I will forever be proud to have had the opportunity to do," Rowberry explained.

"Given the huge honour it has been, this is not a decision I have taken lightly. However, it is a significant year-round commitment to balance both my Stoke City and Wales responsibilities.

"Alongside [sporting director] Jon [Walters], the gaffer, coaching staff and players, we are working tirelessly to bring success to Stoke City, and I firmly believe that, to be true to the commitment everyone is making here, I need to dedicate my full focus to the club."

The latest episode of BBC Radio Stoke's A Cold Wet Tuesday Night podcast is out now.

Join Lucas Yeomans and Matt Sandoz as they discuss Stoke City's 4-0 win over Charlton Athletic.

Listen above or on BBC Sounds here - and don't forget to subscribe to get each episode into your My Sounds feed.

Stoke City are hoping to make it three successive Championship wins when they visit Cardiff City on Tuesday evening (19:45 BST).

The Bluebirds are seeking a first home win since returning to the second tier this season.

• Cardiff lost their last Championship game against Stoke City 1-0 in April 2025, but have not lost successive league games to the Potters since February 2008.

• Stoke are looking to win back-to-back away league games against Cardiff City for only the second time, after doing so in October 1999.

• Cardiff have drawn both of their home league games this season; only in 1977-78, 1990-91, 1999-00, and 2000-01 have they started a league campaign with draws in their first three home matches.

• Stoke have lost each of their past nine away league outings, their longest run in the Football League since losing 10 in a row in September 1952.

• Stoke are winless in nine away league games against newly-promoted opponents (D3 L6) since a 5-1 win at Sunderland in March 2023.

We asked for your thoughts after Saturday's Championship match between Stoke City and Charlton Athletic.

Here are some of your comments:

Stoke City fans

Peter: 1000% better performance from the lads, full control from the midfield trio. A faster approach to their forward play with Justin Devenny the most outstanding player.

Andy: Long way to go but a bit more promising. Ipswich had a bad start last season and still managed promotion.

Mike: Great result following the win on Tuesday, showing a much better all-round performance. Now keep it going.

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Charlton Athletic fans

Ian: Nathan Jones needs to acknowledge this result is down to him, too many new players in the starting XI not having played together in a difficult away match. Stop fiddling, Nathan, and let our best players start, give the new players minutes from the bench. Yes it's a busy couple of weeks but the players need to buckle down and suck it up.

John: Oh well, back to scrappy, ill-disciplined so-called football. The great start to the season has been well and truly tarnished.

Duncan: The usual Charlton nosebleed followed by the inevitable nosedive. How can we beat the Hammers, then get pounded by Stoke a week later?

Adam Cottier
5 Live reporter

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Among the home support there was joy, and probably some disbelief, when the half-time whistle was sounded by referee Bobby Madley on Saturday. Stoke had scored four unanswered goals in quite some style.

That same referee's whistle had signalled what was to be the catalyst for Stoke's resounding win: the award of a penalty, scored so confidently by Justin Devenny for 1-0.

Stoke never looked back, dismantling Charlton with a ruthless statement of intent.

Debutant Devenny made an outstanding first impression in front of supporters, who will hope this Stoke performance is a sign of things to come with the club having spent the best part of the past decade in Championship obscurity.

In Devenny - and fellow recent signing Ethan Galbraith - Stoke have two midfielders with the ability to make things happen and score a good amount of goals. They are the kind of pairing that fill supporters with belief every time they get the ball.

Galbraith was a constant and willing figure in everything Stoke did well. Devenny, who made close to 50 Premier League appearances for Crystal Palace, looked the perfect addition alongside him, making Stoke more powerful and agile.

Mark Robins will take his team to Cardiff on Tuesday with renewed hope that Stoke can finally emerge as a force in the second tier.

Mark Elliott
BBC Radio Stoke commentator

Image source, Getty Images

First halves can't really go much better than Stoke's against Charlton.

Justin Devenny looked a proper player on debut, scored twice and provided a key pass for another goal, and George Hirst, the club's new first-choice number nine got off the mark too.

Ethan Galbraith has channelled his inner Paul Scholes during the early weeks of his Stoke career and got his third of the season, having never scored more than six in a campaign previously.

Galbraith looks like he could get double figures in goals this term, as does Devenny.

And Hirst did that in a very good Ipswich side last season, so a team that's been short on goals for a long time now looks like it carries a real threat.

That's despite losing more than 20 goals and assists from last season in the form of Sorba Thomas on deadline day.

If anything, the change to a back three brought about in part by his departure looks like it could symbolise the start of a new era.

The work done in the transfer window and the change in system has freshened things up and a 4-0 win has created belief in those changes on the terraces.

On paper at least, they face some more favourable fixtures over the next few weeks than those they had at the start of the season, so the Potters will have the chance to turn a great week into some real momentum.

Ged Scott
BBC Sport, West Midlands

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Stoke City boss Mark Robins says his side's 4-0 drubbing of Nathan Jones' Charlton Athletic was just like they could have scripted it.

After shipping four goals themselves at Molineux to suffer a third straight defeat, Stoke have hit back with two home wins in five days to catapult themselves back into the middle of the Championship table.

Of course, for years, old-school managers have always stated that league tables mean nothing at this time of year.

And this was classic proof. Stoke lost their first three. Charlton won their first three. What happened next? Robins' men win their next two and Jones, one of his predecessors in the Potters hot seat, fails to win his next two.

Jones argued that Stoke's penalty opener from Justin Devenny was the turning point before Ethan Galbraith, George Hirst and Devenny again wrapped up the three points before half-time. But, ahead of Tuesday's trip to winless Cardiff City, Robins was very happy with the way his side performed.

"If we could have written a script, then that would have been it," Robins told BBC Radio Stoke.

"We played really well. And there was a lot to be pleased about. We've got the penalty and then we've scored some good goals.

"Shooting has been really lacking for a long time, but they did that well.

"When you look at what we have, then you're looking for goals. We've got players that are really hungry for that.

"If we can get that throughout the team, well, then that really bodes well and I'd like to see us scoring more from set-plays too."

Image source, Getty Images

Charlton boss Nathan Jones felt "bitterly disappointed" with both his team and referee Bobby Madley on the former Stoke manager's latest return to the bet365 Stadium.

Jones was particularly upset with Madley's award of Stoke's 15th-minute penalty in the Addicks' 4-0 defeat, which he believed turned the game.

"I've gone in and seen him," Jones told BBC Radio London. "There were so many things that went against us.

"But straight after the penalty we went under for 20 minutes – and my teams don't normally do that.

"We've done it twice here. That's the thing that hurts me and hurts my teams, us going under like that.

"I'm bitterly disappointed with my own team's performance, but I'm as bitterly disappointed with another performance as well."

Jones knew he was in for a hostile reception back on a ground where he has lost on four of his five visits since being sacked by Stoke in November 2019.

"I'm definitely going to get it when I come back here," said Jones. "But I expected that. I had it when I was manager, so I'm definitely going to get it as an opposing manager.

"They need me to come here because they get better results when I come back.

"We've lost but we're in a really good position. We've started really well. We've got 10 points from five games, which is promotion form. We would have taken that but today it's fresh, it hurts and it's raw."