2 hours ago
Despite a dip in form seeing Stoke City drop out of the Championship Play-Off places, Paul Heckingbottom is expecting a difficult assignment when his team travel to the Potteries on Boxing Day.
“They were winning games on the spin earlier on in the season, they’re a good side and it’s a good game for us to prepare for, another tough opponent away from home, and looking at their squad, I think Mark (Robins) can make changes if he wants to.
“I think the tickets sales for the game have gone really well. I think they have as well for the game against Wrexham which is great. The way the fans have supported us on the road this season has been tremendous. It's been really, really good.
“I always enjoy the feeling of winning away from home, it’s a great feeling and we’ve done well on the road recently as well - we’re hoping to keep that going.”
Saturday’s draw against Norwich City at Deepdale saw three senior players return to the squad after lengthy absences with two of those combining for the last-gasp equaliser, Brad Potts teeing up Will Keane to find the net with a perfectly measured header. The North End boss is pleased to have a healthier squad heading into a busy festive schedule.
He said: “We need them. Pottsy’s role in the goal is excellent. He kept the ball alive right down in the bottom corner and he's the one winning the header in the box making sure it's not cleared, keeping the ball alive and then Keano puts it in.
“That’s one thing that Pottsy in particular does. He certainly makes himself available in the box and arrives on the end of things, whether he's playing in midfield or whether he's playing wing-back.
“With Ali it’s been frustrating because he's been on the training pitch with us all the time, doing the running, doing the technical drills, he's just not been able to do the contact. So, it's felt like we've always had him with us, but just not available to use. It was great to have him back against Norwich.
“Keano's had to be really patient, but we’ve also had to be really patient with him and Pottsy in terms of not trying to rush them back and just letting them come to us when their bodies are ready. It’s good to have them back.”
“They were winning games on the spin earlier on in the season, they’re a good side and it’s a good game for us to prepare for, another tough opponent away from home, and looking at their squad, I think Mark (Robins) can make changes if he wants to.
“I think the tickets sales for the game have gone really well. I think they have as well for the game against Wrexham which is great. The way the fans have supported us on the road this season has been tremendous. It's been really, really good.
“I always enjoy the feeling of winning away from home, it’s a great feeling and we’ve done well on the road recently as well - we’re hoping to keep that going.”
Saturday’s draw against Norwich City at Deepdale saw three senior players return to the squad after lengthy absences with two of those combining for the last-gasp equaliser, Brad Potts teeing up Will Keane to find the net with a perfectly measured header. The North End boss is pleased to have a healthier squad heading into a busy festive schedule.
He said: “We need them. Pottsy’s role in the goal is excellent. He kept the ball alive right down in the bottom corner and he's the one winning the header in the box making sure it's not cleared, keeping the ball alive and then Keano puts it in.
“That’s one thing that Pottsy in particular does. He certainly makes himself available in the box and arrives on the end of things, whether he's playing in midfield or whether he's playing wing-back.
“With Ali it’s been frustrating because he's been on the training pitch with us all the time, doing the running, doing the technical drills, he's just not been able to do the contact. So, it's felt like we've always had him with us, but just not available to use. It was great to have him back against Norwich.
“Keano's had to be really patient, but we’ve also had to be really patient with him and Pottsy in terms of not trying to rush them back and just letting them come to us when their bodies are ready. It’s good to have them back.”
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