Latest news from the bet365 Stadium as Stoke City head into the final stretch of the season as well as a not so quiet homecoming for James McClean
12:49, 04 Feb 2026
Tyler Martin scored for Liverpool as they came 2-0 down to beat Stoke City under-18s 4-2 in January - and then joined Stoke.
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Tyler Martin scored for Liverpool as they came from 2-0 down to beat Stoke City under-18s 4-2 in January - and then joined Stoke.(Image: Nick Taylor)
Transfer deadline day has come and gone but expect at least one or two Championship clubs to still be scratching their heads before the next cut-off.
Stoke City and rivals have until 12pm on Thursday, February 5, to submit their official squad lists to the EFL. That is a bit of time to think for managers who might have more than 25 on their books and who will be left out for the final 16 games of the season.
The EFL will then publish the squad lists within seven days.
Loan players are included as senior players no matter their age but every other player who was born on or after January 1, 2004 counts as an under-21s player and does not need to be named in the senior squad.
That includes Ato Ampah, the 19-year-old winger who joined from Chelsea on deadline day, and 21-year-old goalkeeper Tommy Simkin, who was recalled from a loan at Leyton Orient last month to join the first team party.
In Stoke's case, we already know who will be in the 25-man squad: Viktor Johansson, Gavin Bazunu, Frank Fielding, Junior Tchamadeu, Ben Wilmot, Bosun Lawal, Maksym Talovierov, Ashley Phillips, Aaron Cresswell, Eric Bocat, Ben Gibson, Ben Pearson, Tatsuki Seko, Lewis Baker, Steven Nzonzi, Tomas Rigo, Bae Junho, Million Manhoef, Divin Mubama, Sorba Thomas, Lamine Cisse, Sam Gallagher, Robert Bozenik, Milan Smit, Jesurun Rak-Sakyi
Liverpool forward joins under-21s
Tyler Martin will be added to that under-21s list after sealing a move from Liverpool.
The 18-year-old has signed an 18-month contract after a trial period in which he scored twice in three sub appearances for Stoke in Premier League 2. He had actually scored against Stoke under-18s in January too.
Academy manager Sam Stockley said: “We are really excited to welcome Tyler to Stoke City. Since he joined us for an initial trial period, his attitude and work ethic, both on and off the pitch, has been exemplary.
“He is dynamic and quick, has an eye for goal and is versatile in terms of his ability to play through the middle and in wide areas. I look forward to seeing Tyler continue his development with his teammates and the academy staff.”
Ticket offer for FA Cup clash
Stoke are running an early bird ticket offer for the FA Cup fourth round tie at home to Fulham (Sunday, February 15, 2pm).
Adults can buy a ticket from £12, over-65s from £10 and juniors from £5 until just before midnight on Thursday, February 12.
Supporters who went to the Coventry game in round three will also receive a code that means they can bring a friend for £5, or £1 for under-15s, in addition to their own ticket.
Every fan who buys a ticket during this sale period will also receive a £5 voucher for the club shop, redeemable from 9am on the day of the game.
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Audience with the GK union
Former Stoke keepers Mark Crossley and Shay Given are back at the bet365 Stadium next week.
The paid will host a Q&A in the Tony Waddington Suite on Friday, February 13.
Tickets include a three-course meal and drink on arrival and are available for £75 plus VAT.
Stoke City Women's WBA date rearranged
Stoke's FA Women's National League home game against West Brom will now take place on March 1 (2pm) at Wellbeing Park.
The game was postponed last month due to Albion's Women's FA Cup commitments.
Stoke are next in action on Sunday when they make the trip to Hull City.
James McClean's not so quiet homecoming
James McClean's wife Erin expressed hopes of a quieter life when the veteran footballer left Wrexham to return to Derry City last month, writes WalesOnline. However, the reality for the former Stoke midfielder, aged 36, has not been particularly peaceful.
The family suffered a disaster last Friday when a fire broke out at their new home in Derry. It's thought a boiler at the property sparked the blaze, but emergency services were able to get it under control quickly.
Erin wrote on social media: "What a day! Our boiler in our new house caught fire, and we are so lucky it wasn't worse. Thank God for the fire brigade for arriving so quickly and making sure it was safe to return. Very thankful. When it rains, it pours."
McClean's comeback to Irish football on Saturday night was also eventful. He started for Derry City in their Presidents Cup victory over Shamrock Rovers, assisting Darragh Markey's decisive goal as the Candystripes secured a 1-0 win. McClean celebrated in front of the Rovers supporters, having received verbal jibes through the game.
The controversy did not end there, with claims emerging on social media that McClean refused to speak in the press room after the match. Posting on Instagram, he clarified that he had taken exception to the presence of one reporter in particular, The Times' Paul Rowan.
He wrote: "Let's clear this up, because people love posting news without the facts behind it. I refused to do press while Paul Rowan was in the room. I had a few choice words understandably so towards him."
Rowan wrote in The Times: "While some half-hearted abuse was handed out to McClean by the Rovers fans, he breezed through the game as Rovers rarely threatened Derry goalkeeper Brian Maher. He posed for selfies with Rovers fans in the stands after the game, but in the media room afterwards he refused to answer questions because of the presence there of a certain journalist with whom he has a long-running dispute, and the manager Tiernan Lynch followed him out the door.
"Red flares were set off amongst the Derry supporters after the victory and there should be plenty more fireworks to come."
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