Pulis: "De Goey should make it" + Other Potters News

Last updated : 09 March 2004 By Mark Holmes
Pulis will assess the situation today before deciding whether to enter the loan market for a goalkeeper but he has revealed that De Goey is likely to be fit.

Neil Cutler's injury on Saturday was the more serious one and he will not be fit to face Reading. This leaves the Potters with just 16 year olds Chris Sanna and Rob Duggan as backup for De Goey if he is fit. Third choice 'keeper Ben Foster is on loan to Stafford Rangers and Stoke are not able to recall him.

Supporters will be left hoping that Pulis can persuade Mark Crossley- who played such an important part in last seasons relegation escape- to come on loan to the Potters once more but Fulham may be reluctant to let him go as this would leave them short in backup for the 'keepers jersey themselves.

In other news, it has been revealed that Carl Asaba has made a third transfer request but Pulis has turned down all three, insisting Carl has a big part to play. You can't blame Asaba for being disheartened as he took a huge pay cut to leave Sheffield United believing that he would have regular first team football in the Potteries. However, Ade Akinbiyi has been in remarkable form of late and Gifton Noel-Williams is playing the part of the target man.

Also,rumours that Chris Greenacre may be leaving the club have been squashed by the player himself. He has turned down loan moves to both Sheffield Wednesday and Bristol Rovers, insisting he wants to fight for his place in the Stoke side. Greenacre said: "I'm flattered by the interest, but this is a massive club and I would rather carry on trying to improve alongside all the players with Premiership experience here at Stoke".

Greenacre is likely to assess his options in the Summer as he is fourth choice striker but he seems content to be a part of Stoke's current success story, for now at least.