Highly rated winger Ben Marshall has returned to the Potters after completing his month's loan spell at League Two strugglers Cheltenham Town.
18-year-old Marshall signed from Crewe in the summer and was loaned out to Northampton for the first three months of the season before returning to the Potters, who didn't want to loan him out for the whole season. A week later he signed a month long loan deal with Town and started five games, scoring twice.
During his time at Northampton the tricky wideman played seventeen games, again scoring twice.
Both Stoke and Marshall have refused an extension to the loan, with the player keen to make an impression at the Premier League club, and he has now returned to the Britannia Stadium for the busy Christmas period and will be hoping to take advantage of the lack of wide players the Potters currently have, with Liam Lawrence, the only recognised right winger bar Marshall in the squad, currently laid low with flu forcing Rory Delap out wide, a position he gives his all in but looks awkward at best.
Many expect Marshall's debut to come in the FA Cup tie at home to York on January 2nd but injuries and suspensions may see him on the bench, and possinly coming off it to make his bow, before then.