Stoke City bench told story of the club after transformational summer

Stoke City reached fifth place in the Championship heading into the international break following an unbeaten September run. Under manager Mark Robins, the team earned four wins and one draw across five matches, defeating Norwich, Charlton, Watford, and Sheffield United alongside drawing against Cardiff City.

Former player Mike Pejic credited sporting director Jon Walters and the club's recruitment staff for effectively rebuilding the squad over the summer transfer window. Pejic highlighted that increased depth and strong bench options have successfully raised internal competition for starting positions across the squad.