Mark Robins is full of hope for the future of Stoke City

Stoke City dug deep to win 1-0 at Derby County and make it six points in eight days, six wins from the last eight games and three away wins on the spin. Here are the talking points from Pride Park.

We are at the point of change – Mark Robins

Real turning points at football clubs are rare. It was 20 years ago this week that Stoke won 4-0 at Leeds United with debuts for Rory Delap and Salif Diao and kickstarted the second chapter of Tony Pulis’s time at the club. The next decade was, well, pretty brilliant.

There have been dark days and false dawns over the 10 years since then but there is a gathering mood around the club that, this time, there really are better times ahead.

No one quite knows what the journey will hold or how long it will take but a packed away end at Derby – like the fans who stayed behind to applaud a team that lost 3-2 to Middlesbrough in mid-week or saw 10 men beat Bolton the previous weekend – was merry with optimism.

Mark Robins wasn’t just pleased that they were able to celebrate a win at Derby for the first time since 2012 but that he feels he and they and the players and the staff are at the start of a new movement together.

He said: “They are brilliant, absolutely brilliant. I can’t say enough positive things about our support. They have been through a hell of a lot. To see that change – you can see the difference, there’s a change. That’s special.

“I’ve said it before. You see it. I saw it at my previous club, when things change around. We’re at that point.

“We’ve got to make sure we keep building and doing what we’re doing but yes, I can’t thank the fans enough.”

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Three away wins on the spin

Other talking points seem a bit inconsequential compared to the return of hope – but here goes.

It really is the first time since late 2005 that Stoke have won three away games on the bounce. Back then it was a run of four wins under Johan Boskamp that started with what turned out to be an infamous night at Coventry which led to club civil war. Director of football John Rudge wanted to pass on that Stoke should watch out for the unchecked runs of full-back Richard Duffy. Who could have known that would light a firework but Boskamp was fairly combustible.

It is now 13 games in a row in which Stoke have scored. That is still the best run since late 2001 and a run of 13 under Gudjon Thordarson. This is only the 25th time in Stoke’s history they have had a run this long. They haven’t gone 14 since… early 2001 under Gudjon Thordarson.

Luke Graham off the mark

There was a little clip of Luke Graham walking back to the changing room saying, “That’s the first of many for Graham.”

He is Stoke’s 12th different scorer in eight games and that wasn’t the only thing that impressed his manager – although, as you would expect, the manager also added the caveat that there is always improvement to come.

Robins said: "I thought he was brilliant. Anything around him, anything in the air. The only thing I would say is that we can do better on the ball all the way across the back line. Bosun Lawal coming in and the times we gave the ball away in dangerous areas. We were almost authors of our own downfall but we managed to win the ball back. Three points sometimes at the end of that type of performance is really pleasing."

Regular scorers – but can Stoke find a regular scorer?

Ian Cranson, on Radio Stoke duty, is still hoping that while goals are shared around, one or two will be able to take the responsibility for a bigger share than others.

Asked about the difference between this season’s Stoke and last, he said: “I've seen differences in this team since the first three games – that's the big thing. The progression has been quite rapid. It just shows the manager knew what players he wanted in. He was able to get a couple of late signings which have buoyed the team.

“There have been issues about who is going to be the regular goal scorer even though we've scored goals on a regular basis. You just hope that someone is going to get to double figures, a couple of players get to double figures. That would certainly take the pressure off the team.

“Some of the performances have been really good. They've played some good football. I just think the attitude is massively improved in terms of everyone sticking together, the work rate has gone up no end and they've had the positive outcomes because of it.”