Post by ade on Mar 9, 2007 9:33:34 GMT -1
CITY CHASING THE BEAST
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09:40 - 09 March 2007
Stoke were today hoping to complete the loan signing of giant Hull City striker Jon Parkin in time for tomorrow's home game against Southampton.The forward, aged 25, was expected at City's Michelin training ground this morning.
Nicknamed The Beast, the 6ft 4in Parkin has bagged seven goals in 32 appearances for Hull this season.
A terrace favourite for two seasons at Macclesfield, where he scored 36 goals in 78 appearances, he joined Hull in January, 2006 and has subsequently scored a total of 12 times in 50 appearances.
Meanwhile, defender Jonathan Fortune has returned to Stoke less than two weeks after being recalled from a loan spell by Charlton.
The 26-year-old made four appearances in his first spell with City.
Pulis has moved quickly to re-sign the London-born defender because Andy Wilkinson, Clint Hill, Marlon Broomes and Lewis Buxton are all unfit.
Captain Danny Higginbotham believes the club's season rests on the outcome of the next three games.
The 28-year-old insists if Stoke have any ambitions of making the play-offs they have to find that winning attitude again - starting with the visit of former club Southampton.
Stoke then travel to face high-flying Sunderland on Tuesday, before completing a crucial seven days at Norwich. And Higginbotham believes those three games will determine if Stoke will make the play-offs.
He said: "Without doubt this is a key week for the club. After the Norwich game next Saturday, we will have a certain idea where we will be at the end of the season.
"Southampton is a massive game and that is the one we are all concentrating on, but we have to think about Sunderland as they are the form team of the moment.
"We then go to Norwich and they have some good players and are in a false position in the league."
Higginbotham is looking for an improved performance this weekend and believes a win will act as a springboard.
He said: "It is important we get back on track as that will set us up for Tuesday.
"If we can get some good points from these games, we are right back in the hunt for the play-offs."
Higginbotham has shrugged off a thigh strain to be fit for the clash against the side he left to join Stoke in August.
The injury was not helped by a heavy pitch at Plymouth last Saturday and he has been receiving treatment this week.
He said: "The thigh is fine. It is something that has been going on for a while, but there is no problem.
"The pitch at Plymouth was very heavy and it was probably the worst we have played on in a while.
"But I will be playing and looking to get the three points to kick-start our promotion ambitions."
Manager Tony Pulis is also confident that Carl Hoefkens, Andy Griffin and Lee Hendrie should all recover from knocks in time for the game.
More Headlines | Back to home page
2 readers have commented on this story. Click here to read their views.
09:40 - 09 March 2007
Stoke were today hoping to complete the loan signing of giant Hull City striker Jon Parkin in time for tomorrow's home game against Southampton.The forward, aged 25, was expected at City's Michelin training ground this morning.
Nicknamed The Beast, the 6ft 4in Parkin has bagged seven goals in 32 appearances for Hull this season.
A terrace favourite for two seasons at Macclesfield, where he scored 36 goals in 78 appearances, he joined Hull in January, 2006 and has subsequently scored a total of 12 times in 50 appearances.
Meanwhile, defender Jonathan Fortune has returned to Stoke less than two weeks after being recalled from a loan spell by Charlton.
The 26-year-old made four appearances in his first spell with City.
Pulis has moved quickly to re-sign the London-born defender because Andy Wilkinson, Clint Hill, Marlon Broomes and Lewis Buxton are all unfit.
Captain Danny Higginbotham believes the club's season rests on the outcome of the next three games.
The 28-year-old insists if Stoke have any ambitions of making the play-offs they have to find that winning attitude again - starting with the visit of former club Southampton.
Stoke then travel to face high-flying Sunderland on Tuesday, before completing a crucial seven days at Norwich. And Higginbotham believes those three games will determine if Stoke will make the play-offs.
He said: "Without doubt this is a key week for the club. After the Norwich game next Saturday, we will have a certain idea where we will be at the end of the season.
"Southampton is a massive game and that is the one we are all concentrating on, but we have to think about Sunderland as they are the form team of the moment.
"We then go to Norwich and they have some good players and are in a false position in the league."
Higginbotham is looking for an improved performance this weekend and believes a win will act as a springboard.
He said: "It is important we get back on track as that will set us up for Tuesday.
"If we can get some good points from these games, we are right back in the hunt for the play-offs."
Higginbotham has shrugged off a thigh strain to be fit for the clash against the side he left to join Stoke in August.
The injury was not helped by a heavy pitch at Plymouth last Saturday and he has been receiving treatment this week.
He said: "The thigh is fine. It is something that has been going on for a while, but there is no problem.
"The pitch at Plymouth was very heavy and it was probably the worst we have played on in a while.
"But I will be playing and looking to get the three points to kick-start our promotion ambitions."
Manager Tony Pulis is also confident that Carl Hoefkens, Andy Griffin and Lee Hendrie should all recover from knocks in time for the game.
