Fans' support during poor run 'incredible' - Robins

Stoke City manager Mark Robins has thanked the Championship club's fans for their "incredible" support as the team look to kick-start their promotion challenge.

The Potters have lost six of their past eight matches and have slipped to eighth in the table, two points adrift of the top six. In early November, victory at Oxford United had taken them second.

"It is imperative that the fans are like this, and they have been incredible, so I thank them for that," Robins told BBC Radio Stoke.

"Human beings being what they are today, its really difficult in this climate, in this world.

"You can look at 200 messages, and if one of them is slightly negative, that's the one the players remember. Then it can have an impact.

"Yes, results are not good enough. I'm not hiding away from that, and we need to change that around if we possible can do.

"That's the nature of the league. Four of the defeats have been away from home. There is 100% room for improvement, we've just got to unlock that."

Stoke are currently on course for their highest finish since relegation from the Premier League in 2018, and Robins is keen for his players to keep focusing on the positives.

"We've been really good this season. We're still the best defensively in the league (21 goals conceded) which is testament to all the work that they put in. They're giving everything they have. Sometimes we just fall a little bit short, which is not for the want of trying.

"Those are things we've got to improve over time, but its not an overnight fix.

"I'm trying to work my way through it and find solutions, but what I won't do is make any radical decisions because it won't make us any better. Best laid plans and all that."

Robins was appointed almost exactly a year ago, and will reach that milestone with their trip to Hull City on New Year's Day. The 56-year-old said he is pretty satisfied with how far his side have come.

"Things have changed considerably because we're talking in a far more positive way more often, rather than when I came in and everyone was fearing the drop.

"Everyone has contributed and the positivity around the club is totally different, and the way that we play is different.

"I really like the way we attack games, and people have got that confidence and the ability to take the ball in tough areas and move it quickly.

"Again, you've got the next bit of the evolution to finish those chances off and keep creating those chances against teams with difference game plans to us."

Robins added: "The season is still very open even though we've lost that amount of games. If we beat Preston [North End] on Boxing Day and reach 36 points at the halfway stage, we are then on track for 72 points if we replicate that in the second half of the season.

"That gets you very, very close to the play-offs - so even though we're in that moment, it's still all to play for."