Stoke City's season has become a case study in Championship volatility, and head coach Mark Robins is demanding a stronger mentality from his squad. After a promising start that saw them fourth in the table and knocking on the door of automatic promotion, the Potters have faltered dramatically, winning just six of their last 23 games to slide to 13th.

Robins didn't mince words when describing the campaign's trajectory, calling it a story of "great promise to start with and then real disappointment." The emotional grind of mid-table, he suggests, is a world away from the thrill of a promotion chase, and it's a place no one at the club wants to be.

The criticism has intensified following a 2-0 defeat to Derby County, and Robins' message to his players is blunt: they must learn to handle it. "Suck it up," he stated, emphasizing that in professional sports, dealing with pressure and critique is part of the job. How players react now, with five games remaining, will reveal their character.

As Stoke prepares to host Blackburn Rovers this weekend, Robins is looking for a resilient response. He wants his team to understand their individual roles, deliver on their potential, and finish the season with a statement, targeting wins in all their final matches to build momentum for the future.