Mark Robins calls out Stoke fans after they were booing his players in the 2-1 defeat to Sheffield United on Monday night.
Goals from Jairo Riedewald and Tom Cannon sealed the Blades a welcome three points, Ben Wilmot pulled one back for the Potters, who finished with 10 men after Ben Pearson was shown a late red card.
Stoke boss Mark Robins took aim at those who booed his players and quadruple substitution (including Mubama) around the 58-minute mark, insisting players are trying their best with a limited squad and need support.
The changes improved Stoke’s performance in the second half, but the loss meant they extended their poor run of no win in 6 of their last 7.
This lad didn’t take it well. pic.twitter.com/4YdbvfVz5v
— Shane robshaw (@shane_robshaw) December 29, 2025
Stoke boss Mark Robins told BBC Radio Stoke:
“You can make changes, and by the way, the changes that I made, I don’t like the booing because we’ve got a limited squad and those players need the support as well as anybody else.
“I don’t like that. They’re all trying, regardless of what people think. For whatever reason, I’ll make those changes. When that happens, I don’t expect my substitutions to be booed. You know, you don’t expect that because it’s done at the right time for the right reasons.
“We’re all on the same page and we’re all supportive and we hate losing games of football, all of us, collectively, all of us.
“You win them together, and you lose them together, and you draw them together, and in the second half, I know that performance was much, much better and what the supporters expect.”
Robins, per Sky Sports:
“It (the performance) was really poor and I picked a big team today. We tried to deal with set plays and be better at them, but regardless of that, it doesn’t always mean that because you’re big that you’re going to be able to keep the ball out of the net from a set play – and we didn’t.
“So straight away you’re on the back foot. The changes were coming anyway and what I would say is that I don’t expect our players to get booed or cheered and clapped off when they get substitute. That doesn’t help anybody.
“Whether they’re having a bad time or a good time, these are players that are throwing the shirt on and trying to make careers for themselves.
“I’ll deal with that. If I don’t think they’re performing to the level that they should be, then they’ll be off or they won’t start or whatever. But that’s not for everybody – we should be together.”
Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder told BBC Radio Sheffield:
“It was very rewarding, we got our rewards. I don’t think people should really zone in on maybe the last 15-20 minutes because that was the end bit. The first 65-70 minutes were outstanding.
“And then when we had to show bit of courage and personality, which I questioned, we showed it. They’ve got to stop putting me through the ringer, me and 3,000 Sheffield United fans!
“There’s a lot of work to be done, but it’s nights like these, moments like this, you know you’re always chasing winning feeling and we got it.
“I thought in the first 20 minutes we were outstanding, the first half we were excellent.”
Wilder, per Sky Sports:
“For 60, 65 minutes it was right up there in terms of an away performance and what we want it to look like.
“And maybe, against the run of play a little bit, the goal comes and gives them a huge lift and they’ve got some good players that come alive.
“I don’t want the game to be remembered for maybe the last 10 or 15 minutes.
“The game should be remembered, from our point of view, in terms of the first 60, 65 minutes and how well we played against a decent side.”
Stoke City: Johansson, Lawal, Phillips, Wilmot, Gibson, Manhoef (Bae Jun-Ho 57′), Seko (Rigo 74′), Nzonzi (Pearson 58′), Thomas, Gallagher (Bozeník 58′), Mubama (Cissé 58′)
Subs: Pearson, Bae Jun-Ho, Bozeník, Bonham, Donley, Rigo, Cissé, Talovierov, Bickerton
Sheffield Utd: Cooper, Seriki, Tanganga, Bindon, Burrows, Brooks (Chong 74′), Soumaré (Arblaster 74′), Riedewald (Matos 95′), O’Hare, Cannon (McGuinness 87′), Campbell (Bamford 74′)
Subs: McCallum, Arblaster, Hamer, Ings, Adam Davies, Chong, McGuinness, Matos, Bamford
Here’s how fans reacted as Mark Robins calls out Stoke fans after booing the players in the 2-1 defeat to Sheffield United…
@PotterDave_:
Stoke fans booing players ✅
Robins calling fans out on BBC Radio Stoke ✅
Fans calling the radio after the interview and having a pop at Robins ✅
Stoke back to being toss and close to being back in 16th ✅
Manager and fans Turning on each other ✅
We’re fucking back baby
@pharbron: He must realise that Gallagher jeers were because the boo boys thought Mubama was staying on & the wrong sub was being made? I’ve never understood it myself but given the 7pt return out of the last possible 30 things are a little fragile. Add to that the noise there is no money
@Deanwok79: Not to say your stupid Robins, however…. The decision to play Mubama and Gally together was pretty stupid… then to put Mubama on the right for the last 10 mins or so of the first half was actually beyond stupid!!
@durber42: i don’t like players strolling round a pitch either 👍
@ROBANDTHEMOB: Perhaps the booing is a sign of the fans’ frustration with the player choices and turgid offering on the pitch ? The fans are already voting with their feet, by not attending games, though the club counts all season ticket holders as present, even if they’re not physically there
@potterscope_: Robins isn’t immune to criticism btw. Can’t keep pretending he is just because his name is Mark Robins, he makes mistakes, and he has made so many recently. So much of this is on him, and he needs to figure it out before we return to mid table mediocrity.
@SCFC_18: Shocking from robins that tonight shat himself and set up negatively at home against a semi decent side we are never going to go anywhere thinking and playing like that.
@_lewcartlidge: Shocking from you robins, you deserve criticism. The form is scary
@DeckyChamp: Some people need to remember this is a work in progress robins has got us going in the right direction and with the transfer window coming up quickly we’ll see some players move on and hopefully the right players come in!
@vis_unita: Utterly shite. Shocking first 60 minutes. Has the Robins gloss began to tarnish? Dreadful loss of form and we are in free fall.
@LukeJFurnival: 2 take away’s from tonight is Junho must play as many games as possible and Mubama best be on his way back with 2 minutes of the window opening. What a mess we’ve made of these past few weeks… 😖
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