The 26-year-old midfielder has honed his skills at various clubs in Europe and now hopes to bring that experience to Bafana. Win Happy PremiumSearch A new report shows that Staffordshire Pension Fund owns industrial estates in the Staffordshire Moorlands and South Staffordshire, and has investments in a Stafford leisure complex, affordable housing in Newcastle and Tamworth and the M6 Toll – but none in Stoke-on-Trent. The pension fund has members across 544 different employers including local authorities and schools, with Stoke-on-Trent City Council contributing around 20 per cent of its assets. Members of the city council’s audit and standards committee had previously asked for further details around the fund’s local investments, raising concerns that Stoke-on-Trent was potentially missing out on millions of pounds. A report to the committee, based on the response from the fund, explained that it had ‘a legal responsibility to act solely in the best interests of scheme members’. This means investing in order to generate sufficient returns to be able to pay benefits to workers when they retire. The report states that while this does not rule out local investment, it can make it more challenging, due to investment opportunities being smaller and fewer in number, and the risk of conflict of interest. Staffordshire Pension Fund does own two industrial estates in Staffordshire: Hadleigh Park in Blythe Bridge, and Vernon Park in South Staffordshire. It has also invested in a number of other local assets, through large institutional fund vehicles. These include Fischer Farms Vertical Farm in Burton-on-Trent; Waterfront leisure complex in Stafford; the M6 Toll; and affordable housing in Newcastle, Stafford and Tamworth. The pension fund is also working with eight partner funds in the Midlands ‘to determine how local investments can best form part of any future allocation’. Audit committee members expressed disappointment at the lack of investment in Stoke-on-Trent. They voted to formally ask Councillor Alastair Watson, cabinet member for finance, raise the issue with the pension fund, which is administered by Staffordshire County Council. Labour councillor Andy Platt said: “They’ve invested everywhere surrounding Stoke, but not Stoke. There’s Hadleigh Park in the Staffordshire Moorlands, affordable housing in Newcastle and Stafford – they’ve invested everywhere except Stoke-on-Trent – when Stoke-on-Trent provides so much of its income. It’s absolutely mad. “We do need to go back to them. We accept all the things they have to do to invest, but other people do invest in Stoke-on-Trent. We see investment from outside bodies, even international investment, but not our own pension fund. This is shocking.” Councillor Sarah Jane Colclough added: said: “The report says that decisions must be made without bias or favouritism. But you can question the bias if we miss out every single time.” Director of governance James Doble told the committee that he believed there was little chance that things would change prior to local government reorganisation. Company number 01176085; Bauer Radio Limited Company number: 1394141Registered office: Media House Peterborough PE2 6EA and H Bauer Publishing Company number: LP003328; Registered office: The Lantern London NW1 2PL All registered in England and Wales VAT no 918 5617 01H Bauer Publishing are authorised and regulated for credit broking by the FCA (Ref No: 845898) The ad-free version is ready for purchase on iOS mobile app today we couldn't find that page";var n=e.querySelector("h2");return n&&n.remove(),{staticContent:e,title:t}},d=function(e){var t=document.createElement("button");return t.innerText=e,t.classList.add("error-page-button"),t},f=function(e){var t=document.createElement("div");t.id="recirculation-404",t.classList.add("brand-hint-bg");var n="\n \n \n Tick here if you would like us to send you the author’s response 5 MAY 2025BookmarkStaffordshire Police have seized this e-scooterOff-road bikes and electric scooters have been seized in a police crackdown Staffordshire Police deployed a plane in the skies over Stoke-on-Trent as part of yesterday's nuisance bikers crackdown It follows complaints about off-road bikers racing around communities and churning up the course at Burslem Golf Club Police also discovered that a number of the riders were high on cannabis Stoke-on-Trent North MP David Williams has wecomed the crackdown He said: "I've always made tackling illegal I've campaigned for new laws so that police will have more powers than ever before to seize and crush nuisance bikes Bikes have been seized and action will continue." The latest instalment of Operation Lightning took place on Sunday A police spokesman said: "We have seized a number of bikes and scooters with the help of the police plane. These include electric scooters that travel at 45mph, motorcycles riding on golf courses, and riders with more cannabis than they can use themselves using children's e-scooters to zip around to meet people." For the very latest on this police operation follow our live blog below Want Stoke-on-Trent news emailed to you direct from our journalists Thank you for subscribing!We have more newsletters Police have seized off-road bikes and electric scooters in a fresh crackdown. Staffordshire Police deployed a plane in the search for the yobs A police spokesman said: "We have seized a number of bikes and scooters with the help of the police plane. These include electric scooters that travel at 45mph, motorcycles riding on golf courses, and riders with more cannabis than they can use themselves using children's e-scooters to zip around to meet people." StokeonTrentLive has approached Staffordshire Police for more details regarding the operation Any with issues regarding off-road bikers can call the police on 101 Get daily headlines and breaking news emailed to you - it’s FREE Story SavedYou can find this story in My Bookmarks.Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right Essential digital access to quality FT journalism on any device Complete digital access to quality FT journalism with expert analysis from industry leaders Complete digital access to quality analysis and expert insights complemented with our award-winning Weekend Print edition Terms & Conditions apply Discover all the plans currently available in your country See why over a million readers pay to read the Financial Times It was occasioned by the need to wait for the final score from Turf Moor, where Burnley beat Sheffield United to join Leeds in the top tier while consigning Chris Wilder’s side to the playoffs. Read moreNot even heavy rain and a marked dip in the Easter temperature could dampen the euphoria inside Elland Road as Joël Piroe registered a hat‑trick inside the first 20 minutes By half-time Daniel Farke’s centre‑forward had scored four times and Stoke were holed below the waterline there’s not much more I could have asked for,” Farke said “To deliver such an emphatic performance with feet on the gas all the time was amazing The spirit and tenacity we’ve shown in recent weeks has been incredible.” Farke has now orchestrated a third promotion in a managerial career during which he has twice led Norwich into football’s promised land “This is a priceless three points,” he said “It was one of the best days; the atmosphere was electric The players are tired but feeling the joy The demolition of Stoke started with a neat first-time Piroe finish after Manor Solomon’s flick found time to switch the ball from his left to right foot before Largie Ramazani of Leeds United celebrates promotion with his team mates. Photograph: Anna Gowthorpe/ShutterstockOnly eight minutes had passed and Leeds fans needed to wait another 12 before Piroe used his left foot to lash the ball into the roof of the net from close range after Johansson could only parry Wilfried Gnonto’s sliced shot. Piroe has his critics in West Yorkshire and there had been a bit of a clamour for Patrick Bamford to start ahead of him in the central striking role here, but the doubters were confounded. “Joël had a dry spell, a bit of a dip recently but, to his credit, he has got himself out of it,” Farke said. “He’s proven priceless for us this season but, for a striker, goals are like a bottle of ketchup; it all comes out at once.” Stoke’s defence looked more like a chocolate Easter egg that had begun to melt after being left too close to a radiator. Their backline turned to liquid long before Junior Firpo turned the fourth goal over the line after connecting with Bogle’s cross. Free daily newsletterKick off your evenings with the Guardian's take on the world of football Read moreBy now the chants of “Leeds are going up” were so loud it was possible to imagine the echoes resounding on the other side of the Pennines That decibel count increased as Bogle’s angled shot hit a post and Piroe’s bundled close-range finish lifted his season’s goal tally to 19 Slips were always possible on the wet playing surface but Mark Robins’s players frequently looked so off-balance they might as well have been playing on sheet ice Visiting stability improved slightly in the second half after a flurry of substitutions and a switch to five at the back but was soon undermined further as Gnonto met Solomon’s fine cross and headed the sixth goal If the sight of Piroe being substituted might normally have offered Robins reason for relief the sight of Bamford running on to replace him and Ao Tanaka and Ilia Gruev continuing to dictate central midfield while Joe Rodon and Ethan Ampadu formed an impenetrable central defensive barrier Farke was so relaxed that he was able to offer Eddie Gray’s great nephew the extremely promising 16-year-old Harry Gray To say Robins was unimpressed by the events which unfolded in front of him is an understatement. “It was a game we didn’t take part in,” he said. “We didn’t lay a glove on Leeds. They’re the best team in the Championship with the most talented group of players without a shadow of a doubt "These new partners bring innovative approaches and increased competition to our mission area." Private launch companies Rocket Lab and Stoke Space have been selected to compete for future U.S The two launch companies were awarded "National Security Space Launch (NSSL) Phase 3 Lane 1 contracts" by the U.S. Space Force on March 27 broadening the military branch's launch options and strengthening access to space More launch providers mean more flexibility speed and backup options for getting important satellites into space a combination that military officials say is critical for national security and resilience The Lane 1 awards are part of the Space Force's launch plan that focuses on new or smaller companies that can grow into trusted launch partners for low Earth orbit launches proven rockets for launches to more challenging Related: Rocket Lab unveils plan to land Neutron rockets at sea, 1st launch in 2025 "These new partners bring innovative approaches and increased competition to our mission area." — Rocket Lab: Private spaceflight for small satellites — Stoke Space test-fires engine for upcoming fully reusable rocket (photos) — US Space Force 5 years later: What has it accomplished so far, and where does it go from here? Each company will receive a $5 million task order to assess their capabilities and undergo a government risk review "Once Rocket Lab and Stoke Space complete their first successful launch they will be eligible to compete for launch service task orders on Lane 1," said Lt Space Force's materiel leader for space launch procurement "We look forward to on-ramping more emerging companies over the next few years as their systems become ready." The Space Force's NSSL program is part of ensuring the U.S can reliably launch and test satellites and space infrastructure in times of peace and conflict Join our Space Forums to keep talking space on the latest missions, night sky and more! And if you have a news tip, correction or comment, let us know at: community@space.com. Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name. See photos snapped in space by Europe's 1st private reentry capsule 'Falcon' flies on Star Wars Day: SpaceX launches Starlink satellites from Florida (photos) Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker Vale needed leaders Doncaster to drop points away at Notts County to have any chance of finishing in top spot but Rovers ran out 2-1 winners to be crowned champions A stunning goal from Aaron Rowe secured all three points for Gillingham who ended the campaign in 17th place on the back of a 12-match unbeaten run Vale were the only team to register a shot on goal in a lacklustre first half with Rhys Walters and Ronan Curtis forcing saves out of Gills goalkeeper Glenn Morris The hosts had a golden opportunity to break the deadlock just before the break but Lorent Tolaj ballooned his effort high and wide Gillingham looked a lot brighter after the restart and came close to taking the lead when Max Clark's strike went just wide in the 55th minute They did go ahead moments later thanks to a superb finish from Rowe who created space for himself on the edge of the area before firing a left-footed shot into the top corner Jayden Stockley came off the bench straight after the goal and nearly brought the home side level on the hour mark but having been found in the box by fellow substitute Rico Richards his attempt was well saved by the legs of Morris Captain George Byers had a late effort saved by Morris as Vale's hopes of snatching what was by then a relatively insignificant equaliser ended and they were forced to settle for a second-placed finish To load Comments you need to enable JavaScript in your browser The BBC is not responsible for any changes that may be made Webster Match OfficialsReferee: Jacob MilesAssistant Referee 1: Daniel WoodwardAssistant Referee 2: Michael WebbFourth Official: Peter WrightMatch StatsKey Scroll LeftScroll RightPort Vale have lost just one of their last seven league games against Gillingham (W3 D3) and are unbeaten across their last four on home soil against the Gills (W3 D1) After winning the reverse fixture 1-0 in November last year Gillingham will be looking to record a first league double over Port Vale since the 2008-09 season Port Vale have won just one of their last 11 final games of a league campaign (D5 L5) scoring just five goals in total across those matches Gillingham have lost just one of their last seven games on the final day of a league campaign (W4 D2 winning their last one on the road against Salford City in 2023 (1-0) Rekeem Harper (Port Vale) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked Fourth official has announced 6 minutes of added time George Byers (Port Vale) wins a free kick in the defensive half Shadrach Ogie (Gillingham) wins a free kick in the defensive half Nelson Khumbeni (Gillingham) wins a free kick in the defensive half George Byers (Port Vale) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal Robbie McKenzie (Gillingham) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul Connor Hall (Port Vale) wins a free kick on the left wing Jayden Stockley (Port Vale) header from the right side of the six yard box is high and wide to the right Assisted by Jaheim Headley with a cross following a corner Conor Masterson (Gillingham) header from a difficult angle on the right is too high Assisted by Max Clark with a cross following a set piece situation Centre-back Sondre Langas lauded the Derby County fans' energy for getting them through as a gritty goalless draw against Stoke City to secure the Rams’ Sky Bet Championship status for the 2025/26 season Chances were few and far between in the contest before a sold-out crowd at Pride Park Stadium but both goalkeepers had decisive saves to make Langas came close to scoring twice as he headed on target and fired just over the bar in quick succession in the first half as he chased his first goal in Derby colours after arriving from his native Norway earlier this year Website Designby West MidlandsShareSavePort ValeHancock's career included playing for several clubs with his most appearances being for Port ValeFormer Port Vale and Ipswich Town goalkeeper Ken Hancock has died The footballer was the Vale's goalkeeper the last time they won a league title in 1959 A minute's applause will be held on Saturday during Port Vale's match with Gillingham FC, a spokesperson said, as they shared the news on social media "Everyone at Port Vale is deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Port Vale Football Club legend Ken Hancock," the club "Ken was the goalkeeper in our last title-winning side in 1958-59 we will be holding a minute's applause in his memory in the 59th minute of [Saturday's] game." The football club signed off the post with the tribute: "Ken Hancock Lisa Bickerton replied to the post on behalf of Hancock's family and thanked people for their comments "It's nice to know that after all these years his contribution is still recognised and that he is still in the heart of Vale supporters," she wrote "Vale was a massive part of his life and one of the last things that he said was that he was very proud of his time spent at the Vale." remembered him as "a great bloke" Her father said his teammate had been "well-liked by everyone" Hancock's career from the 1950s to the 1970s included playing for several other clubs including Ipswich Town playing more than 240 matches for Port Vale and more than 160 games for Ipswich The footballer was also on the management committee at Leek Town Follow BBC Stoke & Staffordshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram. More than 400 homes are approved by councillors for the army site on the edge of Stafford. Richard Halck was sentenced to 55 weeks in prison at Chester Crown Court on Thursday. The motorway reopens after the incident caused long tailbacks and delays of about 45 minutes. The pair are arrested after a man was killed in the collision believed to involve a stolen car. Prof Elizabeth Barnes says it is a "huge honour" to represent the King in her home county. One of North Staffordshire's best hotels has been targeted in a burglary. A £1,000 electric bike was stolen from Courtyard Keele Staffordshire after a fire door was forced open The break-in happened in the early hours of Friday But police managed to later retrieve the bike and a man has been arrested A Staffordshire Police spokesman said: "The offender forced entry through a fire door and stole an electric mountain bike The bike has now been returned to its rightful owner – who was understandably delighted A great example of teamwork and quick action making a real difference in our local community." The Marriott Hotel branch opened in the grounds of Keele University in 2021 Anyone with any information about the burglary can call the police on 101 or Crimestoppers Sign up for the latest breaking news and top stories from StokeonTrentLive on WhatsApp Story SavedYou can find this story in My Bookmarks.Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. Rex FeaturesPublished5 May 2025Stoke City goalkeeper Viktor Johansson says avoiding relegation from the Championship this season was a "relief" and not something to be celebrated The Potters finished two points above the drop zone in 18th with 51 points - their worst overall tally and lowest league position since relegation to the second tier in 2018 "It's been a disappointing season because our goal was completely different," Johansson told BBC Radio Stoke "It's not a celebration; it's more of a massive relief We had different plans for this season and how it was going to go "But to be fair to the boys and the fans we stuck with it and made sure we stayed up The Swedish international was named Stoke's player of the year in his debut season but praised the whole team for staying up despite playing under three different managers we've grown loads," Johansson said It's one of the best changing rooms you can walk into "Even though it's been a bit rocky sometimes Johansson also thanked the "incredible" fans and said their support shows that Stoke is a "great and massive" club On whether he will be at the club next season the 26-year-old added: "I signed for Stoke so this is where my head and heart are at the moment." Listen to Johansson's full interview on BBC Sounds. 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Jordan Thompson was Stoke City's longest-serving player before his release by the club Stoke City's long-serving Northern Ireland midfielder Jordan Thompson is leaving the Championship club after five-and-a-half seasons The 28-year-old joined Stoke in January 2020 from Blackpool and made 178 appearances He played 23 times in the league this season but missed the Potters' last three games through injury as the club secured survival on the final day following a relegation-threatened campaign Stoke have also released USA international Lynden Gooch and defenders Michael Rose and Enda Stevens Jordan Thompson proud to reach personal milestone Stoke appoint ex-Coventry boss Robins as manager the club exercised an option to extend midfielder Lewis Baker's contract for another season who has been with Stoke since January 2022 spent the first half of this season on loan with Blackburn before returning to the Potteries at the start of the year Stoke sporting director Jonathan Walters said, external Baker "has been an integral part of our side since he returned to the club in January" and had "played some of his best football for Stoke City" under boss Mark Robins Walters said the club were grateful to someone "who gave 100% on each of the 178 times he donned a Stoke City shirt" and called his contribution to the side "significant and valued" Top storiesTrailblazer Zhao set to take snooker to 'another level' in China By NOTICEBOARD · 4 May 2025 The Royal Voluntary Service’s Hanley Centre is holding a special event to mark the 80th anniversary of VE Day they will be hosting a classic afternoon tea with music and dancing from 1pm to 3.30pm The community hub, in Charles Street, Hanley provides a range of activities from dancing crafting and gentle exercise to specialist dementia support groups and the opportunity to catch up with friends VE Day marks the moment in 1945 when peace was declared in Europe bringing relief and hope to millions after years of war Royal Voluntary Service (RVS) – formerly the Women’s Voluntary Services – played a crucial role during this time supporting wartime efforts by aiding evacuees and providing relief to those affected by bombing raids the charity continues its mission of inspiring and mobilising volunteers to support people and communities across Britain "We are proud to honour the vital role played by volunteers and to bring people together to share in this important anniversary "Whether you have a personal connection to the war or simply want to be part of the remembrance everyone is welcome to join us at the Hanley Centre for a meaningful day of commemoration." There is a small fee of £10 to attend – for more information and to book your place To learn more about how a donation can help support Royal Voluntary Service’s vital work in communities today, visit royalvoluntaryservice.org.uk Read all the latest news from in and around Stoke-on-Trent LoadingDaily Email Updates {{contentTitle}} Get all the reaction from the RamsTV Studio to Derby County’s Sky Bet Championship fixture at home to Stoke City Derby County's Sondre Langas speaks to RamsTV after the side’s 2024/25 Sky Bet Championship fixture at home to Stoke City Watch the match highlights from Derby County’s 2024/25 Sky Bet Championship fixture at home to Stoke City "It was a rubbish game but we both ended up getting what we needed so that is the most important thing," he said "The game was so lacking in quality it's frightening "The players managed themselves really well during the week and managed themselves through the game well today "Since I came in [to Stoke] in January it has been a really tough period - I think one of the toughest of my career It has been really difficult because I'm the third permanent manager and fourth voice they have had This team should never have been anywhere near the bottom And had everyone been fit and we'd been in earlier things wouldn't have got down to this day "But thankfully we have managed to come out the other side OK." Derby County Head Coach John Eustace speaks to RamsTV after the side’s 2024/25 Sky Bet Championship fixture at home to Stoke City Derby County's Harrison Armstrong speaks to RamsTV after the side’s 2024/25 Sky Bet Championship fixture at home to Stoke City Derby and Stoke will both play Championship football again next season Derby County and Stoke City both avoided relegation from the Championship with an anticlimactic goalless draw on a day of relief at Pride Park Both sides had their places in the second tier assured after Luton Town were thrashed 5-3 by West Bromwich Albion to go down In a tense first half of few opportunities Viktor Johansson stopped Sondre Langas from giving the hosts the lead by tipping a header from the Norway international around the post Rams goalkeeper Josh Vickers made a brilliant save to keep Ali Al-Hamadi out early in the second half while Jerry Yates had a close-range effort saved late on before both he and Nat Phillips hit the crossbar after the ball fell back into their paths The draw means Mark Robins' Stoke City finish four places and two points clear of the bottom three while Derby have ended up a point above doomed Luton to avoid an immediate return to League One It completed a stunning turnaround for Derby under John Eustace with the East Midlands club bottom of the table and seven points from safety less than two months ago Championship: Leeds win late on to clinch title; Luton down Luton relegated to League One after West Brom loss Blackburn miss out on play-off spot with Blades draw Eustace left Blackburn Rovers when they were in the play-off places in February to parachute down the table to take charge of a Rams side batting relegation On his first day in the job he admitted he was taking a "huge risk" the club where he retired as a player a decade ago Eustace looked past the imminent danger of the drop and saw potential and ownership backing that he simply did not feel was there for him at Ewood Park Now with Eustace keeping Derby up, and with Blackburn missing out on the play-offs, the career gamble he took has appeared to have paid off with both sides remaining in the same division Eustace came in as the permanent replacement for Paul Warne Derby's League One promotion-winning boss who was sacked in February after seven successive Championship losses Three defeats from as many games after his arrival had the Rams bottom of the table and seven points adrift of safety with 11 matches to play Six wins from 10 games after that meant their season would conclude with a potential relegation shootout with a Stoke side that tumbled into trouble after successive losses against Leeds United and Sheffield United The mood at Pride Park fluctuated repeatedly in the first half as news of other results filtered through There was hushed apprehension when they all appeared to be going against them but by the time Luton went 3-1 down against West Brom both Rams and Potters fans chanted "we are staying in" in unison Derby went closest to giving their fans something more to roar about before the break with Langas having a header saved by Johansson before the Norwegian wastefully prodded a chance over the bar from the resulting corner they came out after the break intent on breaking the deadlock Harrison Armstrong tested Johansson with an effort from distance at the start of the second half while Al-Hamadi forced Vickers into a sprawling save minutes later Both sides had scrambled chances after that to finish the season victorious with the best of them seeing the woodwork hit twice as the hosts were denied with four minutes remaining Derby County head coach John Eustace told BBC Radio Derby: "The job's done and that's the most important thing "What a fantastic effort from everyone connected with the football club The players have been outstanding every day in training they have dedicated themselves to getting to this moment and I couldn't be any more proud of them home and away have been outstanding as well During some really difficult moments no-one stopped believing and if you believe in what you are doing you always have a chance And here we are with us still in the Championship." Seko Match OfficialsReferee: Oliver LangfordAssistant Referee 1: Sam LewisAssistant Referee 2: Andrew FoxFourth Official: Leigh DoughtyMatch StatsKey Scroll LeftScroll RightDerby County are unbeaten across their last four home league games against Stoke City (W2 D2) keeping three clean sheets during that time at Pride Park After winning the reverse fixture 2-1 in November last year Stoke City will be looking to complete their first league double over Derby County since the 2006-07 campaign After failing to win any of their 12 league games between December and March Derby have since lost just two of their last 10 (W6 D2) scoring multiple times in six of those matches Stoke City have lost just one of their six Championship matches on the final day of the season (W3 D2) winning their last 4-0 against Bristol City in 2024 Stoke City have accumulated just 50 points across their 45 Championship matches this season (W12 D14 L19) and even a win would still give them their joint lowest points tally since they were relegated from the Premier League in 2018 (53 in 2022-23) Ebou Adams (Derby County) wins a free kick in the defensive half Nathan Lowe (Stoke City) wins a free kick in the attacking half Fourth official has announced 3 minutes of added time Nathaniel Phillips (Derby County) hits the bar with a left footed shot from very close range following a set piece situation Jerry Yates (Derby County) hits the bar with a right footed shot from very close range following a set piece situation Jerry Yates (Derby County) right footed shot from very close range is saved in the bottom left corner Assisted by Matt Clarke with a headed pass Ben Gibson (Stoke City) wins a free kick in the defensive half Kane Wilson (Derby County) left footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked Ali Al-Hamadi and Ashley Phillips each had chances to secure all three points for the Potters, who conclude the campaign in 18th position. Mark Robins named three changes to the Potters’ starting XI for the final day clash, with Club Captain Ben Gibson, Bosun Lawal and Al-Hamadi introduced from the off. The Potters controlled possession in the early stages, but with both sides knowing what was at stake, neither gave the other an inch of space in front of goal. It took until the 31st minute for the game’s first chance to be carved when City’s Player of the Season, Viktor Johansson, tipped Sondre Langås’ close range header around his left-hand post. Robins’ men rallied through Bae Junho who drove through the heart of the Derby defence before slipping the ball through to Sam Gallagher, however, the 29-year-old was denied a shooting opportunity by a last-ditch challenge from a Rams’ defender. With time winding down in the first half, the ball fell to Lewis Baker from 20-yards out who fired a left-footed strike wide of Josh Vickers’ goal. Shortly after the interval, Al-Hamadi raced forward after battling his way past multiple defenders, only for his strong left-footed strike from inside the box to be denied by Vickers. City pushed forward for the opener and almost found it through Ashley Phillips. After Lawal headed into his path six-yards out, the 19-year-old had his goal-bound attempt blocked and cleared by the Derby defence. Lawal had the opportunity to find the net himself midway through the second half when Baker’s corner was cleared towards the Republic of Ireland midfielder, but his volley goalwards rose over the crossbar. The woodwork came to the Potters’ aid on two occasions late in the game as, after Johansson produced a point blank save to deny Jerry Yates, the Derby forward struck his follow-up shot against the crossbar before Nathaniel Phillips did the same seconds later. The Potters regrouped and saw out the final stages largely on the front foot, with former Potter Erik Pieters receiving warm applause from the travelling faithful when he was introduced from the home side’s bench. With score lines elsewhere having already ushered both sides towards safety, the final whistle was greeted with cheers, chants and appreciation from all four corners of Pride Park. Ultimately, it would be Luton Town that joined Cardiff City and Plymouth Argyle in being relegated to League One. Lawal and Al-Hamadi start at Pride Park\nTchamadeu Thompson and Bocat injured \n\nStoke City Manager Mark Robins has named three changes to the Potters’ starting XI for Saturday’s Championship final day clash with Derby County Bosun Lawal and Ali Al-Hamadi all start at Pride Park where City are without defender Junior Tchamadeu who sustained injury against Sheffield United last time out The Cameroon international is one of five Potters unavailable due to injury Jordan Thompson and Eric Bocat also missing the season’s final game is named in City’s matchday squad for the first time Staffordshire Police is responsible for policing in the county of Staffordshire and city of Stoke-on-Trent It is comprised of 10 local policing teams and has three response bases In 2021 Ben Adams became the first Staffordshire Police and Crime Commissioner The current Chief Constable is Chris Noble and the headquarters is at Stafford.