Mark Robins makes very clear Ipswich Town promotion claim

Stoke City manager Mark Robins has suggested that any team finishing above Ipswich Town this season is almost guaranteed promotion, following his side’s 1-0 defeat at Portman Road on Wednesday night.

A superb second-minute strike from Jaden Philogene proved decisive, condemning Stoke to their third straight loss and their fifth defeat in six games. The poor run has pushed the Potters out of the Championship play-off spots after a strong start to the campaign.

Recent defeats to Sheffield United and Hull City, combined with the loss to Ipswich, have allowed Kieran McKenna’s side to climb above Stoke in the standings. The two clubs, both competing for a place in the Premier League, are now separated by four points.

Robins praised Ipswich and claimed the Suffolk club set the benchmark for promotion this season. He noted the similarities between both teams in terms of style and intensity, insisting that whoever finishes above McKenna’s side will go up.

“They’re a really good team,” Robins said via Stoke’s official X account. “We said before the game that whoever finishes above Ipswich will get promoted. They’re well coached, and there are a lot of similarities between them and us. The difference tonight was Philogene scoring a world-class goal early on.”

Despite the early setback, Robins commended his players for their response, highlighting that they did not collapse like in their previous defeat.

Stoke now sit eighth in the table, one point outside the play-off positions after 20 matches. Robins is nearing his first anniversary at the club, having taken over on New Year’s Day 2025. The Potters finished 18th last season after a turbulent first half of the campaign that saw two managers dismissed before Robins took charge.

As for Ipswich, they appear to be firmly in the race for automatic promotion. After a shaky start under McKenna, the team has begun to show its quality, strengthened by significant reinvestment following high-profile player sales. Philogene’s winner further highlighted the talent and depth within the squad.

Stoke will need to regroup quickly and take positives from the performance as they look to end their losing streak and remain in contention for a top-two finish.