Match Preview: Stoke City

The final countdown to the new season begins this Saturday as Vauxhall Motors welcome EFL SkyBet Championship side Stoke City to the Premier Jet Stadium for what promises to be a memorable afternoon of pre-season football.

With the league campaign now just a fortnight away, Chris Herbert’s side enter the final week of friendlies in confident mood after an encouraging run of performances. A disciplined display earned the Motors a draw away to Premier League giants, Liverpool,  in a behind-closed-doors friendly before Tuesday night’s dramatic late victory over Bala Town ensured momentum continues to build at exactly the right time.

Saturday’s visitors provide arguably the toughest test of pre-season and another chance for the squad to measure themselves against high-quality opposition before competitive action gets underway.

The Opposition

Few clubs outside the Premier League can match Stoke City’s history. Founded in 1863, the Potters are one of the oldest professional football clubs in the world and have spent much of the last two decades competing in England’s top two divisions.

After ten consecutive seasons in the Premier League, Stoke remain one of the EFL Championship’s biggest clubs and continue their pursuit of a return to the top flight. With a talented squad and a proud footballing tradition, they’ll arrive on the Wirral looking to build momentum in their own preparations ahead of the new campaign.

Last Season

Last season proved to be a frustrating one for the Potters. A 17th-place finish and 55 points represented a disappointing return for a club whose ambitions remain firmly fixed on returning to the Premier League.

While the campaign fell below expectations, Stoke still possess the quality and depth you’d expect from an established Championship club, making Saturday’s fixture another excellent test for the Motors as preparations begin coming to a close ahead of the new season.

The Challenge Ahead

Pre-season is about building habits as much as building fitness, and the signs have been encouraging throughout the summer.

The performances against Liverpool and Bala Town showed a side growing in confidence, organisation and belief, with the squad continuing to adapt to Chris Herbert’s ideas ahead of the season opener.

Facing EFL Championship opposition is exactly the sort of challenge the coaching staff will have wanted at this stage. It provides another opportunity to test the squad under pressure, continue building match sharpness and head into the final week of pre-season with confidence.

For the supporters, it’s also a chance to see one of English football’s most recognisable clubs at the Premier Jet Stadium in what promises to be another excellent afternoon of football.

Match Information

Venue: Premier Jet Stadium

Kick-off: 3:00pm

Admission: Adults: £6 / Concessions: £3 / Juniors: £1

Season Ticket Holders

A reminder that all 2026/27 Vauxhall Motors season ticket holders receive FREE entry to every home pre-season fixture, including Saturday’s game against Stoke City.

Join Us

With the new season almost upon us, there’s no better time to get behind the lads.

Whether you’ve followed every step of pre-season or Saturday will be your first visit to the Premier Jet Stadium this summer, we’d love to see another strong crowd as the Motors take on EFL Championship opposition in our final week of preparations.

We’ll see you on Saturday.

Come on you Motors!