Latest news with #BBCRadioStoke.
BBC News
2 days ago
- Sport
- BBC News
Potters' preparations 'a joy'
With less than than two weeks to go, Stoke City's preparations for the new Championship season are a "joy to be part of", says goalkeeper Viktor Sweden international has been getting to know the club's new arrivals this summer and says the six recruits - strikers Robert Bozenik and Divin Mubama, winger Sorba Thomas and defenders Aaron Cresswell, Ashley Phillips and Maksym Talovierov - have settled in well."The new boys have fitted right in and it's got that family feel - it's a joy to come in every day," Johansson told BBC Radio Stoke."You can see the new connections starting to feel and it's a nice feeling. "Of course it takes a bit of time but it's what you do. You speak about things - 'what do I think', 'what do I do?' - this group want to know everyone's story and when you get to know a person you can speak about everything."We've got to that stage where, if I need to say something, I can say it to anyone and I think that's what you want as a football club - that openness."Having drawn 1-1 with Premier League Wolverhampton Wanderers in a friendly at the weekend, Stoke take on another top-flight opponent, Burnley, in their final warm-up match on Saturday. Johansson says he is starting to "see glimpses" of the things they have been working on with boss Mark Robins in their play as they start to focus on their opening game of the new season, at home to Derby County on 9 August."It's a great squad and one of the best changing rooms I've been in," he said. "Everybody wants the same thing."
BBC News
6 days ago
- Sport
- BBC News
Heaney will retire if Stoke City fight is not made
Former British middleweight champion Nathan Heaney says his upcoming fight will be his last if he cannot secure a future bout at Stoke City's bet365 34-year-old takes on Grant Dennis at the King's Hall in Stoke on Saturday in a 'must win' fight and the first in his home city for five has been a long-held dream for 'The Hitman' to finish his career at the home of his favourite football team and he says even if he beats Dennis it might be the last time he steps into a ring."I've always envisioned retiring from boxing on my terms. I never envisioned retiring after a loss," he told BBC Radio Stoke."So, for me, I would want to win and then have the option to retire on my terms." Heaney is promoted by Frank Warren and knows Saturday's show is another chance to prove his popularity in his own backyard is a strong as ever."It sold out immediately - I could've sold it four times over," Heaney said."So win and it will remind Frank Warren why he signed me all those years ago"The only fight I will have after Saturday is a fight at Stoke City in a year's time. No fight in between."I get why they would want you to fight in between - to stay relevant - but I've explained that doesn't matter. It would be the biggest sporting event our city's ever seen outside of football."Saturday is my last ever fight if I can't get the stadium."Heaney, who has won 18 of his 21 fights, says it is "strange" to be talking about retirement but knows his hand will be forced if a date at the home of the Potters cannot be finalised."Make no mistake, the plan is to win on Saturday and to have that final push to give the city what it deserves," he said."We've filled up every area we've ever been to for the last five years, it's outrageous."I deserve it. I love fighting for Frank so, best case scenario, we fight next year at the ground. "Worst case, I win and say 'thank you' and go out into the King's Hall and take one final bout." 'Make it an absolute bear pit' Heaney comes into Saturday's showdown with Dennis off the back of two defeats - a seventh-round stoppage against Sofiane Khati in February followed losing his British title to Brad Pauls just over a year young daughter will be among the sell-out crowd on Saturday which makes Heaney feel "like I've got to win"."I can't lose in front of my daughter. But I want her to feel that atmosphere," he said.A key part of that will be his trademark ring walk to the sound of the Tom Jones' classic wants the fans to savour the atmosphere as much as possible."It will mean everything," he said."Enjoy it like it's the last night. Sing it like it's the last Delilah. Make it an absolute bear pit. Make it intimidating and like nothing he's [Dennis] experienced before."And hopefully I will do the rest."
BBC News
12-06-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
'Defeat may end my career' - Heaney on must-win fight
Former British middleweight champion Nathan Heaney says his comeback fight next month is one he has "got to win" if he wants to get his career back on 34, returns to his home city of Stoke for the first time in five years as he takes on Grant Dennis at the King's Hall on 26 will the first time Heaney has fought since being stopped by Sofiane Khati in February in Manchester on the undercard of heavyweight Derek Chisora's final UK fight. "This is where my career started at the King's Hall with probably 100 people in 2018," Heaney told BBC Radio Stoke."We've sold out arenas all over the country in the last five years and now I get the opportunity to come back and get back on track."I've got to win. Win this fight and then big things can happen off the back of it." Defeat by Khati was Heaney's second of his career and came seventh months after he lost his British crown to Brad Pauls in a rematch in Birmingham following a split-draw in their first back-to-back losses have cranked up the pressure - and the jeopardy - for his bout with former European title challenger Heaney is not phased by the enormity of the situation and remembers the build-up to his British title-winning fight with Denzel Bentley in November 2023."When I boxed Denzel there was a lot of pressure on me," he said."The anxiety was ridiculous but you only had to look at my performance on the night so see how that can affect you positively."Career-wise, it is the most important one by far. I have to win but it's a very hard and unforgiving sport and you can't take anything for granted."Heaney still holds the burning ambition to fight at the home of his beloved Stoke City - the bet365 Stadium - and knows that will only happen if he wins."Five years ago when I last fought at the King's Hall when it was sold out, the videos went viral and that's what got me signed by Frank Warren," he said."It's a reminder of what the city is and the demand for it is. We need a bigger place and we've got one - the football stadium - so I need to get back on track to make sure that can happen."My dream is to end [my career] at Stoke City but if that didn't happen, 26 July could be the last time I fight in Stoke."If I was to lose then it will probably be the last time I ever fight. I've never imagined retiring on a loss but sometimes you have no choice." 'I need to be scared' Dennis, 41, has won 19 of his 32 fights and 'Hitman' Heaney will go into the contest also looking for his 19th victory in what will be his 22nd bought. Kent fighter Dennis has only won twice in 11 fights since losing his shot at the European middleweight title to Danny Dignum nearly three and a half years Heaney is expecting the veteran to make the most of his chance to capitalise on his recent setbacks."I'm on the back of the losses and he'll see this as a great opportunity for himself," Heaney said."This is going to be a very entertaining fight. He's got a very good style and styles make fights as they say."I need to be scared and have the adrenaline. I need to think 'oh my, this is it if I don't do this' - I need that. If you don't have that, you don't perform."It will be the most incredible atmosphere we've ever seen."Nathan Heaney was talking to BBC Radio Stoke's Lee Blakeman.
BBC News
04-04-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Penkridge Market trader packs up after 40 years
A well-known market trader is packing up his stall after 40 years in Broadgate, from Madeley, Staffordshire, is a familiar face at Penkridge Market, and became a bit of a local celebrity after posting novelty videos on social media during the pandemic, dressed in an array of costumes from Mrs Doubtfire to Boris has been trading there twice a week for the past four decades and will retire on Saturday."It's going to be sad but it's going to be a new chapter for me, so I'm looking forward to that," he said. "It's been a really tough decision, my wife's been asking me for a while, she said: 'You gotta do it, we're not going to have any time together.'"I'm going to sort of wean myself off it," he said. "I'm going to go back and do the odd day when I feel like it, just when I fancy, only for a couple of months - to get over it." "I'll miss the social side for one, that is massive in my life, you get to meet people every day," he told BBC Radio Stoke."There's a lot of lonely people who come round the market just for a chat."I'll miss the banter with other traders, we've had so much fun over the years."He said that this Easter would be his first time taking the occasion off in four years. "I come from a family of market traders, me and my brother are a bit like Del Boy and Rodney," he started out by selling curtain and bedding fabrics by the yard."About 15 years into that in the early 1990s, the whole trade changed because nobody was sewing.""I moved into bedding, and just never looked back from there, really."Looking ahead to his last official day, he said it would be very emotional."I think they've got something planned to be honest… I hope I don't lose it, I don't think I will." Follow BBC Stoke & Staffordshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
BBC News
14-02-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Stoke need points now or pressure will grow
Stoke City must not let their battle against relegation go into the final few weeks of the season, says head coach Mark Potters have won only one of Robins' eight league games in charge and are just three points clear of the relegation zone with 15 matches of the season remaining."There's a clear identity starting to form (in our play) but it's certainly not there yet - we've got to get there and we will at some point but it's about the here and now," Robins told BBC Radio Stoke."We've got to pick up points, so the pressure grows every time you don't and games start to diminish, the pressure comes on and games start to become must-win."Stoke host Swansea City, two places and five points above them in the Championship table, on Saturday with just one win from their previous eight league games at the bet365 Stadium."The players need to understand it's better now to start picking up points rather than having to do it with the last three, four or five games to go," added Robins.
