City boss happy with his lot

Tony Pulis is in no doubt that Stoke have made significant progress again this season as the finishing line approaches on Sunday.

The Potters are signing off what has been their fourth consecutive campaign in the Premier League and without a doubt their most challenging as it also included a lengthy run in the Europa League for the first time. A win against Bolton tomorrow - an outcome that will relegate their opponents - would take Pulis' side onto 47 points and equal their best top-flight tally since winning promotion back in 2008. The City boss had been targeting a top ten finish and while they will fall short of that objective, the Welshman isn't too downhearted as his players continue to defy their critics. Stoke are also making progress off the pitch as they push on with plans to develop their academy and training facilities to help take the club to the next level. Pulis said: "Every year we stay in the Premier League is an absolute dream for us as a football club and it gives us the opportunity to keep building the roots to ensure this club will grow stronger. "We have to improve. As soon as we stand still then you start going backwards. The important thing is we try to do that year after year after year. And we've managed to do that. We've taken a hell of a lot on this year. "There's a lot of teams in the Premier League who have got knocked out first round in the cups and haven't been involved in Europe so have had a free run at playing league games - we haven't done that because we want to do well in those competitions."