Stoke City boss Mark Robins makes a plea to his own supporters after defeat to Sheffield United as Manchester City loan striker is barracked
08:46, 30 Dec 2025Updated 09:11, 30 Dec 2025
Divin Mubama in action for Stoke City against Sheffield United.(Image: Zac Locke)
Mark Robins has urged Stoke City supporters not to boo their own players or substitutions after Divin Mubama was barracked during a defeat to Sheffield United.
England under-21s striker Mubama started out up front alongside Sam Gallagher but was shifted to the right as he struggled to make an impact, then taken off shortly after Sheff Utd scored two quickfire goals at the start of the second half.
The 21-year-old has scored five times in 23 appearances on loan from Manchester City but none since a hat-trick against Bristol City on November 1 and supporters sounded frustrated at his work rate. There had previously been groans when he jogged rather than sprinted and challenged unconvincingly for aerial balls.
Robins said: “He knows. What I would say is that he has to be better and understand what is required of him. Perceptions are everything really and you have to make sure that is right first.
“I understand, I’m not stupid, but I would ask that doesn’t happen because it doesn’t help anybody. If I feel that someone is not performing or underperforming then it is down to me to make sure they do or they don’t start. It’s as simple as that. You have to earn the right to be in the team.
“Players always pick the team. They always pick the team with their performances.
“I just ask them to be a little bit more forgiving and let me deal with the other stuff and not to boo. It’s not really what we want to be about.”
Mubama’s withdrawal was in a quadruple substitution in the 58th minute – but there were even impatient boos when Sam Gallagher was taken off first in that set.
The changes – Ben Pearson, Lamine Cisse, Bae Junho and Robert Bozenik – helped Stoke significantly and they got back to 2-1 and were looking for an equaliser before Pearson was sent off in the 88th minute.
Robins said: “We should be together. I also don’t want to have to start thinking about what player to bring off first, like when Gally came off, and when that substitution was booed. That’s not what we’re about, it’s not what this club should be about. That’s not ideal.
“I get it when things aren’t going right and people aren’t performing I’ll make those changes. I get it if people are underworking because that’s just a prerequisite here. It’s a prerequisite at any club but particularly here. They have to work hard to earn that right to pull the shirt on and represent the people of Stoke, Stoke City supporters.
“I would also say that Gally cannot play longer than I gave him. Even at half-time, you’re looking and asking, ‘Can he go again? Can he do a little bit more?’ and I got an hour out of him – and we conceded the goal and I had to make the changes and the second goal came really quickly.
“Knowing we can make changes and improve – it’s a lesson anyway. We know what our DNA is, what it’s been, we know how we play. That was evident after the changes were made. We’re also looking for solutions to not scoring enough goals or taking enough changes.
“The fact of the matter is that it is us at this minute in time. We need to double down and make sure we are clear (what we’re asking for). Performances we have had have been really good. This one wasn’t anywhere as coherent as the others. We need to perform as we have done and keep doing it and keep doing it until things click. That was evident tonight with how things turned around.
“I thought Lamine Cisse did great when he came on, Tomas Rigo needs to play and get that rhythm, Robert Bozenik looked a real handful, a real threat when he came on. The cross that came in from Sorba (Thomas) he should have finished but I’m hoping that over time those things go in for him because he looked aggressive, looked lively.”
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