Stoke set to unveil Burley

Former Ipswich boss George Burley is expected to be unveiled as the new manager of Stoke at a 12.30pm press conference today.

The Scot was in the stands at the Britannia Stadium last night as Stoke slumped to a fourth-successive defeat against Watford.

Although the club would not confirm any appointment, caretaker boss David Kevan let the cat out of the bag by saying: “The players were made aware beforehand that someone was there.

“Hopefully they would have given the new manager a good impression and he has seen something that he can build on.

“I think that it was probably a help that the new manager was there. I am not sure if the details are finalised yet, but the players did know someone was in the stands.”

Bryan Robson and Adrian Heath were reportedly in the frame, but Burley is set to be the man to succeed Steve Cotterill, who left to become Howard Wilkinson’s assistant at Sunderland.

Burley has been out of work since he was sacked by Ipswich three weeks ago, ending his eight-year reign in charge at Portman Road which included a fifth-placed Premiership finish.

His first task in the midlands though will be to raise a team that have gone seven games without a win, goals from Heidar Helguson and Neil Cox producing their latest defeat.

Ironically, Stoke’s last league victory came against Burley’s Ipswich on September 22.