Source: Eurosport
Matt sees bright future for City
Stoke winger Matthew Etherington reckons the sky is the limit for the Potters if they can avoid relegation from the Premier League this season.
Stoke are currently six points clear of the relegation zone and victory over Blackburn this season would all but confirm their survival with just five more games remaining.
Etherington accepts the Potters only need a few more points to seal their fear but he is quick to point out things can quickly change in the Premier League, recalling the way West Ham got themselves out of trouble a few years ago.
"We feel close," he said, "and obviously we're in a better position than some sides down there so we know (safety) is not far away.
"It's not done yet but three points on Saturday would give us a little bit more breathing space. If we win we're on 39 points and you'd have to say we'd be close to being safe so it's a massive game.
"People will probably say it's job done if we do win but I was at West Ham the season we just stayed up and Sheffield United beat us 3-0 with five games to go and they obviously thought they were safe with the way they celebrated.
"But we won four of our last five games and we ended up staying up and they went down, which proves you can't take anything for granted. You've got to go from game to game, apply yourself in the right way and make sure you get as many points as possible.
"A win against Blackburn would be a massive step in the right direction and we'll be doing everything we can to get it, but the manager has already said to us that, how as hard as we've worked for the last 32 games, we've got to work even harder in these last six."
There is no chance of complacency in the Stoke dressing room under the watchful eye of manager Tony Pulis, but Etherington is already relishing the prospect of a further season of progress under the Welshman.
He said: "We haven't done it yet and I don't want to speak too soon but it's looking okay and if we can continue the form we've been showing I'm sure we will stay up.
"Who knows where we can go from there. The manager has really impressed me since I've been here, we're so well drilled, everybody knows their jobs and he's got us so organised. I'm sure in the summer he will add a few more players and you never know from there.
"We'll just have to wait and see but these are exciting times. Personally I'm happy here and that's all that matters as if you're happy at a football club that is half the battle won.
"It's definitely been a good move. It's gone well for me, the team are doing well which helps and it's a good place to be.
"It's been different, definitely not like the bright lights of London, but that's not a bad thing. I go back to London now and again to see my friends but I've been really happy and settled in well here."
Etherington has only recently got back into Stoke's side after serving a three-game suspension and he feels the last two performances have made a mockery of claims his side do not play good football.
He said of the criticism aimed towards his side: "It's unfair but the manager says we've got to be used to it by now. People slag us off and say this and that about us, but we've just got to get on with and stick it up them when we stay up and can say we're obviously not that bad.
"If you look at the last couple of games we've played a lot of good football. At West Brom we played good counter-attacking football and passed it around well and I think we played some decent stuff against Newcastle too."
