Brown’s massive Potters campaign proves to be one of highlights for boss O’neill

IT is end of term report time for the 24 players who helped Stoke City to a 14th-place finish in the Championship for the second time in a row.

There are encouraging signs, disappointments and frustrations as Michael O’neill tries to find big improvements for next season.

BETWEEN THE STICKS Jack Bonham (aged 28, 15 starts): Free agent signing from Gillingham last summer ended up with 17 starts in all competitions, a lot more than most predicted. Signed off with best moment at the club, a superb late save to deny Ryan Hedges at Blackburn and cap a man of the match performance.

There are other shots he will look back on thinking he should have saved, though, if Stoke are to hang their hat on him for a promotion campaign ...................... 6 Joe Bursik (aged 21, 19 starts): Hasn’t been able to kick on as much as he would have hoped after that remarkable four-club breakthrough season, partly due to a quad injury picked up in a warm-up on England under-21s duty.

Had shared the gloves with Adam Davies before that and with Jack Bonham when he got back. Has to make the overwhelming case to keep them to himself soon. Adds a lot to the team as a sweeper, so comfortable with the ball. Will want to improve his shot-saving statistics .................... 6 Adam Davies (aged 29, 12 starts): Penalty save and allaction clean sheet at QPR the highlight but mistake against Bournemouth was costly.

Left for Sheffield United in January and that could yet end up in the Premier League .................. 5

AT THE BACK Danny Batth (aged 31, 10 starts, one sub appearance): Stoke won each of his first seven appearances this season, including three in a row in November. Couldn’t maintain that kind of impact but put his neck on the line for the team and will get a warm reception if he gets back to the Championship ......................... 6 James Chester (aged 33, 16 starts, one sub appearance): Finished off with a superb goalline clearance in a final day cameo after a season which seemed destined to be his final bow in a Stoke shirt.

Put in some strong performances – we’ll not mention a couple of rickety early Carabao Cup outings – but even when he was playing well he had an unhappy knack of a split-second moment of madness. Contemplating coaching or playing on but that won’t be at

Stoke ............................................... 5 Demeaco Duhaney (aged 23, three starts): Successful trial after release by Huddersfield earned him a short-term deal and then 18-month contract.

A couple of fairly steady performances early on but didn’t do enough when given a chance to force his way into the reckoning, ending the season with the under-23s ......... 5

Will Forrester (aged 20, three starts): Unrelated ankle injuries derailed his chance to build on that superb debut on the final day of last season, limiting a loan spell at Mansfield to six appearances too.

Needs to show O’neill he can be trusted for a lot more, although that might work both ways too... 5 Morgan Fox (aged 28, nine starts, one sub appearance): Should have been a useful option on the left of a back three but could not show enough to keep a shirt.

Only ended up on the winning side once in the league when he started, away at QPR, and will be wondering if he will be given chance to turn that around. Unlucky with his red card at Bournemouth .................... .............. 4

Taylor Harwood-bellis (aged 20, 22 starts): A good footballer, as expected, and will be better for the experience. Useful distribution into midfield. Got in good positions to get on the end of setpieces and should score more too. Stoke will surely be interested if he’s available for another loan next season ..................................... 6 Phil Jagielka (aged 39, 20 starts): A steady presence in the middle of a back three and good influence on players around him on and off the pitch.

Will turn 40 in the first month of next season but there weren’t many forwards who could beat him for acceleration if he can carry on being a step ahead in the mind ................................................. 6 Liam Moore (aged 29, four starts): Started the season scoring against Stoke for Reading and was up for the fight when he joined on loan, prepared to play through injury when needed. Performances against Crystal Palace, in the FA Cup, and Millwall caught the eye before he headed back to Berkshire for treatment. 6 Leo Ostigard (aged 22, 12 starts, one sub appearance, one goal): Had a bit of an aura about him and looked the part at times, particularly on the right of a back three. A super leap was handy at set-pieces. But coaches and manager see players Monday to

Friday as well as on a match day and he fell sharply down the pecking order before being packed back to Brighton at the first opportunity, then on to Genoa for the second half of the season ..... 5 Tommy Smith (aged 30, 30 starts, two sub appearances, one goal): A strong start at wing-back and chipped in with three assists in his opening three games. Can take a quick and clever free-kick. Had to focus more on his defensive work when sides started to target that side and that saw him lose his attacking threat without particularly tightening up. Wasn’t used in a back four if O’neill could help it and released at end of contract. Well-taken goal at Bournemouth .................................. Harry Souttar (aged 23, 16 starts): A crushing blow for him, Stoke and Australia when he fell down with a knee injury on international duty in November. Had been the flagpole that O’neill was hanging his flag, building the team around his Hansen-like strength of bringing the ball out from the back. Still was only second season in Championship and still learning and improving but was showing he was a class above most at this level. A massive boost when he’s fit and firing again ...................................... 7 Tom Sparrow (aged 19, one start): A final day debut for the hardworking 6 youth graduate, who has been learning the ropes at wing-back over the last few months. Manager loves his attitude and he has to take the chance to impress in pre-season .................................................... 6 Josh Tymon (aged 22, 44 starts, one goal): An immensely likeable player who gives his all, has fought hard to play for Stoke and is hungry for more for both himself and the team. A fixture at left wing-back, he has been sending crosses into good areas and could do with forwards and midfielders who are alert, attacking and athletic enough to take the gamble. Assists will come but needs to add goals to his game too. Will be interesting to see how he’s used if it’s to back four ......... 7 Ben Wilmot (aged 22, 31 starts, four sub appearances, one goal): A stop-start season in some ways, shifted between centre-half and right-back, but always on the front foot and plays without hesitation – sometimes for better or worse. Scored an absolute screecher at home to Preston that will go down as one of the very best in the first 25 years of the bet365 Stadium. Will hope for a Jacob Brown-like second season leap .......................

IN THE MIDDLE Joe Allen (aged 32, 38 starts, three sub appearances): Back