NO WONDER Stoke City get the bath taps running at kick-off when Mike Dean is referee. The official has sent off six City players in his last 11 games in charge of Stoke. And he hasn't red-carded a single opposition player in those games.

Dean has also handed out 30 yellow cards to Stoke players and just 19 to the opposition.

We have to go back 13 games to May 1, 2002, and Stoke's epic play-off victory at Cardiff for the last time Dean sent off an opposition player.

March 20, 2010

STOKE 1, TOTTENHAM 2

Red cards – Stoke: Dean Whitehead.

Yellows – Stoke 2, Tottenham 2.

February 20, 2010

PORTSMOUTH 1, STOKE 2

Red cards – Stoke: Andy Wilkinson.

Yellows – Stoke 1, Portsmouth 2.

December 12, 2009

STOKE 2, WIGAN 2

Red cards – None.

Yellows – Stoke 5, Wigan 1.

November 8, 2009

HULL 2, STOKE 1

Red cards – Stoke: Abdoulaye Faye.

Yellows – Stoke 4, Hull 1.

September 12, 2009

STOKE 1, CHELSEA 2

Red cards – None.

Yellows – Stoke 3, Chelsea 3.

March 4, 2009

STOKE 2, BOLTON 0

Red cards – None.

Yellows – Stoke 2, Bolton 1.

August 30, 2008

MIDDLESBROUGH 2, STOKE 1

Red cards – Stoke: Amdy Faye.

Yellows – Stoke 4, Boro 2.

May 4, 2008

STOKE 0, LEICESTER 0

Red cards – None.

Yellows – Stoke 1, Leicester 2.

September 23, 2006

WOLVES 2, STOKE 0

Red cards – Stoke: Clint Hill.

Yellows – Stoke 2, Wolves 1.

February 19, 2006

STOKE 0, BIRMINGHAM 1

Red cards – None.

Yellows – Stoke 3, Birmingham 2.

September 14, 2004

STOKE 3 IPSWICH 2

Red cards – Stoke: John Halls.

Yellows – Stoke 3, Ipswich 2.

MICHAEL BAGGALEY