After the bitter disappointment of last season, Stoke City fans will be desperate to see their side seriously step-up this time around.

The Potters were made pre-season favourites to not only win promotion but win the league title itself, but instead slumped to a bottom-half finish.

Nathan Jones took over from Gary Rowett in January and with with a full pre-season and transfer window under his belt, the fans will be hopeful of seeing a marked in improvement.

However, one long-term fixture will not be part of his dressing room.

On Monday it was announced that left-back Erik Pieters would be moving on, ending his six-year association with the club, joining Burnley for an undisclosed fee.

In that time he racked-up over 300 appearances for the club but spent the last half of last season on loan in France with SC Amiens.

But regardless, the 30-year-old is somebody who the fans have garnered a lot of respect for and they wished him well on his next endeavour...