ANDY KING headed for Stoke City today confident there would be no repeat of last season's humiliation at the Britannia Stadium.

Alan Young's first league goal secured a 1-0 win over Blackpool on Saturday and finally banished any lingering relegation worries.

However, the Town boss knows that relaxing too soon is a recipe for disaster.

King's men were humiliated by Gudjon Thordarsson's men on the final day of last season, ironically only days after securing Second Division survival.

What should have been a party afternoon ended in bitterness with a 4-1 thrashing and King showing Antoine Van Der Linden the door.

But the manager was adamant that Stoke would not be given such an easy ride today.

He said: "There is no escaping that we were awful last year. But I am confident that if we lose this time it will because Stoke have had to play exceptionally well to beat us.

"They are a big, strong side with Premiership players, a modern stadium and money behind them. It will be a tough game. But we are becoming much harder to beat."

Victory today would nudge King's men ever closer to the 60-point mark but Saturday's win over Blackpool came at a price.

Goalscoring hero Alan Young is struggling with a bad back while Matt Hewlett has a bump on the head. Giuliano Grazioli, Sol Davis and Paul McAreavey are still injured but Alan Reeves returns to the squad after his five match ban. Richard McKinney will start his first league game for Town.

Although he has yet to confirm the 'in's and out's' at the end of the season King has dropped a heavy hint that Bobby Howe will be shown the door at the end of the season.

He described the likelihood of Howe remaining as 'dim' but due to financial rather than playing reasons. Howe is one of the top three earners at the club. But the man most looking forward to today's match is Alan Young, pictured right.

The 18-year-old is loving every moment of life as a striker.

He said: "I just want to score goals for Swindon Town. Hopefully by getting the winner against Blackpool I have given the manager a healthy selection problem.

"I am not afraid of pressure. I seem to do well under pressure. I would like to think that playing in the first team will not change me as a person and that would apply whether it is the Second Division or the Premiership."

King said: "Alan is in the team on merit. I believe the boy has something and I hope he proves me to be right."

The Swindon Town Supporters' Trust collected around £630 in donations at the Blackpool game and recruited several new members.