Pulis has previously brushed off suggestions of promotion (Getty).

Stoke City manager Tony Pulis says he thinks the club will gain promotion to the Premier League this season.

It is the first time that Pulis has categorically stated that he believes that the Potters will go up.

He told BBC Radio Stoke: "If you give it your best shot and fail then you hold your hands up. I think we are good enough and I think we will do it."

The Potters currently lie second in the Championship, one point behind Bristol City and one above Hull.

"We don't make it easy for ourselves" said Pulis. "We'll probably take it to the wire, but I don't care how we do it as long we get up."

While the push for automatic promotion continues, Stoke's place in the play-offs is all but assured.

I just hope the players we have now can handle the pressure Stoke boss Tony Pulis

Last season they missed out on the final spot in the end of season dash for the Premier League by just two points.

"I thought last year's team was good enough to be promoted."

"But we only had the squad together for around 30 games.

"If we had had the full squad for the whole season they I believe we would have had a fantastic chance of going up.

"I just hope the group of players we have now can handle the pressure that comes with success, after all this is why we're involved in football," he added.