Stoke City coach Mark O'Connor says the club's fringe players will start with a clean slate next season.

O'Connor has said players that were not involved for large periods of last season could still have a part to play at the Britannia Stadium.

Defenders Carl Dickinson and Ryan Shotton spent the campaign on loan at Barnsley, while Michael Tonge, Tom Soares, Steve Simonsen, Ibrahima Sonko, Andy Griffin and Ben Marshall all ended the season on loan at other clubs.

"We known we're going to use 20 or 22 players before you even kick off," said O'Connor. "There'll be suspensions and injuries and you'll be calling on someone else to step up."