http://www.stokecityfc.com/page/NewsDetail/0,,10310~2587148,00.html? MICHAEL TONGE has become the second City player to depart the Club in the past 24 hours... after agreeing a loan move to npower Championship side Barnsley until the end of the season, subject to Football League approval. The 28-year-old has penned the deal with the Tykes after City boss Tony Pulis gave him the green light to complete the switch, having failed to make a single league start at the Britannia Stadium since the 2-1 defeat against Tottenham Hotspur in August 2010. The former Sheffield United midfielder joins Tom Soares in departing the Club this week, after he put pen to paper on an identical deal with Scottish Clydesdale Bank Premier League side Hibernian on Monday afternoon. Tonge, who wasn't named in Pulis' 25-man squad in August, has made 18 appearances during his three and a half year spell in the Potteries, whilst making a further 34 during loan spells away from the Club with both Preston North End and Derby County. He could co-incidentally make his Barnsley debut against the Rams if he is selected to do so by manager Keith Hill, when the two sides meet in league action at Oakwell next Tuesday evening. Tonge joins three fellow City teammates in undertaking loan deals away from the Club, following in the footsteps of Soares (Hibs), Andrew Davies (Bradford City) and Louis Moult (Alfreton Town).
It was either give Coates's money to the taxman or waste it on some dross, he obviously chose the latter!
