Stoke City chief Tony Scholes visited sister club Austin Aztex last week.

The Sentinel says Scholes has returned this week from a fact-finding mission at Stoke's sister club, the Austin Aztex.

He took in a 3-3 draw at home to Tampa Bay Rowdies which kept Aztex two points clear at the top of the US Soccer Federation Division Two.

Aztex are owned by Stoke director Phil Rawlins and managed by former City and Everton star Adrian Heath.