Stoke Sack Mark Hughes After Horrible Run of Defeats & Elimination From the FA Cup by Coventry
By Chris Deeley
Stoke City have parted company with manager Mark Hughes after a dreadful run of results and their elimination from the FA Cup by Coventry City on Saturday.
The League Two side struck late to eliminate the Potters at the third round stage, and it now appears that Stoke's decision-makers have seen enough.
CLUB STATEMENT: Stoke City can confirm that the contract of manager Mark Hughes has been terminated with immediate effect.#SCFC 🔴⚪️ pic.twitter.com/pSaThNUO2H
— Stoke City FC (@stokecity) January 6, 2018
We would like to thank Mark for all he has achieved for the Club over the last four and a half years, notably in guiding us to three successive ninth places finishes in the Premier League, and we wish him every success for the future.#SCFC 🔴⚪️
— Stoke City FC (@stokecity) January 6, 2018
The Club will look to appoint a new manager as soon as possible and will be making no further comment at this time.#SCFC 🔴⚪️
— Stoke City FC (@stokecity) January 6, 2018
Stoke comfortably hold the worst defensive record in the top flight as it stands, and in their last two league games have fallen 5-0 to Chelsea and 1-0 at home to Newcastle. They are level on points with Southampton but sit in the Premier League relegation places, four points above the bottom two clubs.
Hughes had led his side to just two wins in 12 league games since the end of October, both of those triumphs coming against the teams currently sat in the bottom two places in the league table.
The attacking verve which had kept Hughes out of the hotseat at the start of the season dried up completely in recent weeks, failing to score in five games out of their last nine, having previously gone dry in just two of their other 13 league games.