From Relegation Nightmares to Premier League Dreams: A Year in the Life of Stoke City & Saviour Michael O'Neill

Losing is a bad habit, and an insanely difficult one to break. It has the power to transform a group of superstars into a bunch of dazed deer, caught motionless in the headlights, waiting for the relegation truck to strike them down where they stand.

When you suffer at the relentless and unforgiving hands of defeat, it can feel as if there is no way out. There's no light at the end of the tunnel, and you're simply sleep-walking to disaster, unable to snap out of this malaise. All you can do is cross your fingers and beg for divine intervention.

12 months ago to the day, Stoke City supporters were praying for a minor miracle of their own. The nail-biting, chest-thumping era of Nathan Jones had come and gone with little to show for it, other than unfulfilled promises, a completely divided dressing room and almost certain relegation.

Chairman Peter Coates must have been all too aware of the importance of his next managerial selection. Choose the wrong guy, and it's back to the third division for this grand old club, and everything he had built would lie in ruins beneath his feet.

Bottom of the table, with eight points from 15 games, the final die was rolled. Michael O'Neill. A man with no experience in coping with the rigorous demands of the Championship was plucked from his role as Northern Ireland boss to save the Potters from the unthinkable.

In fairness, the work he had done on the international stage was nothing short of extraordinary. But carrying a keyboard up ten flights of stairs is a much simpler task than halting the descent of a grand piano, plummeting from the 35th floor of a skyscraper.

A tad dramatic, perhaps, but the doom and gloom which surrounded the club and that particular group of players was equally as desperate. This was a fanbase that hadn't seen their side score four goals in a single league match in their last 156 attempts, spanning over four years.

There hadn't been a lot to cheer, let's put it that way. Credit to the Stoke supporters, however, who having welcomed a new leader with open arms and been left burnt and heartbroken before embraced O'Neill from the off - clean slates all round.

Their faith was rewarded in style only a day after his appointment, when the Potters put four past Barnsley, breaking their goalscoring curse and running out 4-2 winners. It was a victory which had little onus on tactics, rather a group of players inspired by a man who oozed calm and composure.

Immediately, there was a sense that this guy knew what he wanted - something that had been missing during the erratic Jones era. No more perplexing changes to personnel or shape, no more diamond-shaped pegs in round holes. This team was playing to its own strengths, for the first time in years.

The goals continued to rain down at the Bet365 stadium over the course of the 2019/20 campaign, as the once-marooned Potters somehow ended the season in 15th place, with an impressive 56 points - eight above the drop zone.

Job done, then? Nope - this was only the beginning. A summer of upheaval was required, given Stoke possessed (and still possess) one of the most bloated squads in England. The rather uninspiring signings of Steven Fletcher, John Obi Mikel and Morgan Fox - all for a grand total of £0 - raised a few eyebrows, but the quick turnaround over the summer meant there was little time to make any great strides in the market.

There was a plan in place, however. Mikel had spoken at length with O'Neill over his and the club's ambitions prior to upping sticks for ST4, and it was clear from their chat that they both held the same personal and overall aspirations.

The former Chelsea man was the perfect anchor to his manager's side, offering unrivalled experience and an equally cool head when the going gets tough. Having finally got up to speed with the relentless pace of the Championship, his signing looks to be an absolute masterstroke.

Another man with plenty of years and goals on his shoulders is Fletcher. The Scotland international may not be the most fashionable of players, but he has won Stoke hearts with four goals in his first 11 appearances, although his general ability in the final third has caught the eye most.

So, O'Neill is happy to rely on experience and wise old heads to navigate their way out of the Championship? Not exactly. The Northern Irishman has bloodied plenty of youth into this starting lineup, something Stoke supporters have not enjoyed for a lifetime.

Strapping defenders Harry Souttar and Nathan Collins, 22 and 19 years of age respectively, have forced their way into their coach's plans, and it's fair to say most Stokies would consider these starlets to be their most imperious centre-back partnership. The duo have taken to the second tier with ease, helping the Potters collect nine clean sheets in 15 matches in all competitions. Not bad.

In the midfield, 23-year-old Jordan Thompson is staking his claim for a regular starting spot with some commanding displays and excellent set-piece deliveries, while the versatile Josh Tymon continues to improve under his new boss.

The unquestionable jewel in the crown is striker Tyrese Campbell. The 20-year-old could not get into the team under Gary Rowett and Jones over a year ago, with doubts being raised over his match fitness and ability to go the distance of 90 minutes.

Those theories have been proven to be nonsense over the past 12 months. Campbell hit nine goals in 33 appearances last year, injecting some much-needed pace and direct running into the Stoke forward line.

He has continued his excellent form into the new season, and looks a much more well-rounded and complete player under the guidance of O'Neill. He is clearly learning on the job with the experienced Fletcher showing him the ropes, and his three goals and five assists make him one of the hottest prospects in the Championship.

And then there's Nick Powell. The former Manchester United man was never fancied by Jones, who clearly didn't trust the maverick forward. He continues to blow hot and cold under O'Neill - that's something that may never be eradicated from his game - but the new boss is doing his damnedest to get him firing more often than not.

So, the present and the future is bright in the Potteries. O'Neill has steered this group of misfits through the choppy seas of a relegation battle, and in the space of 12 months, they have gone from relegation certainties to promotion dreamers.

Currently sitting eighth, after hammering table toppers Reading 3-0 away from home, supporters are trying desperately not to get too carried away with the progress made under their Northern Irish wizard.

Whether or not promotion does arrive come May, the Stoke faithful will be grateful to their miracle worker, if only for letting them dream of such fantasies once again. After all, the journey is often far greater than the eventual destination. Here's to the next 12 months, Michael.