With Stoke back in the Second Division after their short stay in the First and without a manager the supporters questioned what the future held for the club.

[1] Mather led the club to sixth position in the table with just two wins in their last 12 matches costing Stoke a promotion challenge.

At the end of the season Mather decided to sell a number of players including fans favourites Jimmy Broad, Tommy Broad and Billy Tempest; some players not asked to re-sign smashed up the offices at the Victoria Ground and caused a considerable amount of damage.

[1] There was little money available for new players, and when former Southend United boss Tom Mather, a Lancastrian from Chorley, was given the managerial position in October, he quickly set about restoring the team's fortunes.

[1] There was a substantial clear-out, with a number of players leaving who had served the club well whilst there was also changes at boardroom level with chairman Mr E. Reynish relinquishing his position as chairman and wealthy director John Slater also left after he had injected a lot of his own money into the club with mixed success.