FA Cup

On This Day: Stoke City sack Mark Hughes

| 06 January 2021

The Welshman had been in charge of the Potters for four and a half years.

Stoke sacked manager Mark Hughes on this day in 2018 after their shock FA Cup exit at the hands of Coventry.

Hughes, who had been in charge for four and a half years, was dismissed just hours after the 2-1 defeat against a team who were in Sky Bet League Two at the time.

The Potters had won just one of their previous eight games in all competitions and had slipped into the Premier League relegation zone on New Year's Day after losing 1-0 at home to Newcastle.

Hughes said immediately after Stoke's FA Cup exit that it "might be a blessing" for the rest of the season, but then came the club's announcement.

Hughes shows his frustration on the touchline during Stoke's FA Cup defeat at Coventry in 2018 — Hughes showed his frustration on the touchline during the Potters' FA Cup defeat at Coventry on January 6, 2018 (Nigel French/PA)

A section of Potters fans had been calling for the club's owners, the Coates family, to sack Hughes and held up banners during the cup tie at the Ricoh Arena.

Former Manchester City, Blackburn, Fulham and QPR boss Hughes had succeeded Tony Pulis at Stoke in May 2013 and was the top flight's fourth longest-serving manager.

The Welshman had guided the Potters to three successive ninth-placed finishes before ending the previous term in 13th.

Former Aston Villa boss Paul Lambert was announced as Hughes' successor on January 16, but Stoke's 10-year stay in the Premier League ended in relegation at the end of the campaign.

Hughes, the seventh Premier League manager to lose his job during the 2017/18 season, was appointed Southampton manager two months later, replacing Mauricio Pellegrino.