On This Day in 2018 – Mark Hughes sacked by Stoke after Coventry cup upset

Stoke sacked manager Mark Hughes on this day in 2018 following their defeat by Sky Bet League Two side Coventry in the FA Cup.

The Potters were dumped out of the competition after being beaten 2-1 by the Sky Blues in the third round thanks to a winning goal from Jack Grimmer.

However, the FA Cup loss was just the tip of the iceberg for Stoke, who had only won one of their last eight games in all competitions and had slipped into 18th place in the Premier League relegation zone.

Hughes was dismissed just hours after the Coventry game and speaking post-match he had suggested the defeat would be a blessing in disguise.

“The fact we’ve gone out, even if it’s a little bit raw at the moment, might help us,” Hughes said.

“At the moment we don’t want to discuss Premier League games, but maybe when we wake up on Monday the reality clearly has to be our league form.”

He questioned whether the result would affect his future, adding: “It just highlights that we need to do better.

“But in the long term, certainly until the end of the season, it might be a blessing for us.”

Stoke appointed Paul Lambert as Hughes’ successor but he was unable to stop the Potters dropping into the second tier, drawing a line under their 10-year stay in the Premier League.