SOS - Save our Stoke was formed and immediately urged people to not buy merchendice, season tickets, or "Coates' overpriced pies" and other overpriced food at the bars inside the ground. The aim of SOS was to force the board to be in such a financial state that they would have to sell the club to someone who could bring money and hope to the potteries. The 'Coates Out' campaign continued but there was nothing the board could do until a suitable buyer was found.
Brian Little was appointed after he was finished at Aston Villa and fans hoped that the experienced manager could take us from division two back into division one, where we belonged.
The Season started well, top of the league right the way through till Christmas and we all thought that promotion was there for us to take. Brian Little took the manager of the month award for his first month in charge as his team won all of its first 7 league games which was a record for the best start ever for Stoke.
After Christmas it was down bank, and Stoke fell into the playoffs and were getting lower. The Oatcake Fanzine gave out 1000 red cards to be aimed at the director’s box; Jez Moxey claimed he only saw 3.
Brian Little did do Stoke a big favour. He signed Gavin Ward from Bolton, our best signing for quite some time, aswell as Nicky Mohan as Stoke tried to grab a promotion spot.
Stoke went into 3.3 million pounds worth of debt and Brian Little quit the club at the end of the season, openly stating that the disappointment was hard to take, and he had tried his best, hopefully the supporters would understand.
Stoke Finished 8th in the table