Stoke City hoped to finally break their long pattern of finishing in the bottom half of whatever league they were in at the start of the season, but a poor run of form has now stretched that streak a decade.

After winning four of their first five league games, facing Coventry City in a first-versus-second match in November, and maintaining the best defensive record in the division for a significant period of time, few Stoke fans would have been surprised if you told them they would fall to 17th in the Championship table by May.

That is because, for the last ten seasons in a row, the Potters have ended in the bottom half of whatever table they were in, with nine permanent managers throughout that time, lurching from disaster to disaster.

Indeed, the 2015/16 season was the last time they finished in the top half, finishing ninth in the Premier League with Marko Arnautovic, Xherdan Shaqiri, Steven Nzonzi, Ryan Shawcross, and Peter Crouch wearing the red and white.

Crouch, in particular, was a fixture during Stoke’s Premier League tenure, and the six-foot-seven-inch striker has had little positive to say about his former club’s present situation.

Peter Crouch understands Stoke City fans’ frustrations with the club.

Crouch is among the most well-known football figures.

Throughout his illustrious career, the lanky Englishman played for Queens Park Rangers, Portsmouth, Aston Villa, Norwich City, Southampton, Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur, Stoke City, and Burnley, but he spent the majority of his time with the Potters.

He joined North Staffordshire on deadline day in the summer of 2011 for £12 million from Spurs, and he would make 261 appearances, scoring 61 and assisting 21 over the next seven-and-a-half years.

Crouch left Stoke for Burnley six months after being relegated to the Championship, and after a brief stay with the Clarets, he retired from football, moving on to become a pundit and other types of media.

When asked about his former club, Crouch stated, “I’ve texted Jon Walters [sporting director] a few times and spoke with Ryan (Shawcross) early on, but not recently.”It’s frustrating all around, but they’re decent guys, and if they realize how much they care for the club, I’d support them. I don’t know what’s been going on behind the scenes, but they’d be dissatisfied just like anyone else.”The form has not been satisfactory, and it appears that a change may be necessary in the summer.”I believe that is where the stick for (Walters) stems from, because you can’t watch that week after week without being insulted.

Walters returned to Stoke as sporting director on an interim basis until becoming permanent in April 2024, where he has since fired Steven Schumacher, appointed Narcis Pelach, fired Pelach, and appointed Mark Robins.

Football League World exclusively disclosed last week that the Potters were looking for prospective alternatives for Robins if he was removed following a poor run of results.

Indeed, something hasn’t been quite right at the bet365 Stadium for some time now, and it remains to be seen whether removing Robins and replacing him would solve anything or just exacerbate their problems.

Portsmouth manager John Mousinho has been connected with the position, but whether he is willing to make the move to the Potteries, which could be considered as a step back at this point, is unclear.

As for Stoke, it’s been a decade of disappointment, and with no clear solution in sight, where the Potters go from here is unclear.

Stoke City must exercise caution in removing Mark Robins and continuing the dismal trend.

If Stoke decide to break ways with Robins, they must be well aware of the consequences associated with that decision.

The former Coventry manager has faced criticism in recent months, with only Sheffield Wednesday scoring less points than the Potters over the last 30 games.

Despite this, few Stoke fans are actively asking for his removal, indicating a lack of trust in the club’s ability to make the next appointment correctly, with many content to retain the 56-year-old in charge for the time being.

That lack of trust has generated a schism between the fans and the club for some time, and whatever decision Walters and chairman Jon Coates make, they must guarantee it is the right one; otherwise, the cycle will continue.