Former Stoke City full-back Tommy Smith has backed the Potters to get it right and challenge for promotion eventually, despite his own underwhelming three-year stay with the club.
The 32-year-old moved to the Bet365 Stadium from Huddersfield Town to play under Nathan Jones in 2019 but neither he nor the Potters impressed under the Welshman, or successor Michael O’Neill, and Smith left the club on a free transfer, signing for Middlesbrough in 2022.
He told the BBC’s Football Daily 72+ EFL podcast it was “a shame” a succession of big-money signings had failed to shine since the Potters were relegated from the top flight after 10 years in 2018.
In the six seasons since, Stoke have finished between 14th and 17th in every campaign, lost 110 matches and won just four FA Cup ties in total.
Smith told 72+: “One thing that can’t be questioned is the chairman’s loyalty and commitment to the club. He’s put his hand in his pocket numerous times over the years because he’s desperate for his club to do well.
“It’s a shame, really. One thing I saw when I walked in was a club that was desperate and geared up for the Premier League.”
Smith played 106 games for City across his three seasons, scoring three goals, and added: “They were trying to find the recipe for it all to click – for whatever reason it just never did.
“I’m still of the belief that at some point Stoke will get it right and challenge for the play-offs. It’s a fantastic club but the three years I had there we finished 15th, 14th and 14th – by Stoke’s expectation that’s nowhere near where we should have been as a team.”
Narcis Pelach was appointed in September and the Potters currently lie 13th in the Championship
“They are in another transition now where they’ve got a new manager in and have gone down another route of signing players from overseas which is not really something Stoke have previously done,” Smith added.
“They are desperate to find that identity in terms of who they are and what they are. For so many years they have been real resolute, tough to beat.”