Coates gambles on managerial change to keep Premier League status

Peter Coates, chairman of Stoke City and its main sponsor Bet365, has rolled the dice on his club’s battle to stay in the Premier League by sacking manager Mark Hughes.

Stoke City is one of the safest places for a football manager – Tony Pulis’s departure at the end of the 2012-13 season is the only other managerial change in a decade – but time ran out for Hughes.

His exit came hours after the club were knocked out of the FA Cup by League Two side Coventry City.

In a statement, the club said Hughes’s contract had been “terminated with immediate effect”.

It said: “We would like to thank Mark for all he has achieved for the club over the last four and a half years, notably in guiding us to three successive ninth places finishes in the Premier League, and we wish him every success for the future.”

Stoke have won just five of its 22 league games this season and are currently 18th in the Premier League – in one of the three relegation positions – and have the worst goal difference.