Stoke City adjusted to life in the third division in a difficult manner as they finished the 1990 – 1991 season off in a disappointing 14th position finish under the guidance of Graham Paddon who was installed as the new man in charge at the club in 1991 after the departure of Alan Ball.
Padon guided the Potters to a fourth position finish at the end of the 1991 – 1992 season as they crashed out of the play offs. The 1992 – 1993 campaign was a glorious one for Stoke City FC as they gained promotion in to the first division as they were crowned as the champions of the second division. They crashed out of the cup competitions early as they suffered defeat against Port Vale in the first round of the FA cup and suffered defeat against Cambridge Unite din the second round of the League cup.
The 1993 – 1994 campaign proved to be a decent one for the Potters as they finished it off in a very respectable 10th position, coming narrowly close to securing a birth in the play offs towards the end of the campaign. They crashed out of the league cup in the second round as they suffered defeat against Manchester United and lost against Oldham Athletic in the FA cup.