Stoke had just been relegated from the First Division and had to get over the shock of seeing Jock Rutherford quit the club after just four weeks in charge. Mather's first season in charge saw Stoke finish in 6th position and he decided to move on a number of players at the end of the season. This didn't go down well with some of the released players who smashed up the offices at the Victoria Ground and caused a considerable amount of damage.
Stoke was relegated from the top division and had to deal with a change in management after only four weeks. Mather's first season saw Stoke finish in sixth place, leading him to make changes to his squad at the end of the season. This did not sit well with some players who reacted angrily by damaging club offices.