Stoke qualified for Europe again in 1974–75, and managed to draw both legs with Dutch side Ajax, only to exit the competition on the away goals rule. However Conroy again struggled with injuries, and was limited to just 16 league appearances. He played most of these games as a centre-forward, as regular striker John Ritchie missed much of the season with a broken leg and Geoff Hurst was nearing the end of his career and was unable to play every game. Conroy scored his two career hat-tricks during the campaign, against Halifax Town in the League Cup on 11 September, and then against Carlisle United in a 5–2 league win on 22 March. At the end of the season Stoke had three games to play against mid-table sides and needed to win all three in order to win the league, however they lost at Sheffield United and had goalless draws with Newcastle United and Burnley, leaving the club with another fifth-place finish. Conroy was again limited to just 16 league appearances as he continued to suffer injury problems in the 1975–76 season, and underwent an operation to remove all the remaining cartilage from his knees. The club also suffered a disaster, as a strong gale blew a section of the roof off the Victoria Ground's Butler Street Stand on 2 January, and as the correct insurance was not in place the club were forced to sell key players such as Jimmy Greenhoff, Mike Pejic, Alan Hudson, John Mahoney and Geoff Salmons in order to finance stadium repairs.