Note: For those who are "too long, didn't read", I've highlighted in red, key moments where I feel Mark's management began to change and our fortunes under him began to worsen, along with fan perceptions beginning to change. These aren't all down to Hughes himself.
This is by no means a complete timeline, but I thought I would put together a quick timeline of our progress under Hughes, from the uncertain start, to the better, to the good, to the amazing, to the beginning of the downfall and the end, where we find ourselves now. I've only spent about 30 minutes on this so it might not be 100% accurate or complete, but I think it tells its own story.
Summer 2013- Hughes signs Dutch international left back Erik Pieters for around 3 million.
- Hughes signs hot-headed winger Marko Arnautovic.
- Hughes signs Marc Muniesa on a free from Barcelona.
- Hughes moves on some of the old guard including Delap, Whitehead and Sidibe.
August 2013 - A spirited first game under Hughes against Liverpool results in an unlucky loss, despite a penalty miss from Jon Walters.
- Record our first two victories under Hughes against Palace and West Ham.
September-November 2013- Fail to win in 8 games, but put in spirited performances against Manchester City, achieving a draw, and Manchester United with Crouch bagging a header and Arnautovic scoring a free kick resulting in an undeserved 3-2 loss.
- Begovic scores from his own box against Southampton.
- Pick up a lucky point against Swansea after a questionable handball in the box in stoppage time.
- Finally pick up another win on the 23rd November against Sunderland.
- A somewhat makeshift defence featuring Muniesa at centre half is completely taken apart against Everton.
December 2013- A reasonably good month, we pick up 2 wins and 2 draws.
- Mark Hughes makes arguably one of the boldest decisions seen the Britannia in recent times, when he throws on Assaidi against Chelsea instead of sitting back for the draw. Stoke go on to win 3-2.
- After a respectable run in the League Cup, we lose in the Quarter finals too Manchester United.
- Hughes endears himself to the fans as he infamously flings his jacket up in the air after witnessing Martin Atkinson at St James Park.
- We lose 3-0 to Spurs in the last game of 2013.
January 2014- We have a difficult month, picking up just 1 point.
- Despite a good start in the FA Cup, we pull out Chelsea away in the 4th round and lose.
- Pennant clumsily gifts Everton a last minute penalty to earn them a draw.
- We are stitched up by another awful referee in a 5-3 home defeat to Liverpool.
- We lose our first game to Tony Pulis as manager of Crystal Palace.
- Hughes swaps Kenwyne Jones for Peter Odemwingie and signs Stephen Ireland on a free.
February 2014- An uneventful month, other than our impressive performance against Manchester United. Hughes went for blood against a wounded David Moyes and we took a fine 2-1 victory.
- A good away draw against Southampton, twice coming from behind.
March 2014- Life is looking good for Hughes and Stoke.
- We once again beat Arsenal.
- We are unlucky to draw against Norwich.
- We then win our next 3 games beating West Ham, Aston Villa, and Hull.
April-May 2014- Stoke play some impressive football tearing apart Fulham with new boy Arnautovic really showing his talent.
- Stoke end the season in high spirits, achieving our best finish in the Premier League with 9th.
- Ryan Shawcross is voted player of the season.
- Asmir Begovic wins players player of the season.
Summer 2014- Hughes stuns the world by picking up talented Barcelona attacker Bojan.
- He also brings in Mame Diouf and Phil Bardsley on a free.
- He releases Ethers and moves on Cameron Jerome and Michael Kightly.
- He signs Victor Moses on loan.
August 2014- Stoke have a relatively poor start to the season.
- A disappointing opening day defeat against Aston Villa and a poor 1-1 draw against 10 man Hull causes some concern.
- Stoke end August with one of their greatest away victories against Man City, with Diouf scoring his first goal. Fears subside.
September-December 2014- Stoke's form is inconsistent, but we begin to play better football.
- Losses against Leicester, Sunderland and Southampton somewhat overshadow impressive victories against Newcastle and Tottenham.
- Stoke put in spirited performances against both Liverpool and Manchester United, with the latter incredibly lucky to come away with 3 points.
- Stoke then turn in a sensational performance against Arsenal. 3-0 up at half time, and only a dodgy referee away from absolutely tearing them to pieces.
- Despite a draw and loss in the next two games, the Arsenal performance is a catalyst for a decent run of December form with wins against Everton and West Brom.
January 2015- Stoke loan in Philip Wollscheid.
- A decent point achieved against Man Utd is followed by a typical collapse against Arsenal.
- However Stoke end January with excellent wins against Leicester and QPR with Walters scoring a perfect hat-trick.
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Hughes makes the questionable decision to play Bojan against Rochdale, resulting in a cruciate ligament injury.- Ryan Shawcross picks up the first of his back injuries.... a problem that follows him today.
February 2015- By this point, most fans are adamant that Hughes is doing an excellent job.
- A last minute header against Newcastle steals a point at St James.
- This is followed by a loss and two wins.
- Stoke loan out Robert Huth to Leicester.
March 2015- Stoke do the double over Everton by winning 2-0 at home.
- Our good form however drops, as we once again struggle against a Tony Pulis team.
- A poor performance against Palace is then followed by a difficult away day to Chelsea, in-which Adam scores that goal.
- Ryan Shawcross returns to the defence to play out the remainder of the season.
April-May 2015- Stoke again end the season positively.
- We record another double, this time comfortably beating Spurs and put in one of the greatest Premiership performances against Liverpool, destroying them 6-1.
- Hughes' stock continues to rise.
- Things are looking good.
Summer 2015- Hughes again stuns the world by landing Shaqiri for 12 million.
- He also lands ex-Barca star Ibrahim Afellay on a free and Glen Johnson.
- He signs Joselu for 5 million.
- He makes the Wollscheid signing permanent.
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He surprises most Stoke fans by letting a rejuvenated Robert Huth go to Leicester on a permanent deal.-
He is also forced to lose Steven N'Zonzi and Asmir Begovic.- Ryan Shawcross requires serious back surgery, putting him out for several months. The decision for this operation to go ahead took place at the end of the pre-season, rather than the start, meaning he misses several matches at the start of the season.
August-September 2015- Jack Butland starts in goal for Stoke.
- Stoke have their poorest start under Hughes so far, despite picking up decent points against Spurs and Norwich away.
- Nerves are tested on Tony Pulis' return to the Britannia... West Brom win 1-0.
- Stoke then collapse on Bojan's return against Leicester despite being 2-0 ahead to draw 2-2.
- Stoke pick up their first win end of September with a 2-1 win over Bournemouth.
October-November 2015- Stoke's form immediately picks up and points away are picked up against Villa and Swansea.
- More points are won from Chelsea and Southampton.
- November ends with a disappointing defeat against Sunderland.
December 2015- After a few spurious attempts during matches, Hughes finally runs with a front 3 of Arnie, Bojan and Shaqiri, with Afellay in the hole.
- This is first tried against Man City and results in us tearing them to pieces, winning 2-0 comfortably.
- He continues to back this front 4 which despite a disappointing loss to Palace, then results in 2 sensational victories against Man Utd and Everton.
January 2016-
Hughes then surprises many, by sticking with the front 4 again, despite heavy fixture congestion; this time against West Brom. This was 3 days before the first leg of the semi-final against Liverpool and the false 9 system perhaps wasn't suited for a game against a Tony Pulis team. Stoke again lose.
- Stoke play Liverpool in the League Cup Semi Final 1st Leg, he once again plays the front 4. Liverpool make wholesale changes to counteract the fixture congestion. Tired and unprepared, Stoke perform poorly and go down 1-0, a result that flattered Stoke. This appears to be the end of the false 9 system.
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The result of these two failures seem to cause Hughes to panic and consider throwing out the false 9 system.- Hughes adopts a more traditional 4-4-2 approach against Norwich in the next game. Joselu scores and Stoke win 3-1.
- Hughes again backs a traditional approach against Arsenal, picking up a point. He then plays a slightly weakened team against Leicester with the semi final 2nd leg looming. Stoke lose 3-0.
- Stoke play Liverpool in the semi final 2nd leg. Hughes again backs a more traditional approach and Stoke put in a spirited performance, only to be defeated on penalties.
- Hughes also signs Imbula for 18 million, breaking the club record.
February 2016- Stoke go on an inconsistent run of form. Manchester United exact revenge for their earlier humiliation by hammering us midweek 3-0.
- Everton equally get revenge by taking us apart 3-0 at home.
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The false number 9, is all but dead at this point.- Imbula looks impressive, scoring a superb volley against Bournemouth away and Stoke pick up a needed win against Aston Villa.
March 2016-May 2016- Stoke's end of season form goes from inconsistent to poor after a good early victory against Newcastle.
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Jack Butland picks up a serious injuy and Jakob Haugaard is found wanting, as Stoke are romped 4-1 by Liverpool and then 4-0 in successive games by Spurs and Man City.