Stoke City chairman Peter Coates has indicated that the club is unlikely to again spend big again following Wednesday's splurge.

The Potters bought in Peter Crouch, Wilson Palacios and Cameron Jerome for just over £20million total on deadline day and Coates says fans should not get used to this sort of indulgent spending.

"The football club cannot do these things alone. It relies on us to put money in to make it happen," he told The Sentinel.

"I'm not sure I want to see it often either.

"It isn't our wish that this should continue. We want to progress the club, of course, but we also want it to play at the highest level and be self-sufficient at the same time.

"That is the long-term objective and we are working towards that.

"But it is a balancing act all of the time because you get extra income from doing better as a club."

But Coates did make it clear that he feels the club is finally going places now they have the ability to attract top quality players to the Britannia Stadium.

"It is quite clear we can get good players into Stoke," he added.

"It is a measure of how far we have come and a measure of the club's status in the game.

"But football is not an exact science, it's an unpredictable business.

"When you have made such a huge investment you just hope it's going to work for you.

"There are never any guarantees, but we do think we have made some good signings."