Former Stoke City defender Danny Higginbotham has urged fans to give Mark Hughes a chance.

He wrote in The Sentinel: "I know some fans have been questioning Hughes's ability as a manager and are not overly happy at his appointment, but you have to give a guy time to prove his worth.

"Apart from that poor spell at QPR, you have to say his managerial record is otherwise pretty good.

"As for the Stoke players, it'll be a time of mixed emotions for them right now.

"You will have the ones who liked the previous manager because they were playing and were well thought of.

"Then you will have the ones who will be delighted he has gone because he was the reason they weren't playing. Then you will have the small minority who won't care either way.

"But for all of them, it's a fresh start - a time to impress the new boss and hopefully get your name on the team sheet."