It has been a bitterly disappointing start to the season for Stoke City, who occupy 24th spot in the Sky Bet Championship table after their first seven league outings.

The Potters made a host of big-name signings over the course of the summer, as Nathan Jones looked to get his feet properly under the table at the bet365 Stadium and rebuild the squad left at his disposal by Gary Rowett from last season.

But it has been a catastrophic start to proceedings for Stoke who have managed just one point from a possible 21, with the pressure starting to pile on Jones.

Jones has urged the board to remain patient with him, but reports from The Mirror (16 September, Football pull-out, page 18), claim that the club could now be preparing for life after the Welshman.

Reports claim that the Potters will look to appoint former Brighton and Hove Albion boss Chris Hughton as their new manager, if they are to part ways with Jones.

The experienced boss has been without a job since the end of last season after being relieved of his duties by the Seagulls, and here, we take a look at two pros and two cons to Stoke making this bold managerial decision.

Pro 1: An experienced option

One thing that stands out about Hughton is that he is a much more experienced manager than Jones, who knows what it takes to get out of the Championship the right way.

The 60-year-old has won automatic promotion to the Premier League twice in his managerial career, with Newcastle United in 2010 and with Brighton in 2017.

Whilst Jones may be an up and coming manager who was a huge success with Luton, he had never managed higher than League One before, whereas Hughton knows what it takes to build a promotion-winning team.

Pro 2: Fans back onside

After a disastrous start to the season, most Stoke fans have already lost patience with Jones, and the atmosphere at the bet365 Stadium is far from tranquil at the moment.

Appointing a new manager like Hughton who has a glowing track record in the second tier, though, could really gets fans back onside and create a massive buzz.

They have a fantastic group of players on paper, and with togetherness on and off the pitch, they could still have a really successful season.

Con 1: Too premature to get rid of Jones?

Jones' time with Stoke has somewhat tarnished what was an incredible tenure of Luton Town, where he had the Hatters playing excellent football and scoring goals for fun, as well as looking solid in defence.

He is clearly a very talented manager who still has a big future in the game, and there is an argument that he deserves more time at the helm of the Potters.

Their performances have improved in recent weeks, especially against Bristol City where they could have got something out of the game if Joe Allen hadn't been sent off.

If they stay patient, they could reap the rewards.

Con 2: Has the game passed Hughton by?

Hughton was sacked by Brighton at the end of last season despite keeping them up in the Premier League for another year, which suggests that he arguably took the Seagulls as far as he could.

The South Coast club then went and appointed an unproven, upcoming manager in Graham Potter, who was known for his attractive, attacking brand of football at Swansea City.

Albion clearly wanted a change and to go in a different direction which also suggests that Hughton's philosophy and style of play is outdated.

The Championship is a lot more competitive than when Brighton won promotion three seasons ago, and whether Hughton could adapt is a mystery.