Former Stoke City midfielder Liam Lawrence has revealed that he fears that the club could suffer relegation from the Championship this season.

Following a dismal end to the previous campaign, the Potters would have been wanting to achieve a relative amount of success during the current term.

However, this unfortunately hasn't been the case at they have experienced a torrid time in the second-tier so far this year.

After failing to win any of their opening 10 league games, it seemed as if the Potters had turned a corner after picking up victories over Swansea City and Fulham.

Yet recent defeats to Sheffield Wednesday and Millwall led to Stoke parting ways with Nathan Jones last week.

Now on the lookout for a new manager, it is imperative that the Potters bring in an individual who has a proven track-record of leading teams to survival.

With Stoke currently six points adrift of safety, Lawrence has admitted that he is worried about what the future holds for his former side.

Speaking to the Stoke Sentinel ahead of the club's clash with Barnsley on Saturday, the 37-year-old said: "Obviously the result isn't going to decide if we go down, but if we do lose it, the implications are huge.

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"Lose on Saturday and we could end up nine points adrift of safety, so that's needing 10 points to get out of it.

"To have to be saying that of Stoke, in early November, is unthinkable, but true."

Lawrence later added: "Given that scenario I just mentioned, of being nine points adrift, if you were talking about any other club you'd say they were done for with that margin to safety.

"I have feared the worst since September and have said so.

"People raised their eyebrows when I said so at the time, but they aren't raising them now."

The Verdict

When you consider just how poor Stoke have been this season, it would not be at all surprising if their struggles continue over the coming months.

In order to have the best chance of avoiding the prospect of relegation to the second-tier, the Potters need to appoint the right manager as a failure to do so could lead to disaster.

Given just how competitive League One is, Stoke may go on to struggle at this level if they are relegated from the Championship next May.