Where are They Now? The Stoke City Squad of 2017/18 Which Suffered Premier League Relegation

They're too good to go down.

There are too many goals in that team to get relegated.

It won't happen to my club.

We've all been there, guys and girls. But eventually, your day will come. The rest of the football world will laugh and screenshot pictures of crying supporters in the stands, while you tell people through watery eyes that you'd become pretty bored of Premier League football anyway.

And that's exactly what happened to Stoke City in the 2017/18 campaign, which saw their 10-year stay in the top-flight come to a miserable end. After sacking the beleaguered Mark Hughes in January, the Potters decided not to try and escape the drop, but instead announced immediate relegation by appointing Paul Lambert.

But even with the now League One manager in charge, this Stoke team had enough firepower to get themselves out of this self-inflicted mess. Alas, too many bad eggs spoiled the omelette, and the Potters were left in a scrambled heap at the bottom of the league.

And then came the rebuild. Some stayed, but many left for brighter (or not) horizons. But where exactly did they all end up? 90min takes a look back at the Stoke City squad of 2017/18, which suffered heartbreaking relegation.

1. Jack Butland

From a possible England number one, to the Championship basement, Jack Butland stuck around and tried to help the Potters back to the promised land. Unfortunately, the 27-year-old endured some wretched form at the start of this season, although he seems to have finally come out of it and is looking back to his best.

Current Club - Stoke City

2. Mortiz Bauer

A panic buy in January 2018, Moritz Bauer possessed all the energy of a golden retriever on the right-hand side. Sadly, he boasted the same levels of defensive positional awareness, too. Stoke fans were shocked when he bagged a loan move to Celtic, but are less surprised that he can't get a game for them.

Current Club - Stoke City (on loan at Celtic)

3. Erik Pieters

Pieters served Stoke well for a number of years, but he was pretty wretched during the relegation campaign. Now warming Burnley's bench after losing his place in the starting XI. Once involved in a blazing row on Housewives of Cheshire.

Current Club - Burnley

4. Joe Allen

Allen has not had a smooth relationship with his supporters, after cupping his hand to his ear after scoring a goal - despite still being planted in the Championship's bottom three at the time. Smart move, Joe.

Current Club - Stoke City

5. Kevin Wimmer

Daniel Levy must still be chuckling about this deal. Signed for Stoke for £18m in 2017, after only making 15 league appearances for Spurs. He turned out to be absolutely rubbish, and is known as one of the club's worst ever signings.

Current Club - Stoke City (on loan at Royal Excel Mouscron)

6. Kurt Zouma

Brought in on loan and didn't do a bad job, Kurt Zouma returned to Chelsea where he's thriving now. Fun fact - Zouma's middle name is Happy.

Current Club - Chelsea

7. Stephen Ireland

A great player on his day but injuries plagued his career. Stephen Ireland left Stoke to join Bolton Wanderers, but he didn't stay there long.

Current Club - Without Club

8. Glen Johnson

Johnson now sits on the radio slagging off his ex-teammates for being unprofessional, while admitting in the same breath that he once refused to play a reserves match during his time at the club.

Current Club - Retired

9. Saido Berahino

Berahino took 769 games (rough estimate) to score for the club, then got arrested for drink-driving. In-house nightmare.

Current Club -  SV Zulte Waregem

10. Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting

I cannot believe this man now plays for Paris Saint-Germain. I simply refuse to believe that this is not some sick wind-up.

Current Club - PSG

11. Jese

Not even worthy of earning the accent on the final E in his name. Jese moped, whined, and posted pictures of himself as Batman on social media, and rarely lifted a finger for the club.

Current Club - Paris Saint-Germain (on loan at Sporting)

12. Josh Tymon

After a couple of loan spells away from Stoke-on-Trent, Tymon is back and hoping to make an impact next season.

Current Club - Stoke City

14. Ibrahim Afellay

What a classy operator. Injury ruined his spell at the Bet365 Stadium, but there's no doubting that Stoke were a much better team when he was fully firing in the centre of the pitch.

Current Club - PSV Eindhoven

15. Bruno Martins Indi

From playing in a World Cup semi-final, to relegation battles in the English second tier. But Martins Indi is still doing his thing in Staffordshire. Improved as a player since growing his new barnet.

Current Club - Stoke City

16. Charlie Adam

Despite being trapped in the body of a 54-year-old brick layer, Charlie Adam is still spraying pin-point cross-field balls around Championship pitches at a ground near you.

Current Club - Reading

17. Ryan Shawcross

Captain. Leader. Legend. Shawcross has recovered quickly from a horrific leg-break at the start of the season, and hopefully he'll be leading by example next year.

Current Club - Stoke City

18. Mame Diouf

The forgotten man of football. Diouf unbelievably is still at Stoke, and he scored a crucial winner against Wigan this season.

Current Club - Stoke City

20. Geoff Cameron

Cameron never played for Stoke again after the relegation season, moving to Queens Park Rangers on loan, before completing a permanent deal later on.

Current Club - QPR

21. Kostas Stafylidis

If you don't remember this guy - well - I don't blame you. Brought in on loan in January, Stafylidis made only five appearances for Stoke and contributed even less to the cause.

Current Club - Hoffenheim

22. Xherdan Shaqiri

Like an ex who has gone on to have a great life without you, you can't help feeling proud and heartbroken at the same time. Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened.

Current Club - Liverpool

24. Darren Fletcher

Way past his best when he joined the Potters, and Stoke's final season in the top flight appeared to be a step too far.

Current Club - Retired

25. Peter Crouch

Now hosting a very successful podcast and putting his great personality to good use, Crouchy will always be a Stoke legend.

Current Club - Retired

26. Philipp Wollscheid

Wollscheid dropped off the face of the earth after leaving Stoke in 2017, and decided to retire at the age of 28. Another vintage signing for the era.

Current Club - Retired

27. Badou Ndiaye

A bullish midfielder who starred in the 2019/20 season, until new boss O'Neill sent him out on loan once again to Turkey.

Current Club - Stoke City (on loan at Trabzonspor)

27. Bojan Krkic

The love affair that had to end, but nobody was quite ready for it. The club took his #27 away at the start of the season, too. One of the most gifted stars to pull on the Stoke jersey, Bojan is now tearing up MLS. What a player.

Current Club - Montreal Impact

28. Julien Ngoy

Deploy Ngoy! An exciting prospect, still waiting for his chance to make a name for himself in the Potteries.

Current Club - Stoke City

29. Jakob Haugaard

A calamity goalkeeper, Haugaard's spell as emergency backup was very brief, indeed.

Current Club - AIK

31. Thibaud Verlinden

One of the most exciting young prospects in the league, Verlinden is ready to take the Championship by storm next season.

Current Club - Stoke City

32. Ramadan Sobhi

Lots of tricks but no end product, Sobhi was sold to Huddersfield in a swap deal including Tom Ince.

Current Club - Huddersfield (On loan at Al Ahly)

33. Lee Grant

A brilliant backup goalkeeper, Grant earned a move to Manchester United. Good on ya, Lee.

Current Club - Manchester United

36. Harry Souttar

Souttar has spent the last two seasons on loan at Fleetwood Town, and his performances have even earned him international recognition with Australia. The big man could be ready for the step up next year.

Current Club - Stoke City (on loan at Fleetwood)

40. Tyrese Campbell

Release Tyrese! A special talent and one Stoke fans will be hoping to lead the line for years to come. Fun fact - he's Kevin Campbell's son!

Current Club - Stoke City

42. Tom Edwards

A Stokie born and bred, Tom Edwards follows in Andy Wilkinson's footsteps as the Potters' local lad and hard-man right-back.

Current Club - Stoke City

55. Lasse Sorensen

A young midfielder with plenty of potential, Sorensen remains on the club's books.

Current Club - Stoke City

Without Numbers

Ryan Sweeney

A young defender who spent the season at Bristol Rovers.

Current Club - Mansfield Town

Dom Telford

Another youngster who never got his chance at the club, and also spent the year at Bristol Rovers.

Current Club - Plymouth Argyle

Marc Muniesa

Cult hero and a lovely guy, Muniesa is still remembered fondly at the club. He had a really catchy song, too.

Current Club - Al-Arabi

Giannelli Imbula

Stoke's record signing spent three seasons out on loan at different clubs before agreeing to terminate his contract in Staffordshire. Tells you all you need to know.

Current Club - Sochi

Moha El Ouriachi

Signed from Barcelona's academy, anticipation was high. Moha never played for Stoke during his time at the club, however.

Current Club - CE L'Hospitalet