Stoke City — season around 1995/96 (coach: Lou Macari)

• Club: Stoke City Football Club
• Location: Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, England
• Stadium (historic): Victoria Ground (moved to Britannia Stadium in 1997)
• Manager/Coach: Lou Macari
• Context around 1995/96:
  • Lou Macari was reappointed as Stoke City manager in May 1994, having previously managed the club from 1991 to 1993; he remained in charge through the mid-1990s.
  • In the 1994–95 season Stoke were competing in the Football League First Division (the second tier of English football at that time). The club experienced a period of transition and financial constraint during the mid-1990s, with ambitions to stabilise and push for promotion hampered by resources and inconsistent results.
  • By 1995–96 Stoke were still in the second tier. Lou Macari emphasised organisation and physical fitness; his tenure at the club is remembered for resilience and for preparing the club for later changes, including the eventual move to the new stadium (Britannia Stadium opened in 1997).
• Notable players (mid-1990s era, examples):
  • John Butler (defender)
  • Graham Potter (midfielder; later became a manager)
  • Mario Van Buren (forward; note: squad membership changed season to season)
  • Derek McGill and other squad players featured across mid-1990s seasons
• Competitions:
  • Football League First Division (league)
  • FA Cup
  • League Cup (Coca-Cola Cup at the time)
• Summary: Around the 1995/96 season Stoke City were a second-tier English club managed by Lou Macari, working under financial limitations to stabilise performances and prepare the squad and club infrastructure for future progress, including an upcoming stadium move in 1997.

Note: If you need season-by-season statistics (league finish, appearances, goals, cup results) for 1994–95 or 1995–96 specifically, I can provide those details.