 By 1960 Stoke were struggling to attract supporters to the Victoria Ground , with the average attendance dropping below 10 @,@ 000 for the first time in 40 years . Tony Waddington was appointed as the club 's manager in June 1960 . He joined the club in 1952 as a coach , before being promoted to assistant manager in 1957 . In his first season in charge , 1960 – 61 , Stoke finished 18th in the Second Division . Crowds were still low ; a match against Preston North End attracted 8 @,@ 409 in 1961 . However , Waddington pulled off a significant coup by enticing Stanley Matthews — now 46 years old — back to the club , 14 years after he had left . A crowd of 35 @,@ 974 witnessed Matthews ' return to the club , only a fortnight after the poor crowd against Preston . The return of Matthews helped Stoke to rise to eighth position in 1961 – 62 . Promotion was achieved in the next season , when Stoke finished as champions . In their first season back in the First Division , 1963 – 64 , Waddington guided Stoke to a mid @-@ table finish . Matthews remained influential , as he helped the club to the Football League Cup final in 1964 , although this ended in defeat to Leicester over two legs . 
