hiː dˈɪdnt ɡɛt ˈɔf tə ðə bˈɛst ʌv stˈɑːɹts wɪð stˈoʊk æz hiː stɹˈʌɡəld wɪð ˈɪlnəs ænd fˈɔːɹm æz stˈoʊk sˈʌfɚd ɹˌɛlᵻɡˈeɪʃən fɹʌmðə fˈɜːst dᵻvˈɪʒən ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd nˈaɪnti sˈɛvən nˈaɪnti ˈeɪt.
He didn't get off to the best of starts with Stoke as he struggled with illness and form as Stoke suffered relegation from the First Division in 1997–98.