rory delap

Renowned for his freakish throwing ability, Rory Delap won the Football League Trophy with Carlisle and became a Stoke legend later on in his distinguished career. Delap also won 11 caps for the Republic of Ireland between 1998 and 2004. As well as his insanely long throw-ins, Delap was famous for his fitness and work rate, which made him a players’ favourite within the teams he played for.

Delap started his blossoming career at Carlisle United. His gritty performances attracted Premier League outfit Derby County, where Delap cemented himself as an established Premier League player. In 2001, the midfielder signed for Southampton for a then club record fee of £4 million. After spending five years fantastic years with the Saints, he moved North to Sunderland. At Sunderland Delap was loaned to Stoke City, and eventually made the move permanent and signed for the Potters. At Stoke, Delap became a certified legend. The Irishman went on to become a vital member of the squad and his infamous long throw-ins helped Stoke gain promotion to the Premier League and then become an established outfit in the top flight. After spending many happy seasons at Stoke, Delap had short stints with Barnsley and Burton Albion before deciding to call it a day.

Delap can now be seen progressing with his coaching career. The Premier League icon returned to Stoke in 2018 as a first-team coach and he is now on a quest to once again get the Potters back in the big league.