Stoke City's Ryan Shawcross insists his start on Saturday had nothing to do with the fact the club was taking on Tony Pulis.
The Potters welcomed their skipper back into the line-up for the first time since January 31 when they met West Bromwich Albion at The Hawthorns but he insists there was no sentiment involved.
Shawcross emerged as one of the top centre-backs in the Premier League while Baggies boss Pulis was in charge at the Britannia Stadium but he has made it clear that had no baring on his return from a back injury.
"That was never in my mind, our manager is Mark Hughes, the only thing that matters to me is playing for Stoke City," Shawcross told the Stoke Sentinel.
"If I feel right I'll play, if I don't then I won't - it's that simple.
"I played because I felt like I could get through it, and I'm disappointed that we haven't got anything from the game. I'm not bothered that it was against Tony Pulis.
"I'm just as frustrated as the fans who were at the match will be, because I wanted Stoke City to win.
"It has been frustrating for me to sit out because it's not something I've done too often since I signed for Stoke, so from that point of view I'm delighted I got through it."
