Stoke City boss Tony Pulis says Rory Delap deserves better than simply being known for his scud throw-ins.

Stoke are evolving into a more polished team with a more rounded approach this season.

"The thing that frustrated me about the criticism last season," says Pulis to the Sunday Times, "was that Rory got tagged with the long throw, as if it was all he could do. He's played nearly 450 Premier League games, he's an outstanding professional and a top bloke.

"This is a guy who goes to the Donna Louise Trust, which supports a children's hospice in Stoke, and says, 'Please tell me what I can do for you,' and the next thing you know he's doing a 100-mile cycle ride in his spare time to raise money for the hospice. People says it's an unsentimental game but there are players you get attached to."