Rory Delap

Football player infobox
playername = Rory Delap


fullname = Rory John Delap
height = height|ft=6|in=0
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1976|7|6|df=y
cityofbirth = Sutton Coldfield
countryofbirth = England
currentclub = Stoke City
clubnumber = 24
position = Midfielder
youthyears =
youthclubs =
years = 1994–1998
1998–2001
2001–2006
2006–2007
2006
2007–
clubs = Carlisle United
Derby County
Southampton
Sunderland
→Stoke City (loan)
Stoke City
caps(goals) = 065 0(7)
103 (11)
132 0(5)
012 0(1)
002 0(0)
050 0(2)
nationalyears = 1998–2004
nationalteam = Republic of Ireland
nationalcaps(goals) = 011 0(0)
pcupdate = 04:11, 7 October 2008 (UTC)
ntupdate = 9 May 2008

Rory John Delap (born 6 July 1976 in Sutton Coldfield, England) is an English-born Irish footballer, well known for his trademark long throw-ins and currently signed to Stoke City. He is primiliary a midfielder but has also played right-back.

Playing career

When he made the move from Derby County to Southampton, he became the club's most expensive transfer, being signed for £4m. Having started his career at his hometown club Carlisle United, he was signed by Derby's Jim Smith for £200,000. The utility player has been capped 11 times for the Republic of Ireland. Delap is renowned for having one of the longest throw ins in football.

Having been signed by Mick McCarthy, Delap made six appearances for Sunderland in the 2005–06 season before injury struck. Having become a marginal figure when Roy Keane took over, he moved to join Stoke City on loan in October 2006. Delap suffered a horrific injury on his home debut for Stoke City against his former club Sunderland, breaking his leg in two places while challenging for the ball. Despite the fact that his injury sidelined him for the remainder of the 2006–07 season, Stoke Manager Tony Pulis decided to sign Delap on a permanent basis [cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/s/sunderland/6065996.stm|title=Keane says Stoke still want Delap|work=BBC Sport|date=19 October 2006|accessdate=16 July|accessyear = 2008] . On 15 July 2007, Delap made his comeback in a pre-season friendly with Newcastle Town F.C.. [cite web|url=http://www.stokecityfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10310~1073405,00.html |title=Newcastle Town 1 Stoke City 5|work=Stoke City F.C.|date=16 July 2008|accessdate=16 July|accessyear = 2008] Delap impressed after returning from injury, particularly in the second half of the season as Stoke finished second and secured promotion to the Premier League.

Delap underlined the importance of his throw-ins to the Stoke City team in the Premier League, receiving praise from his manager Tony Pulis for providing more that 50% of the assists to his teams goals so far this season [cite web |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/s/stoke_city/7654437.stm|title=Pulis praises Delap long throws |work=BBC Sport|date=6 October 2008|accessdate=6 October|accessyear = 2008] . As such, Stoke have been called "the team that takes corners from throw-ins".fact|date=October 2008

Family

Rory's father is John Delap from Letterkenny and his mother Maura Delap from Kells. He moved to Carlisle when he was six months old. Rory is the nephew of Paddy Delap, a Letterkenny businessman who runs Clarkes Newsagents and organises an annual charity cycling event in aid of cancer. Another uncle, Anthony, is a playwright whose works have been performed at An Grianán Theatre in the town.

References

External links

* [http://www.stokecityfc.com/page/ProfilesDetail/0,,10310~5662,00.html Rory Delap player profile] at stokecityfc.com
*soccerbase|id=1999
* [http://www.soccerscene.ie/sssenior/player.php?show_all_starts=1&id=24 Ireland profile]