Ameobi made 20 appearances for England Under-21's

New Stoke City signing Shola Ameobi says he wants to score the goals to take the Potters to the Premier League.

The 26-year-old, set to make his debut on Saturday, has played over 100 games for the Magpies, scoring 46 goals, but featured just twice for Kevin Keegan.

"I've been give a lifeline to come here and play football," Ameobi told BBC Radio Stoke.

"Hopefully you will see the best of me and I will score goals that will help Stoke to the Premier League."

Ameobi on his move to Stoke

Ameobi joins Ricardo Fuller, Mama Sidibe and on loan Wolves front man Jay Bothroyd as the competing strikers for a place in the City first team and he says he is not expecting to be simply handed a starting berth.

"I know I have to work hard and do the right things," said Ameobi. "It's not about me, it's about the team goal of getting to the Premier League."

We need to show everyone that we are giving promotion our best shot Stoke boss Tony Pulis

Newcastle manager Kevin Keegan told the BBC: "I think Stoke have got a fantastic acquisition for the last six games of the season as they try to get back into the top flight of English football."

"It's the right move for everybody. Shola can now get games at a level that we can't give him at the moment because he hasn't played a lot of football in the last 18 months. At 26 years of age the thing Shola needs most is games," added Keegan

Stoke were also able to secure Derby's Scottish midfielder Stephen Pearson, 25, on loan for the rest of the season.

Scottish international Pearson was in the Derby team that won promotion to the Premier League last May, scoring the winning goal against West Bromwich Albion in the Championship play-off final at Wembley.

Potters boss Tony Pulis told BBC Radio Stoke: "We need to show everyone that we are giving promotion our best shot."

"If you fail by not having a go, then I can understand why people would be frustrated," he said. "The chairman understands this and has been brilliant."