Delap made 44 appearances for Stoke last season (Getty)

Stoke City midfielder Rory Delap has said he is happy with the Potters' opening day trip to Bolton.

Delap told BBC Radio Stoke: "No disrespect to Bolton but it is a good game for us, a good chance to get the three points.

"I know some people would have preferred us to be starting against one of the big teams but I'm pretty happy.

"If we had got a Man Utd, Chelsea or Liverpool then people may have been concentrating more on our opponents."

After visiting the Reebok Stadium on 16 August, Stoke welcome Aston Villa to the Britannia Stadium a week later.

Stoke will not have to wait long to take on one of last season's top four as they travel to Anfield to face Liverpool on 20 September before hosting Chelsea the following week.