No second season syndrome - Delap

Delap's long throws led to nine Premier League goals this season

Stoke midfielder Rory Delap is not contemplating the possibility of City suffering "second season syndrome" in the Premier League next year.

The Potters finished 12th in the top flight this season.

The 32-year-old told BBC Radio Stoke: "They always say about second season syndrome, and if you have a few bad results, people will jump on that.

"We've got to be thick-skinned, forget about it, get on with playing football and winning games."

The Republic of Ireland international was a key member of the Stoke squad that avoided relegation, having been tipped for the drop by most pundits at the start of the campaign.

He added: "Everyone says the promoted teams will go down every year, but the odd team always proves them wrong.

"There wasn't that many people outside of Stoke believed that we could do it. The manager drilled it into the squad that we can achieve what we set out to do.

"We stayed up, and it wasn't comfortable, but points-wise it was comfortable in the end."

Delap is taking part in a charity cycle ride from Edinburgh to Newcastle, starting on 17 June, in aid of the Donna Louise Trust, the same charity for which his manager Tony Pulis ran the London Marathon in April.