Kitson spent the latter part of last season on loan at former club Reading

Stoke City striker Dave Kitson has revealed his motivation for bouncing back from a poor first season at the Britannia Stadium.

"There's nothing better for me than going up against a player who's an international and well respected in the game," he told BBC Radio Stoke.

"I want to come off the pitch having absolutely taken them to the cleaners."

Kitson, the Potters £5.5m record signing, failed to score during his first season with the club.

After a difficult start, Kitson found himself out of favour with manager Tony Pulis, and in February he returned to his former club Reading on loan.

The former Cambridge front man scored in the pre-season friendlies against Nottingham Forest and German side St. Pauli during Stoke's tour of Austria.

29-year-old Kitson is expected to be competing with Ricardo Fuller and James Beattie for a starting place in the Potters' Premier League opener against Burnley on August 15.

E-mail this to a friend

Printable version