Rory Delap stands over the touchline with a towel in hand. Looking directly at his target, he polishes the ball with intent. 26,000 fans inside The Britannia hold their breath.
"If I throw the perfect ball, with the height and quality of the players in our team, I think it is undefendable."
He wasn't wrong. The Stoke City full-back had just helped his side to a 2-1 win against title contenders Arsenal after two of his trademark set-pieces found Ricardo Fuller and Seyi Olofinjana in the 18 yard box.
It was an unorthodox method of finding the back of the net but it worked. And he knew it.
"We know what we're doing and it's no surprise." he continued. "There's no secret to it, everybody knows that we do it but as long as it's working, then great."
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger went on to label his throw an "unfair advantage" and said Delap's secret weapon was "like kicking the ball".
But whether he liked it or not, the fling was absolutely legal.
During the 2008/09 season in partiuclar Delap's throw-in, now labelled the "Delap Special", became a real threat. Of their first 13 goals, seven were credited as assists for the Republic of Ireland international.
It was a headache for even for the most experienced of defender and this compilation, posted on Sky Sports' YouTube channel, showcases how dangerous it really was.
Delap's throw-in was praised by many in football.
"Rory's throws were something else in the Premier League," said former Stoke City defender Leon Cort, who played with Delap during the height of his throw-in fame.
"It was like nothing else defenders at that level had ever experienced in their careers, especially at the Britannia with the wall of noise that came with them. It was the trajectory and pace more than the distance. I used to love going up because you always felt something was going to happen."
Newcastle manager Steve Bruce also gave a thumbs up to the set-piece, branding them "unbelievable".
"David Beckham was the master of free-kicks because he used to consistently put the ball into the area. Delap can whiz it in with the same pace and the same trajectory, time and time again. He's just unbelievable."
What are your favourite memories of the Rory Delap throw-in?
Let us know in the comments below.
source https://www.sportbible.com/football/reactions-news-legends-take-a-bow-a-compilation-of-every-stoke-city-goal-scored-from-rory-delaps-throw-20200504
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