Stoke veteran midfielder has no thoughts of retirement

Last updated : 05 July 2011 By BBC Sport

"We've done a couple of fitness tests and I'm still up to the standards of last season," he told the BBC, after Stoke returned to pre-season training.

"You don't know when it's going to happen - people say it happens quickly - but hopefully I can stay involved."

He continued: "I probably played a lot more games than I thought I would last season. I'll hopefully be involved in some way, but as long as we progress as a club, I'll be happy.

"There's a couple of players out there over 35. I get a lot of stick off the lads about my age, but I can handle that."

Delap joined Stoke from Sunderland, initially on loan, in October 2006 and has go on to make more than 150 appearances for the Potters.

In that time Stoke have established themselves in the Premier League after winning promotion in 2008, and also reached their first ever FA Cup final, where they were beaten by Manchester City.

Source: BBC Sport

Source: BBC Sport