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Published: Tuesday 02 Sep 2008
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City's £6 million men

Former skipper relishing move back to the Potters

by Michael Baggaley
DANNY Higginbotham is hoping Stoke fans won’t bear a grudge after he jumped at the chance to return to the Britannia Stadium.

The defender upset some of his former admirers when he decided to leave City for Premier League football with Sunderland in a £3m deal 12 months ago.

He returns determined to help City stay in the Premier, and hopeful of burying the hatchet with any detractors.

The 29-year-old, who has returned for a little over £2m, said: “Fans pay their money and have a right to an opinion. If a few people aren’t happy then that is fair enough, but I am here to fight for the cause and that is the most important thing.

“It was a decision based on football at the time. I have enjoyed my year at Sunderland, but it is a pleasure for me to be able to come back here and I am looking forward to the challenge.”
Higginbotham’s 22 starts for the Black Cats included their 2-1 win at Tottenham just nine days ago.

However, Tony Pulis moved swiftly once Roy Keane said Higginbotham could go.

The player says his relationship with Keane was fine, but he is delighted to be resigning for Pulis.

Higginbotham added: “They both accept nothing less than 100 per cent. They are both winners and they instil that into the team. If you have that then you have the right ingredients for a successful team.

“I have worked with Tony Pulis before and have a lot of respect for him, what he has done in the game and how he was in my first spell here. When he said that he’d like me back, it was an honour.”

Pulis paid just £250,000 for Higginbotham two years ago from Southampton who were using the defender as a left-back.

Higginbotham was a huge success at Stoke as a centre-half, but says he doesn’t mind where Pulis plays him.

Left-back looks most likely as Pulis has already signed central defenders Abdoulaye Faye and Ibrahima Sonko, plus Andrew Davies who can play at right-back or in the centre.

Higginbotham added: “I am open to anything. Firstly, I have to get into the team and, secondly, I play where the manager wants me.

“The most important thing to me is that I really want to be playing. Hopefully, I can show that I deserve to be.”

Higginbotham helped Sunderland stay up in their first season back in the Premier last season and is confident Stoke can be as successful.

He added: “It is always going to be a hard and tough season for any team that stays up.
“We did it at Sunderland last year and scraped through. I don’t see any reason why it can’t be the same at Stoke.

“The manager has bought some very good players here as well so hopefully that will be the case.

“There is some great quality throughout the squad. There is a lot of experience and quite a few youngsters as well so I think it’s a good blend.”

Meanwhile, Higginbotham says he is a better player than the one who left 12 months ago as City’s player of the year.

He said: “I definitely am in terms of experience. I have learned a lot over the last year. It was a scrap in the Premier League at Sunderland, as you would expect from a team that has just been promoted. So I think I have learned from that and am a year wiser.”

However, that doesn’t mean he now regards his move to Sunderland as a mistake.

He added: “I don’t think you can look at things like that. In football you make your decision. Whether it works or not, you get on with it. You live and learn from situations and I am glad to be back here now.”