by Michael Baggaley
michael.baggaley@thesentinel.co.uk

CHRIS Iwelumo always looks forward to returning to Stoke City – but says tomorrow's visit with Wolves will be extra special.

Seven years ago, the Scot was helping City win promotion from the third tier of English football.

He then helped Tony Pulis keep the club in the Championship, and is delighted Project Pulis has taken City to the top flight.

However, the 6ft 4in hit-man is hoping to put a small dent in Stoke's season by helping Wolves become the first club outside the Champions League teams to beat Pulis's men.

The 31-year-old has won his fitness race just in time to make the Wolves squad.

A red-card challenge from Birmingham's Lee Carsley finished the striker's season in April, and he had only just fought his way back to fitness when he broke his foot in pre-season.

However, he is in contention for tomorrow's Staffs derby having made his Premier League debut last Saturday as a substitute in the 1-1 draw with Aston Villa.

Iwelumo said: "Stoke are always one of the fixtures I look out for. It is always nice to go back, but to be going to Stoke and playing in the Premier League is unbelievable."

Iwelumo returns in time to bolster a Wolves team who have made a solid start to life in the top flight.

Mick McCarthy's team have nine points from their opening 10 games, which has left them just outside the relegation zone.

Iwelumo faces competition up front from Sylvan Ebanks-Blake, Kevin Doyle, Andy Keogh and Stefan Maierhofer.

However, Iwelumo is sure to be part of McCarthy's plans having scored 14 league goals in just 25 starts and six substitute appearances to help Wolves to promotion last season.

His aerial ability in both boxes could be vital tomorrow, but Iwelumo says Stoke are more than a long-ball team, reliant on Rory Delap long throws.

However, he is well aware of the power of the throw as Wolves have their own expert in Greg Halford – an ex-team-mate of Iwelumo's at Colchester and Charlton.

The striker added: "Greg's throw is very similar and I have scored a few goals from it now."

Wolves won plenty of plaudits for their football last season, but Iwelumo believes they can still learn from Stoke's combative approach.

He said: "We have played some nice football, created a lot of chances and are scoring goals.

"We should have won the games we have drawn and have deserved to win the games we have.

"But we need that nasty side. Stoke perfected that last year when they played some nice football, but also had that nastiness."

Iwelumo scored 22 goals in 52 starts and 51 substitute appearances for Stoke from 2000 to 2004 before leaving for Bundesliga side Alemannia Aachen.

But he returned to England, helping Colchester win promotion to the Championship in 2006 before later moving to Charlton.

His switch to Wolves last season helped him become a Premier League player, not bad for a striker who was on loan at League One Brighton in the final months of his Stoke contract.

His unselfishness and never-say-die attitude was encapsulated by the team in one of his favourite Stoke City games.

Although he didn't score himself, Iwelumo was part of the Stoke side which won 2-0 at Cardiff City to beat the Bluebirds 3-2 on aggregate in the 2001/2002 League One play-off semi-finals.

Trailing 2-1 from the first leg, Stoke were heading for defeat before James O'Connor scored in the last minute of normal time and Souleymane Oulare grabbed the winner in extra-time.

So certain were Cardiff of victory that, in the closing stages of normal time, the stadium announcer at Ninian Park asked fans to keep their celebrations off the pitch at the end of the game.

Iwelumo, who had been taken off for Oulare on 71 minutes, said: "I don't know why anyone would do that because you never know what's going to happen with three or four minutes to go.

"I believe the stadium announcer got the sack after that."