'Giants' - Why Derby County fans did not see much of Rory Delap's long throw

The midfielder or defender played 113 times for the Rams between 1997 and 2000 after signing from Carlisle United

Former Stoke City boss Tony Pulis has claimed his team rattled Arsene Wenger so much the Arsenal boss demanded the FA ban Stoke's long throws from expert Rory Delap, the former Derby County player.

Pulis' Stoke side won five of eight matches against Wenger's Arsenal between 2008 and 2014.

But Pulis has revealed he only discovered Delap's long-throw talent by accident.

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He told the BBC’s 'That Peter Crouch Podcast': "We only found out Rory Delap could throw the ball like that when the lads had a competition. He picked it up and hurled it to the back post."

Delap played 113 times for Derby between 1997 and 2000 after signing from Carlisle United, but fans did not see very much of his long-throw.

"The long throw was used for the first time in Carlisle’s youth team. We were playing Liverpool and with a few minutes to go the score was 1-1," Delap said in an interview on Derby's website.

"Someone was unmarked in the penalty area, so I launched it in there, the ball was headed in and we won 2-1!

"It’s funny now how people from old clubs always say to me 'why didn’t you use it when you were with us?'.

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"It only really came to prominence while I was at Stoke because it was so effective. It probably helped I was in a team with giants, brave ones too, who stick their head on anything.

"I think I used it a few times at Derby when I played as a wing-back. We had quick forwards, so one would come short to draw someone out and I’d throw it down the line to get in behind.

"Sometimes late on if we were chasing the game then I’d throw the ball into the box, but I don’t remember any goals coming from it."