Rory Delap
An Irish midfielder who turned a prodigious long throw into a devastating Premier League weapon, defining an era for Stoke City's physical style.
Born 1976 (age 50)·Irish professional footballer·Birthday: July 6·Generation X
Biography
Rory Delap launched the ball into the penalty area from the touchline with the distance and dip of a corner kick for Stoke City. Under Tony Pulis, this catapult-like long throw became a central tactical plank. It turned set-pieces into consistent scoring opportunities. Stoke's Britannia Stadium became a fortress where top teams dreaded defending his deliveries. For a few seasons, he was one of the most talked-about players in England. He demonstrated how mastering one exceptional trait could change games and define a team's identity.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Rory was born in 1976, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Rory Was Born
The biggest hits of 1976
#1 Movie
Rocky
Best Picture
Rocky
#1 TV Show
All in the Family
Rory's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1976Born
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
1981Started school
MTV launches; first Space Shuttle flight; AIDS identified
Gas: $1.31/galHome: $52,300Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Bette Davis Eyes" — Kim CarnesBest Picture: Chariots of Fire
1989Became a teenager
Berlin Wall falls; Tiananmen Square protests
Gas: $1.00/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Look Away" — ChicagoBest Picture: Driving Miss Daisy
1992Could drive
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
1994Could vote
Nelson Mandela elected president of South Africa
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $90,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"The Sign" — Ace of BaseBest Picture: Forrest Gump
1997Turned 21
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
2006Turned 30
Twitter launches; Pluto reclassified as dwarf planet
Gas: $2.59/galHome: $174,700Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Bad Day" — Daniel PowterBest Picture: The Departed
2016Turned 40
Donald Trump elected president; Brexit vote
Gas: $2.14/galHome: $181,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Love Yourself" — Justin BieberBest Picture: Moonlight
2026Turned 50
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Made 11 senior appearances for the Republic of Ireland national team between 1998 and 2004.
- Played a pivotal role in Stoke City's 2007-08 promotion to the Premier League and their subsequent establishment in the top flight.
- His long throw-in was directly responsible for numerous crucial goals during Stoke's early Premier League campaigns.
- Won the Football League Trophy with Carlisle United in 1997.
- Made over 300 appearances in the Premier League across spells with Derby County, Southampton, Sunderland, and Stoke City.
Did You Know?
He was a talented junior javelin thrower in his youth, which contributed to his remarkable throwing technique.
He once scored a goal directly from a corner kick for Derby County against Southampton in 2001.
He played as a forward early in his career at Carlisle before moving to midfield and later, occasionally, to right-back.
He required surgery after breaking his leg twice in the same year (1999) while playing for Derby.
His son, Liam Delap, is a professional footballer who has played for Manchester City and the England youth teams.
“They called it a weapon, but it was just a tool to help the team win.”
