Stoke boss Tony Pulis says he won’t stand in Danny Higginbotham’s way if the loanee wants to extend his stay at Portman Road. The 33-year-old centre-half is with Town for an initial month but has said he would be open to a longer term move.

Pulis says Higginbotham has played a big part in the Potters establishing themselves in the Premier League but accepts that it may be time for him to move on: "He's a great lad, a great ambassador for this club and one of the bedrocks it has been built on.

"But I understand his wish to be playing, especially at this stage of his career, so if I can help him I certainly will.

"We should never forget the contribution made by Danny, both on and off the field, and I certainly won't."

Higginbotham, who wasn’t named in Stoke’s 25-man Premier League squad for the first half of the season, has made an important contribution as the Blues have gained two important away points in his first two starts, having made his debut as a late sub in the defeat to Charlton.

Speaking shortly after joining the Blues, the former Manchester United trainee said he’d be interested in staying at Portman Road beyond a month: “We have to see how things go but if the opportunity was there to extend the loan then I’d definitely look at it.”

Photo: Action Images

battyblue added 17:18 - Oct 3 H
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battyblue added 17:29 - Oct 3 He has steadied the centre of defence no doubt we would probably have lost last to games without his presence and experience now lets see if the powers that be can sort the deal out ie three months loan with permanent deal in January get the figures sorted now not in January but it will probably go tits up as normal just watch he will get offered 1 year deal but i hope i am proved wrong looking forward to Saturday but if we don't win i can see us being firmly on the bottom all peterborough need is one point..............

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neillrumsey added 17:48 - Oct 3 Didn't know Borat played football
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MickMillsTash added 18:26 - Oct 3 Making all the right noises- hopeflly we can meet his demands for the next 2 years - with Chambers the defence looks good
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stringy added 18:59 - Oct 3 worth buying for that 'tache alone, not since the days of Mills and Wark... good omen, surely?
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RetroBlue added 19:06 - Oct 3 I havent actually had the pleasure of watching DH in action myself yet. This will be rectified on Sat. Whilst I acknowledge he has made an impact on many fans on here (who want us to sign him up), I cant help but feel that it wouldn't take too much to improve our current defence anyway. And at 33-34yrs old DH is certainly not "one for the future". He could well be this seasons "Andrews" who has a big enough impact on a annually failing Town side, and saves the managers job for yet a other season. Yet in a years time we are still languishing here in the lower half of the Championship ( assuming we're not relegated this season), and still saying the same thing , eg "....when are we going to sign 2 young / mid twenties CB's with potential?

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Talbs77 added 19:26 - Oct 3 Love that moustache!! I want one!! He looks like Denis Hopper in easy Rider (havent seen the film but think I saw him on a video cover years ago!!) although maybe wrong about that. Proper handlebar. Now moving on from man hair, I am going to hold judgement on him as we have been down this road with loan players before and most of them have been absolute kak. I also cant see at 33 how he will solve the long term problem at centre half. We still have massive massive problems in my opinion, this squad just isnt looking good enough and I worry for the season ahead although dont necessarily go down that getting rid of pj line. I think the problems run deeper than that. Gets bad when you look at a home game against Cardiff and dread going down there in case I see another horror show.

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Ebantiass added 19:43 - Oct 3 He seems to bought some steady play and resolute defending to a weakend back line so more power to him. A permanent signing could be a good thing. A couple of years for a 33 year old is not the end of the world. KEEP IT UP and dont do a Bullard.
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tractorboybig added 19:46 - Oct 3 with edwards at right back we could have terry and cahill in central defence and still be crap
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TimmyH added 19:49 - Oct 3 Totally agree Talbs! we've been here before, a player in his 30's on loan possibly wanting a contract, maybe another couple of months! Disagree - I think he looks like Edge from U2 in his Zooropa days!
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Talbs77 added 19:52 - Oct 3 Yeah I agree Ebantiass from listening to the game last night on the radio it did sound like he was organising the defence well which when I have seen them they have desperately needed. And centre backs at 33 are not all washed up as a centre back. Mowbray, Warky (3rd time AND he had the same moustache!!) and Venus were hardly in their prime when they came here and all of them were fantastic.

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Norwichbeater added 19:54 - Oct 3 its a no brainer really. we need a central defender added to the squad for as long as possible. he has a wealth of experience and his confidence should do the whole team good. sometimes 1 player can make a big difference to team morale. jimmy bullard did for a while and so did keith andrews. saturdays performance and result is going to be important for a lot of reasons i think!

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Talbs77 added 19:56 - Oct 3 TimmyH, U2 Edge ala Zooropa - spot on!!! And I saw them at Wembley all those years ago!! But hope were both wrong about the loan 30's thing, but as my above comments, lets try to stay positive although must admit, I'm dreading going down there to watch em saturday, almost feels as bad as going to work!
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alfromcol added 20:02 - Oct 3 As there seems no negative angle to this, bluey123, has for once been silenced?
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TimmyH added 20:17 - Oct 3 Yeah we haven't played particularly well when Sky has visited over the last season or so, but as mentioned we do play well against the 'bigger' teams and as results have proven already this season on their day anybody can almost beat anybody - and it IS about time for a win for us, so fingers crossed!
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bentley_blue added 20:20 - Oct 3 He looks like Kevin from Coronation Street in this photo. Had a solid game last night. Just what we need at the back.
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TimmyH added 20:24 - Oct 3 We've got a good record at home to Cardiff too! I might have a cheeky punt on us! makes me laugh that we're not interested in him wanting a possible stay but RATHER who he looks like lol!
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Talbs77 added 20:27 - Oct 3 I'm loving all the positive feedback on his performance last night. Would also be interested by people who went last night how JET played as he sounded like he played well especially first half. Yeah we have a terrible record when on sky, but a good records against cardiff, but didnt they go top after last nights games. But were due a big performance and 2 good away draws is a good base to build on. I just hope we have a go and at least give us a really good game to watch, and win!!

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ericclacton added 20:30 - Oct 3 Somebody was saying Higginbotham was very vocal, this is always a plus and helps to stop fellow defenders from falling asleep. Let us all hope they can start to improve in front of goal, sooner rather than later.
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ericclacton added 21:31 - Oct 3 He came on late against Charlton he was clean shaven i think,is the player behind him Jermaine Pennant
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suffolkpunchdrunk added 22:17 - Oct 3 He will play well for us, we will offer him peanuts to sign for us and he will go elsewhere on a better deal.
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ericclacton added 22:35 - Oct 3 If he plays im hoping Bellamy moans at the ref throughout the game,if he does it will be because the town are winning.
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runningout added 23:14 - Oct 3 steady on people, you should know better.. as soon as the praise starts, form goes down the pan
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