Rory John Delap first came into Premiership prominence after a big-money move from Derby County to Southampton. He was seen at that time as an uncompromising midfielder who couples impressive forward runs with strong tackling and excellent passing. That's what I remembered him as, a fantastic athlete who was never flashy but very effective. He could even chip in with some spectacular goals from time to time. But mostly, he was a midfield dynamo and battler.
That image of the former Republic of Ireland international stayed with me while he was at Derby, then Southampton and later on Sunderland.
