STEVE Guppy is expected to make his Stoke City debut against Ipswich Town tonight after joining them as a free agent yesterday.A former England international, Guppy was released by Leeds United last week after playing just four games for them since his summer move to Elland Road.

By Derek Davis

STEVE Guppy is expected to make his Stoke City debut against Ipswich Town tonight after joining them as a free agent yesterday.

A former England international, Guppy was released by Leeds United last week after playing just four games for them since his summer move to Elland Road.

The 35-year-old has penned an initial one-month contract despite interest from Bradford City.

With Chris Barker recalled by Cardiff City from his loan spell, Guppy will fill that left-wing position.

Manager Tony Pulis' other option is to shuffle his midfield, bringing in Carl Henry to the right flanks, putting former Norwich City star Darel Russell into the middle and move Clive Clarke out wide left.

Guppy is one of the few players who have made the short journey across the Potteries to play for City after previously being with Port Vale.

He joins his former Valiant manager John Rudge, who is now Director of Football at the Britannia Stadium, and ex-Vale skipper Dave Brammer, who joined City from Crewe last month.

Pulis is an admirer of the Blues and watched them on television as they went top on Sunday.

He said: “I like their combination of youth and experience. They have players who have come through their Academy system and know the Ipswich way of doing things.

“Darren Bent works really well up front with either Kuqi or Counago and Ian Westlake has the potential to be an outstanding player.

“They also have very good players like Jim Magilton, who controls the game, and, of course, at the back they have Jason De Vos who we tried to sign in the summer.”

City lost their unbeaten start with a 3-0 defeat at Preston but the score-line does not truly reflect the game with the final two goals coming late in the game.