Danny Higginbotham has insisted Stoke will not be the Premier League's whipping boys after rejoining the Potters this week.The 29-year-old defender revealed that he had no hesitation on rejoining Tony Pulis' side and is backing his new team-mates to prove more than a match for their Premier League opponents this term - despite their pre-season position as the bookies' favourites for relegation.
Higginbotham told BBC Radio Stoke: "I think the club is moving in the right direction so hopefully we can give a good account of ourselves this season and do the job that's required.
"It was a hard decision to leave Stoke in the first place because I really enjoyed my time here. But when Sunderland came in it was an opportunity to go and play in the Premier League and that would have been very difficult to turn down.
"Obviously I know what the club is all about and I'm glad to be back.
"I'm thankful to have the opportunity to come back to Stoke and hopefully I can carry on where I left off."
