Source: Daily_Mail
Danny Higginbotham happy to help Tony Pulis as Stoke head for Wembley
Danny Higginbotham will answer Stoke boss Tony Pulis' call to arms, but admits watching Sunday's FA Cup semi-final against Bolton is not an experience he is looking forward to. [LNB]The defender scored the winning goal in the Potters' quarter-final triumph over West Ham last month but a cruciate ligament injury sustained in the 1-1 draw with Chelsea has put him on the sidelines for the rest of the season. [LNB]Higginbotham, who was an unused substitute for Southampton in their FA Cup final defeat by Arsenal in 2003, is one of the most experienced players in Stoke's squad and Pulis immediately earmarked a leading role off the pitch for the 32-year-old this weekend. [LNB] Crocked: Higginbotham will not be back in action for at least six months[LNB]He told The Sentinel: 'The gaffer really wants me to be there around the lads. I wasn't 100 per cent sure, but I think I will look back and realise it was the right thing to be among them. Anything I can do to help the lads out, I'll do it because it's not about me. [LNB]'It won't be easy watching the game because I've been 15 years a pro and the opportunity to play at Wembley doesn't come along very often. But I'm desperate for us to win - and no-one would be happier than me if we do and get to the final.'[LNB] Higginbotham sustained the injury in a innocuous-looking collision with Chelsea keeper Petr Cech and is set to go under the knife on April 27. [LNB]He added: 'The surgeon says that from the day of the operation you are looking at six to eight months out. I'm not on crutches at the moment but I soon will be again and I know I have a tough rehabilitation ahead. [LNB]'But at least after I have the op our physios will be able to set targets, which will help me along the road to recovery.'[LNB] Fuller free to play for Stoke against Bolton despite Spurs fan spatWatch all the Premier League goals every week on our brilliant video playerAll the latest Stoke news, features and opinion[LNB] Explore more:People: Tony Pulis, Danny Higginbotham, Petr Cech
