Stoke City chairman Peter Coates has lavished praise on outgoing stalwart Andy Wilkinson.

Wilkinson is a Stoke man through and through, and has undoubtedly been one of the key men in helping the Potters establish themselves as a Premier League side.

However, Wilkinson has had first team football hard to come by in recent seasons and it is all but certain that the defender will be leaving the club upon the expiration of his contract at the end of the current campaign.

Wilkinson will certainly depart the Britannia Stadium with a heavy heart and chairman Coates has now moved on to shower praise on the defender by stating that he was one of the most committed players to pull on the Stoke jersey.

"He has been one of my favourites and I suspect I speak for all our supporters when I say that. He's been one of us from a very young age after coming through the system," he told the Stoke Sentinel.

"He has played with a great do-or-die attitude and you knew you got every drop out of him in matches. You would hold your breath on occasions and fear the worst now and then, but in terms of commitment and endeavour you could never ask for more.

"He could play as well, we mustn't forget that, and was certainly a very important part of our development from when Tony Pulis came back to the club in 2006. Needless to say he goes with our best wishes for the remainder of his career."