for whom he scored his only professional goal against Clyde. Returning to Stoke in January 2005, he played one game against Millwall before being sent out on loan again, this time to Football League Two side Shrewsbury Town for the remainder of the season, where he made nine appearances. In the 2005–06 season Wilkinson, made six first-team appearances before suffering ankle ligament damage playing against Southampton in April 2006, which forced him out of action for several months. In the summer of 2006 Wilkinson signed a new two-year contract keeping him at Stoke until 2008. After he recovered from his injury he was sent out on loan to Blackpool. This deal was thought to be made permanent but he managed to get a run in the Stoke side after he returned from his loan spell. Blackpool did make a £150,000 bid which was however rejected and in the end Wilkinson decided not to move. During the 2007–08 season Wilkinson broke into the first team and made 20 appearances as Stoke City were promoted to the Premier League. During the season Both Wilkinson and fellow academy product Carl Dickinson were an important part of Stoke's promotion. On 26 December 2008 he was sent off for a second bookable offence in the game against Manchester United, despite this he kept his place in the side at the expense of club captain Andy Griffin and went on to occupy the right back position for the rest of the season. In February 2009 Wilkinson revealed that he would like to stay at Stoke City for the rest of his career. His impressive performances for Stoke led to the club offering him a new contract. On 8 July 2009 Andy Wilkinson signed a new three-year contract which kept him at Stoke until 2012 which he described as another dream. After the arrival of Robert Huth, Wilkinson lost his place in the side and became one of a number first-team players stuck on the Stoke bench. He played in the 1–0 win over Portsmouth due to the suspension to Abdoulaye Faye, and he put in a man of the match performance and almost scored his first ever goal for Stoke by beating two Pompey defenders before shooting just over Jamie Ashdown's goal. Wilkinson himself described it as his best Stoke display yet. Wilkinson was sent-off for the second time in his Stoke career when the Potters