ɪn ˈɔːɡəst tˈuː θˈaʊzənd fˈaɪv, hiː sˈaɪnd ɐ θɹˈiːjˈɪɹ kˈɑːntɹækt wɪð fˈɛloʊ tʃˈæmpiənʃˌɪp klˈʌb, stˈoʊk sˈɪɾi ɪn ɐ swˈɑːp dˈiːl wˌɪtʃ ɪnvˈɑːlvd lˈuːɪs nˈiːl mˈuːvɪŋ fɹʌm stˈoʊk tə pɹˈɛstən.
In August 2005, he signed a three-year contract with fellow Championship club, Stoke City in a swap deal which involved Lewis Neal moving from Stoke to Preston.