Stoke City: Jermaine Pennant looks to weigh in with more goals

JERMAINE Pennant wants to pull his weight in front of goal next season – but admits providing assists gives him as much pleasure as scoring.

Pennant reckons he can improve on last season's return of three goals in 36 appearances from the right wing as he gears up for his first full campaign in the Potteries.

The 28-year-old crowd favourite, who has just completed his first week's pre-season training on the trip to Austria, said: "If the two wingers can chip in with goals from both sides it's going to help.

"Doing that is always in the back of your mind, but you've always got to see the amount of assists myself and Matthew Etherington give as well.

"It counts the same for me, whether I'm creating or scoring the goal. Assisting is as good as scoring for me because I get so much joy doing that."

Pennant, pictured below, will start the new season on a high after establishing himself as a Stoke regular during his first year with the club following a nightmare stay in Spain with Real Zaragoza.

"It was a good season for everybody," said the former Liverpool and Arsenal winger. "I know the last three results were disappointing, but those can't take away from the season as a whole.

"For myself, the fans took to me, while family and friends said I had a good season."

The Potters rounded off their Austrian pre-season training camp with a 3-1 victory over FC Thal yesterday, before flying back late last night.

City, who fielded different sides in each half, eased to victory thanks to goals from Michael Tonge, Jonathan Walters and Andy Wilkinson in the second 45 minutes.

Carlton Cole's proposed £4.5m transfer from West Ham United to Stoke has collapsed, according to reports in The Guardian.

The paper says that Stoke had agreed a fee with West Ham that would rise to £6m, including add-ons, but Cole failed to agree personal terms and will stay at the Hammers.

Stoke will find out their Europa League third qualifying round opponents today.

The Potters, entering major European competition for the first time in 37 years, have been placed in Group Six, alongside Scottish outfit Hearts and Sparta Prague, of the Czech Republic. It means City will face either Croatian side Hadjuk Split, Irish outfit Sligo Rovers, who are already assured of their places, or one of three winners from the second-round qualifying games.

The first leg of the ties between Paksi SE, of Hungary and Norwegian side Tromso, AC Juvenes-Dogona (San Marino) and FK Robotnicki, of Macedonia, plus Sweden's Orebro SK and FK Sarajevo, of Bosnia, were played last night. The return fixtures are due to be played next week.