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Stoke skipper Ryan Shawcross led the team out against West Ham last Monday - barely 24 hours after losing his father suddenly.

Shawcross spurned the chance to take compassionate leave and purposely minimised the fuss surrounding his sad loss to concentrate on the game.

Manager Paul Lambert said his actions were above and beyond the call of duty and left his captain rising even higher in his estimation.

“I found out the day before the game that something catastrophic had happened,” said Lambert, “and his performance on Monday night epitomised what this club is built on.

“I said to him after that his mum and dad would’ve been proud of him for what he did there.

“It’s an emotional thing - you’re never quite sure what to say to people when they lose a parent.”

Shawcross brushed aside the intense emotions accompanying his bereavement to turn in a typically solid display at the heart of his defence at West Ham.

His admirable selflessness will merely add to the legend that will accompany him into retirement one day.

“I think his performance was colossal,” Lambert continued. “He wanted to play in the game. We had one or two little chats the night before.

(Image: Mike Hewitt)

“He showed what this club is, what it should be and what it should get back.”

Lambert said he offered Shawcross the chance to pull out of the Stoke fixture in such extenuating circumstances.

“Yes, it was a difficult one, because it was his dad - and with the emotion and everything.

“I had a chat as soon as I found out. “I said ‘Look, if you want to go home, you decide’. That would’ve been no problem.

“There were two ways of looking at it. One, the emotion gets to him. Or two, play him and it takes his mind off it for a spell.

“It probably caught up with him a day later or so. For someone to go through that and play like he did was unbelievable.”

(Image: Getty)

Shawcross is expected to take up his usual place in the heart of Stoke’s defence for tomorrow’s visit of a Burnley side winning five on the spin before Lambert saw them lose 2-1 to Chelsea at Turf Moor on Thursday evening.

Lambert, who is calling for three wins out of the last four games to beat the drop, has Charlie Adam back in his squad after serving his three-match ban for a red-card challenge on Wayne Rooney in the 30th minute of the home defeat to Everton.

Adam has actually been nursing a slight injury for much of his suspension, but is now fit to take up a a place on the bench against Burnley.

Veteran striker Peter Crouch has thrown his hat into the ring for a start after stepping off the bench to score at West Ham last Monday.

Glenn Johnson returned to training yesterday after missing the West Ham game with a groin injury, but may have a problem dislodging Kurt Zouma at right back unless the Frenchman switches inside for Bruno Martins Indi.