Since the 35-year-old joined the Potters - initially on loan in 2006 and then permanently the following year - the club have enjoyed incredible success, securing promotion to the Premier League, establishing themselves as a force in the top flight over the past three seasons and last term reaching the FA Cup final.
That Wembley appearance has led to the Staffordshire side taking part in major continental competition for the first time in 37 years, and Stoke host Israeli outfit Maccabi Tel Aviv on Thursday evening sitting top of Europa League Group E after two games.
Delap, who scored in Saturday's 2-0 league win over Fulham, remains very much a key figure in the team and the long-throw specialist is grateful to manager Tony Pulis for keeping faith in him.
"I was involved with Southampton when we got to Europe, but we were knocked out after one round," Delap said.
"If I was being brutally honest, I wouldn't have thought five years ago that I'd still be playing at this level.
"When I came to the club, the gaffer said this is where he wanted to be and asked who wanted to be with him, and he and the chairman have kept their promises.
"You've just got to enjoy these games because particularly for myself, you are not going to get too many occasions like this.
"I'm just pleased to still be in and around it at a club like this, and I feel like I'm still holding my own."
Pulis boosted his numbers over the summer by recruiting the likes of Peter Crouch, Wilson Palacios and Cameron Jerome, but feels it is important that long-serving players like Delap and recent injury victims Danny Higginbotham - who is in contention to feature tonight for the first time since April - and Mamady Sidibe continue to have a role as the club progresses.
"We are pleased to see Danny back," Pulis said.
"Also Mama is very close. We need all the help we can get and they are good lads.
"They are people who have been here for a long time and they know the structure and DNA of the football club. They are important people to us.
"I think the basis of the football club is really built on having good people around you.
"As a manager the job is hard enough as it is and you can make it even more difficult if you don't get the right sort of people in.
"I think over the past six or seven years what we have done very well is select decent people, who have come here and really rolled their sleeves up and worked hard.
"Rory has epitomised that - he would be in that top group of players that you would say this club has been built on. He has been a bedrock of the success of Stoke City."
Source: Team Talk
Source: Team Talk