Dave Kitson insists he has finally settled at Stoke City Football Club.

The striker was signed by the Potters for £5.5million last summer, but he failed to spark for Tony Pulis’ side and was sent back to Reading on loan in the second half of the campaign.

Kitson returned to the Britannia Stadium this summer and, after scoring his first goal for the club in the 1-0 win over Sunderland, he insists he is now settled in his new surroundings.

"I can get a bit set in my ways. I had been at Reading for a long time. It was difficult for me to integrate at first through my own fault,” he said. "I should have made more of an effort to mix with the lads.

“This year I have and they have been absolutely fantastic. They know how hard it is. A lot of them have played for different clubs and had to move families, things like that.

"Some people cope better than others and I struggled a lot. I've never had any trouble with anyone. I have had to get used to our way of playing and I have taken far too long. That was my fault.

"Now I am used to it I am more aware of how the play is going to be. I am getting there. At the start of the week I did not think I would be scoring too many goals. Now that I have, it is fantastic."