Liam Lawrence admits he was concerned over his Stoke City future after being left out of Tony Pulis' starting XI for six successive games.

The winger was back in the first team for the draw with Blackburn Rovers.

Lawrence told The Sentinel: "I've read stuff where people said we had fallen out, but that wasn't the case. He just chose his teams, I wasn't in them, and we'd done well because we were ninth in the league.

"I want to stay for the remainder of that contract and maybe longer.

"These are my best years now and I feel as though I am playing some of my best stuff.

"I said to the manager that I just want to be playing football for Stoke and to get that chance again.

"I'm happy here and always have been. But I'm not someone who can pick up my money and be happy getting splinters in my backside sitting on the bench."