STEPPING up from the Championship is a challenge for most players, writes Michael Baggaley.

Jon Walters has the added pressure of Ricardo Fuller, Eidur Gudjohnsen and Tuncay in a queue to take his place.

Players of lesser character and ability might feel a little intimidated, but the 26-year-old is taking everything in his stride.

In fact, Walters has arguably been Stoke's best performer in his four games since his £2.75m move from Ipswich.

He has certainly become an instant hit with supporters who have been impressed by the industry, tenacity and no little quality from a player who was turning out for Chester City in League Two just three years ago.

Walters said: "I'm very pleased with the way things have started for me.

"The manager knows what I'm about, having watched me for the last couple of years.

"He knows what I'm going to give and what I'll bring to the team.

"I'm the type of player who, no matter how it's going for me, even if I give it away 10 times in a game I still want the ball and will still give everything I can.

"I'll always do everything I can on the training ground to give myself every chance to play."

With that attitude, it is no wonder the former Ipswich skipper was targeted by a manager who places a high value on players who refuse to give up.

That spirit was obvious in Stoke's 2-1 comeback victory against Aston Villa on Monday after they trailed at the break.

Walters says the appearance of Tony Pulis at half-time played a part after the players expected him to miss the game following the death of his mother.

Walters is not disclosing details of what was apparently a ferocious half-time team talk.

However, he said: "He gave us that lift we needed. It shows the professionalism and character of the gaffer and showed what the club means to him. It obviously means a hell of a lot."

Walters is making the most of his second chance in the top flight having been a youth player at Blackburn and then playing a handful of games at Bolton before dropping down.

Spells at Hull, Crewe, Barnsley, S****horpe, Wrexham and Chester followed before a £100,000 move to Ipswich in January 2007 gave him the opportunity to show he could play at a higher level.

He earned a reputation as one of the best players in the Championship, although that was largely for his efforts on the right of midfield.

He has impressed as a striker so far for Stoke, but does not have a preference where he plays.

"Not at all," he said. "I just prefer to play. I can play up front or on the left or right. They're all strings to my bow and give the manager options."

Pulis has plenty of those at the moment, having named what must have been the strongest set of substitutes in the club's history for Monday's win over Villa.

Fuller, Jermaine Pennant and Glenn Whelan came on to help the side to victory, meaning Gudjohnsen, Asmir Begovic, Danny Higginbotham and Andy Wilkinson were not required.

That Tuncay couldn't even get a place on the bench was further indication of the strength in depth at the club.

Walters added: "It's all about squads now. There are players here who haven't played much yet, but we're all part of a big squad here all together.

"Over the course of the season I think every player will be used.

"There will be times when players who are sitting out now will be playing a major part.

"That's what it's all about. Whoever's playing, the lads will be right behind them because it's all about the team and the squad here."

Should he continue his club form, the Republic of Ireland B international must have a chance of breaking into Giovanni Trapattoni's squad in time for the European Championships in 2012.

However, Walters, who would be competing with Liam Lawrence for a place in the Irish team, says international recognition wasn't a major factor in making the move to Stoke.

He admitted: "It was at the back of my mind. There was talk of it last year, but it never came about.

"But first and foremost I'm just concentrating on doing the best I can here.

"You have to be playing at your club to be giving yourself a chance for internationals."

In the meantime, the modest Walters believes his own game can only improve from playing and training alongside the likes of Kenwyne Jones and Gudjohnsen.

However, he will not be attempting to emulate Jones's spectacular backward-flip goal celebration.

"I don't know about that," he said. "Maybe I can do a forward roll."

In an interview with the News of the World, Walters says he is by no means the "bad egg” he was claimed to be at the time of his £2.75 million move to Stoke City and says he missed the Exeter match because he was genuinely ill.

Walters said: “We had Exeter away and all during the week everybody in my family had a vomiting bug. So I quarantined myself from the wife and kids to try and avoid it.

"But at 3am on the Tuesday morning I was throwing up. I even took a picture of my sick and sent it to the physio because I knew Roy wouldn't believe me, what with it being a cup tie, clubs being interested in me and all that sort of thing.”

Walters has made five starts and has scored one goal since moving to the Britannia Stadium last month.

This is his second goal for Stoke. It's his second league goal.