Georginio Rutter has brought a smile to Albion.

And not just when he contributed to key goals in important Premier League matches.

The record signing from Leeds has become a hugely popular addition to the club.

His part in key goals, like winners over Tottenham and Newcastle, has been part of that.

But that smiling demeanour and his team-player qualities have helped smooth the process, even if the finish has not always been applied, such as at Arsenal and Liverpool.

So he is happy to embrace the all-consuming demands of being a Premier League footballer.

“Yes, it’s a long day sometimes,” he said as he did more media rounds at a club commercial event on a midweek afternoon.

“To be honest, when I was in the Championship it wasn’t like this but it’s football.

“But I’m a footballer so I’m always here for this because it’s part of our job so we have to do it.

“It’s important for the fans as well to know what we do or what we think because they can’t ask us some questions that we can answer.”

Rutter is enjoying his new life in Sussex.

He added: “I settled quickly and that helped me. The guys here are very good, good staff, good people, so yes.

“There’s more intensity here and I’ve played in the Championship, in France and in the Bundesliga and it’s totally different, certainly more than the Championship.

“It’s different from Leeds but for me it was a good opportunity to come here and I’m enjoying my football.

“My confidence is back and I think it’s easier when you can start scoring goals for the team so that has helped me a lot.

“Of course I try to enjoy myself because it’s football, you know?

“I’m happy to play football. It has been my passion since I’m young so you have to enjoy.

“I’m not going to be sad on the pitch, it would be a shame.

“No, I try to be happy and enjoy my football every time.

Rutter struck up a partnership with Danny Welbeck which, he says, he did not have to work too hard on.

He added: “It’s something that was natural.

“On the pitch I try to find him because I know in the box he’s a very good striker and if I can do it, that’s good for him.

“In training we are both most of the time in the same positions so we work hard for the weekend and what we want to try to do in the games.”

That said there will be more options now players including Evan Ferguson, Brajan Gruda and Joao Pedro return to the frame.

Rutter said: “Yes, but they are good players with good potential and we have to adapt to everybody.

“Good players can always adapt to other good players and I try to do that.

“Although sometimes it’s difficult because sometimes Julio goes on the pitch when I’m coming out!

“But in training we try to work together and that’s what we have to do.”

Albion went into the international window handily placed after the win over Manchester City.

But Rutter believes things could be even better.

He said: “For me we started very well and we have a good potential to perform every week and be in the top six of the Premier League.

“We are a bit disappointed because we lost some points against some teams this season that we shouldn’t.

“But that is football and we have to work more and try to do less mistakes and go forward.

“It’s frustrating because we want points to stay high up in the table.

“Unfortunately we didn’t but the season is long so we have time.

“But we have to take more points by the end of the season.”

And there is something else for the Frenchman to look forward to - life with the under-21s as his nation’s production line of talent shows no signs of slowing down.

He said: “Yes, we have good potential. Every year we have good players who play in the Championship or Bundesliga, Ligue 1 or the Premier League as well.

“We are ready for the Euros because we have qualified and everything is going well for us.”

And that could yet open up the chance of taking on Jack Hinshelwood, his Albion coleague.

“Yes, we spoke about it a few times and I knew some of the other England players when I was in Leeds.

“It will be a good battle so we’ll see.”