AARON Connolly is desperate to put down roots on Wearside and earn a long-term deal at Sunderland.

The striker has been only at Sunderland for a month but loves the "vibe" around the club and the city and wants to make Wearside his permanent home.

Connolly has bounced around clubs in recent years, with short-lived spells at Middlesbrough, Venezia and Hull City but after bravely opening up about his off the pitch struggles and alcohol addiction that had a major impact on his football, the 24-year-old is the "happiest he's been in a long, long time" on and off the pitch.

Now, after three substitute appearances for Regis Le Bris' side, he wants to force his way into Sunderland's starting XI and earn an extension to his short-term deal that is due to expire at the end of the season.

Connolly admits his lack of long-term security has affected his game in recent seasons, which makes him all the more determined to succeed at Sunderland.

"Of course. It's only a year and I had that at Hull, it's tough to get settled," said the striker.

"I was hoping I might get two years at Hull but that wasn't how it worked out - I was planning on maybe buying a place etc.

"That side of it, I want to get settled somewhere. I had that at Brighton and I was flying for a while, but then you're bouncing around places. I don't want to be this journeyman footballer at 26, who has had nine, 10 clubs. And this is some club [to be at].

"I said that I wanted to have somewhere in Sunderland, so I could settle here. It's a nice place and it's what I needed. It's a quiet place where I can get back to working, focusing on football. It's definitely somewhere I could see myself staying for a long time."

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In a young dressing room, Connolly, at 24, feels "ancient" but he thinks being one of the experienced campaigners in the squad is exactly what he needs after honestly admitting he didn't apply himself to the game as he should have done in the past.

"It's hard you know, to flip that," he says.

"I've always been able to get away with being immature, messing about in training, and the older boys are telling me [off]. Now I've got to set that example. I feel boring!

"I'm a lot different from how I was at Brighton, I was speaking to one of the boys about a normal day for me now and I had this thought to myself, 'I feel old'. I think I'm maturing.

"But honestly, my life has been so hectic over the last four or five years that it's a bit of peace, a bit of boring... it's a good thing. I'm comfortable with it, I'm happy to just actually be a professional footballer.

"Part of going into rehab was to get that life back with family and friends, so the next club I went into I could give everything. I wanted to be able to give 100% on and off the pitch and at the moment I have that - I know it's just about staying consistent on that now. Honestly, it's the happiest I've been in a long, long time - probably since I was first moving to Brighton. I'm just comfortable in my own company, which I couldn't do before. It's a nice feeling but again, I have to be consistent with it."

Part of what has made Connolly feel so quickly settled and at home on Wearside is the welcome he's received from people in the city.

He said: "I go to a gym nearby and you bounce into Sunderland fans everywhere, Tesco, the gym... I've had a lot of nice comments. it's definitely a similar feel to being at home in Ireland, it's a homely feel.

"I think the people are quite similar, hard-working people - so I definitely get a good kind of vibe which I haven't always been able to get.

"It's been brilliant, on and off the pitch. The boys are obviously flying and there's a good vibe. It was the perfect time to come in and I'm just trying to push as hard as I can to get into the starting XI, but Wilson (Isidor) is making it tough at the minute.

"He's a big personality and it's always good to have that around the dressing room, and he backs it up to be fair to him. He's flying, scoring goals, and I'm here to push him to be the best he can be and vice versa. We've got Eliezer as well, we're all pushing each other it can only benefit the club to have that."