Evander Sno reckons time spent in the Scottish Premier League has provided him with the perfect grounding for life in the Coca-Cola Championship.

Still a raw teenager when he joined Celtic on loan from Ajax in 2006, the Dutchman underwent something of a culture shock after arriving in Glasgow.

Accustomed to playing the game at a relaxed tempo, which reflected his laid-back upbringing in Amsterdam, Sno suddenly found himself pitched into an environment in which the importance of those traditional British virtues of work-rate and physicality far outweigh the more aesthetic values associated with the game in Europe.

He had been taught to trust in his skill and express himself with the ball at his feet but soon discovered time was of the essence in a country where the game was played at a furious pace. Too often, he would dwell on the ball while assessing his options and lose possession or, worse still, end up on the seat of his pants.

Although Sno never quite managed to adapt to the peculiar demands of the SPL during 40 first-team appearances north of the border, he learned some crucial lessons.

Now, after returning to these shores to play in the English second tier, the former Dutch Under-21 international insists he is wiser than before and in a position to help Bristol City push for promotion.

He recalled: "It was a bit of a shock for me when I first went to Celtic. I had to get used to the language and the football was different from what I had been used to.

"It's a different culture in Scotland. In Holland, we play at a much slower pace and pass the ball more. There might be 10 or 20 passes before it gets to the penalty area.

"You cannot do that in the SPL. Everything is much quicker and you don't have time on the ball. You have to think quickly and look to pass sooner because they get the ball forward a lot quicker than back at home."

Now in his second full month at Ashton Gate, Sno claims the game is played at an even more furious pace in the Championship.

"It is quicker than in Scotland, for sure," said the loan signing. "But I know I can deal with that now, because of the time I spent at Celtic.

"I learned a lot in Scotland and I'm putting that to use to help Bristol City. It took me a while to adapt but I now feel the fans are seeing my real game.

"I feel fit and I'm able to go from box to box and look to score goals. The experience I gained playing for Celtic is definitely helping me."

Deployed essentially as a defensive midfielder by Ajax boss Martin Jol, Sno is being asked to adopt a more attacking role by City manager Gary Johnson, who is eager to utilise the 6ft 3in Dutchman's physical attributes.

A workaholic display in last weekend's victory at Barnsley, in which Sno registered his first goal in English football, suggests he can be a real force in the Championship, and he is likely to be selected in a similar position against Sheffield Wednesday at Ashton Gate tomorrow.

"Not all foreign players can adapt to English conditions and you have to be very careful when deciding which ones to bring in," said Johnson.

"We always take a close look at players we want to sign and interview them thoroughly. You could tell that Evander really wanted to try and make things work over here.

"He's prepared to put in the hard work, adapt his game and play a quick tempo. Of course, it's a different culture for him, but he has all the attributes to be a very good player in the Championship.

"It's important he feels settled and he seems to be at home in Bristol and is one of the boys in the dressing room. We're now beginning to see the benefits of that on the pitch.

"He's a very powerful lad and defenders are discovering just how hard he is to stop. Now that he's picked up the pace of the English game and knows how much work is involved, I'm sure we are going to see the best of him."