THE STRANGEST THING ABOUT MOVING TO BRITAIN? YOUR BOOZE CULTURE

Terriers’ Belgian star Depoitre on getting used to life in the Prem... and driving on the left

LAURENT DEPOITRE is only too happy to toast Huddersfield’s superb Premier League start – even if he admits that Britain’s drinking culture makes no sense to him.

The striker cut short an unhappy stay at Porto to rebuild his career in England by joining the Terriers for £3.5million in June.

He is loving life in the Premier League with a Huddersfield side who have been beaten just once in the league since their shock promotion in May.

But he has been taken aback by just how much Britons love their booze – even though he comes from Belgium, a country famous for its beer.

Depoitre said: “Life in England has had a few surprises. When I go to the restaurant, sometimes there are people drinking in the streets at 10pm. That does not happen in Belgium and I find it funny.” The front runner has also had to get used to driving on the left in England – as they drive on the right on the continent.

He said: “The driving is the most different thing. In my first days, that was difficult.

“It was not natural but now I am used to it.

“I have to think all the time, but I am finally used to driving on this side of the road.

“I have not driven on the wrong side here but when I was last in Belgium, I was on the wrong side at the start.

“I changed very quickly!”

Depoitre is set to lead eighthplaced Huddersfield’s attack against in-form Tottenham at the John Smith’s Stadium this lunchtime as £11.5m club-record signing Steve Mounie continues to recover from a heel injury.

The Belgian is relishing the chance to make an impact in England after a miserable 12 months at Porto, where he made just two league starts after falling out of favour with then-coach Nuno Espirito Santo, now in charge at Wolves. Depoitre had made his name – and won his move to Portugal – by helping Gent win the Belgian title for the first time in their history in 2015.

Now he hopes to recapture that form by putting last season’s misery behind him.

The 28-yearold star said: “In Portugal last year, it was a difficult time for me. I did not play so much. The coach did not trust me. I played one or two good games but then I played a bad game.

“I didn’t play so much after that. Obviously that’s the choice of the coach, but I feel a lot better here than in Portugal.

“It does affect the confidence. At every club I played at in Belgium, I was always in the starting line-up. That was not how it was there.

“Being on the bench was different for me. I was only able to play for 20 minutes at a time and that makes it more difficult for a striker to build confidence.”

A frustrated Depoitre was desperate to get out of Portugal to kick-start his career, and was grateful when the Huddersfield move came along.

“I wanted to move from there because I wanted to play,” he said. “It is difficult for a football player to stay on the bench.

“Plus, I have always wanted to play in England.”