Brendan Rodgers has admitted he was wrong to leave Watford to join his adopted home-town club Reading.

Tomorrow Rodgers will return to Vicarage Road as an opposing manager for the first time since he controversially left the Hornets last year.

The Swansea City boss angered the Watford fans after leaving the club less than two weeks after stating he was a “loyal” person and a man of “integrity”.

While still the Hornets boss, Rodgers said: “When I am asked about other clubs, people are questioning my integrity and one thing I have mentioned is I always have integrity.

“I am loyal and find it disloyal when I am asked about other clubs when I am the Watford manager. There is nothing that has changed in that respect.”

The former Chelsea Reserve team boss believes his comments were “misconstrued” by many and insists Watford are still a club close to his heart.

“It was unfortunate the way it ended with Watford,” Rodgers told the Wales on Sunday.

“My gut feeling at the time was to leave, but there is no doubt, when I look back in hindsight that I shouldn’t have.

“I always wanted to go to a club that was going to give me a chance as a manager. Watford did that. They gave me the opportunity.

“I didn’t make a really good start there and the club was a bit broken.

“It took a bit of time for my methods to get across and for us to get results, but I was able to pull it all back in together as a one-club mentality.

“I think that was my sadness. There were a couple of comments in the press which were obviously misconstrued and left me in a worse light than it actually was.

“There was the disappointment of giving the supporters hope that they had someone in charge who was going to be in the job for two, three or four years to help them grow again.

“They loved my style of football and the way we were playing. We were going from strength to strength, but then all of a sudden I went.

“The fans probably felt I had let them down and I can totally understand that. I have met many Watford supporters and had many letters thanking me, but it didn’t fit well with some and I can understand their feelings.

“But I wouldn’t have left for any other club than Reading, a club I knew well, where I’d lived for 21 years, where my children were and it was a real heart pull on me.

“I actually had key people from within the club saying that I couldn’t pass this opportunity up. So I went with no regrets at the time. Then there was the backdrop with the comments which I didn’t make and that fuelled the supporters.

“But I look back now and realise it wasn’t the right thing to do, even if it has made me a better manager.”

Click here to read Wales on Sunday’s interview with Brendan Rodgers

Click here for the controversial “integrity” interview from when Rodgers was Watford manager