INTERVIEW: Exactly what I wanted

“I’ve loved every minute of being here,” he said. “I’ve enjoyed being involved in a proper football atmosphere and playing games. 

“I’m glad it’s been extended because that’s exactly what I wanted. I’ve got a good feeling about the club, I’m settled and I’m absolutely buzzing about being involved. Everyone has been really supportive since I came up here and it’s a great place to live.

“The gaffer has been great with me and I’ve been really welcomed here. It’s a great atmosphere where I can learn and hopefully I’ll carry on playing.” 

“It’s completely different to playing U21 football,” he told us. “I’ve done that for about three years now and I was on the bench a couple of times for Sheffield Wednesday. When you know you’re involved on a Saturday you get a feeling that it really means something. It brings that little bit more out of you, which is brilliant.

“An experience like this is second to none in terms of my development. Experienced players tell you that nothing compares to playing. I’ve heard it from everyone else but it’s only by coming here that I’ve realised what it means. Once you get a taste of it you just want more and more.”

“It’s obviously more physical because you’re playing against older and more experienced players,” he added. “You have to deal with that aspect of it. You either match it or you are more intelligent about it. 

“I’ve had help from the experienced players here and they’ve been absolutely brilliant. I was in a room with Sean O’Hanlon for Wimbledon and we had a long chat about the game. He’s helped me ever since I’ve been here and I’ve also spoken to Danny Grainger quite a bit.

“He’s given me advice and Troy has done the same. Literally everyone has been really supportive and helpful, and it’s been fantastic. The gaffer has been part of that because he’s talked to me and given me advice on things he thinks I can improve on. I’ve learned a heck of a lot in the short period of time I’ve been here and I just want that to continue.”

On the advice given by the staff at Sheffield Wednesday, he said: “They know I’m at an age where I need to be playing and getting games under my belt. I fully understand I need to perform to be able to play every week so, from their point of view, I think they just want me to do well.

“The way I’ve been all through my life has been to work hard and get my head down. I get that from my dad. He’s drilled that into me, and my mum did the same. I’ve got that from both of them and it’s what I live by. 

“I’ve heard the gaffer say good things and you just want to push on and give more when you hear it. I feel like I’ve got something to prove to myself and to everyone else every time I play. 

“It’s a football cliché but you’re only as good as your last game. There’s always something to build on and work on because if you hit a stumbling block it puts you back down the ladder.”

“The gaffer has looked after me off the pitch, with the media side of it, and with helping me to look at things I’ve done in games,” he continued. “On the pitch he’s given me a lot of advice and I think I’ve been able to integrate with the team better because of the way it’s been done. I’ve loved it.

“The fans have been great with me ever since I first signed as well. When my name was called out at my first home game it got a massive roar, and that makes you feel good. You want to give more back when things like that happen so I’ll just concentrate on playing as well as I can. 

“At Wimbledon and Bury they really made themselves heard and we appreciate that. We didn’t have a great start at Wimbledon but they were behind us and they wanted to help us get through the game. It’s a big part of why we ended up with a victory.”

And on the game against Mansfield, he said: “The situation we’re in means we need points on the board. We need to climb the table so Saturday is the sort of game you want to be involved in. We know it’s a big game and that we need to turn up, and we’re looking for a performance. 

“We’ve talked about the game and we’re clear on what’s got to happen and what we need to do. The result isn’t going to make our season or write off our season, but we do understand that it’s a big game. Mansfield are around us and we know we can affect what’s going to happen.”