Preston North End’s latest recruit Alan Browne is looking to step up to the plate and make an imprint on Simon Grayson’s first team between now and May.
The Republic of Ireland U19 international signed for the Lilywhites on the 1st of January; pending international clearance and the youngster is looking forward to helping the Club’s promotion push.
“It is great for me to be a Preston player and the time has come for me to step up to the mark and try and get into the squad and make a name for myself,” said Browne.
“I think having the lads around me has had a massive influence on me because they are so good with you.
“They talk to you a lot and tell you if you are doing something wrong or help you out a lot on and off the pitch as well.
“It makes a massive difference when you already know the lads around you and you are comfortable with them.
“They are a great bunch of lads, so they have been a great help.”
Browne has been training with North End for a couple of months now due to the schedule of the Republic of Ireland domestic season and this contract is his first as a professional footballer, an adaption which he feels he has made well.
He continued: “This is the first time that I have been a professional footballer, so hopefully I can step up to the mark and all goes well.
“I think I have adapted well to become a professional.
“I feel comfortable and the fitness coaches have been a massive influence on me to help me get my fitness and I think I am ready now.”
Alan Browne will be a name unfamiliar to most PNE fans, so the new Lilywhites No.31 explained what the supporters should expect from him over the coming months, as well as giving us the low down on his career to date.
“I like to get forward and score a lot of goals so hopefully I can do that here,” added the Irishman.
“I do my fair share of defending as well, I like to get stuck in and switch play a lot and I am mostly a box-to-box type central midfielder.
“I started with Ringmahon Rangers, my local Club in Cork and played with them for ten years.
“I then moved on to Cork City and played one year there with them at U19s and we won the double, thankfully I was a big influence in that double win.
“I received my first international cap at U18s when I was 16, the manager gave me a chance and that went well.
“Last year he called me into the U19s squad for a few friendly games and I played in the European Championships this year which we topped the group in so things have been going well.”
With Josh Brownhill making his mark on the first team as a 17-year-old, Browne is hoping to follow in his footsteps as an 18-year-old.
And knowing that manager Simon Grayson is willing to give youth an opportunity if good enough, is all the inspiration Browne needs in a bid for first team football.
“It was great when I first came to see Josh was playing regularly,” states the Cork native.
“It just helped my confidence a lot more to get into the squad.
“It shows that the gaffer will give you the chance if you are good enough so there are no excuses really and Josh has shown that, he has been excellent.”