Patrick Bauer has been earning rave reviews from the PNE fans – some asking fellow supporters to name ‘a better free transfer’ and he will be hoping to be back from illness for this final game of 2019.
The 27-year-old defender is certainly not one to get carried away by the accolades, but admitted in his six months since signing from Charlton, the north west is beginning to feel like home.
“I am glad the supporters are happy with how I am doing so far, but hopefully I can improve and I am working hard to do that,” said the former German U20 international to The One And Only.
“I am really enjoying everything about being here, it’s my first time in the Championship again after a couple of years but I think I have settled in well.
“We have had some good performances, the team is going well, we are up there challenging and so far I have played most of the games in the league.
“I missed a couple as I had a grade one tear in my hip flexor, but I am glad to be back and really enjoying it.
“I have learnt such a lot of things, they are really nice people up north, my family have settled well and it feels really comfortable.”
Pat has had to move around a lot since he left his native Germany when he was 19 to play in Madeira for Maritimo for three seasons in the Portuguese Segunda Liga, the top flight.
“It was hard at the time as I was around 19 when I went to Madeira and I had to leave my family, my mum and my brother.
“When I was 19 if someone would have said ‘Pat, you will spend the next eight years away from your family and Germany,’ it probably would have scared me but I am really happy I have done it.
“Madeira was lovely, it was a good experience, the weather is really good – it doesn’t get cold - I liked the food, and it’s a nice culture. It’s something I am glad I did.
“It was interesting at times. There were just two first league teams on the island so to every away game we had to fly and sometimes the flights are not easy as Madeira is well-known for having one of the smallest runways in the world.
“After the games, around 10pm we were flying back to Madeira and sometimes we couldn’t land and had to head back to Porto or Lisbon but we all just got on with it.”
There’s a lot more from Patrick in Sunday’s edition of the matchday programme, plus interviews and features with Tom Clarke, Sean St. Ledger, Declan Rudd, Liam Chilvers and much, much more.
This is another packed full 84-pages, on sale from Saturday afternoon from the Sir Tom Finney Stand ticket office, or from inside and outside the stadium on matchday, still for just £3 per copy.