Lewis Coulton is looking to impress the manager and his staff every day on the training pitch as he takes part in his first pre-season with the first team.
The 19-year-old, whose professional deal at the club was extended in May until next summer, reported for training alongside the senior squad on Monday.
Watch Lewis' Full Interview Here
Having spent the majority of last season either with the youth team or out on loan, Lewis is now looking to kick on and take chances when they come in a lilywhite shirt.
He impressed in particular on day two, coming out as one of the top performers in a running exercise alongside the likes of Noah Mawene and Mikey O’Neill.
Lewis said: “As young lads we need to be at the top really to show that we want to stay up here and we don’t want to drop back down with the youth team.
“It’s always a massive opportunity coming up with the first team.
“You’ve got to impress the gaffer; that’s the main thing at the end of the day and up to now I think I’ve done that.
“I love speaking to the gaffer about how I’ve been doing and I feel like he’s helping me a lot recently.
“Hopefully when the gaffer gives me a chance I’ll take it and hopefully I can impress him more each day and see what happens at the end of it.”
While defender Lewis is no stranger to getting himself ready for a new campaign, doing so with the first team is undoubtedly a more intense experience.
Getting the players’ fitness up has of course been at the forefront of the work done so far, but there has also been a lot of ball work incorporated into training, too.
Lewis added: “It’s been a bit of both really, but to be fair we had the ball out yesterday quite a bit, running around with the ball which helps your mindset really because you’ve got a ball at your feet, but today was a bit more running.
“It was tough but that’s how it’s going to be.
“Obviously when you come in to start pre-season it’s always a tough one.
“You know that when you step through the door on day one. You know it’s never going to be easy, but we’re on day two now and I think it’s gone well up to now.”
Last term, Lewis spent time on loan with North End’s first pre-season opponents Bamber Bridge, before ending the campaign with Warrington Town.
He helped them achieve a place in the Play-Off spots, but time spent with Scotland’s U19s ended up costing him his place with the Wire.
“I loved it to be fair,” he said. “I went away on international duty and got a little niggle and I struggled to get back in the team, but at the end of the day that’s football.
“That’s how men’s football works. That’s probably helped me a lot to show that it’s not as easy to just get back in the team when you’ve come out of it so that’s helped me a lot to be honest.”
You can watch our full interview with Lewis for free on iFollow PNE.