We caught up with midfielder Jack Egan shortly after he put pen-to-paper on his contract extension on Thursday afternoon.
“I’m very pleased to get this done,” he said. “I’ve been waiting for this for a long time, and it’s been on my mind, so it is nice to get it done.
“I went to see the gaffer a few weeks ago because I’d picked up a little injury [during the Cumberland Cup game at Penrith] so I was a bit scared I wouldn’t be getting another contract.
"I'd wanted to go out on loan to get some games, but that meant I couldn’t, but the gaffer said he was happy to extend my contract. That will hopefully mean I can go out and get some games now, so that's a relief.
“When I spoke to the gaffer and David [Holdsworth] about this contract they both said they just want me to work hard and try to earn another one at the end of the season, so that’s what I’m looking to do."
Having been around the first team squad and in the 18 on match days on a number of occasions so far this seaosn, he told us: “It’s been good to be involved with the first team squad."
"I’ve learned a lot. They’re all good lads and good people. Mike Jones, Jamie Devitt and Danny Grainger have all been really good with me, especially Jona. He’s also my taxi driver!
“I have a lot to thank Jona for because he’s really been looking out for me, whether it’s been with money or support mentally.
"He’s been taking me to the gym with him, whenever he goes, and he’ll also give me a rollocking if I need it. He’s really taken me under his wing and I can't put into words how much that means to know somebody is trying to help like that."
October brought the moment he's been working for when he came off the bench to replace Ashley Nadesan for the final stages of the game at the Stadium of Light.
“To make my debut at a stadium like that was unbelievable," he said. "It was quite scary, to be honest, because I’ve been waiting for it for ages.
"It was good, I enjoyed it, and I knew I needed to show people what I was about. I just want more of that, more time on the pitch, and to hopefully get a start at some point.
“My aims for the next six months are to just try and do everything I can to earn another contract and to play some games so that I can keep improving.”
