RYAN Blake wants to fight for a first-team spot next season after making his Brentford debut against Yeovil on Saturday.
The 18-year-old youth team product appeared as a second-half substitute in the 1-1 draw with the Glovers, and is staying put at Griffin Park after agreeing professional terms.
And with first choice left-back Ryan Dickson set to leave the club in the summer after turning down a new deal, Blake insists he's not there just to make up the numbers next campaign.
He said: "I look up to players like Dicko as he plays a similar way to me; I like attacking and bombing on.
"I'd definitely like to think I could battle for a first-team spot next season.
"I was a little bit nervous before I came on. The gaffer told me at half-time to warm-up, and the adrenalin was pumping.
"I came on and did well, and it was good to extend our unbeaten run."
Boss Andy Scott was delighted with the youngster's first outing in a Bees shirt.
"Ryan Blake has done well," he said. "He has been called up to the under 18s and 19s for Northern Ireland and he has been progressing nicely in the reserves.
"He is still a second year scholar so it is very early, but we are in a position where I felt that his enthusiasm would be infectious.
"With Sam Wood being in front of him, it would give us a little more than we had from the right-hand side, and Sam switched over so it worked quite well."
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