Norwich City midfielder Josh Martin described his recent Premier League debut as a ‘dream come true’ upon being presented with his debut ball at Lotus Training Centre.
The 18-year-old came on to replace Josip Drmic in June’s defeat at home to Southampton, making his first appearance in England’s topflight.
“It was a dream come true, something I’ve been thinking about since I was three or four years old, so it’s a massive achievement for me,” he said. “I’m just looking forward to the future now and I’m just going to work as hard as I can to keep getting more appearances.”
Martin’s rise to the first-team has been rapid. After signing for City in March 2019, Martin went on to impress at youth team level, particularly by scoring a hat-trick in the FA Youth Cup. He’s since become a regular in Daniel Farke’s squad.
“This season has gone from me playing for the Under-18s and 23s to the first team in such a short time, so I can only be grateful to everyone here around me,” he said.
“Everything is faster and more physical in the first team. It’s a higher level of the game so you have to get used to that. The mindset is about being more comfortable on the ball and learning how to tactically position yourself.”
Settling into the first-team environment has been a comfortable process for Martin thanks to the personalities of those around him, in particular the man he replaced for his Premier League debut.
“Josip has been really good to me and so have the other lads. I’ve got a really good bond with a lot of them now, which is good for me. You always want to have a good bond with the players when you’re in the team.”
Next season will no doubt present more opportunities for Martin to impress, and the former Arsenal man can’t wait to work towards City’s promotion push from the Championship.
“I’m hungry for it and I want to go into next season with the aim of getting us back up to the Premier League,” he said. “I’m ready for the fight and I’m excited by it.”