DAVID Stockdale believes he has joined a club with a "good aura".
The young goalkeeper arrived on a one-month loan deal from Fulham last week and he is keen to prove his worth in the Championship.
The acquisition of Stockdale has inevitably boosted competition for the goalkeeping slot and the 24-year-old knows he will do well to displace the ever-present Romain Larrieu.
"This is the next step for me," he said. "I need to show I can play in this league.
"I have shown I can play one game in the Premier League, but I need to play in this league consistently and play well.
"I think there is a good aura about the place. The players are all having a laugh.
"When it comes down to it, I don't think they are a team that comes into that relegation bracket.
"With the players they have got here, they should get out of it, touch wood.
"The gaffer (head coach Paul Mariner) hasn't promised me anything. It's up to him who plays.
"Romain has been a very loyal servant to the club and I can't just come in and demand that I play.
"Hopefully, I will show him what I'm capable of in training and he rewards me with a place.
"I have seen Romain play. You can't really say he's getting old now because our 'keepers at Fulham are 39 and 37, so he's a youngster.
"It might be the gaffer is trying to bring in competition for Romain but will carry on playing him.
"I don't know. I don't pick the team. I just do what I'm told and try to perform when I play.
"I'm going to push Romain as hard as I can. Hopefully, I will have a good season and help keep us up."
Mariner's first big goalkeeping decision comes tonight, when Derby County visit Home Park for a crucial Championship clash.
