Jamie Paterson has had to bide his time at Derby County - but he has taken his opportunity with both hands and is intent on helping the Rams climb up the Sky Bet Championship table.
It’s been an interesting few months for the winger, who signed on loan from Bristol City on the final day of the transfer window in August.
He has had to adapt to familiar, but new, surroundings in the East Midlands and has also had to bed into a new dressing room.
“Because it happened so quickly, it was tough at the start,” Paterson admitted, speaking to RamsTV.
"I came on the last day of the transfer window and didn’t know it was going to happen, so it was a bit of a shock.
“I had been at Bristol City for a while so just to move teams on that last day took a little while to settle in. I’m glad that’s over now and I’m in the team because I’m enjoying it.”
Prior to his first league start of the season against Birmingham City at the end of September, Paterson had found it tough to break into Phillip Cocu’s starting line-up.
His game time was limited to cameo appearances from the substitutes bench or Carabap Cup starts, however, when presented with his chance to impress he grasped it.
He made a telling impact against Leeds United at Elland Road last moth, setting up Chris Martin for a late equaliser, whilst a week later he scored the winner against BIrmingham on his first league start for the club.
“The quality is here,” he said. “You don’t come into a team and go in front of players because you’re a new signing, you have to earn that right on the pitch when you get given your chance.
“There was a spell where I wasn’t playing but I tried to keep my head. As you can see, there are other lads in similar positions to me.
“Graeme Shinnie, Curtis Davies and Chris Martin as well, all four of us started the last game so that’s football and it can change quickly.
“It’s about staying positive and when you get your chance, you have to produce the goods.”
The Rams head to The Valley to take on Charlton Athletic on Saturday aiming to make it six games unbeaten.
In the last block of fixtures, the Rams picked up nine points from a possible 15 to move them up the table and Paterson believes the Rams are heading in the right direction.
“We have picked up some good points in the last five games and we are creeping back up that table now,” Paterson commented. “We just need to maintain the standards now.
“The home win was key just to get it off the back. It became a bit of a problem but it’s still early doors now.
“As long as we are showing signs of progression then we should be up there or be there abouts come the end of the season. If you win your home games and pick up points away then that’s more than promotion form.
“Looking at the circumstances, we should have held on to the three points against Barnsley but luck goes one way and then the other.
“We played against Luton and got a couple of strokes of luck in that game so it’ll always come back around as long as you’re working hard and maintaining the standards.”