'I Want To Get As Far As I Can As Quick As I Can'

Jason Knight is looking to build on his opportunities to step up last season to get to the top of his game as quickly as possible.

The Under-23s and 18s have deposited a week of pre-season in the bank after their return on Monday.

It has been an intense week of training that has consisted of fitness testing, long training sessions and the gruelling Allestree Park run for both squads.

Pre-season and putting in the miles suits the midfielder, who loves to run.

The 17-year-old told RamsTV: “I’m really glad to be back. It’s been good to touch a ball for the first time in a month or so, and it’s nice to be back and see all the lads as well.

“I look forward to pre-season because I’m the kind of player that does a lot of running around the pitch so it doesn’t bother me. It just has to be done so I like it.”

Second-year scholar, Knight, has been fully integrated into Darren Wassall’s Under-23 team so far in pre-season. It follows his impressive outings with the older squad in the latter stages of last season that were interspersed with his commitment to the Under-18s success.

Knight, who won Under-18s Premier League Goal of the Season last term with his missile against Manchester City, is determined to become a more permanent fixture in Wassall’s side and push on even further in the 2018/19 season.

He added: “I want to get as far as I can as quick as I can. I want to be with the Under-23s and really show them what I am capable of.”

Knight had a shorter summer than most, as he along with Alex Babos were out on international duty.

While Babos earned his first two caps for Wales’ Under-21 side, Knight represented Ireland at the Under-17 European Championships.

The Ireland Under-16 Player of the Year was part of the squad that reached the quarter-finals at the competition hosted in Derbyshire.

Knight scored the equaliser against Holland in the quarter-final that sent the game into penalties. Despite a controversial ending to their run that saw the Ireland keeper sent off in penalties, Knight believes he can take a lot from the experience.

“It was a really good experience for me. Looking back at it, it wasn’t the way we wanted to go out but it was a really good tournament and well set up. I thought we did well throughout the tournament,” he said.

“After that I went to see friends and family back home in Ireland and last week I got away to Spain for a week away in the sun.”