Kyel Reid cannot wait to get started with Wolverhampton Wanderers after joining the Coca-Cola Championship leaders on loan for the rest of the season.
The 21-year-old winger impressed Wolves during a month-long loan at Blackpool, playing seven games including a key role in the 2-2 draw between the clubs when he caught the eye of manager Mick McCarthy. Reid is keen to keep that form going and hopefully do enough to remind Gianfranco Zola and his staff what he is all about.
"I just want to get out there and play and show the manager and myself that I've got the ability to play," said Reid. "I'm at an age now where I just need to get games under my belt and see what happens.
"When I spoke to Mick McCarthy he said that he had been watching me for a while and he also liked the way that I played the game when we played them. It seems good and I just hope that I can do my bit for myself as well as them and then show them that I can come back and get into the West Ham team."
Reid will certainly be in the spotlight, with a televised game at Bristol City on Saturday evening set to be his Wolves debut and the prospect of an FA Cup fourth-round tie against Middlesbrough on Saturday week. "This is a chance to show the manager that I can play and hopefully he will be watching or getting reports and he will see something in me that he likes and I'll get my chance to play here."
The south Londoner played once for the Hammers first team this season and made his mark with a goal in the 4-1 defeat of Macclesfield Town in the League Cup. He also scored on his last reserve outing - a 2-0 defeat of Portsmouth on 25 November when he also made the other goal - but Reid knows nothing can match playing first-team football.
"Reserve games are not like they are used to be a few years ago when there was a game every week. Now there is a game every two weeks if you are lucky so it's a bit difficult and with the first-team squad players playing as well it is a bit harder for some of the younger ones to break through."
With Wolves four points clear at the top of the Championship and pushing hard for promotion, Reid knows he will have to battle for a place. He is prepared to work hard to make things happen though. "They are top of the league and four points clear so hopefully I can go there and be amongst them and hopefully at the end of the season I can pick up a promotion medal. That would be good!
"Hopefully I'll do well there and then come back and play for West Ham. I've been here for a long time and I love the club. I'll still keep in touch with the players here like Jack Collison, Hayden Mullins and Carlton Cole because it's important to still feel part of it here. When Wolves aren't playing I'll come back to cheer the boys on."