'I just keep trying to impress and do the right things each week'

Joe Foulkes is embracing his opportunity with Grimsby Town now after a patient wait for his first involvement following his summer move.

The 23-year-old was granted his first league start for the Mariners on October 20 as the team dealt with a pile-up of defensive injuries, and he has now started three in a row, with two wins and a draw in that time.

Arriving from non-league, Foulkes was competing with Town’s player of the year in Harvey Rodgers for minutes at right-back to start the season, and that was proving a difficult task, but he retained belief that the opportunity would come.

“I didn’t doubt that my chance would come,” professed Foulkes. “I knew that if I kept faith in what I was doing, then things would start happening for me on a personal level.

“That said, I’m more focused on what I can do for the team and after a good start, we are beginning to pick up our form again, which is the main thing, and it is a credit to all of the players in the team.

“It is such a tight league for the most part, so things can change quickly at this stage in terms of our position because there are only a few points separating quite a few teams. We know it is going to be a long season, and we’ve got to keep faith and patience throughout, and hopefully things will work out.”

Naturally a right-back, Foulkes played on the left of a back three for the games at Rochdale and Gillingham, then moved back to the more familiar right flank as a wing-back at the weekend with Cameron McJannet fit to return.

Going from right to left and then back to right with his position was something Foulkes had to adjust to, but having waited months for his league opportunity, he was not going to take issue with where he played.

He explained: “It doesn’t sound like a lot, but moving over from right to left, your whole body position for everything changes in terms of in and out of possession.

“It has taken some getting used to for that reason, but right wing-back is a position I have always been quite comfortable with because it is the one I have played the most in my career.

“All you can do is try to replicate what you’re doing on the other side when I’m called upon to play there, but if I can continue down the right, then I’m confident in my ability to do a job there.

“It is a privilege to play for this club, so I just keep trying to impress and do the right things each week.”

Foulkes is pleased to be back in the EFL, having come through Walsall’s academy and got his first chance at this level with them a couple of years ago, but he admits that he did feel ready for it.

Only once he had built on his confidence as a player with Kidderminster Harriers did he feel ready to be a League Two player, and he is realising that ambition now with Town.

He concluded: “When I was at Walsall, it was completely different for me because I didn’t have the confidence in my game that I do now, and it was something I really struggled with at the time.

“Football is 90% about the mental side in my mind, so you have to keep the highest amount of confidence that you can each week; otherwise, you will crumble in the end.”