Towell eager for Albion chance

RICHIE TOWELL looked ahead to Albion's FA Cup third round clash at fellow Championship high-flyers Hull City on Saturday and said: 'I can't wait to get started.'

With the transfer window in England not opening until January 4, Saturday’s FA Cup clash sees Towell come into the first-team fold for the first time, after signing for Albion from Dundalk in November.

With Albion set to rest a whole host of first-team regulars for the clash, it could well open the door for Towell.

Should he feature against Hull, the midfield maestro feels he will be ready and said: “He (Chris Hughton) has not announced the team yet, so I don’t know whether I’ll be getting some game time, but I have been working really hard so, hopefully, I am in his mind.

“I signed a few weeks ago, so it’s been frustrating not being able to pay. Being at training with the lads has been great but nothing compares to playing competitive football, and that’s what I’m here to do.

“I just need to get into the team, take my chance whenever I get it, and be ready for the busy schedule in the Championship. There are a lot of games coming up thick and fast, so I just need to take my chance when it comes.”

Towell impressed for Dundallk in the Irish Premier Division last season, bagging 29 goals from midfield.

The 24-year-old knows how tough Saturday’s game and the Championship will be and said: “Hull are a really good side and they are also doing well this season. As a player you want to test yourself against the best and they’re up there, so it will be good to play against them.

“The training has been a step up, you can see the quality here. To be fair at Dundalk we trained at a really high intensity as well, we had really good players, but there is definitely a step up in quality. Time will tell when I get my game time.”

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