New signing Elijah Adebayo is looking forward to his first involvement of EFL first team football on Saturday when Cheltenham Town take on Accrington Stanley at the LCI Rail Stadium (3pm).
Elijah was signed on loan from Fulham earlier this week having scored 11 times in Under-23 matches for the Cottagers during the first half of the season. The 20-year old has previously spent time on loan in non-league football with Slough Town and Bognor Regis Town but acknowledges that coming to Cheltenham Town will provide an opportunity take his career onto the next stage.
"It [coming on loan] was the best decision for me," said Elijah.
"I just wanted get out and play football as much as possible and I think in the League it matters more so I might as well test myself against what I think is good opposition.
"I went to two non-league clubs on loan but the step up into the League is more challenging for me as a person. In the League you have to be mentally strong and put yourself up against more physical opposition."
"Gary Johnson has told me to be positive, to get shots off and make sure that I am an asset to the team in terms of holding the ball up, bringing others into play and providing goals and assists.
"Obviously my own individual perfomances matter but as long as I'm helping the team - whether it's working hard or scoring goals - then I feel like it's a positive."
Robins manager Gary Johnson was certainly pleased to have secured a player he has been tracking for some time. Elijah joins Manny Onariase and Sanmi Odelusi as a trio of new signigs during the first part of the January transfer window.
"Elijah has a very good future ahead of him," said Gary.
"It's sometimes good to get these players before everyone knows about them and I've got every confidence in him.
"He's a great lad who wants to learn and develop and Fulham have chosen us to help him out with that.
"We're lucky to get him. I'm sure he'll show his strengths and weaknesses but it's an area we need to improve on and I'm sure he will compete hard for a place in the team."
Gary ruled out any more new signings ahead of Saturday's game but affirmed that the remainder of the January transfer window will be spent looking at potential recruits to improve the team with further additions likely.
"We have three long term injuries but two of those could be back during March," he explained.
"We have to make sure the players we do bring in are fit, healthy and capable of doing a job before the end of the season. We will continue to work hard on recruitment, as we always do, and if the right player becomes available we will always look to improve the squad."