BROWNHILL BUZZING FOR BLACKBURN CLASH

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Midfielder excited at prospect of first derby day

2022-11-11T16:30:00.000Z

BROWNHILL BUZZING FOR BLACKBURN CLASH

Midfielder excited at prospect of first derby day

2022-11-11T16:30:00.000Z

Midfielder excited at prospect of first derby day

Josh Brownhill says he’s relishing the chance to play in this Sunday’s East Lancashire derby against Blackburn Rovers.

The midfielder joined the Clarets in January 2020, and this weekend’s game will be the first between the two Clubs since.

On Friday afternoon, the 26-year-old - who has netted five league goals so far this term - spoke to the media about his first taste of a derby and how well Vincent Kompany’s men have done to date as well as last night’s Carabao Cup draw.

Brownhill on the East Lancashire derby:

“As much as I've not been involved in one before, I've been here long enough now to realise how much it means to everyone around. The players, myself included, all understand it. The fans have been talking about it and I've become one of them.

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“When the fixtures come out, it's the first one you look forward to. This will be the first proper one I've been involved in, it's something I've been looking forward to for my whole career really.

“It’s massively important for a lot of factors. It’s a game we always want to win, but going into the World Cup break we also don’t want to end on a low. Football is football and you can’t predict the outcome, but we know everybody on our side is going to be massively up for it.

“I think you speak about big derbies, and this one definitely has to be put into that discussion with how difficult it can be & how passionate the fans are. For us, it’s so important to put our fans on the right end of the bragging rights.”

Brownhill on a successful first half of the campaign:

“We’re very pleased. I think you’ve got to take a step back and realise how good a start to the season we’ve had really.

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“We’ve still had ups and downs, during a season that’s always the way it’s going to be, but to be top of the table at the moment is credit to the lads with everything that’s gone on since last season.

“It’s crazy how fast this break has come around. We’re not quite halfway through the season yet, but it’s not far away.

“You always want to leave on a high into an international break, especially with this one being such a big break, and there’s no more motivation than for us to beat our neighbours going into it.”

Brownhill on drawing Manchester United away in the Carabao Cup Fourth Round:

“I actually went to their game last night with a few friends who are United supporters and I was saying that I haven’t played away against them with fans in the ground.

“I did in the COVID year, but then I think I got COVID just before we played them the next season. This is the only one I haven’t [played at in front of fans] of the big teams, and it’s something I’ve wanted to do.

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“As much as we wanted a draw at home where we could be the favourites to win, the next best one is going away to a big team where we can showcase ourselves and how far we’ve come.

“Make no mistake though, the focus is well and truly on this weekend for now. It’s important that remains the case, and I know it will.”

Brownhill on the support at Turf Moor:

“I have no doubt they [the Clarets supporters] will be behind us on Sunday. I’m sure this is what they’ve been looking forward to for many years now having not played them for some time.

“There’s probably no fixture they’d look forward to more, and everyone knows & understands that. The crowd are going to be right behind us, and we want to send them home happy because it’s going to be a long time until we’re back.”

Brownhill on keeping fans safe on Sunday:

“It’s important that everyone controls themselves getting into the ground, and then when you’re in make as much noise as possible to create a good atmosphere.

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“We’ll do our talking on the pitch and hope to get everyone rallied up, but when the game is over everyone should realise that there isn’t much they can do. My advice to everyone would be to accept whatever happens and get home safely.”

Brownhill on the upcoming World Cup break:

“It’s very important that the lads settle down and forget about football because the Championship is crazy. It’s Saturday-Tuesday, Saturday-Wednesday, Wednesday-Saturday all the time, a crazy schedule.

“You hear all the big teams complain about horrible schedules, and we feel that as well.

“When a chance to rest comes around and you get some time off, it is important to relax because it’ll all start up again before you know it.”