Cunningham grateful to PNE and out to prove doubters wrong

Cunningham left the club in 2018 to move to then Premier League outfit Cardiff City.

But he has found game time hard to come by, playing only 24 times in the two-and-a-half years since his departure.

During that period he endured a spell on the sidelines when he suffered a long-term knee injury whilst on loan at Blackburn Rovers.

Having been given a chance by PNE to show what he can do at Championship level again, Cunningham is keen to repay their faith in him and made a good start, scoring in Friday’s 2-1 derby win at Blackburn.

He said: “You’ve always got points to prove and opinions to change.

“People will have question marks over me, that’s why I’m looking to repay the faith that the gaffer and the club have shown in me because they could have looked elsewhere.

“I just want to play games, I know I’m more than capable of doing that, I feel really good in myself, but it’s about doing that and churning out consistent results on a regular basis.

“I’ve just had limited opportunities over the last couple of years – taking away the injury – to prove what I’m about.”

In his last spell at the club, the 30-year-old was a part of a group of Irishmen that were all key players. For the most part, that group remains, with Jayson Molumby replacing Callum Robinson amongst those ranks. Having his countrymen in the group keeps things interesting

“I said it when we were bringing the Irish boys in during my first stint, that Irish boys are a great group to have together and there is always a bit of craic and morale is always high when we’re together,” he said.

“I don’t compare it to the last group, this is who we have here and it’s a talented bunch.

“It’s just about making sure we gel and get some team chemistry going. We’ve shown that we’re all in it together.

“Those players that have been here before, they’ve gone now. It’s about this current crop and we’re working hard together and pushing in the right direction.”

On his return to the club, initially on loan before signing a permanent deal until the end of the season, Cunningham took up the No.37 shirt.

The previous owner of that squad number is Callum Robinson, now at West Bromwich Albion, and the Baggies man could not resist getting in touch with his ex-team-mate.

Cunningham said: “Callum has been in touch, he texted me when I signed and then when I got the No.37 shirt.

“I was surprised I didn’t hear from him on Friday night because he probably would have claimed the goal!”

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