'I wanted to' - Thierry Small opens up on decision to join Preston North End this summer after Charlton exit

Preston North End wide man Thierry Small has opened up on his decision to join the club this summer.

The 21-year-old made the brave call to leave Charlton Athletic following promotion from League One. A handful of Championship clubs were credited with interest in Small this summer, including Millwall, Derby County, Oxford United and Blackburn Rovers.

But, it was PNE who won the race for his signature and Small has been a regular in the North End XI so far this campaign. Manager Paul Heckingbottom spoke highly of him straight away and the boss was a major factor in Small signing on at Deepdale. He is the latest guest on the club’s official podcast: PNE Pod.

"Honestly, before coming here I wanted to come to a team where the manager wants me," said Small. "I think that's one of the most important things as a player. You want that reassurance that you are actually one of the manager's signings.

“That was a massive thing for me to be honest. I got a really good feel for the manager, the staff. Just your gut, you can tell if someone is a genuine person by speaking to them and first impressions. That's definitely the first impression that I got and I was correct."

Small is an engaging listen and speaks with great maturity for his age. Players are often reluctant to share personal targets into the public domain, but PNE’s number 26 was open about his goals for the campaign.

"Yeah, finishing as high up in the table as we can and also, for me, I want at least 10 GA contributions," said Small. "Whether it is goals or assists, all together that would be a decent stepping stone for me - and then we can build on that. I think last season I set a similar goal and did achieve it. This one, let's see if I can."

Small earned his first call-up to the England Under-21 squad last month. Having come through the ranks at West Brom, Everton and Southampton, there was plenty of hype around Small from a young age - he was handed his Everton debut, at the age of 16, by none other than Carlo Ancelotti. Small is highly motivated to keep rising up the ranks and eventually, make his mark on both the top flight and international stage.

“For me, the minute you stop improving you can just say, 'Goodbye' really," said Small. "You are just going to stay there and start going down. Even if it is just little things to keep getting better, because one of the biggest aims for me is to play in the Premier League one day. And, play for the senior England team one day. With football, as long as I keep on chipping away, working hard and stay humble, anything can happen."

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