Former Celtic youngster keen to keep progressing at Brighton

Former Celtic defender Josh Kerr says he is loving life at Brighton after joining last summer and harbours dreams of playing in the first team.
Josh Kerr. Picture by Paul Hazlewood/BHAFCJosh Kerr. Picture by Paul Hazlewood/BHAFC
Josh Kerr. Picture by Paul Hazlewood/BHAFC

The 20-year-old joined the Seagulls for an undisclosed fee on a two-year deal from Celtic last May, after rejecting a new contract with the Bhoys.

This season Kerr has helped Albion's under-23 team win the Sussex Senior Cup - scoring the winner after an earlier own goal - and promotion into Premier League 2 Division 1.

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He is also part of a ten-man squad representing Albion in the HKFC Citi Soccer Sevens tournament in Hong Kong this weekend.

On his first year with the club, Kerr said: “I’m adapting to living away from home, cooking and just all the basic things that you don’t need to do back home but I’m getting used to it and I’m loving it here.

“It’s every boy’s dream (to be a first team player).

“When I was younger I would watch Match of the Day and wish I was there, so that gave me the incentive to come down here and hopefully get the chance to live my dream.

“I just need to keep working hard and go through the ranks looking to impress everyone.

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“The first team manager talks to the under-23 manager, so I just need to get the good reports going in and take the chance if I get it.”

Kerr admitted he was relieved after netting the winner in the Sussex Senior Cup against Crawley last Wednesday, having earlier scored an own goal.

Kerr turned Enzio Boldewijn’s dangerous cross into his own net after 67 minutes but Albion levelled through James Tilley on 82 minutes to begin a frantic five minutes at the Amex.

Tilley then missed a penalty, before Kerr headed home the winner from the resulting corner as Brighton retained the cup with a 2-1 victory.

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Kerr said: “It’s just the highs and lows of football, it goes from one extreme to another.

“You have to get on with it and not let it get you down. When the ball goes in your own net, it’s the worst feeling ever but you can’t just stop there, you’ve still got a job to do for the team.

“You’ve got to keep plugging away and hopefully things are going to happen.

“Honestly, I’ve never been so relieved (to score).”