Alan Browne: ‘We can beat any team on our day’

There isn’t a seat to be got at Deepdale for today’s FA Cup tie but Preston North End’s Cork native Alan Browne feels the middle of pitch is the best possible place for him against Arsenal’s galaxy of stars.

Although the 21-year-old started two of the team’s three Championship games over the seven-day festive period, he’s eager to test himself against the likes of Aaron Ramsey and Granit Xhaka as the Championship outfit set about the task of engineering a shock in today’s late kick-off.

Like fellow Leesider Conor Hourihane, Browne has established himself as a Championship regular, hitting the century of appearances in Monday’s win over Burton Albion. Reaching such a milestone so quick didn’t seem attainable when he joined the club this week three years ago as a fresh-faced teen from Cork City. But progress has been steady and has not come without notice. Two improved contracts have since been granted by boss Simon Grayson while Martin O’Neill was sufficiently impressed with the Ireland U21 playmaker to table an invite to train with the senior squad last March.

Injury prevented him joining fellow underage graduate Jack Byrne at Abbotstown yet it was a rare blot on an otherwise stellar 2016 for Browne.

Today’s game provides an early chance to build on that momentum for the new year.

“With all the games over Christmas, we didn’t have much time to think about Arsenal,” admitted the Mahon man. “The main thing is our league form, we’re up to 11th in the table now and six points off the play-offs, and we’ll head into the Arsenal game as underdogs but aware we can beat any team on our day.

“We all know what a quality team Arsenal are and we’ll have to set up in a certain way to deal with that. I didn’t watch their game against Bournemouth during the week but to come back from three goals down and get a point shows what they’re capable of.

“The manager will have us well prepared and the crowd will be right behind us. It’s a game that sold out last week and even the players are struggling to get tickets for their families and friends. It should be a brilliant occasion.”

Browne will have some of his nearest and dearest in the stand after spending another Christmas away from his native Cork. Being abroad is eased to an extent by the growing army of Irish players surrounding him in training every day.

That count has reached six in recent weeks with the captures of Daryl Horgan and Andy Boyle, the largest Irish colony of any Championship club, and the original member insists it helps with generating team spirit.

“There’s Greg Cunningham and Daryl from Galway, Andy Boyle and Eoin Doyle from Dublin, myself from Cork and then Aiden McGeady,” he explained. “We’ve had a bit of a joke about having our own team in training. Everyone gets on great and the two new lads have looked very sharp in training.”

Browne had played alongside Horgan at Cork City and so was able to supply a ringing endorsement to Simon Grayson when the Preston manager entered the race to recruit himself and Dundalk team-mate Boyle last year.

“I knew Daryl from our time together at City and could see what a good player he was,” he explained about Horgan, who could make his debut today.

“Andy is someone I hadn’t seen much of but got to watch properly in the FAI Cup final against Cork. They’ve both stepped in and added more strength to the squad.

“I’ve found this season to be much more competitive for places. We need that if we’re to push on and achieve our aim of getting promoted to the Premier League, which will probably have to be through the play-offs.

“Preston are a big club, much bigger than some people give them credit for. I signed for them as a League One club but we held our own last season after getting promoted and pushed on again this time.

“I’m of a mindset that there’s nothing which cannot be achieved. Look at how Leicester City won the Premier League last season. Football isn’t all about finances. On our day, we can put it up to any team.”

Browne’s success in Lancashire is leaving a legacy too on Leeside. He wasn’t able to make it home last week for the official announcement of a partnership between his former club Ringmahon Rangers and his current one but is glad to see another member of the production line has joined Preston. “Adam O’Reilly is a very talented lad and a player I was aware of as his dad, Kieran, coached of my schoolboy team. I’m delighted for Ringmahon.”

Browne could be giving those in Mahon who’ve observed his ascent reciprocal delight on the big stage today.