Robbie Hebson interview

New signing and familiar face Robbie Hebson feels that he’s now ready to make the step up with the Reds after a two-season spell with hometown club, Penrith.

Confirmed earlier today, the 21-year-old told the club: “I feel like I’ve come on a lot in those two years and I feel like it was right to come back.”

His time away from followed 54 senior appearances – including 12 starts – for the Reds and now under the tutelage of former Carlisle United full-back Danny Grainger, Hebson says he can learn ‘loads’ from his new boss in that area of the pitch.

I think it’s only going to work well for me. He’s going to give me a lot of guidance in that position which is sort of new to me.”

Regarding the style of play and the coaching staff’s philosophy, the right back is eager to get on board with the progressive brand of football.

They all seem to have a set of ideas of what we want to do and Danny’s got a way of football that he’s wanting to bring and wanting us to play so it’s good, it sounds good – I’m looking forward to it.

On the topic of pre-season training where the gruelling work has entered its second week, he said:

It’s been hard, it’s been tough but all the lads have put in 100%. It feels good.

Sessions have been held at Cumbria Football Academy’s headquarters in Penrith and Hebson already has his sights on the new campaign at Borough Park and beyond.

[The target] has obviously got to be to win the league. We got relegated last year but we’ve got to get ourselves back up there.

Workington don’t deserve to be in this league and we’ve got to show that this season.

Speaking about his personal targets, the youngster is keen to ‘cement [his] position at right back, hopefully, and just get starting games’ over the upcoming term.

The Reds are back on the pitch for their first friendly tomorrow night as they travel to Whitehaven AFC for a 7:30pm kick-off at the County Ground.